Author Topic: Contest voting schedule  (Read 30884 times)

eytanz

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on: September 17, 2012, 03:08:42 PM
Note: This schedule is currently a draft, to allow time for some outstanding queries to be resolved; I don't anticipate major changes, but there may be minor revisions.

There have been 92 submissions by 69 different authors. Given the very short lead time to the contest, compared to past contests, I think this is quite an impressive crop.

Based on these numbers, the voting will take the following schedule:

Round 1 - preliminaries

In round one, there will be ten groups - eight of 9 stories each, and two with 10 stories. The membership of the groups will be determined at random with the only constraint is that no group will contain two stories by the same author. The groups will be released at 2 day intervals and each will be open for voting for four days (96 hours). The top three stories from each group will proceed to the semi-final round.

Assuming all goes well and there are no unexpected delays, the schedule for round 1 should be as follows; note that as I also have a day job, I'm not going to commit to specific hours for groups to open or close:

-Group 1 - Voting opens 20 Sep, closes 24 Sep.
-Group 2 - Voting opens 22 Sep, closes 26 Sep.
-Group 3 - Voting opens 24 Sep, closes 28 Sep.
-Group 4 - Voting opens 26 Sep, closes 30 Sep.
-Group 5 - Voting opens 28 Sep, closes 2 Oct.
-Group 6 - Voting opens 30 Sep, closes 4 Oct.
-Group 7 - Voting opens 2 Oct, closes 6 Oct.
-Group 8 - Voting opens 4 Oct, closes 8 Oct.
-Group 9 - Voting opens 6 Oct, closes 10 Oct.
-Group 10 - Voting opens 8 Oct, closes 12 Oct.

Round 1.5 - tie breakers and second chance

If there are any ties in the first rounds that need resolving, they will be resolved in tiebreaker rounds after all ten groups have been voted for. In addition, there will be one special "second chance" round. This round will include the fourth place stories from each of the preliminary ten rounds. The two top stories from the second chance round will also proceed to the semi-finals.

- Tie-breakers will go up on 12 October (as soon as group 10 closes), and will close on 14 October.
- The second chance round will go up on 14 October, and close on 18 October.

Round 2 - Semi-finals

There will be four groups of eight stories each. Groups will be mixed so that no two stories that competed against each other in the preliminary rounds will face each other again, and no author will have two stories in the same group; beyond those constraints, the grouping will be random.

The top 2 stories from each group will proceed to the finals.

- Semi final 1 goes up on 19 October - 24 October.
- Semi final 2 goes up on 20 October - 25 October.
- Semi final 3 goes up on 21 October - 26 October.
- Semi final 4 goes up on 22 October - 27 October.

Round 2.5 - tie breakers

- Semi final tiebreakers will go up 27 October - 29 October

Round 3 - Final

The final eight stories will compete in a single poll that will determine the top 3 places.

- The finals will go up on 29 October - 5 November.
« Last Edit: October 27, 2012, 01:27:42 PM by eytanz »



eytanz

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Reply #1 on: September 17, 2012, 03:17:09 PM
I forgot to say - I'm quite happy for feedback or comments about the posted schedule, but I'm unlikely to change it unless people make very compelling arguments.



Unblinking

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Reply #2 on: September 17, 2012, 04:08:51 PM
I like the "2nd chance" part, makes it a little less painful to just barely miss that 3rd placer.  :)



Bill

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Reply #3 on: September 17, 2012, 05:25:59 PM
I'm with Unblinking as well, I think that is a great idea for a 2nd chance category. Plus for some of the writers that just missed out it will give them some continued excitement in the contest.



Dem

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Reply #4 on: September 17, 2012, 07:24:49 PM
Looks very good to me. Thank you, everyone. And what a lot of entries - wow!

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kibitzer

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Reply #5 on: September 18, 2012, 01:25:09 PM
There goes my life for the next month or so ;)


TroaAxaltion

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Reply #6 on: September 18, 2012, 02:40:05 PM
Compelling! A well-designed format that I'm proud to be a part of!

Shonen-jump-style-tournament: GO!

I'm so excited my heart is LITERALLY skipping beats. I've never had my stories judged by strangers before! Whew I... I just woke up and I need to lie down...



Dem

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Reply #7 on: September 18, 2012, 03:08:52 PM
Compelling! A well-designed format that I'm proud to be a part of!

Shonen-jump-style-tournament: GO!

I'm so excited my heart is LITERALLY skipping beats. I've never had my stories judged by strangers before! Whew I... I just woke up and I need to lie down...
Steady on! You'll be lucky to get to the starting blocks in one piece at this rate!

Science is what you do when the funding panel thinks you know what you're doing. Fiction is the same only without the funding.


julius blaze

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Reply #8 on: September 19, 2012, 08:54:02 AM
I'm so excited my heart is LITERALLY skipping beats. I've never had my stories judged by strangers before! Whew I... I just woke up and I need to lie down...

Ditto!  This is my first time getting public feedback as well, which I trust to be more objective than the girlfriend.  ;D  I also can't wait to read the other new stories!  I read every story from the past contests to get an idea of what you guys like, and I have to say I have zero idea what to expect from my stories. 

Can't wait!



Dem

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Reply #9 on: September 19, 2012, 09:31:29 AM
Grab the beta blockers - voting opens tomorrow. Well, tomorrow and a bit if you're east of the big waters.

Science is what you do when the funding panel thinks you know what you're doing. Fiction is the same only without the funding.


kibitzer

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Reply #10 on: September 19, 2012, 09:32:34 AM
Folks, settle down... there are some say-it-like-it-is critics here. They WILL praise where they see it but don't be surprised by some robust feedback. Just sayin'


Bill

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Reply #11 on: September 19, 2012, 12:51:18 PM
I know that first negative comment and inside you're like "Why would they say that???" It's good for the ego. It will be interesting to see the make up and tone of the peanut gallery this time since it's been a couple years since it was run.



