Writing Challenge Idea Suggestions, page 4

Originally posted by DeusEx

Was it 'stay within the T&C' or 'use no work, characters, or settings but your own' that proved too much for you?

DE

Au contraire! You deliberately misapprehend me. I asked for and received permission from two moderators (one being Intrepid, the man in charge of the contest) an entire month in advance of writing to borrow existing characters from television, literature and film. I even used the complaint/suggestion device in the member centre to ask all staff! I got the green light as long as I put up a disclaimer in the thread, which I did. I also even sent a rough .pdf copy to staff for advance review. If they were too busy to read it that's not my fault, is it? Yet I'm the bad guy here?

That now being said; I deplore, Sir, your loose insinuation that I'm incapable of writing anything without the use of other peoples' characters. I needed them to tell that particular story, no doubt (you think I could have kept that under 100 pages without them?)... but that was a one off for which, as I already said, I obtained special permission. You may note that I also entered a shorter story into that contest where I did no such thing. So what of it, Sir? What, indeed, of it? Why not go as far as Antar and wrongly accuse me of plagiarism without even bothering to ask for a clarification?

And that now being said; I would also, quickly, just like to clarify that your question of me, DeusEx, is loaded. For the answer is neither! It was neither "'stay within the T&C' or 'use no work, characters, or settings but your own'" that "proved too much for me." Rather, it was more along the lines of (and I quote):

Originally posted by DeusEx
1. NO FANFICTION: I'm putting my foot down on this one. You cannot use settings, people, or concepts from other works of fiction. I will, however, allow exactly four lines of one song to be used as set-piece. Use of fanfiction disqualifies you immediately and makes the judges sad pandas.

I have no problem with not being able to use settings, people or concepts from other works of fiction (despite the fact that I have once before); but why may only "exactly four lines of one song as a set-piece" be used? You can quote whoever you want in literature as long as the quote is attributed and not too lengthy, it's not plagiarism or using other people's work or ideas. Quoting is a key aspect of writing. I, for one, quote often (and creatively), so this is one reason why I called the rules of your contest oppressive and rightly so (in my opinion, obviously).

And “fan-fiction?” "Sad Pandas" indeed!

Originally posted by DeusEx
2. While we have a certain amount of free run here with the T&C, excessive splatter earns you a DQ. Gore has its place, but torture and and SAW-like 'splatterporn' do not.

[...]

The focus of your stories shouldn't be the gore. It should be the characters. Like I said, emphasis on normal. I see any American Psycho grade gore come up, I'll do my best to have your writer status revoked and personally tear your story off the forum.

Oppression. Too many rules! Why threaten to have writer statuses revoked and “personally tear stories off the forum?” It's not like you've ever had much of a problem with that sort of thing other than with me, is it? And I told Intrepid that there would be a few guts. If there was a problem with that he should have said something.

Originally posted by DeusEx
The contest will be scrapped unless three judges step forward and U2U myself. You will keep yourselves anonymous.

Next we have the above. I u2u'd you straight away and offered my services as a judge, a message which you read and completely ignored. Several days later you still didn't have enough judges and asked once again in the thread for more, lest the contest be cancelled. Whereas this is not oppressive, what does it really say?

[edit on 6-12-2008 by Cadbury]