SHORT STORY WRITERS CONTEST -- April 2023 -- SCIENCE FAILS --WSF2023 --Winners Are Posted

This is an Official ATS Short Story Writers Contest!

It is open to ALL members of ATS.

This area is a safe place for our 'mighty fine creative minds' to gather. If you'd like to participate, know that the Terms and Conditions of your membership are strongly enforced. You are not in the Mud-Pit. Profanity, Political baiting, Personal attacks, are not allowed or welcomed at all. Want to talk about something else? Then go to the other forums here at ATS. We only discuss the stories in here written by YOU, the membership.

By submitting a Short Story in an Official ATS Contest, you agree to the following;

Your Entry Has to be Original Fiction & posted in it's own thread HERE in the Short Stories forum,. Then in this contest thread, create a post with a link to your story. If you need any help with Spelling or Grammar-checking, Word-Counting, and more please visit; Writer Tools; Spell Check and More

Your Story Should be written and edited with paragraphs. We have noticed that stories copy & pasted from 'mobile devices' might lose their formatting. Please review how it looks on the ATS Thread and add the proper editing (as you have only about 20 minutes to make edits/corrections). This is a contest, no one wants to read a solid block of words.

A.I. Technology can not be used in the stories creation. Only ATS members are allowed to participate in the Contest.

You may enter more than once, but you can only win one prize.

"The END" needs to be at the bottom of your story, it wont add to the word-count.

You will be awarded "Writer" Status if you win 1st or 2nd in the non-writer category, please add in your stories title 'non-writer'.

The contest will run from NOW to Monday, May 1, 2023. Any submissions after that date will be disqualified. A period of ONE WEEK after the closing of the contest will be provided for reading & voting.

Contest Winners get to choose the next Contest Theme. This contest theme is courtesy of our last winner Degradation33, and is entitled: WHEN SCIENCE FAILS WSF2023--This should be left open to interpretation. Any event of scientific advancement failing. Even theory failing. A research facility with bats failing. A nuclear Meltdown, a crypto-financial meltdown, a technology apocalypse.

RULES OF ENTRY (are simple)

* Entries must be original fiction. ATS members cannot be characters.
* The Contest is for Humans only: No AI submissions.
* Entries MUST include -FYI2023- in your Stories title. ( e.g. Wedded Bliss -FYI2023- non-writer )
* This is a 'SHORT STORY' Contest. Stories that run past the OP are accepted but no points given for additional posts.
* You need to post a link to your story here in this contest thread so others know that you made up an entry.
* You must stay within the Terms and Conditions (please read)

WINNERS and SCORING

ATS "Writer" status, prizes as follows:
1st -- 5 Applause, and gets to choose the next contest theme (Repeat winners can choose to pass to another for the theme of a future contest).
2nd -- 3 Applause
3rd -- 1 Applause

non-writer will receive the following:
1st Place -- 3 Applause & Writer Status
2nd Place -- 2 Applause & Writer Status
3rd Place -- 1 Applause

How the Contestants get points to win all depends on you! You can give FLAGS to your favorite story and add STARS to your favorite stories opening post.

We then tally up the scores of 'Flags' (worth 2 points each). And 'Stars' in the opening post (worth 1 point each)

And that's it! Got a question? We're happy to try and answer anything about the
contests/rules etc. But ENJOY this new contest, GOOD LUCK, HAPPY READING and HAVE FUN!

Note: New OP contest format, image selection and artwork thanks to JohnnyAnonymous.




WINNERS ANNOUNCED

Woooohoooooo! Looking forward to it. Thank you Johnny, Tread and of course Degredation33. Stories incoming!

One quick question. There is a reference to word count when stating "the End" needs to be at the bottom. Is there a minimum or max limit on word count?

I have always been a little jealous of our members sporting the designation "Writer." It was once a dream of mine to be one.

A short story is a challenge for someone (like me) who can't ever figure out how to 'end things' story-wise. It is a the flip-side of something like, Haiku writing, or the redondillas of 13th century Spain; where the structure had strong parameters.

