Zettalux's Spiral Knights Fanfiction contest! (FINISHED!)

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Zettalux's picture
Zettalux

CONTEST FINISHED, REWARDS ARE AS FOLLOWS:

  • Noteable Mention (50 CE): The Stars That I Know by Valivarre
  • Noteable Mention (50 CE): Ashes to Ashes by timanth
  • Best Comedy (100 CE): Getting Back Gertrude by Sylvanius
    This got me plenty of good laughs! Lots of subtle references with a good amount of originality, I absolutely adored the story as a whole.
  • Most Creative (100 CE): The Dying Planet by korenwolfe
    This is one of those stories that sticks in your head. It did have a bit of formatting, grammatical, punctuational and whatnot errors, but the concept of the story is what made it stand out.
  • 3rd Place (200 CE): Lone Knight by CTsmith415
    This story caught me by surprise. It was exceptionally well written with a story that painted some of the psychological parts of, not only Spiral Knights, but the mind itself. The story did a great job at keeping my attention locked all way through that made me want more.
  • 2nd Place + Best Grimdark (500 CE): The Grinder by mosonofbo
    The Grinder absolutely had me off guard. Not only was it professionally written and formatted, it did its job at making me guessing at what happens next. The ending sent shivers down my spine, that's for sure. All in all, this is what a good Grimdark fiction is.
  • 1st Place (1000 CE): A Death He Could Live With by shrinkshootr
    This isn't just a fiction. This needs to be canon. The author has a vast arsenol of... Everything. Not only does the story cram everything from themes like romance. action and comedy to content all well thought out (I can arguably say, researched), it crams everything at a beautiful pace. Never did I expect a story to be written about the events prior to Spiral Knights; the events that happened aboard the Skylark. Content aside, the writing was almost flawless and the pacing of the story was perfect. Well done, and congratulations to you shrinkshootr.

    To all winners, please post your in-game names in here and if you can, send me a mail in game to "Zettalux."

    ------

    I am no artist, but I am somewhat a writer. So what the hay (lol MLP reference), let's get a Spiral Knights Fanfiction contest going. Here's how it's gonna work:

    Anyone who wants to participate has to write a Short-Fanfiction, based off of Spiral Knights. At the end of the deadline, I will award the winners (that myself and fellow judges will choose) with CE prizes! Your fanfics will be analyzed from the following: proper grammar/spelling/punctuation, quality of writing (not quantity!), originality/creativity, effect on reader (given the story's initial goal of being a grimdark/comedy/etc), and so on.

    The awards will go as follows:

  • 1st place: 1000 CE
  • 2nd place: 400 CE
  • 3rd place: 200 CE
  • Secondary possible Rewards:

  • Best Grimdark: 100 CE
  • Best Comedy: 100 CE
  • Most Creative: 100 CE
  • Other noteable mentions: 50 CE each (2 max)
  • *Note: Best Grimdark, Best Comedy and Most Creative may also be rewarded to 1st/2nd/3rd place, in which the prize CE will add to - but the three cannot be awarded to the same story

    ------

    Hey, I'm not the richest guy in SK! Perhaps with time, I'll increase the rewards. But look, this is for the sake of a contest and everyone having fun, not wealth, right?!

    Nonetheless, here are rules that must be followed when writing your fanfics:

  • Nothing innapprioriate, keep it enjoyable to read (grimdark doesn't have to be senseless violence)
  • Must be minimum 1500 words! Maximum is your go, but don't make it unecessarily long! (anyone can write a 1500 or 15 000 word story; it just depends on the skills of the writer to make those words count)
  • It MUST be your own work - plagarism will result in the disqualification of the user (and many rotton tomatoes will be thrown)
  • Limited one submission per user
  • Don't write your submissions in this thread - provide an external link to your work such as your own thread, Fanfiction, Google Docs or Deviant Art
  • Upon submission, I will copy the story into a Google Doc in case the original source is lost
  • Remember that whatever state your story is in when you submit it, it will be considered the "final product." Re-submissions are allowed up until the deadline date, but re-submitting will null out your previous.
  • All submissions will be noted in the 'Submissions' list down below
  • Upon submission, post your link to the story in this thread along with your in-game name you want to go by
  • Deadline: 11:59 PM EST on Sunday, August 21st
  • You can contact me either by posting in this thread, posting in my discussion tab in my Spiral Knights Wiki profile (search "User:Zetta_Lux") or contacting me in-game as "Zettalux"
  • Your story can be on anything - just remember that it has to be related to Spiral Knights
  • Get writing!

