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pjthompsonHere's your chance to experience it first hand, free of charge—with the potential of winning a free membership and free stuff. The powers that be and the generous Joshua Palmatier are sponsoring a critique contest. The rules and prize lists are posted below:
Commendable Crit Contest:
1. Eligibility: To enter the contest, the entrant must join the
Science Fiction and Fantasy Online Writing Workshop for the FREE
trial month sometime during the month of February OR they can already
be a member of the workshop. There is no obligation to remain part
of the workshop after the free trial month for those that join for
the purposes of entering the contest. Details about the workshop can
be found at the workshop's homepage at sff.onlinewritingwo rkshop.com.
2. How to Enter: During the month of February, the contest
entrant must submit at least one story or chapter to the workshop
using the guidelines set up at the site so that their entry may be
critiqued by other contest entrants as well as other members of the
workshop. This story or chapter must be no more than 7500 words in
length and be considered part of one of the science fiction, fantasy,
or horror genres. It must also satisfy all of the guidelines of the
workshop for such a post. The entrant must put the phrase "(Crit
Contest)" at the end of the title of their post so that it can be
found by other contest entrants. Once the entrant has posted the
entry, he or she must contact the sponsor of the contest, author
Joshua Palmatier, at jpalmatier@sff. net to inform him of the name of
the entrant and the title of their entry on the workshop.
3. Multiple Entries: If the story the entrant wants to be
considered for the contest is longer than 7500 words, then it must be
split into parts and each part posted separately. The entrant may
also post more than one story or chapter for critique for the
contest, if they desire. All posts to be considered for the contest
must contain the tag "(Crit Contest)" at the end of their title. If
more than one story or chapter is to be posted, or a story is being
split into parts, the entrant must earn the points to post the
additional story or chapter or part by critiquing work at the
workshop, as stated at the workshop. But the first posting is "free"
for those who sign up for the workshop to enter the contest. There
is a maximum of three posts allowed for the contest, since this is
the maximum number of posts allowed at the workshop. The entrant
must contact Joshua Palmatier at jpalmatier@sff. net with the
entrant's name and the entry's title for each entry into the
contest. No matter how many posts the entrant makes, the entrant
will only be considered once for the purposes of determining
finalists for the contest; no single person will receive more than
one of the prizes. The entries must remain posted on the workshop
until the end of February for the purposes of the contest, so that
other entrants have the opportunity to critique them.
4. The Process: Once posted, the story or chapter will be
reviewed and critiqued by other members of the workshop, including
contest entrants and non-entrants. For EACH critique received by a
fellow contest entrant, the entrant should email Joshua Palmatier at
jpalmatier@sff. net with the following information: the entrant's
name, the name of the contest entrant who critiqued their work, and a
score on a scale of 0-5 (0=Bad, 5=Excellent) for the critique they
received from that contest entrant. The entrant should then RETURN
THE CRITIQUE by reading and critiquing a post by the person who has
critiqued them. This is called "crit for crit". The return critique
should be thoughtful and meaningful, for the critique will be judged
by the person receiving it as part of the contest based on how in
depth and helpful the critique was regarding the professionalism of
the writing in the post, the character development, plot points,
setting, and dialogue. The entrant should also indicate that they
are returning this critique as part of the contest at the beginning
of their critique. Advice for how to critique a post is available at
the workshop.
In addition, the entrants are expected to SEEK OUT other contest
entries and critique them, with the expectation that they will
receive a return critique. This can be done directly at the workshop
by searching the stories and chapters posted for the tag "(Crit
Contest)", or the entrant can find a list of all of those who have
entered the contest at Joshua Palmatier's website at
www.joshuapalmatier .com (click on "Crit Contest Entrants" on the
right side of the homepage). Each critique the entrant does will be
judged by the person receiving the critique, so once again the
critique should be thoughtful and meaningful, especially regarding
the professionalism of the writing, the character development, plot
points, setting, and dialogue. It should also indicate that they are
critiquing the post as part of the contest at the beginning of the
critique. If an entrant critiques another contest entry by another
contest entrant (and they have not been critiqued by that entrant
first, so this is not a return critique) they should email Joshua
Palmatier at jpalmatier@sff. net with the following information: the
entrant's name, the name of the contest entrant they have just
critiqued, and the title of the post that they have just critiqued.
If no return critique is received by the end of the contest, the
contest entrant they have critiqued will receive a 0, to be factored
into their score, for not returning the critique, and the entrant who
gave the critique will receive a 5 for that critique.
