Best of the Science Fiction Microstory Contest - Comments Only

[Jot]

That sounds like a good idea. Posting deadline will have to remain the same though. Let's add an extra day for the initial vote. Votes in by the end of the 26th. Do I get a second to the motion?

[Justin]

Seconded!

[Jot]

Yays and Nays for an extra day of initial voting?

[Paula]

Yay, and for TWO extra days of voting. AND for the requirement that anyone who votes must have read each of the stories (at least once) during this month. Seriously.

[Andy]

I posted my story,"Maturity", a slight re-working of my original. The theme that month was childhood's end.

Jot - Please replace the current story with this new one. Thanks for your work in setting this up and contacting us old-timers here. I agree with the request to give us a few extra days to read all the stories.

[Dorthe]

Yay for extra days - and for the requirement to read all of the stories.

[Andy]

Dorthe wrote: "Yay for extra days - and for the requirement to read all of the stories."

Twice, at least.

[Jot]

It's hard to make a rule that can't be enforced. But certainly, every has to read all the stories before voting, and twice is a very good idea to make sure you didn't miss something.

So, as per Paula, who had the original idea of extra days, how many extra days would everyone like to have before the first round of voting:

0 1 or 2?

[Jot]

Rule number 5 has been updated (Voting, and reading each story before voting, is required):

5) After, anyone from the LI Sci-Fi group or the GR Science Fiction Microstory Discussion group has until midnight EST of the 25th day of the month to send me a single private vote (via GR or to author.jotrussell@gmail.com) for a story other than their own. This vote will be made public once voting is closed. Voting, and reading each story before voting, is required. If you do not vote, your story will be disqualified from the contest. You don't need a qualifying story to cast a vote, but you must offer the reason for your vote if you don’t have an entry.

[Jot]

Thanks for posting Andy. I removed the other copy of your story. Welcome back all my friends. Loving this month.

[Carrie]

ok I see Rule #5 was updated, I'm scrolling back through the comments, but I really despise the Goodreads app...I'm not finding the rest of the rules.
Could someone repost them or message them to me?
sorry for being high maintenance hahaha

[Jot]

Otherwise same as always:

1) The story needs to be your own work and should be posted on the goodreads (GR) Discussion board, which is a public group. You maintain responsibility and ownership of your work to do with as you please. You may withdraw your story at any time.

2) The stories must be 750 words or less.

3) The stories have to be science fiction, follow a specific theme and potentially include reference to items as requested by the prior month's contest winner.

4) You have until midnight EST on the 22nd day of the month to post your story to the GR Science Fiction Microstory Contest discussion. One story per author per month.

5) After, anyone from the LI Sci-Fi group or the GR Science Fiction Microstory Discussion group has until midnight EST of the 25th day of the month to send me a single private vote (via GR or to author.jotrussell@gmail.com) for a story other than their own. This vote will be made public once voting is closed. Voting, and reading each story before voting, is required. If you do not vote, your story will be disqualified from the contest. You don't need a qualifying story to cast a vote, but you must offer the reason for your vote if you don’t have an entry.

6) To win, a story needs at least half of the votes, or be the only one left after excluding those with the fewest votes. Runoffs will be run each day until a winner is declared. Stories with vote totals that add up to at least half, discarding those with the fewest votes, will be carried forward to the next runoff election. Prior votes will be carried forward to support runoff stories. If you voted for a story that did not make it into the runoff, you need to vote again before midnight EST of that day. Only people who voted in the initial round may vote in the runoffs.

7) Please have all posts abide by the rules of GR and the LI Sci-Fi group.

8) For each month, there will be three discussion threads:
a) Stories - For the stories and the contest results only.
b) Comments - For discussions about the stories and contest. Constructive criticism is okay, but please avoid any spoilers about the stories or degrading comments directed towards any individuals. If you want to suggest a change to the contest, feel free to start a discussion about the idea before making a formal motion. If another member seconds a motion, a vote can be held. I will abstain from voting, but will require a strong two-thirds majority to override my veto.
c) Critiques - Each member can provide at most one critique per story, with a single rebuttal by the author to thank the critic and/or comment to offer the readers the mind set of the story to account for issues raised by the critique. Critiques should be of a professional and constructive manner. Feel free to describe elements that you do and don't like, as these help us gain a better perspective of our potential readers. Remarks deemed inflammatory or derogatory will be flagged and/or removed by the moderator.

9) The winner has THREE days after the start of the new month to make a copy of these rules and post a new contest thread using the theme/items of their choosing. Otherwise, I will post the new contest threads.

[Jot]

So the main point being, you don't have to read all the stories to contribute a story, but your story will not qualify for the grand championship, unless you read all the stories and cast a vote for the best.

[Carrie]

thanks!

[Jot]

I'll add 1 extra day for the initial round of voting to give everyone a chance to read all of the stories.

[Jot]

Thanks for posting Carrie. The older copy has been removed.