MCWagner

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Reply #12 on: September 19, 2012, 12:59:36 PM
Folks, settle down... there are some say-it-like-it-is critics here. They WILL praise where they see it but don't be surprised by some robust feedback. Just sayin'

But by the same note, there really aren't any downright cruel reviewers, based on the last time around.  If they don't like your story, they've usually got good reasons and even helpful advice on how to improve it... not insults or put-downs.



Dem

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Reply #13 on: September 19, 2012, 01:27:49 PM
Folks, settle down... there are some say-it-like-it-is critics here. They WILL praise where they see it but don't be surprised by some robust feedback. Just sayin'

But by the same note, there really aren't any downright cruel reviewers, based on the last time around.  If they don't like your story, they've usually got good reasons and even helpful advice on how to improve it... not insults or put-downs.
Exactly. And anyway, getting a first taste of readers' views here before having to face a much more random audience whenever your work is published somewhere else is a lot like having your shots - it stings a bit and you might go a bit red, but then you can march off and face a whole plague of nitpickers with impunity. Mostly  ;D

Science is what you do when the funding panel thinks you know what you're doing. Fiction is the same only without the funding.


rlackeywrite

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Reply #14 on: September 19, 2012, 02:37:18 PM
Yeah, I can't wait to get the comments.  Negative comments are like picking lice.  Sure, it's embarrassing to find out you have the parasites, but you'd rather have someone pick them off than leave them there to suck your ideas dry.  So it's less like a firing squad, and more like a family of gorillas in the mountains grooming each other for nits.



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Reply #15 on: September 19, 2012, 03:35:47 PM
I had forgotten how much fun it is waiting for the contest installments to appear. 



Dem

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Reply #16 on: September 19, 2012, 04:02:01 PM
Yeah, I can't wait to get the comments.  Negative comments are like picking lice.  Sure, it's embarrassing to find out you have the parasites, but you'd rather have someone pick them off than leave them there to suck your ideas dry.  So it's less like a firing squad, and more like a family of gorillas in the mountains grooming each other for nits.

*scratching a lot suddenly*

Science is what you do when the funding panel thinks you know what you're doing. Fiction is the same only without the funding.


julius blaze

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Reply #17 on: September 19, 2012, 06:43:04 PM
Folks, settle down... there are some say-it-like-it-is critics here. They WILL praise where they see it but don't be surprised by some robust feedback. Just sayin'

That's what I want, though!  ;)



Father Beast

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Reply #18 on: September 20, 2012, 12:37:19 AM
Yeah, I can't wait to get the comments.  Negative comments are like picking lice.  Sure, it's embarrassing to find out you have the parasites, but you'd rather have someone pick them off than leave them there to suck your ideas dry.  So it's less like a firing squad, and more like a family of gorillas in the mountains grooming each other for nits.

Admittedly, it is somewhat embarrassing to put forth this veritable masterpiece, only to have its gaping plotholes and general "meh"ness commented on. It only gets worse when you realize that they are right (maybe). Hopefully lessons will be learned....



Unblinking

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Reply #19 on: September 20, 2012, 04:45:53 PM
Folks, settle down... there are some say-it-like-it-is critics here. They WILL praise where they see it but don't be surprised by some robust feedback. Just sayin'

True, true.  It's good practice if you want to keep writing.  Rejection is the norm, and usualy without reasons given.  Reasons are useful!

But by the same note, there really aren't any downright cruel reviewers, based on the last time around.  If they don't like your story, they've usually got good reasons and even helpful advice on how to improve it... not insults or put-downs.

Also true.  I think this is, in large part, due to the high quality of moderation on this forum.  They do a very good job cutting short insults, but allowing positive and negative criticisms of stories through.  And I think that carries into the contests to a large degree.



Chuk

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Reply #20 on: September 20, 2012, 11:17:40 PM
I had forgotten how much fun it is waiting for the contest installments to appear. 

Yeah, "fun".

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Reply #21 on: September 21, 2012, 12:28:35 PM
I had forgotten how much fun it is waiting for the contest installments to appear.  

Yeah, "fun".

Actually the most "fun" is seeing your story show up and then reading the competition and realizing, holy crap, the stories you're up against are way better than your own.

(That was not a dig; that was my experience from the last PC contest.)

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Chuk

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Reply #22 on: September 21, 2012, 07:19:58 PM
I had forgotten how much fun it is waiting for the contest installments to appear.  

Yeah, "fun".

Actually the most "fun" is seeing your story show up and then reading the competition and realizing, holy crap, the stories you're up against are way better than your own.

(That was not a dig; that was my experience from the last PC contest.)
Yeah, IIRC there were at least a couple in my group last time that I would have voted for before my own (but luckily not three -- it would suck to 'have to' vote against your own story).

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Reply #23 on: September 24, 2012, 10:40:52 AM
Gah!
Every two days 9 or 10 new stories to read! I can't keep up!
Help!

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eytanz

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Reply #24 on: September 24, 2012, 10:51:37 AM
Is this a general problem? I could start spacing out groups more if people think this is too crowded. I don't want to leave the polls open longer as past experience shows that beyond the third day or so the votes start trickling in and it becomes a rather tedious waiting game, plus it would be unfair to the groups that already started (and finished) voting, but I could increase the gap between groups to 3 days if people prefer.

In case anyone is curious, by the way, the two groups with 10 stories in are group 1 (as you probably already know) and 6.