    ------

    Tips!

  • There are plenty of ways to make a good work of fiction, but you have to consider four things I like to categorize: Simplicity, Complexity, Creativity and Protocol.
  • Simplicity: Exactly. I would rather read a fiction about a knight getting lunch rather than a fiction about your six-winged character single-handedly defeating Lord Vanaduke with the sword of the underworld. And I'm being serious here; don't overdo your work!
  • Complexity: No, this doesn't contradict Simplicity. This is what flavours the simplicity - a fanfiction of a knight getting lunch doesn't have to be stupidly simple, does it? For instance, the knight could be contemplating on his life about how his girlfriend broke up with him for another guy or how he lost his friend the last time he went dungeoning to a horde of flesh eating jelly cubes. INTEREST the reader - they don't want to listen at how awesome your character is. Enrapture them in emotions and reactions - that's what can engross a good read.
  • Creativity: This compliments Complexity. How will you deliver your story? A standard third-person narrative is completely acceptable, but perhaps you want to take it a step further. Write it in the style of diary entries, or from the viewpoint of an insignificant character of the story who can (obviously) witness all said events. Make it different if you want to, that will surely make it stand out of the crowd.
  • Protocol: The above three are, at most, suggestions! But while I highly recommend you abide by them, THIS is what makes or breaks a story. Yes, there is protocol amongst fiction, and it's all in your writing. Does your formatting suck? Then many eyes will water from reading your story. Does your story contain lots of spelling/grammar/punctuation errors? Then I won't be able to take your character seriously when he wields the Wang of Vog to defeat the Roarmulus Twins. Believe me, coupled with my OCD, the smallest of mistakes can derail my mind into derpyness.
  • ------

    Submissions:
    -The Stars that I Know; Valivarre (http://forums.spiralknights.com/en/node/18865)
    -The Story of Spiral Knights; DevilXTreme (http://forums.spiralknights.com/en/node/21970
    -Rise of Exodius; N3cR0m4nS1r (http://forums.spiralknights.com/en/node/19960)
    -Snarbolax; Urabrask (http://forums.spiralknights.com/en/node/20203)
    -I sell Equipment and Equipment Accessories; obvobvobv (http://forums.spiralknights.com/en/node/20256)
    -The Grinder; mosonofbo (http://forums.spiralknights.com/en/node/20563)
    -Blue Skies Forever; EcoRTB666 (http://forums.spiralknights.com/en/node/21274)
    -Spider, the Mad Bomber; MadLordOfMilk (http://forums.spiralknights.com/en/node/21561)
    -Ashes to Ashes; timanth (http://forums.spiralknights.com/en/node/21680)
    -Crystal; Xairathan (http://kairatas.deviantart.com/art/Crystal-253892116)
    -The Dying Planet; korenwolfe (http://forums.spiralknights.com/en/node/21706)
    -Lone Knight; CTsmith415 (https://docs.google.com/document/d/116juyk61nVsgByb64KMwUgwVdH0tcY_9rtSJ...)
    -Blast; Asthix (http://forums.spiralknights.com/en/node/21942)
    -A Death He Could Live With; shrinkshootr (http://forums.spiralknights.com/en/node/21956)
    -Getting Back Gertrude; Sylvanius (http://forums.spiralknights.com/en/node/21963)
    -Terra Incognita; radekspk (http://forums.spiralknights.com/en/node/21976)

    Nechrome's picture
    Nechrome
    Just wondering, who's going

    Just wondering, who's going to judge our stories? You, some other people, or you and someother people?