To summarize: Entrants should contact Joshua Palmatier at
jpalmatier@sff. net for every contest entry they critique, and for
every critique they receive from other entrants. For every critique
they receive from contest entrants, they should provide a score for
how helpful they felt the critique was that they received.
It is to the entrant's advantage to critique as many entries as
possible, and to return every critique they receive with the best
advice they can possibly give. Joshua Palmatier reserves the right
to disqualify entrants who are not participating in the contest in a
fair and honorable way, and all such decisions are final.
5. Judging: Every critique given by an entrant will be scored
on a scale of 0-5. Using this information, ten finalists will be
chosen for each of two categories: entrants who are new to the
workshop (those who joined after May 31st, 2007), and entrants who
have been a part of the workshop since before June 1st, 2007. Of the
ten finalists in each category, Joshua Palmatier will select a first
place, second place, and third place winner, after reviewing the
critiques made by those finalists.
6. Prizes: First Place: One year's membership to the OWW along
with signed hardcover copies of The Skewed Throne, The Cracked
Throne, and The Vacant Throne by Joshua Palmatier; Second Place: A
6-month membership to the OWW along with signed hardcover copies of
The Skewed Throne and The Cracked Throne; Third Place: Signed
hardcover copy of The Skewed Throne by Joshua Palmatier. A first,
second, and third prize will be given for each of the two categories.
7. Timing: The contest will begin on February 1st, 2008.
Critiques will be accepted until February 29th, 2008. The last day
that scores for critiques received will be accepted will be March
5th, 2008; all emails sent to Joshua Palmatier after midnight on
March 5th, 2008 will not be considered for contest purposes. The ten
finalists for each of the two categories will be announced on March
6th, 2008 at the workshop, as well as on Joshua Palmatier's website
(www.joshuapalmatier.com). After this, Joshua Palmatier will
consider all of the finalist's critiques and the winners will be
chosen. The critiques will be judged not on "nits" (comma placement,
grammar, etc.) but on how in-depth and helpful the critique was
regarding the professionalism of the writing in the post, the
character development, plot points, setting, and dialogue. Winners
for each of the two categories will be announced on March 15th, 2008
at the workshop and on Joshua Palmatier's website
(www.joshuapalmatier.com).
Commendable Crit Contest:
1. Eligibility: To enter the contest, the entrant must join the
Science Fiction and Fantasy Online Writing Workshop for the FREE
trial month sometime during the month of February OR they can already
be a member of the workshop. There is no obligation to remain part
of the workshop after the free trial month for those that join for
the purposes of entering the contest. Details about the workshop can
be found at the workshop's homepage at sff.onlinewritingwo rkshop.com.
2. How to Enter: During the month of February, the contest
entrant must submit at least one story or chapter to the workshop
using the guidelines set up at the site so that their entry may be
critiqued by other contest entrants as well as other members of the
workshop. This story or chapter must be no more than 7500 words in
length and be considered part of one of the science fiction, fantasy,
or horror genres. It must also satisfy all of the guidelines of the
workshop for such a post. The entrant must put the phrase "(Crit
Contest)" at the end of the title of their post so that it can be
found by other contest entrants. Once the entrant has posted the
entry, he or she must contact the sponsor of the contest, author
Joshua Palmatier, at jpalmatier@sff. net to inform him of the name of
the entrant and the title of their entry on the workshop.
3. Multiple Entries: If the story the entrant wants to be
considered for the contest is longer than 7500 words, then it must be
split into parts and each part posted separately. The entrant may
also post more than one story or chapter for critique for the
contest, if they desire. All posts to be considered for the contest
must contain the tag "(Crit Contest)" at the end of their title. If
more than one story or chapter is to be posted, or a story is being
split into parts, the entrant must earn the points to post the
additional story or chapter or part by critiquing work at the
workshop, as stated at the workshop. But the first posting is "free"
for those who sign up for the workshop to enter the contest. There
is a maximum of three posts allowed for the contest, since this is
the maximum number of posts allowed at the workshop. The entrant
must contact Joshua Palmatier at jpalmatier@sff. net with the
entrant's name and the entry's title for each entry into the
contest. No matter how many posts the entrant makes, the entrant
will only be considered once for the purposes of determining
finalists for the contest; no single person will receive more than
one of the prizes. The entries must remain posted on the workshop
until the end of February for the purposes of the contest, so that
other entrants have the opportunity to critique them.
