Author Topic: Questions, Comments, Concerns?  (Read 74630 times)

Unblinking

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Reply #100 on: February 28, 2013, 02:41:46 PM
welcome newcomers!

90 stories is not a bad turnout at all, plus those found in the spam, and those who submit later today.  Fun!



bjander4

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Reply #101 on: February 28, 2013, 09:06:31 PM
There. Submitted. At the last minute. Like I said i wouldn't do this time. ;)



Cutter McKay

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Reply #102 on: February 28, 2013, 11:28:27 PM
Done and done.

I only submitted one story for the EP contest, and wished then that I'd taken the time to do two. I have amended this error for this contest. Here's hoping...

-Josh Morrey-
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thepencankill

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Reply #103 on: February 28, 2013, 11:32:04 PM
What time zone is the deadline based on? Can I still submit?



eytanz

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Reply #104 on: February 28, 2013, 11:40:44 PM
What time zone is the deadline based on? Can I still submit?

(Note: Despite being a moderator, I'm just a participant in this contest, and not involved in running it, so my answer here does not have any official weight)

I'm assuming that the time zone is whichever one Bdoomed is based in, which is somewhere in America. So, I think you're likely to have a few more hours. In general, you'll be better off submitting now than waiting for an answer - if you're too late, it won't make a difference, but if you're not too late, waiting may push you past the deadline.



Bdoomed

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Reply #105 on: March 01, 2013, 01:31:27 AM
You can still submit!  I will announce here when submissions close.  Figure you have about 6 or 7 hours left from the time of this posting, which is 8:30pm eastern standard time.

I'd like to hear my options, so I could weigh them, what do you say?
Five pounds?  Six pounds? Seven pounds?


DoWhileNot

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Reply #106 on: March 01, 2013, 02:54:39 AM
Second story submitted this afternoon - and I even entered it in on the submissions grinder - Thanks Unblinking.

I'm really looking forward to this contest.  I've had one of the stories running around my head since November, so it's going to be interesting to see how it does.  Good luck everyone.



rooksoto

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Reply #107 on: March 01, 2013, 03:23:43 AM
Hello folks. Long time listener, first time poster.

I submitted one story for the contest early this morning. Win or lose, I do hope it does well! Good luck to all.

-Rook


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Thunderscreech

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Reply #108 on: March 01, 2013, 03:58:08 AM
Just submitted a second story.  No confirmation yet, hoping it makes it through the doors before the massive oak masses slam together, cutting off any means of escape for the cluster of frightened stories huddling inside.



Umbrageofsnow

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Reply #109 on: March 01, 2013, 05:46:21 AM
Just shot off my second story.  I like living on the edge I guess.  I've been done with it for a while but I couldn't think of a reasonable title.  I finally found one I liked before having to just submit with something stupid....

And then I realized my first submission has a title that I don't like, now that I think about it.  Doh!

No judging stories based on titles everyone.



Bdoomed

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Reply #110 on: March 01, 2013, 07:39:36 AM
Alright, there's about an hour left of submission time, though I haven't received anything at all in the last few hours.

I've sent out all confirmations, so please do tell me if you have not received one!

I'd like to hear my options, so I could weigh them, what do you say?
Five pounds?  Six pounds? Seven pounds?


julius blaze

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Reply #111 on: March 01, 2013, 08:29:41 AM
I submitted only one story, I had planned on two but I'd rather save my second idea for when I have a bigger word count to play with, there was just too much for 500 words.  So I guess I'll be emotionally invested in just one story, and sunday the wait for my group starts  ;D

I also can't wait to read the stories, I read through every previous Pseudopod flash contest to see what the audience likes and doesn't like, and I feel like in general I liked the average Pseudo flash story a LOT. 