    Urabrask
    Legacy Username
    My submission

    Here yah go

    http://forums.spiralknights.com/en/node/20203

    Do hope you like it.

    Sylvanius
    Legacy Username
    The power of Pine-Sol

    Hey, the deadline was pushed! I thought I'd never get mine done in time.

    Zettalux's picture
    Zettalux
    Thank you for your

    Thank you for your submission, Ura.

    Shidare
    my entry
    Himeji
    Do the stories have to be all

    Do the stories have to be all ages or can I make this pornoriffic?

    Tennispro
    *cough cough*

    Rule #1: •Nothing innapprioriate, keep it enjoyable to read.

    Zettalux's picture
    Zettalux
    Thank you obv, for your

    Thank you obv, for your submission. Added to submission list.

    mosonofbo
    Legacy Username
    I've hit the 2000 word mark

    I've hit the 2000 word mark and am still going.

    Zettalux's picture
    Zettalux
    @mosonofbo There's no limit!

    @mosonofbo

    There's no limit! Please remember it's just 1500 words MINIMUM! Whatever you think is suitable, go for it. Just remember that this is mainly short fiction.

    Zettalux's picture
    Zettalux
    So, I had a set topic before

    So, I had a set topic before where all writers had to formulate their stories around. I have taken it off since then, but I think I'm gonna continue to write my own fanfic of said topic. Here's an excerpt of something I wrote in 10 minutes:

    “SIR!” screamed the agile knight, bursting through the two doors and nearly collapsing. “Sir!” she exhaled once more through her heavy breathing, quickly composing a satisfying posture. Within the room that the knight had just entered, several other knights surrounded a table littered with many documents and maps. One in particular looked up and gave a slight nod.

    “Just who do you think you are, bursting into HQ like that? And your chestplate is unaligned - your hilt is not straight and - “

    “Zetta,” sighed another knight from the table, “You’re scaring the poor girl.”

    “Fine. What is it, messenger?” the teal-eyed Zetta grunted, fixing a hard glare on the newcomer.

    “Um, h-here... I-I think you need to see this, sir,” stuttered the messenger, pulling out a document and handing it to Zetta.

    “What is this?” he asked, hesitating before taking the paper in his own hands.

    “L-Lieutenant Mac had me deliver it to you.”

    “Mac? Must be important, though I don’t understand why he wouldn’t just call - “

    “Last time you talked to him on mic, you were eating chips,” remarked the knight who restrained Zetta before.

    “Yeah, yeah,” shrugged Zetta, swiftly gliding his teal eyes on the words of the page. “Group of knights... lalala... disappeared...”

    “Lieutenant Mac said - “

    “Boring. This happens all the time,” snapped Zetta, turning back to his hard gaze on the messenger.

    “E-Emerald Ax -”

    “What do you take me for? A fool? An idiot?”

    “N-no sir, b-but - “

    “I wouldn’t be surprised if she took you for a fool or an idiot,” remarked the knight at the table again, rolling his green eyes.

    “Valk, who has the Heart Pendant?”

    “Shut up.”

    “SIR!” shouted the messenger, quickly snapping Zetta and the other knights in the room out of their banter. “The knights who have gone missing were last seen adventuring in the Emerald Axis sector. Their last heat signatures were in a section not known to exist; their heat readings on our computers indicate them to have just vanished in thin air. Upon their last voice transmission to our station, it was a lot of radio fuzz; the only words made out were Emerald Axis VII.”

    Not only was Zetta staring wide eyed at the messenger, but the whole room of important knights looked as if they were a wandering chromalisk about to get squashed by a lumber’s massive arm.

    “...Sorry,” peeped the messenger. Zetta slowly lowered his eyes onto the document in his hands again, and looked back up as if about to say something. The other knights in the room, including the one named Valk, began to rustle through the papers on the table - frantic to find ones buried in the mountain of paper. Zetta took in a deep breath.

    “Alert Epsilon Squad, tell them to meet me in Hangar 12. Now.”

    Orangeo's picture
    Orangeo
    I like the chromalist/lumber

    I like the chromalist/lumber analogy xD I feel like I must draw a picture of that cenario...

