PARSEC Writing Contest

[ChimeraCreative]

Genre - Fantasy, Science Fiction, Horror
Word Count - up to 3500 words
Due Date - April 15th, 2009

This Year's Theme - DARK GLASS

http://www.parsec-sff.org/contest/contest09.html

I highly recommend this contest to anyone interested in speculative fiction. The prize money is pretty good and they typically don't receive more that 75 or 80 entries. What's really awesome is that they'll critique your work for free if you send in a SASE with your entry. Stoney, Jack and I did it last year. I'm looking to convert more folks to the PARSEC contest this year. ^_^

[MGM]

A SASE?

Sounds like fun!

[ChimeraCreative]

I truly, really, 100% think it's a worthwhile contest to enter. I'll beta read for anyone who wants a second opinion on their story. ^_^

[MGM]

But what's a SASE?

[ChimeraCreative]

A self addressed stamped envelope. You basically include an envelope that has your home-address on it and sufficient postage to get it back to your place. That way it doesn't put the editors at an expense.

[MGM]

Ah. So basically I'd have to ask 'em if I can e-mail them.

[ChimeraCreative]

I think you'd have to email them prematurely and explain your situation so they'll accommodate your needs. They primarily accept snail mail manuscripts.

[MGM]

Yeah, I saw that on their website. First, I need to think about a subject.


But I like sci-fi. :D

[IrishCream]

WTF is Dark Glass?

[ChimeraCreative]

It's the theme of this year's contest. It's whatever you want it to be.

For example, last year's theme was METALLIC FEATHERS. I had a small town hording and raising chickens that grow precious metal feathers. But chickens are an eating kinda animal, right? So at the end of the story metal monsters came to eat the metal chickens and killed most of the villagers as well. Lesson learned - the food chain sucks. ^_^

[IrishCream]

Hmmm...I'll sleep on it

[MGM]

It's the theme of this year's contest. It's whatever you want it to be.

For example, last year's theme was METALLIC FEATHERS. I had a small town hording and raising chickens that grow precious metal feathers. But chickens are an eating kinda animal, right? So at the end of the story metal monsters came to eat the metal chickens and killed most of the villagers as well. Lesson learned - the food chain sucks. ^_^

What, no Archangel story? ;)

What was their comment on your writing?

[ChimeraCreative]

Holy crap, you're right, an Archangel story would have been pretty sweet. ^_^

I have the critique page stuck to a cork board. It was pretty detailed but it basically boiled down to two things. Great idea, not enough detail to make it work. I found the 3500 word limit very constraining. My first draft of that story was about 5200 words. *sigh* This year I've got more than one story on the go and I'm thinking sleek, trim and punchy. ^_^

[MGM]

Dark Glass SCREAMS sci-fi. I have to figure out how to make that work.

[William McDert]

Oh man. I am SO in.

[Junkogen]

I should be in, but....

[ChimeraCreative]

So Irish and Junk are on the fence. Mic, Ami, Sarah, Jack, Adam and myself are in. I'm ecstatic. Like, over the moon happy right now. ^_^ If anyone wants a beta reader or an attaboy or anything, I'm ready, willing and able. *squee!*

[CountD]

I truly don't think I have the time to put something together with enough thought.

fashy and I did submit to the Bomb Queen contest last year....so uh, props to us for that.

[Junkogen]

I truly don't think I have the time to put something together with enough thought.

That's my concern, as well.

Congrats on your submission. Did you guys win?

[Mr Wallstreet]

Junk, it's horror. Write about the roadkill that passes for your penis :D

[ChimeraCreative]

There's still a month and a half (roughly) to work on a single, 3500 word submission. Even if it's just 100 words a day you can still make the deadline.

C'mon, who doesn't need the $200 prize? Or the cool editorial feedback they give you about your work? ^_^

[Stocky Boy]

Obviously I'd win if I entered. Not sure what I'd write about, but then whatever I write about is bound to be exceptionally good and win for me. :D;)


Let's see, what would I write about? Off the top of my incredibly imaginative and clever head... "Bjorko and Herman - Adventures through the Basement Dimension Xothel". It would be a kids romp. So, no allusion to Herman's true origin as a dildo monster.

Nah, but seriously, how is it we are all interested in writing? How come? :confused:

I haven't really got the time. Oh I would absolutley, bloody love to, but there are more pressing things I should get done. :(
Go figure, at this present moment, when I should be getting ready for bed, since I've got work the next day, I'd love nothing more than to have a go at writing some adventures for Bjorko and Hermen in the Basement dimension of Xothel.

Oh well, good luck to all who enter! :cool:

And seriously, Bjorko and Herman in Xothel is such a fucking marvelous idea, isn't it? No, seriously it just absolutely, bloody, fucking is! How do I think up this shit? :eek::D;)

" :rolleyes: " to me.

[StoneTable]

As CC mentioned, the PARSEC folks give personal feedback (which is a rarity). Last year, there were 89 entries. Twenty-one were passed to the screeners, and twelve made it to the judges. Three stories won, paying $200, $100, and $50.

The odds aren't bad. If you make it to the screeners, they'll give you their feedback and why they didn't pass yours to the judges.

[Stocky Boy]

Anyones want an update on how Bjorko and Herman in Xothel is coming along? :D

[CBKA]

Anyones want an update on how Bjorko and Herman in Xothel is coming along? :D

no.

but thanks anyway

[ChimeraCreative]

There's a little more than two weeks left, still plenty of time for a 3500 words or less story.:deal2:

[Stocky Boy]

Easy!


But, I'm not going to do it. :D

[ChimeraCreative]

Well... it's a good thing you're so cute and lovable. ^_^ *reps you anyway*

[MGM]

Crap, I haven't really started on this thing yet.

[StoneTable]

I finished my draft last night. I just need to type it up, edit the shit out of it and get An to tell me what to fix. :D

[StoneTable]

Typed up!

Let's go slackers, let's go!

[jedispyder]

So the deadline has hit for the East Coast, who got theirs in?

I submitted 2, one I worked on for a week or so titled "Under the Looking Glass" (thanks to Jack for the recommended title) and another I wrote frantically at work that I didn't even get to edit titled "Bolt of Life" (or something like, I actually forget now).

I know Jack got 1 in right before 6:00, not knowing you could get it postmarked for 4/15 at an automated kiosk. He said he was thinking of writing a quick and shabby story for a late night post, no clue if he did or not...

[ChimeraCreative]

Adam submitted 'Starry, Starry Night' and I took the easy-peasy route and called my story 'The Fortunate Son', heh.

So, what, that's five entries between the four of us? Plus I put one into the pile for their anthology and Jack conned a friend into doing a Dark Glass entry as well. That's pretty good, I'm proud of us. Next year I'll definitely have my brother and sister commit to it too. :plotting:

The theme for Parsec 2010 should be announced in August. I'll keep us posted. ^_^

[StoneTable]

Last year, it took about two months for them to start sending out letters. If that's consistent, we should start getting letters in early to mid June.

Good luck everyone!

[MGM]

So, anyone who sent in a story (no, eh... not me) posting it here? I'd like to read what people made of it.

[ChimeraCreative]

So, anyone who sent in a story (no, eh... not me) posting it here? I'd like to read what people made of it.

Do you wanna read the stories to make sure yours would have been better than ours, or do you just wanna make sure your ideas for dark glass were better than ours? :hehehm:

I don't mind posting my stories (in the password protected forum) cuz I used a lot of beta readers from here. But if the concept is what you really wanna know, I can save you some time and talk about the plot instead.

[MGM]

I want to read the stories, obviously.