Contest Flag Beg... please, please, pretty please with syrup all over it.

Originally posted by TrueAmerican
1) Define judging criteria clearly

.

The clear and defined criteria is, and only can be, imaginative, innovative and entertaining stories. Spelling, grammar and a decent grasp of English would preclude those who have it as a second language. If it grabs your attention, makes reading it a pleasure or is food for thought, it passes the test

Regarding your points 2 and 3?

No.

We've tried member panels before, and, while it worked to a degree, I've had the unpleasant experience of only one out of the whole group actually provide their choices, leaving it up to me to work it all out. Been there, done that, not going back.

Don't even suggest staff to be judges... what with 500 to 700 members online posting, they're busy enough.

That leaves me and I don't think it's fair that I'm a judge and jury for every entry in a contest.

reply to post by TrueAmerican


We're talking a Fiction Writing contest.

Who decides what is the best story? The Purchasers!! What gets you to the top of the best seller list? Purchases!

So, letting flags and/or stars decide the fate of a story is exactly like real life where dollars decide the fate of an author's work.

You think the truly best works are the ones that make the best seller's list, or the ones that sell the most movie tickets?

No, fiction is a popularity contest, so letting the members star and flag the winners is the same as buying a book, buying a ticket, etc. It is the only real-world scenario that is equally unfair and unjust to all, LOL!

And, knowing the criteria going in. The authors should tailor their submissions to that criteria. A 4 page work on the intricate details of a Swiss Time Piece, no matter how accurate, informative, and thought-provoking, probably won't win. It will be the one that flows easily, entertains, enthralls, and has the catchiest title. Just like real-life. If you can get a celebrity endorsement, even better!

I like Masq's way the best. He is just asking for people to pitch in, read the works, and give up some stars and flags where appropriate, he isn't trying to re-invent the wheel.

I can't help but star and flag anyone that makes a credible effort.

Just simple creation of almost anytype deserves recognition and encouragement.

I like masqua's way, flag count decides all. However, there are those posts that slip below the radar, and in a side contest, the majority of ATS turns a blind eye. People, (clears throat, ahem) are mostly ignorant here, choosing to find the theme which this site is all about, yet falling short of it's true meaning. No fault to them, aye?

I have not begged nor asked for any flags in any of my stories, nor asked any members for such. I have thought of many ways I COULD cheat, but none of which would be honorable. I'll let my contributions to this particular thread be the judge of my entries, and I'll default to masqua on how it should be run.

Originally posted by Druid42
I like masqua's way, flag count decides all. However, there are those posts that slip below the radar, and in a side contest, the majority of ATS turns a blind eye. People, (clears throat, ahem) are mostly ignorant here, choosing to find the theme which this site is all about, yet falling short of it's true meaning. No fault to them, aye?

I have not begged nor asked for any flags in any of my stories, nor asked any members for such. I have thought of many ways I COULD cheat, but none of which would be honorable. I'll let my contributions to this particular thread be the judge of my entries, and I'll default to masqua on how it should be run.

Since there is a traffic problem in the Short Stories forum, I may ask a few members to come by. I don't want the flags, I want the feedback. I won a contest, so there is nothing other than applauses available for me, and i have some of those already too.

I just want feedback, as I would like to be a better writer. Not because I will do anything with it. I am a "better" lots of things. That is what I do.

Originally posted by kkrattiger
reply to post by bigfatfurrytexan

 

I'm an artist, and feel the need to create, and also expect that my work will not be stolen and passed off as another's, and if it was, that the laws governing intellectual property and plagiarizing, etc. would help to make it right.

Just wanted to affirm how easily things can be done in a correct way.

Check out this website which used one of my paintings in relation to migraine headaches. No doubt, they found it through key words such as phosphene and it led them to an ATS page of mine.

It's all properly accredited, imo, even if my real name isn't used. Had they gone to my own website, it would have been. Just to set the record straight, I sent them an email letting them know who I am in real life and added my website for their perusal.

Guess where I found the website that used my image (?)... yup, hit #1 on Googling my username. It's that easy to find those that take enough interest in my stuff to post elsewhere

It would be the same with any sentence "surrounded by quotes" and Googled. If anyone plagiarized an original author and it wound up online, it's equally easy to find.