Bdoomed

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Reply #112 on: March 01, 2013, 09:00:27 AM
I'm going to sleep, and therefore officially closing the submission period!  There are 151 currently accepted submissions, with two that were over the word count.  Those two authors have been notified and are allowed to resubmit with a lower word count, since I've allowed other people to resubmit with lower word counts.  Again, if you feel you have submitted your story before the deadline and have not received a confirmation, please let me know via PM or email, and we will work it out.

So, assuming those two authors resubmit their works, that leaves this contest with 153 entries!  With this number, I think the best way to divide them up would be into groups of 11 stories.  That means 13 groups of 11 stories, and 1 group of 10 stories (all randomized, of course, except for making sure that an author does not compete against her/himself in the first round).


I will release a new group every other day starting on Sunday, March 3rd, hopefully at or around 12am EST.  Voting for a story group will take place over the course of a full week to give everyone enough time to read through the stories!  With 15 groups, that means that all stories should be posted by March 28th.


If you are an author and believe there to be an error in the posting of your story, please either PM me here or email me at bdoomed@gmail.com.  I will see email faster, as it goes to my phone.  I will judge author pleas on a case by case basis :).  Upon editing of a story thread, I will make a post detailing the reason for the edit.  (ex. Edited for missing italics)

After all voting is done, author bylines will be released for each story, unless the author messages me with explicit instructions not to do so.  Last year, I removed a story thread upon request from the author for publication reasons.  Note that stories on this forum are not considered published, as they are hidden from the general public.

Edit: I should mention that I am absolutely blown away by the turnout for this year's contest!  Last year we had 88 entries, which means we almost doubled our story count.  You are all wonderful people, and I offer you my deepest thanks for your participation!  This contest would be absolutely nothing without our fearless authors!  So good luck, all of you, and apologies for the stories that end up in the last group!  The wait must be terrible.
« Last Edit: March 01, 2013, 04:29:16 PM by Bdoomed »

I'd like to hear my options, so I could weigh them, what do you say?
Five pounds?  Six pounds? Seven pounds?


JohnCombo

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Reply #113 on: March 01, 2013, 11:53:47 AM
WooT! Come on March 3rd!



eytanz

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Reply #114 on: March 01, 2013, 01:23:01 PM
Bdoomed - I assume you mean 2 groups of 10 stories each, right?



i.wright

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Reply #115 on: March 01, 2013, 01:38:08 PM
Bdoomed - I assume you mean 2 groups of 10 stories each, right?

13x11=143
+10=153

Its 14 groups



Unblinking

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Reply #116 on: March 01, 2013, 03:26:09 PM
Holy crap!  That be a lot of horror flash stories!  That's a great turnout!  Bring it on!

I also like the idea of making each group available for one week.  I rarely get time to read them on weekends, because I usually do it on compile breaks at work and stuff.  I imagine other people have most of their time on weekends, so having a week for each, but new stories posted every couple days lets folks like that who have fairly clustered free time to get them all read.

How many rounds will there be?  Initial round, semifinal, finals?  It doesn't seem to say in the rules.

I like that it'll be arranged to avoid self-competition in the first round.  Can that also be done for other rounds (other than the finals of course where there is only one group)?  That's how the Podcastle one was ran, and I thought it was a great idea.



Ivy Wood

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Reply #117 on: March 01, 2013, 03:55:23 PM
Thanks! I am amazed at how the story count just shot through the roof at the last minute. That's really good! However...I get so stressed with "last minute" subs that I really can't even do them. I'm so OCD. I always try to get things in at least three days ahead. Maybe as I progress as a writer, I'll become more comfortable with that kind of thing.

Come onnn, Sunday! :)

"Never wrestle with a pig. You just get dirty, and besides, the pig likes it." :)


Unblinking

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Reply #118 on: March 01, 2013, 04:13:34 PM
Thanks! I am amazed at how the story count just shot through the roof at the last minute. That's really good! However...I get so stressed with "last minute" subs that I really can't even do them. I'm so OCD. I always try to get things in at least three days ahead. Maybe as I progress as a writer, I'll become more comfortable with that kind of thing.

