Suggestion community hosted writing "contest" thing

[myfanwy]

while we wait for more official writing contests, i was wondering if it would be a possible idea to set up a community hosted writing contest somewhere on the site. i think it would be neat to have one person start off a prompt of their choosing and people have a time limit of a week to write something under that prompt. then, the person who posted the prompt will choose a winner and rinse and repeat.

i think this would be a neat idea tbh.

 

[StoneWolf18]

Users have tried in the past in the Creativity section of the site, however seeing as they are completely user-run they tend to not last or get many participants. You’re welcome to try again, as long as it is made clear that it isn’t an official contest.

 

[myfanwy]

i think that's the only drawback, haha. that's good to know though, thank you *^^*

 

[Meredith]

It's very difficult to read your font, as a small fyi! Not to mean any offense. ^-^

 

[myfanwy]

aha sorry! i don't like the default font too much so i make it smaller to look nicer. i'll keep that in mind though ^^

 

[Cold Ramen Noodles]

Your font is really pretty! But throwing in also that I need to squint to read it.

 

[Darkraven]

Hmm... This gives me an idea. What if it's a serious community-run competition, with very real rewards. I, for one, publish on Amazon (but I'm such a small fry that I might as well be a plankton next to those big names). I could offer guidance, humble amounts of prize money and publication (even if the audience is niche and small) in an anthology with the price of editing, formatting and book art covered by me.

 

[StoneWolf18]

Hmm... This gives me an idea. What if it's a serious community-run competition, with very real rewards. I, for one, publish on Amazon (but I'm such a small fry that I might as well be a plankton next to those big names). I could offer guidance, humble amounts of prize money and publication (even if the audience is niche and small) in an anthology with the price of editing, formatting and book art covered by me.

Prizes of monetary value are discouraged because of the potential complications that could arise. If a prize had to be offered, I would make it something small such as a simple artwork much like the badges we award.

 

[Darkraven]

Prizes of monetary value are discouraged because of the potential complications that could arise. If a prize had to be offered, I would make it something small such as a simple artwork much like the badges we award.

Okay... What about inclusion in an anthology?

 

[Fable]

Okay... What about inclusion in an anthology?

This would still cause problems as you'd need legal permissions and contracts to publish another user's works, and those user's could was royalties, etc. The legalities would risk opening such a thing to a lawsuit and so on. Amazon publishing as well is very easy for other members to self-publish through themselves. Offering a prize like this risks infringing on a person's copyrighted works.

 

[Darkraven]

This would still cause problems as you'd need legal permissions and contracts to publish another user's works, and those user's could was royalties, etc. The legalities would risk opening such a thing to a lawsuit and so on. Amazon publishing as well is very easy for other members to self-publish through themselves. Offering a prize like this risks infringing on a person's copyrighted works.

I'm experienced in this sort of thing. Contracts can be done up. Since it's either participate in a competition with no end product publishable, or participate in a competition that could result in eyes on the stories written here, I can include terms making is perfectly understandable that there will be no royalties but copyright will be divided such that while their stories will be published in an anthology, they are free to publish their own stories elsewhere. If requested, their stories could be withdrawn from the ebook but only after a time limit of a minimum of say... 6 months to a year.

By the way, don't ever say that it is 'very easy' to self-publish stories - not especially in the writer's circle - you'll get a collective gasp from across the room followed by an endless torrent of posts suggesting otherwise.. It's definitely not easy. Not by a long shot. You'll first need to set up your own author's platform, newsletters if you're keen on it, write the draft, finalise draft after multiple revisions, edit the draft, send it to an editor (multiple if need be), format the story then package it with cover art and preparation for Amazon's platform. Then you'll need to market the actual ebook/book.

But since the authorities won't brook activities of this sort, I won't pursue this. I just thought it'd be fun and fulfilling for all concerned.

 

[Fable]

I'm experienced in this sort of thing. Contracts can be done up. Since it's either participate in a competition with no end product publishable, or participate in a competition that could result in eyes on the stories written here, I can include terms making is perfectly understandable that there will be no royalties but copyright will be divided such that while their stories will be published in an anthology, they are free to publish their own stories elsewhere. If requested, their stories could be withdrawn from the ebook but only after a time limit of a minimum of say... 6 months to a year.