[Paula]

So we have until (through?) the 26th this month to get a vote in?Jot wrote: "I'll add 1 extra day for the initial round of voting to give everyone a chance to read all of the stories."

[Chris]

Mines up. Probably not my best story, but a personal goal of mine is to write a new story every month, so...

[Jot]

Yes Paula, until the end of the 26th. There will likely be multiple extra round votes, so I don't want to reduce the Grand Champion's month.

[Jot]

Thanks Chris, though you should know that most of the stories this month are reposts, as prescribed but not required. Mostly, I just want everyone to be able to be represented for their contributions to this club over the years and to put their best foot forward.

[Paula]

I'd rather think of this as our Grandest Stories Month or Grand Writers' Month. --As a representation of the many authors' contributions to what has developed on this site over these 5 years--in this contest you've made happen, Jot.
Just an opinion, but I'm really impressed by so many of these works.

[Jot]

And I couldn't have done it without you Paula, and the other original members who helped to kick it off back on LinkedIn. Tbanks!!!

[Chris]

Jot wrote: "Thanks Chris, though you should know that most of the stories this month are reposts, as prescribed but not required. Mostly, I just want everyone to be able to be represented for their contributio..."

Ok. I replaced it with a story of mine that won in 2017. I'll save the other one I wrote for later maybe.

[Jot]

You mean for next month, as Grand Champion?

[Carrie]

It will be a challenge reading all these stories, people are going to wonder why my face is buried in my phone every spare minute hahaha

[Chris]

Jot wrote: "You mean for next month, as Grand Champion?"

Lol! This group has some amazing authors and spectacular stories. My own ability is definitely eclipsed by some amazing writing here.

[Jot]

Thanks for the critiques Tom. I'll have to wait until after I read to read the stories and vote to read through these.

[Tom]

Chris wrote: "Jot wrote: "You mean for next month, as Grand Champion?"

Lol! This group has some amazing authors and spectacular stories. My own ability is definitely eclipsed by some amazing writing here."

I disagree on your second point, Chris. I think we're lucky to have you.

[C.]

Yes, I concur with Tom, Chris. You've got some great stuff.
-C

[G.C.]

OK my story is up. I went back and looked at the feedback people had given me on the story but decided to leave it as it was...reminded again how hard that 750 word limit can be on me.

[Jot]

Welcome back G.C.

[Jot]

Ron Jones said he's going to switch out the story I posted for him to another. Hoping he can get that in today. Also let me know if you make any changes to your story. Since I have to vote first, I started reading the stories.

[Andy]

Just posted a second set of comments in the critiques thread - that's halfway through.
Takes time but it helps me focus on the stories and read each one at least twice. Should finish by Feb.

There's a very solid level of good writing throughout. The bar is set high on that front. So for me it's about finding the stories with a bit of an edge, as one sees it, in terms of originality, characterisation, story construction, literary excellence, psychological insight or emotional impact. One very short story can't excel in all of these, though - but for me the top choices have to excel in some of these aspects.

[Jot]

Thanks Andy. Love the critique thread, even though I hardly ever have the time to write them myself.

[Jeremy]

The critiques set a high literary bar!

[Jot]

As per Ron Jones, I posted Hemogoblin in place of his other story.

[Jot]

Also updated my own story to fix some typos, thanks to my son.

[Paula]

Oops--I changed some names in my story yesterday for greater clarity. Otherwise, no change.
Could we have to january 28, Jot? I want to give all the stories the two read-throughs they all deserve, and probably other people need time to, too(?).

[Rejoice]

Been away for a while but managed to post my story yesterday. Thanks Jot for organising this and yes extra days for voting definitely needed.

[C.]

My vote is in!

[Jot]

Sure, unless we have a veto to trigger a vote, we'll extend it to the end of the 28th.

Wait, I thought it was just two extra days. That would be it to the end of the 27th. Need room for run-offs.

[Jot]

Got work issues today, so I'll have to finish reading the stories tonight so I can vote and start tallying the totals.

[Paula]

Good--I for one need the extension to the end of the 28th, Jot, and I bet nearly all of us do. Thank you.

[Jot]

Wait, I thought it was just two extra days. That would be it to the end of the 27th. Need room for run-offs.

[Jot]

I just voted. Time to tally...

[Paula]

I think you had it as "the 28th" on the other thread, though. Better check, lol.Jot wrote: "Wait, I thought it was just two extra days. That would be it to the end of the 27th. Need room for run-offs."

[Jot]

Barring any objections. Sorry for the mix-up Paula.

[Paula]

I just posted some (very)-capsule critiques of the first 24 or 25 stories. Andy Lake is right; this really makes one read the tales carefully so one is much more prepared to vote. I almost feel we should all have to do this before voting. --I know, nearly no one has time to do this for all the stories, and the voting's hardly important anyhow, but it's worth trying if you can make the time.--

[Jot]

I do love the critique thread, as I've said, but providing these is a lot of work and would result in some people not staying with the contest if it was required.

[C.]

Don't mind if the pay scale is right. . .
-C