Come onnn, Sunday! :)

Eh, I'm more like you. I'd rather get something done early and submit it than wait to the last.  :) 



Umbrageofsnow

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Reply #119 on: March 01, 2013, 04:34:49 PM
Thanks! I am amazed at how the story count just shot through the roof at the last minute. That's really good! However...I get so stressed with "last minute" subs that I really can't even do them. I'm so OCD. I always try to get things in at least three days ahead. Maybe as I progress as a writer, I'll become more comfortable with that kind of thing.

Come onnn, Sunday! :)

Eh, I'm more like you. I'd rather get something done early and submit it than wait to the last.  :) 

I'd rather have things done early too.  But for me (and 60ish other people) there is a difference between "rather" and "actually did".   But like I said, my stories were actually done well before the deadline, I was just polishing and retitling up until the end.  (I have terrible working titles for things.)

Also, I second Unblinking's request that semi-finals also be controlled for self-competition.



bjander4

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Reply #120 on: March 01, 2013, 04:44:19 PM
I had four written for this competition a while back but only ended up using one. The second one i wrote during a break at work on the last day for submissions. :/ How's that for heart stopping action?



Bdoomed

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Reply #121 on: March 01, 2013, 04:45:42 PM
How many rounds will there be?  Initial round, semifinal, finals?  It doesn't seem to say in the rules.

I'm somewhat debating on it, based on the volume of entries.  At three stories per first voting group, the first round will output 42 stories.  That means probably 6 groups of 7.  Voting on the best three from there would output 18 stories, which I would want to split into two groups of 9 stories for the semifinal round.  That would leave 6 stories for the final round, which I think is a nice number.

So that means 4 rounds total.  Initial round of 153, second round of 42, semifinal of 18, and final of 6, with the top 3 chosen.  The second round and semifinal voting periods wouldn't be a week long, more like 4 days or so.


And yes, I hope to keep authors competing against themselves for as long as I can.  I will be setting up all the groups today/tomorrow with the intention of segregating stories like that.

I'd like to hear my options, so I could weigh them, what do you say?
Five pounds?  Six pounds? Seven pounds?


Cutter McKay

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Reply #122 on: March 01, 2013, 06:27:38 PM
I'd rather have things done early too.  But for me (and 60ish other people) there is a difference between "rather" and "actually did".   But like I said, my stories were actually done well before the deadline, I was just polishing and retitling up until the end.  (I have terrible working titles for things.)

Ditto. I wrote my two entries and workshopped them near the beginning of January, then left them sitting idly as my meandering attention forced me to write other stories. I only came back to them last night in time to polish them, come up with a better title for one, and submit.

But part of me likes this because if I'd sent them in mid-January, March would have taken forever to arrive. As is, I only have to wait two days for the contest to begin. It's time to get this party started.

-Josh Morrey-
http://joshmorreywriting.blogspot.com/
"Remember: You have not yet written your best work." -Tracy Hickman


benjaminjb

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Reply #123 on: March 01, 2013, 06:32:09 PM
Schrodinger's internal editor: before sending my stories to the podcast, I firmly believe that these are the best and worst stories that have ever existed. Please open the box and tell me which it is! (I'll also accept "kind of in the middle there" and "average" as possible answers.)



Cutter McKay

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Reply #124 on: March 01, 2013, 06:56:15 PM
Schrodinger's internal editor: before sending my stories to the podcast, I firmly believe that these are the best and worst stories that have ever existed. Please open the box and tell me which it is! (I'll also accept "kind of in the middle there" and "average" as possible answers.)

Reminds me of a story by Eric James Stone. A fun, short, read.
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v467/n7319/full/4671146a.html

-Josh Morrey-
http://joshmorreywriting.blogspot.com/
"Remember: You have not yet written your best work." -Tracy Hickman