The issue is, stating 'no royalties' means you are making profit off of their works. This is why something like this would best be avoided, unless you're making the book entirely free.

By the way, don't ever say that it is 'very easy' to self-publish stories - not especially in the writer's circle - you'll get a collective gasp from across the room followed by an endless torrent of posts suggesting otherwise.. It's definitely not easy. Not by a long shot. You'll first need to set up your own author's platform, newsletters if you're keen on it, write the draft, finalise draft after multiple revisions, edit the draft, send it to an editor (multiple if need be), format the story then package it with cover art and preparation for Amazon's platform. Then you'll need to market the actual ebook/book.

Self-publishing ebooks is actually very easy, through site's like Amazon especially. Amazon has a thing called direct publishing; Self Publishing | Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing Right now I could take something I have written and publish it through this. Just a bit of time for things like cover, description, and formatting and click submit and it is officially a published.

Self-publishing can be hard in other ways, yes. But Amazon self-publishing? Believe me, I've read some self published monstrosities on there. As an amateur writer I've looked into publishing options for things I've written. You've got to buy ISBNs which can get expensive, cover art, considering hiring an editor or editor service, etc. It can get costly and hard, but not via the route you suggested; Amazon ebook. Yes, you are also offering those services as a prize, but you are taking their content and publishing it yourself and could use it for profit. That is the major issue here.

I just feel this has to be clarified. If you were to say offer just the editor service, that prize would be fine. Just leave the publishing to the writer/copyright holder.

 

[Darkraven]

The issue is, stating 'no royalties' means you are making profit off of their works. This is why something like this would best be avoided, unless you're making the book entirely free.


Self-publishing ebooks is actually very easy, through site's like Amazon especially. Amazon has a thing called direct publishing; Self Publishing | Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing Right now I could take something I have written and publish it through this. Just a bit of time for things like cover, description, and formatting and click submit and it is officially a published.

Self-publishing can be hard in other ways, yes. But Amazon self-publishing? Believe me, I've read some self published monstrosities on there. As an amateur writer I've looked into publishing options for things I've written. You've got to buy ISBNs which can get expensive, cover art, considering hiring an editor or editor service, etc. It can get costly and hard, but not via the route you suggested; Amazon ebook. Yes, you are also offering those services as a prize, but you are taking their content and publishing it yourself and could use it for profit. That is the major issue here.

I just feel this has to be clarified. If you were to say offer just the editor service, that prize would be fine. Just leave the publishing to the writer/copyright holder.

I'm just continuing this pleasant conversation for the sake of argument.

Self-published monstrosities that shouldn't see the light of day aren't counted. I'm talking about the real deal. If you want to get something in there that's actually going to be worth someone's time, it takes a lot more time and effort, blood, sweat and tears. I don't consider myself anywhere near the likes of Stephen King, but it's still backbreaking work. My first novel took more than a year to release... And it became a very divisive piece of work with some saying it was a masterpiece while others claim that I should never write again. Up until today, I'm not sure who I should listen to - but that's how it's like. Gotta keep writing no matter what.

Anyway, a contract could be drawn up with royalties disbursed if the participants so desire - my only concern with that is that I'm not a publisher, so the kind of money I can offer will only get you coffee in months if it's split like 4 ways or something Anyway, the point is that if a contract is done up, there wouldn't have been any problems. I could always use my last anthology's contract as a template.

But like I said, I'm not interested in running a competition anymore. I wanted to do it for fun, not profit, but this is clearly not the place.

 

[Fable]

But like I said, I'm not interested in running a competition anymore. I wanted to do it for fun, not profit, but this is clearly not the place.

I'm not going to go on about publishing works and how it's done or the hard work. I am simply pointing out the 'why' behind the site not permitting such prizes.

You can host your own event, nothing says you can't. It is only with the prizes that may get offered where the problems can occur. We have to consider the legalities and the problems of certain prizes offered by members. If someone feels "scammed" by a contest, they come to the staff for resolution, and we can only do so much should - for example - a prize not being given as promised.

 

[Darkraven]

You're perfectly right, actually... Considering the kind of unreliable people who can appear here. For all you know, they could read the contract, forget about the terms they agreed to, then go crying to you. Thanks for clarifying