The Crypt Critters Halloween Writing Contest [Winners Announced], page 1

Crypt Critters Halloween Writing Contest

From now until November 10

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The idea is to write a story using a monster of any kind. Werewolves, vampires, the Blob... it doesn't matter as long as they're scary monsters. Maybe your monster is a human with no humanity in him or her at all... a psychopath. That's a monster too. Whatever you can think of will be just fine.

I'm kicking up the word count in this, right up to 1000. You can always check by putting the text into this handy program:

www.wordcounttool.com...

It's the one I'll be using to check each entry.

Also, since the Terms and Conditions of ATS are applicable, profanity WILL be removed from submissions.

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Rules:


• Submit as a seperate thread in the Short Story forum.
  
  
• Title MUST contain [CCHWC].
  
  
• All T&C's apply
  
  
• No restrictions on themes. Use any situation you like for your story line.
  
  
• Contest runs until midnight on November 10.
  
  
• Submissions must contain at least 1000 words.
  
  
• One story per contestant. Member can replace story submissions at any time and as often as they like. Please U2U me for replacements.
  
  
  
  
  Prizes:
  
  
• 1st place - 30,000 ATS points
  
• 2nd place - 25,000 ATS points
  
• 3rd place - 20,000 ATS points
  
• Undetermined number of honourable mentions - 5,000 ATS points each
  

Note:

All successfully entered submissions will receive Writer Status.

The contest is open to all members of Abovetopsecret who have their 20 initial posts.

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Note: Thanks to those who volunteered to be judges. Much appreciated as always

[edit on 18/10/09 by masqua]

[edit on 16/11/09 by masqua]

reply to post by masqua

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Oh my. I believe that my story, once read, will do irreparable damage to the reader. So I ask everyone with medical conditions to think twice before viewing it. Consider this a warning. Just kidding people, I don't know what I'll come up with.

Hmmm. This one may take even more than a few hours to place the right frame of mind to begin thinking for this one.

Of course until the short stories start rolling in everyone is welcome to stop by Dark Days in the UnderWorld for some collaborative writing of some the more common creatures of the night. Not so much for the chills but the intrigue and a bit of the mood.

[edit on 9-10-2009 by Ahabstar]

Reply to post by masqua

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Purrrfect. "Death of the Big Apple" is a go then. Muhahahaha!

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Posted Via ATS Mobile: m.abovetopsecret.com

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reply to post by masqua

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Under tc's can we put the word "explative" to infer an explative? Or he/she cursed or said a curse word without putting the word in? Just curious.

reply to post by jackflap

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I agree with you jackflap. That's a nice thought and I will be giving stars and flags to all our wonderful writers here.

reply to post by ldyserenity

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Sure, you can use [expletive] substitutions, but advise against any kind of censor circumvention which makes it plain exactly what word was being avoided.

The T&C's are very specific about what is considered profanity and not allowed anywhere on ATS:

1b.) Profanity: You will not use profanity in our forums, and will neither post with language or content that is obscene, sexually oriented, or sexually suggestive nor link to sites that contain such content. You will also not use common alternative spellings or net-speak alternative for profane words.

Think gutter talk based on sexual innuendo and you've got the majority of the words not allowed. The rest would be associated with bigotry:

2) Behavior: You will not behave in an abusive, hateful, intolerant, bigoted and/or racist manner, and will not harass, threaten, nor attack anyone.

The English language contains 1,001,704 words and is growing daily.

www.languagemonitor.com...

Out of that million plus, there are perhaps 2 dozen specifically not wanted per the Terms and Conditions (not sure on that number - I'm guessing).

I suppose what I'm saying is that out of all those words available, I'm sure it would fairly easy to find a damned expletive that could describe the language of some Godforsaken jerk who screwed up royally and then got all pissy over it.



Hope that helps.

[edit on 11/10/09 by masqua]

Every time I see an OP which contains within it a request for stars and flags, my insinct is to NOT star and flag it unless the work that went into it deserves the stars and flags.

Asking for them is easy, deserving them is not and the high road is always the harder one to take.

Members who read the fine stories in the Writing forums will do the same as they do across ATS. They will star and flag excellence and not bother with what they consider 'not so excellent'.

It's easy to see which stories prompted stars and flags with a quick scan of the boards themselves:

www.abovetopsecret.com...
www.abovetopsecret.com...

Click on the ones which have the most flags and you'll quickly notice two things that stand out: the work that went into them or the popular subjects they tackle.

That's what stars and flags were intended for, imho.

sp

[edit on 11/10/09 by masqua]

reply to post by masqua

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I agree with you to a point. If someone just threw something together it is obvious. What I am getting at though is that quite possibly the writer doesn't know how to include links and center stuff to make it look great. Maybe they are not sure how to make proper paragraphs. It is obvious to me though that all the stories in the last contest were attempts at expressing something. They were thought about. I think they all deserved a star and flag from me. If someone is trying it is obvious too and they all were trying. So I believe that anyone who tries deserves my star and flag. By the way you definitely got my star and flag for your entry! I have to reply to the story thread still, but I want to read it again. Good stuff masqua!

Edit to add. Man, you have got to continue that. I dare not drop a reply in the middle of that! I am on pins and needles waiting to see what transpires. You have to take it further!

[edit on 12-10-2009 by jackflap]

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