4. The Process: Once posted, the story or chapter will be
reviewed and critiqued by other members of the workshop, including
contest entrants and non-entrants. For EACH critique received by a
fellow contest entrant, the entrant should email Joshua Palmatier at
jpalmatier@sff. net with the following information: the entrant's
name, the name of the contest entrant who critiqued their work, and a
score on a scale of 0-5 (0=Bad, 5=Excellent) for the critique they
received from that contest entrant. The entrant should then RETURN
THE CRITIQUE by reading and critiquing a post by the person who has
critiqued them. This is called "crit for crit". The return critique
should be thoughtful and meaningful, for the critique will be judged
by the person receiving it as part of the contest based on how in
depth and helpful the critique was regarding the professionalism of
the writing in the post, the character development, plot points,
setting, and dialogue. The entrant should also indicate that they
are returning this critique as part of the contest at the beginning
of their critique. Advice for how to critique a post is available at
the workshop.
In addition, the entrants are expected to SEEK OUT other contest
entries and critique them, with the expectation that they will
receive a return critique. This can be done directly at the workshop
by searching the stories and chapters posted for the tag "(Crit
Contest)", or the entrant can find a list of all of those who have
entered the contest at Joshua Palmatier's website at
www.joshuapalmatier .com (click on "Crit Contest Entrants" on the
right side of the homepage). Each critique the entrant does will be
judged by the person receiving the critique, so once again the
critique should be thoughtful and meaningful, especially regarding
the professionalism of the writing, the character development, plot
points, setting, and dialogue. It should also indicate that they are
critiquing the post as part of the contest at the beginning of the
critique. If an entrant critiques another contest entry by another
contest entrant (and they have not been critiqued by that entrant
first, so this is not a return critique) they should email Joshua
Palmatier at jpalmatier@sff. net with the following information: the
entrant's name, the name of the contest entrant they have just
critiqued, and the title of the post that they have just critiqued.
If no return critique is received by the end of the contest, the
contest entrant they have critiqued will receive a 0, to be factored
into their score, for not returning the critique, and the entrant who
gave the critique will receive a 5 for that critique.
To summarize: Entrants should contact Joshua Palmatier at
jpalmatier@sff. net for every contest entry they critique, and for
every critique they receive from other entrants. For every critique
they receive from contest entrants, they should provide a score for
how helpful they felt the critique was that they received.
It is to the entrant's advantage to critique as many entries as
possible, and to return every critique they receive with the best
advice they can possibly give. Joshua Palmatier reserves the right
to disqualify entrants who are not participating in the contest in a
fair and honorable way, and all such decisions are final.
5. Judging: Every critique given by an entrant will be scored
on a scale of 0-5. Using this information, ten finalists will be
chosen for each of two categories: entrants who are new to the
workshop (those who joined after May 31st, 2007), and entrants who
have been a part of the workshop since before June 1st, 2007. Of the
ten finalists in each category, Joshua Palmatier will select a first
place, second place, and third place winner, after reviewing the
critiques made by those finalists.
6. Prizes: First Place: One year's membership to the OWW along
with signed hardcover copies of The Skewed Throne, The Cracked
Throne, and The Vacant Throne by Joshua Palmatier; Second Place: A
6-month membership to the OWW along with signed hardcover copies of
The Skewed Throne and The Cracked Throne; Third Place: Signed
hardcover copy of The Skewed Throne by Joshua Palmatier. A first,
second, and third prize will be given for each of the two categories.
7. Timing: The contest will begin on February 1st, 2008.
Critiques will be accepted until February 29th, 2008. The last day
that scores for critiques received will be accepted will be March
5th, 2008; all emails sent to Joshua Palmatier after midnight on
March 5th, 2008 will not be considered for contest purposes. The ten
finalists for each of the two categories will be announced on March
6th, 2008 at the workshop, as well as on Joshua Palmatier's website
(www.joshuapalmatier.com). After this, Joshua Palmatier will
consider all of the finalist's critiques and the winners will be
chosen. The critiques will be judged not on "nits" (comma placement,
grammar, etc.) but on how in-depth and helpful the critique was
regarding the professionalism of the writing in the post, the
character development, plot points, setting, and dialogue. Winners
for each of the two categories will be announced on March 15th, 2008
at the workshop and on Joshua Palmatier's website
(www.joshuapalmatier.com).