survivor contest

[jfinn]

I know I'm not the first to have brought this up by any means. I've seen some of the past discussions and I imagine there must have been even more that I haven't seen from past contest years. But isn't there some way this contest can incorporate more quality than quantity? I know voting scores won't work, and using "E" ratings won't work, but there's got to be something. Right now it seems like the contest is doing nothing more than encouraging people to post lots and lots of stories that are not too good. And who needs that?

I think it's interesting that the works entered range from pure crap to pretty decent, but the really good writers around here are not participating. That's a shame. (Or maybe it's not such a bad thing, because the good writers are still producing and we can still read their work.)

Please don't flame me too hard, I'm only trying to help, believe it or not.

P.S. - I don't mean this in any way as a reflection on Chicklet. She's obviously put a lot of work into this and I know there's no way I could do what she's doing.

P.P.S - I'm asking this in here to reach a broader audience of authors who have no reason to go into the contest forum.

Hi Elle,

Welcome to Lit.

You ask why so many of the good writers here don't participate in the Survivor's Contest. While I have no idea if you or anyone else would consider me a good writer (god knows I don't particularly think so myself) it's that part of your email I'd like to address.

I can't speak for anyone else, but there is a simple reason why I don't participate and that's that I'm not very prolific and not really interested in speeding up just so I can write a bunch of stories to fit in categories that I have no interest in. I write for my own entertainment as much as anyone elses and I think I'd defeat that purpose if I tried to compete.

So no matter how it was judged, I don't think I'd enter. Okay, if a lot of money were involved, maybe. The thing is though, this is just a fun thing that people can get involved in. They use it to as an exercise to hone their skills and test their ability. It's an opportunity for a lot of folks who aren't ever going to win any other kind of writing contest to see their name on a top list. Yeah maybe this is an "everybody can get a ribbon" type of contest, but really, what's the harm?

What I do find so surprising is not how many less skilled writers enter, but at how many really talented ones do. I'm in awe that a Chicklet or Svenskaflicka can actually write all those stories and still maintain their quality. I know I couldn't do it.

It sounds to me like you are someone who's really serious about your writing. I understand that because I feel the same way. But Lit is a huge site with many (take that to mean most) writers who aren't that concerned about quality. This site is just as much for them as it is for people like us. Having a contest where everybody can compete equally sounds like a great idea to me.

Jayne

 

[Svenskaflicka]

Re: Re: survivor contest

What I do find so surprising is not how many less skilled writers enter, but at how many really talented ones do. I'm in awe that a Chicklet or Svenskaflicka can actually write all those stories and still maintain their quality. I know I couldn't do it.

*hugs jfinn*

It doesn't matter how many times someone tells me that they think that I'm a good writer, or that they like my stories, I get all warm and mooshy inside ever time!

 

[jfinn]

Re: Re: Re: survivor contest

*hugs jfinn*

It doesn't matter how many times someone tells me that they think that I'm a good writer, or that they like my stories, I get all warm and mooshy inside ever time!

Glad to hear it, but I only spoke the truth.

Jayne