I know here in this forum we have contests, but since they are themed and are written for the sake of the competition I don't like them much. I think what would be real cool is to choose works posted in review room as best. Something like a film festival. Here is how I suggest the system: Lpsider chooses 15 members. (How many reviewers we have?) I suggest 5 for short stories and scripts, 5 for poetry and lyrics, and 5 for nonfiction. Since we have only exceprts of novels we can't put them into festival too. Good. These 5 people should read all posted works and choose what works can go for competetion part. Like any film festival, apart from main prize there would be a special prize for another work. Then either community or an appointed council can vote for the best. Here are my recommended prizes: Best short story ----Best short story ----Short story special prize Best poem ----Best poem prize ----Poem special prize And so on.
That's not bad an idea, except, it depends on the fact whether reviewers are willing to take it and whether it would necessary to separate themes in this one or not.
Hmmm. It's a nice idea, but I'm a bit worried that it will distort the purpose of the review room. Pieces posted there are for review and critique, in need of help in some form or another. If you turn it into a contest, you run the risk of losing that help element.
Stinger there is actually a new contest that should be starting up in the next month or so. I was meant to start it a while back but life for me has been very hectic that is for sure. So when things settle for me I will then begin the contest anyway. It will be a monthly contest for both poetry and short story if both Gannon and Banzai agree to that once I show them the contest and what its about etc. I was also going to mention to the mods and Lp about having a prize such as a name colour change for a month or something of the sort. But that is something I still have to discuss with them before the contest can begin. I am with Banzai on this one though. Sorry.
I can partly solve this problem right now. We're starting the ezine (site newsletter). The first edition is coming out very shortly. For this issue, I have personally selected two short stories and two poems that will be published. For future issues, we have a special e-mail where members can submit their work, which would have a chance to be published (this includes writing articles). Also coming with the ezine will be large quarterly contests. The winner will receive a $100 prize. Sounds good to me. The idea of the site having an annual writing festival sounds really interesting, but on a monthly basis it's probably not the best idea.
I really don't want to see the Review Room turned away from being a workshop. It's hard enough to break down the bearrier of defensiveness without introducing a competive element.
Alright. So I change my reccomendation to this way: Let's have an annual festival. Like a festival, people will send their works to choosing commitee.
Even if I agreed with this, which I don't, there is a problem. Who would fork over the money, and how would we get it to the winner?
any competition should be by submission ONLY... to pervert the purpose of the review room by turning it into a contest that no one posting their work for help there has consciously 'entered' would ruin the site for most members, imo... do all the contests you want, in the existing contest section, but never ever start handing out 'prizes' or 'bests' where people are posting their work to have others help them with it... after all, if it were perfected enough to submit to a contest, they wouldn't be posting it there, would they?
