Pod Castle Flash Contest - Rules

[flintknapper]

Sorry to hear about your cats portrait... I am not sure about the beat down. Werent you in the finals a contest or two ago?

Also welcome to the forums varda.

[DKT]

Okay, PodCastle Flash Fiction Contest on Duotrope. Knock yourselves out

[Windup]

Okay, PodCastle Flash Fiction Contest on Duotrope. Knock yourselves out

Yaayyy!!!  Thanks for straightening that out. 

[Portrait in Flesh]

Thanks, guys.  Things have just been so...gah, I don't know what.  But there's probably a German word for it.

Sorry to hear about your cats portrait... I am not sure about the beat down. Werent you in the finals a contest or two ago?

Yeah, but my perspective about a lot of things is really off right now.  (Actually, has been for a while.)  I did have what would otherwise be a wonderful bit of good news near the beginning of July.  At the end of last year there was kind of a round-robin story project started off by Clive Barker; my prose got only as far as an honorable mention.  Selection of artwork and poetry was finally completed in early July and three of my four submitted poems were selected by Barker for inclusion in the final project.  I should be quite happy about this, but I just can't feel it.

[Devoted135]

Yeah, but my perspective about a lot of things is really off right now.  (Actually, has been for a while.)  I did have what would otherwise be a wonderful bit of good news near the beginning of July.  At the end of last year there was kind of a round-robin story project started off by Clive Barker; my prose got only as far as an honorable mention.  Selection of artwork and poetry was finally completed in early July and three of my four submitted poems were selected by Barker for inclusion in the final project.  I should be quite happy about this, but I just can't feel it.

Oh man, simultaneous congratulations and condolences! I love my kitties so much and can't begin to imagine losing both of them at once. I sincerely hope that things get better for you and that you can find the healing that you need.

[SBC-B]

Whew, submitted my two.
Can't wait for the contest to start!

[flintknapper]

Congrats on getting in SBC. I got mine in yesterday too as long as one does not get rejected for aiming a bit too near the edge of what is considered fantasy. It is still hard to believe we are about a month out from the competition starting. Ocicat have there been a ton of submissions for the contest thus far or is it a fairly small group this time?

[Cutter McKay]

I got mine in yesterday too as long as one does not get rejected for aiming a bit too near the edge of what is considered fantasy.

I could be wrong, but I don't think the moderators review the stories for content, just word count. It would take them way too long to vet all the stories. Any that don't fit the genre will just get bounced  out in the first round by the voters.

[Varda]

Question: if we're submitting two stories, should they be sent in the same email, or in separate ones?

Thanks! Really looking forward to reading everyone's stories in September. This is great fun!

[flintknapper]

I got mine in yesterday too as long as one does not get rejected for aiming a bit too near the edge of what is considered fantasy.

I could be wrong, but I don't think the moderators review the stories for content, just word count. It would take them way too long to vet all the stories. Any that don't fit the genre will just get bounced  out in the first round by the voters.

Cool. Then I am fine and I got two in. Getting bounced in the first round doesnt bother me. I just wanted to contribute. I only had one story make it to the semi-finals last contest anyways and I do not expect to win. I just love reading (and obviously listening to) flash fiction.

[Cutter McKay]

Cool. Then I am fine and I got two in. Getting bounced in the first round doesnt bother me. I just wanted to contribute. I only had one story make it to the semi-finals last contest anyways and I do not expect to win. I just love reading (and obviously listening to) flash fiction.

That's mostly why I play along. Though having one story make the finals last time does make me want to work a little harder this time around and see if I can actually make one of the coveted three slots...

[Ocicat]

Question: if we're submitting two stories, should they be sent in the same email, or in separate ones?

Each story should be in it's own email.  And there's no requirement that you submit two, of course.  That's just the upper limit.

[Ocicat]

Congrats on getting in SBC. I got mine in yesterday too as long as one does not get rejected for aiming a bit too near the edge of what is considered fantasy. It is still hard to believe we are about a month out from the competition starting. Ocicat have there been a ton of submissions for the contest thus far or is it a fairly small group this time?

I'd say the submissions have been moderate and are steadily increasing in volume as we get closer to the deadline.

And no, I don't vet them for content.  If you think it's fantasy, go for it!

[Whiskerwing]

Kudos to the folks running the contest-- I got a lovely little note letting me know that my submission had been received.

A small thing, but oh so important to the nervous writer who can't be entirely sure the slimy beasts we've flushed down the internet tubes didn't make a meal of the email.

Thanks. =]

[MoarPye]

Just thought I'd pop in and say hello here. I've been an EP & PC listener for years, but this is the first time I've submitted anything anywhere that wasn't an essay. Just hearing about it in the podcast the whole thing seems so simple, but once you get here and read through the guidelines it's actually a little intimidating.

Aaanywho, here's hoping I didn't just make a terrible mistake.