Good luck everyone, I can't wait to see what you come up with...

I might throw a little one in there, just for fun!

Hope you all have a great time with this new theme. I'm excited just thinking of the possibilities of you, (our creative members), will do with this theme.

Johnny

originally posted by: Maxmars
I have always been a little jealous of our members sporting the designation "Writer." It was once a dream of mine to be one.

A short story is a challenge for someone (like me) who can't ever figure out how to 'end things' story-wise. It is a the flip-side of something like, Haiku writing, or the redondillas of 13th century Spain; where the structure had strong parameters.

Good luck everyone, I can't wait to see what you come up with...

I might throw a little one in there, just for fun!

I had the title but after admin action it accidentally got removed.

a reply to: v1rtu0s0

PM4U

I couldn't remember if this is required but:

"Failed" Science - WSF2023 (just for fun)

My submission. It might be my first of several as this theme has my creative juices flowing many directions.

Today is the Day...Again -FYI2023- writer

Way to go, me. Picked a terrible idea. I had forgotten there was just another science one. Hope it's appealing.

In any case, here is my submission.

A Live Streamed Story

originally posted by: Moon68
There is a reference to word count when stating "the End" needs to be at the bottom. Is there a minimum or max limit on word count?

No word count for this theme, "The End" has to be at the bottom of all stories submitted. In those rare times we have a special word-count theme, then the words; "The End" does not factor in I hope that made sense.

In short, It's a short story contest that can be as long as one wants.


Apologies, it took me awhile to catch your query,
Johnny

a reply to: JohnnyAnonymous

Is there an O.G. ATS techie that knows the maximum character count for a typical ATS OP?
I'm not sure how I'd test it effectively. I just want to keep my entry within one post.

Comprende, amigos?

originally posted by: JohnnyAnonymous

originally posted by: Moon68
There is a reference to word count when stating "the End" needs to be at the bottom. Is there a minimum or max limit on word count?

No word count for this theme, "The End" has to be at the bottom of all stories submitted. In those rare times we have a special word-count theme, then the words; "The End" does not factor in I hope that made sense.

In short, It's a short story contest that can be as long as one wants.


Apologies, it took me awhile to catch your query,
Johnny

Hey, no problem. I appreciate the clarity.

originally posted by: BeNotAfraid
a reply to: JohnnyAnonymous

Is there an O.G. ATS techie that knows the maximum character count for a typical ATS OP?
I'm not sure how I'd test it effectively. I just want to keep my entry within one post.

Comprende, amigos?

I did some research and tests for the first contest I entered and the result was that the total character count (including spaces) that will fit in a single post is around 7,500.

"The End" you need to add at the end of your story doesn't count. It's not so important for normal contests, more so for the 100 word limit one we did.

I used M$ Word for writing which gives you the stats as you type. Otherwise, there are loads of online resources... try this one: www.charactercountonline.com...

Good luck!

a reply to: Encia22

Thank you very much, @Encia22 Cheers!

Hey, I was wondering... can I do another story (just for fun) or should I wait until the competition is over?

It's not a problem either way...

a reply to: Maxmars

I remember seeing multiple Staff just for fun stories in past contests... even Johnny did it, if I'm not mistaken.

However, last word to DTOM and Johnny.

originally posted by: Maxmars
Hey, I was wondering... can I do another story (just for fun) or should I wait until the competition is over?

It's not a problem either way...

I'm no Tread or Johnny but....

"You may enter more than once, but you can only win one prize."

Thanks everyone... I think I'll wait...

Since I don't compete, it might be nice to have a story or two crop up between contests...

Besides, I have too many to choose from anyway... it's more work deciding which to post than it is writing them.

Thanks again.

originally posted by: Moon68

originally posted by: Maxmars
Hey, I was wondering... can I do another story (just for fun) or should I wait until the competition is over?

It's not a problem either way...

I'm no Tread or Johnny but....

"You may enter more than once, but you can only win one prize."

Exactly!!!


ETA
Although we as staff don't win prizes

Thx all.

WSF2023 - Little Timmy's need for speed