    Radeko's picture
    Radeko
    I thought you were going to

    I thought you were going to be the judge. How are you going to enter the contest and judge it? If so, can I be a judge too? =D I am a Literature grad student.

    Zettalux's picture
    Zettalux
    @radekpsk I never said I was

    @radekpsk

    I never said I was going to enter it. I just want to write my own fanfic.

    Radeko's picture
    Radeko
    Ah okay. =)

    Ah okay. =)

    Razor118171
    Legacy Username
    question

    Can the fanfic come along with some artwork as well? Cuz I have this drawing and a story of sorts to go with it...

    Zettalux's picture
    Zettalux
    @Razor118171 Yes, of course!

    @Razor118171

    Yes, of course!

    Why does the forums have such LIMITED HTML formats?!

    Zettalux's picture
    Zettalux
    Shameless self bump huehuehue

    Shameless self bump huehuehue

    Sylvanius
    Legacy Username
    -----

    Rule #1: •Nothing innapprioriate, keep it enjoyable to read.

    On that note, is innuendo allowed? Like, really subtle innuendo.

    Zettalux's picture
    Zettalux
    @Sylvanius Yes, you can have

    @Sylvanius

    Yes, you can have mature themes. Just don't make it uneccessary and whatnot.

    Zettalux's picture
    Zettalux
    One week left until the

    One week left until the deadline!

    MadLordOfMlk
    Legacy Username
    Sounds like fun! I'm

    Sounds like fun! I'm currently working on a short story for the contest.

    Zettalux's picture
    Zettalux
    Remember kiddies, this Sunday

    Remember kiddies, this Sunday is the deadline. Submissions will close at 11:59 PM EST.

    Remiliaoftheearth's picture
    Remiliaoftheearth
    Hello...

    Writing a story right now.

    mosonofbo
    Legacy Username
    The Grinder

    The Grinder
    A grim adventure into the belly of the Clockworks starring two knights who discover an ominous gate outside of Haven. When they become stranded, their only option is venture into the foreboding depths to try finding another way back.

    This story is GRIMDARK and contains at least one distressing scene.

    Full text available via Google Docs:
    https://docs.google.com/document/d/1hNCxExURVOSf5jtNaDeC_5wXH6g3Oow35udI...

    Share feedback on the forums:
    http://forums.spiralknights.com/en/node/20563

    Zettalux's picture
    Zettalux
    @mosonofbo Thank you for your

    @mosonofbo

    Thank you for your submission!

    Sorry I haven't checked in for awhile guys, been busy lately. Contest's still a-go!

    Nechrome's picture
    Nechrome

    .

    Zettalux's picture
    Zettalux
    Keep em coming!

    Keep em coming!

    Remiliaoftheearth's picture
    Remiliaoftheearth
    N3cR0m4nS1r, thanks for the

    N3cR0m4nS1r, thanks for the inspiration from one of your stories.
    Chapter one is similar, but not copied, with my own ideas. And the whole story is not about that thing. I'd give the link right now so it can be looked at, but I haven't finished it yet.
    I hope a 4-part story's okay.

    Zettalux's picture
    Zettalux
    @EcoRTB666 No problem at all,

    @EcoRTB666
    No problem at all, your story can be anything you want it to be. Of course, within the rules.

    Still a few days left, plenty of time to write!

    Remiliaoftheearth's picture
    Remiliaoftheearth
    Done!

    http://forums.spiralknights.com/en/node/21274

    La-la-la.
    Very fun to write. I hope you have another contest after this so I can make another story, perhaps a sequel. :)

    MadLordOfMlk
    Legacy Username
    Here's another entry!Forum

    Here's another entry!

    Title: Spider, The Mad Bomber
    Forum thread: http://forums.spiralknights.com/en/node/21561
    Google doc: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HlRcSs8YdY2JyUbqgEAHsU_ExSpo8POSWIS6...
    IGN: Xaak

    :)

    timanth
    Legacy Username
    Hey Zetta. Punched Espy

    Hey Zetta.

