GBA(s)FC #2—Closed to new entries
The contest is closed to new entries, and voting is now open for the jury and authors. If you fall into one of those two categories, please read all the entries and cast your vote. Author votes are due by May 14th at 11 pm CST, and Jury votes are due by May 12th at 11 pm CST.
Whether you are voting or not, all the entries are comments-enabled so make sure you take a moment to tell your favorites why you liked them.
Smaller turnout than last time, but 25 is not too shabby, and the quality of the entries is very high. There are some great ideas, some great writing. All in all, I'm very impressed—and grateful to those of you who took the time to compose something.
If you missed the boat this time, look for GBA(s)FC #3 August 1st.
Regular blogging should resume shortly.
15 comments:
Oh well at least GBA(s)FC #3 will help me deal with the depression of the morning after the day before. Birthday's used to be such fun!
Thanks for running this and doing all your hard work.
Oh darn it. I wrote the deadline into my calendar incorrectly. I thought it closed today. Well, I'll go read, add my two cents and wait anxiously for the third hurrah of this lovely contest.
Hi Mr Moon Topples
I didn't enter this time round because of work on novel. I'm really looking forward to reading the entries though. Your last competition was fab and I'm sure I'm going to love all of these stories.
You are wonderful and should have a literary empire. Let this happen soon.
xxx
Pants
Bollocks - too late again!!
It's weird. It seems like even with the anonymity factor that certain stories have readers who know the writer. Only certain stories are receiving comments and it's just odd to me.
Off with their heads! LMBO.
Seriously, it would be nice to see more people commenting.
I think 25 is a pretty solid number of entries, although I personally was hoping for 5 entries so I would be guaranteed a prize (just kidding).
Beth, I'm not sure why some stories are getting comments and others are not, though mine has received comments and I don't think anyone knows who I am or which entry mine is.
I do feel your pain, though, and will try to add some comments.
Ver: Very subtle way of trying to get presents from the readers of my blog. Maybe there'll be a Most Birthday Prize in #3.
Beth: Thanks.
Liz: Sorry we missed you. And glad you're reading entries without having written one yourself.
TSP: Novels are important things, and you are forgiven. Don't know about the literary empire thing, though. Sounds like a lot of work, and I'd probably never get my novel written.
Mutley: Perhaps we'll catch you at #3?
Beth: Well, I tend to agree with the sentiment, but you can't force people to comment on one story or another. As for the anonymity, it remains intact, but there's little I can do to make authors mask their writing styles.
Struggles: Are you the one who wrote "growth" 500 times? No prize for that this time, I'm afraid.
Beth, at risk of being too challenging has it crossed your mind that people have simply commented on the stories that they actually like? I have commented on my favourite stories, and I don't know who the authors are. Some stories have more comments than others. Isn't that to be expected? I am not sure why you are feeling so cynical. This is a wonderful opportunity for people to 'publish' their writing, and an opportunity for the rest of us to just enjoy it.
Well done, Mahty Moon, for another excellent competition.
Thanks to Mahty Moon for this wonderful opportunity. I just commented on the stories I liked but will re-read ones I ran out of time on. Great level of quality in the stories. BTW how do we vote? I may be a dunce but need instructions on this. I gather we're allowed to vote?
all the best to everyone!
Maht, you've done a stirling job! I'm so thrilled that you encouraged me to take part. I am still getting a buzz out of it even now - and feel really encouraged to do more writing - having never written a short story before! You popped my fiction cherry baby :)
Beth, I wanted to say a little about your concerns. It's hard to discuss the anonymity thing, but I do think that having read and re-read all the stories, I only commented where I really felt I had something to add, and personally I haven't a clue who any of the stories were by. There are a couple more I intend to comment on but want to allow my thoughts to really form properly rather than just respond immediately, because I knew the pieces would change for me over the days and hours after reading. Perhaps some stories just take longer to digest, or are excellent but don't invite dialogue?
However, I did enter a story, did receive comments and don't know the people who left them! On the other hand, if someone has a strong narrative voice and regular readers, how can we realistically expect them not to be recognised? Surely that's a sign of great writing, and not something to be discouraged provided it's due to the author's presence and style rather than deliberate sign-posting of their identity?
Lastly, I know there are prizes at stake, and I'm an amazon junkie myself, but ultimately I thought this was just a fun exercise designed to prompt us to challenge ourselves creatively - and whilst I'd like to know what people think of my story, by far the greatest benefit has been in taking what was a huge risk for me, and doing something I didn't think I was capable of. I found something out about myself, which is immeasurably valuable and means much more to me than where I place in the comp or how many comments I get.
Thank you again Maht! You're a superstar of the highest order :)
Sx
WWW: Instructions for voting, and who is eligible to vote, can be found in the full rules for the contest.
Stray: This is without a doubt the longest comment I've received since Periodic Englishman disappeared. Thanks for providing your perspective on the comments situation, and I'm delighted that you chose to make your debut here in the GBA(s)FC.
All: This truly isn't about the comments or the prizes or the voting, but a chance for writers to come together in good-natured competition. Much like my own experiences with the Clarity of Night contest, if you like your entry, you are a winner. Everything else is a matter of personal taste on the part of the readers and the voters. Whether an entry garners official praise in this sort of contest is beside the point.
oh dear! I'm not sure whether to stand in the corner or feel proud of myself :)
I absolutely love that sentence : if you like your entry, you are a winner.
Fab maht, thanks xx
Stray: Err on the side of pride. You've done nothing wrong.
Interesting discussion going on here about commenting and I sort of agree with everyone... if that is possible. Maybe Beth is saying that commenting is as worthwhile an exercise as the writing, although I have to admit that I didn't comment on all the stories simply through lack of time rather than lack of interest. I totally agree with Stray's last paragraph as well that it's a personal challenge and therefore extremely valuable.
And also these kind of discussions and thrashing out different ideas are really interesting too. It's all part of learning. So thanks for this whole opportunity Maht.
Oh and Maht if you want to have a most birthday prize for the next round, I won't object!
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