[SBC-B]

Not trying would be the mistake

[Cutter McKay]

Just thought I'd pop in and say hello here. I've been an EP & PC listener for years, but this is the first time I've submitted anything anywhere that wasn't an essay. Just hearing about it in the podcast the whole thing seems so simple, but once you get here and read through the guidelines it's actually a little intimidating.

Aaanywho, here's hoping I didn't just make a terrible mistake.

Not trying would be the mistake.

I'll second that. This contest is so much more about the fun of being a part of it than it is about winning. With a 100+ entries, the chances of winning are pretty slim, but who cares? Reading the submissions, commenting, discussing, rooting for your favorites... that's what this contest is all about. Missing out because you have to take a step or two out of your comfort zone is the real tragedy.

Good luck to you, MoarPye 

[flintknapper]

We are pretty friendly people. Feedback is generally positive. This isn't like some cutthroat competition. Also since the author's name is not given, you judge a story on its merits instead of author popularity. That is a great thing. There is a lot of honesty in these contests.

But if you go in expecting to win, you are going to be disappointed. Even if you write a really good story, there are lots of really good stories. Many, if not most, deserve to be published somewhere. I remember last time seeing some stories that I thought were excellent not even get out of the first round. You cannot predict what is going get people motivated to vote for it. Mr. Flyspeck (which I loved, but surprised that it won out over Violin Family) was a pretty unconventional story with some ambiguity and that won it all. 

[MoarPye]

Not trying would be the mistake

Although I appreciate the sentiment I can't help thinking that in practical terms there's not really space for every hackneyed, Mary-sue Middle Earth fanfic.

And naturally I don't expect to win. I'll consider it a validation if I can get past the first round, what I'm afraid of is languishing down at the bottom of the forum in obscurity.

[Scattercat]

But what people have been telling you is that writers like Amal El-Mohtar and Cat Rambo have both "languished in obscurity" in previous contests.  Popularity is weird.

[Whiskerwing]

what I'm afraid of is languishing down at the bottom of the forum in obscurity.

Ah, but it's not languishing if you get read, is it? It withers and dies in obscurity if it's never shared, but even if it doesn't make it past the first round? You FINISHED something. You went from idea to polished piece, and that's more than many folks who want to be writers can yet credit to their names.

Trying and not-winning isn't failure. The only true failure is to allow that fear to keep you from putting your heart out there. I've heard something (credited to a lot of people, including Ray Bradbury) said -- that you have to write a million words before you can start writing good ones. It saddens me to know there are people who give up around the five thousand mark, what wonderful stories they'd produce if they only stuck to it all the way.

I cannot recommend this quote/video from Ira Glass enough. (I'm a fan of typography, so I'll add the video because it's gorgeous)

Youtube Video of the quote
Image of the quote

Sometimes it feels like the people who say "everyone is a winner" and "there are no losers here" are just being nice? But it's SO incredibly true. Every time you finish something, you grow. And if growth and experience and skill isn't the point ... well, then I'm playing a different game than everyone else.

And I'm winning. *wink*

[FireTurtle]

*cracks knuckles*

Ok, Cutter, my stories are in. Let's dance.

In all seriousness, I did have my poor Mom (NOT a speculative fiction fan by any stretch) proof them this time. This does not mean that I didn't screw up when putting in the changes, but, I gave it my editing all. Strange how the goals have changed for me from getting into the finals to not getting castigated for proofing errors.... Le Sigh.

My life has gone sideways at least twice since the contest opened in ways more suited to the horror contest. I am happy just to have produced anything at all in the time allotted and look forward to seeing what everyone else was up to this summer!

[Cutter McKay]

*cracks knuckles*

Ok, Cutter, my stories are in. Let's dance.

Challenge accepted 

In all seriousness, best of luck to you FireTurtle. Can't wait to see what you've come up with.

[Windup]

I'll consider it a validation if I can get past the first round, what I'm afraid of is languishing down at the bottom of the forum in obscurity.

"last place"
 beats
"did not finish"
 which trumps
"did not start"

Assume that the story -- not you, the story -- will languish in obscurity.  You still finished it, and you are a better writer after you finished it than you were before you started it.  And having had the experience of finishing one thing will make it easier to finish the next, and you will be a better writer when you finish that than you were when you started.  And so on...

<Note that this process proceeds with or without our "validation."  Though admittedly it's easier if you get it.>

Eventually, after many repetitions, you may produce something that finds an audience, or you may decide you have more important things to do with your life than typing well-crafted lies into a computer.  You still tried something, you realized a possibility or decided something wasn't for you and either one is a "win."

Which is a roundabout way of saying -- "good job."   

[evrgrn_monster]

Just sent in my two!

Had to stop myself from keeping on messing with them.

K, gonna go collapse in a corner now and wait till judgement day.