    Punched Espy lately?

    Anyways, here's my entry. Apologies for the brevity.

    http://forums.spiralknights.com/en/node/21680

    Koi-Wa-Sensou
    Entry

    Yet another entry! :D

    Title: Crystal
    Link: http://Kairatas.deviantart.com/art/Crystal-253892116

    Zettalux's picture
    Zettalux
    Updated entries, thank you

    Updated entries, thank you everyone for participating!

    korenwolfe
    Legacy Username
    The Dying Planet

    http://forums.spiralknights.com/en/node/21706

    This entry is called, "The Dying Planet"

    Spiral knights has no race nor a planet name and I didn't want to get into any copyright issues [if there were deemed any] by naming their world and race for them... So hence it's called "The Dying Planet". There's a little author's note at the top, but you can completely ignore that. It's just me being self conscious [like I am right now. Haha.]

    Enjoy~ [Can I just mail you my username? Lol.]

    Zettalux's picture
    Zettalux
    @korenwolfe Yeah, sure. Just

    @korenwolfe

    Yeah, sure. Just contact me in-game at "Zettalux," though I will need some sort of confirmation that you are who you are.

    Loving the entries so far! Two days left, guys!

    And to answer a previous question, yes. There just may be future contests.

    Shrinkshootr
    Might I get a possible

    Might I get a possible semi-extension on this? I cannot complete it tonight, as I'm pretty busy; I'll need most of tomorrow to finish it. I live on US east coast, so I'm hoping that I still have all of Sunday to complete it and submissions don't "close" until midnight of that day (which if you're going by PST would be 3am for me). Let me know.

    Remiliaoftheearth's picture
    Remiliaoftheearth
    O.O

    I have just finished reading all the other entries. Like NecR0m4nS1r, I am taking a pessimistic view and saying that I have no chance.
    Eh, it's fun to write and I'll leave it at that.

    Remiliaoftheearth's picture
    Remiliaoftheearth
    Do-de-do.

    3 and a half hours until deadline!
    *Drumroll*

    CTsmith415
    Legacy Username
    The Lone Knight

    https://docs.google.com/document/d/116juyk61nVsgByb64KMwUgwVdH0tcY_9rtSJ...

    Welp here's my story. I'm kinda new to the game and not a pro writer but I gave it a shot.

    the -------------------------------- denotes a POV change though, not that I need to tell that.

    Thank you for the opportunity!

    In game name is : Metabusy

    korenwolfe
    Legacy Username
    Totally enjoyed all the

    Totally enjoyed all the stories. :D Hope the best for all the authors

    Zettalux's picture
    Zettalux
    I've said it before but I

    I've said it before but I don't remember where, but the deadline is at 11:59 PM EST Sunday. 12 AM, which would declare the 22nd for me, is when the contest entries are closed. In other words, 25 hours from now.

    Remiliaoftheearth's picture
    Remiliaoftheearth
    :\

    Sorry, I misunderstood.
    I won't be on tomorrow. I will be Tuesday afternoon.

    Zettalux's picture
    Zettalux
    Start wrapping up erryone,

    Start wrapping up erryone, deadline's tonight!

    Remiliaoftheearth's picture
    Remiliaoftheearth
    I know.

    But I won't be on tomorrow....
    Going to be hard not knowing who got the prizes (Obviously it won't be me) for a day and a half, and possibly longer.

    DevilXTreme
    Legacy Username
    Can i overwrite my story?

    I did my earIier one in a hurry cause i had my exams on. Submitting it.

    Zettalux's picture
    Zettalux
    Re-submissions are allowed

    Re-submissions are allowed until the deadline, but that will null out your previous submission.

    Remiliaoftheearth's picture
    Remiliaoftheearth
    Hurry it up, DevilXtreme!

    That story's wonderful, regardless of grammar, and I want more.

    Asthix's picture
    Asthix
    I did it!

    Story: Blast (wordcount 1853)

    http://forums.spiralknights.com/en/node/21942

    It is my hope that at least one person will enjoy it.