The first Spiral Knights short story contest, sponsered by Order of Cross (CE prizes!)

44 replies [Last post]
Kingdomslayer

Hey all, have some pent-up writer's talent left unused? Want to show all the denizens of cradle your literary wit and will? Well this is your chance!

What you need to do:
Write a short story of 2500 to 7500 words about spiral knights, it can be fictitious, a true event, or a mix of the two! After you have written an engaging and interesting story email it to chaosfaction@hotmail.com for judging with your fourum name, Spiral Knights character name, and "SKSSC" in the subject bar. The contest should go on until June 7th, so that gives you around 10 days to write and submit your story. If your story is among the chosen, you could be given one of the following along with your story being posted in the thread:

Grand Prize: 500 CE and pre-selected Rose Regalia item
1st Runner up: 250 CE
2nd Runner up: 100 CE
Honorable Mention: 10 CE

Rules:
-Stories must be submitted before June 7th, 2011.
-Stories may not have non-original (plagiarized) content.
-Stories must be emailed to given address and not posted on board to be considered eligible.
-Stories must be between 2500-7500 words.
-Stories sent must have working information (Your Spiral Knights name, your forum name, etc) along with "SKSSC" (spiral knights short story contest) to be considered eligible.

Have fun and get writing!

Fallout's picture
Fallout
wait so it has to be about

wait so it has to be about spiral knights or.... other?
and its a bit much if it is like 2500 words +, as usually the ones i read are around 900wrds. (I wont bother writing that much especially if its a spiral knight based story = limited subjects...)
however I'd definitely write one if i had time to do it...

Starcadet's picture
Starcadet
Oh 2500 words isn't much!

Oh 2500 words isn't much! Don't change the length! Make them work for those prizes!

And a Spiral Knights based story isn't limited. You just have to be creative!

Zachatk
Legacy Username
this sounds really exciting!

this sounds really exciting! Nice way to get some community involvement in something, if I have the time I might do this :]

Effeczee
Legacy Username
I'm not a writer but I'm in

I'm not a writer but I'm in support of this event 200%.

That being said, good luck writers, and make sure to put your all into your story! I really wanna read some good stories.

time4dan
Legacy Username
Come one come all!

Spent hours writing a ~5000 word story and you MIGHT be lucky enough to win $3 in prizes!

Hah. Eh, I might give it a shot, tho the prizes aren't all that crazy for that size a story!

Pupu
Legacy Username
Hm

Can the stories just be posted here? Unless the forum has a character limit per post.
I would be thrilled to retype my "guy with antigua vs the lichen colony" narrative I did some time ago after some unfortunate events at jelly king levels.

nearo
Legacy Username
WIP

"Already written 280 words, soon to be more~ <3"

5/29/11 - Up to 777, not necessarily done for the day, finished like the first section?
5/30/11 above 1k words, sigh.. I'm really doing meh, art block too. :/

Njthug's picture
Njthug
=)

I will be holding a few competitions after this for fun figure I giveback to the community with some fun events =)

Dont worry nice prizes will be there boys n girls =)

Shoebox's picture
Shoebox
2,500 words is

2,500 words is nothing.
Though, as they are short stories, the minimum shouldn't be enforced.
Short stories are more about content than length.

Also, out of interest, who will be judging this contest?
And, are people from your Guild allowed to enter in for a chance to receive the prizes?

Dogrock's picture
Dogrock
Would it be possible for the

Would it be possible for the judges to setup a Google Docs type affair? I would like it very much if I could read the stories as they are submitted, or at least make entries visible after judging ends.

What's the point of a good story if you have no one to share it with?

Providence
Legacy Username
Hey there. I'd like to see

Hey there. I'd like to see this thing succeed.
I'm gonna offer to add 100 CE to each prize.

Once the winners (and their IGNs) have been announced, they should be expecting an extra present from me. :)

Chaoscross, my IGN is the same as my forum name, if you'd like to get in touch with me.

SlyJohnny
Legacy Username
Ooooh. Shiny shiny! I am

Ooooh. Shiny shiny! I am definitely all over this.

Kingdomslayer
RE: 2,500 words is

I (KingdomSlayer) will be judging the contest.
Any player regardless of guild may join the contest. (Don't worry, I won't be bias ;D)

Effeczee
Legacy Username
Bumped for advertising. Come

Bumped for advertising.

Come one, come all, write a Spiral Knights story short or tall!

opaopa13
Legacy Username
Multiple Entries

What are the rules regarding multiple entries? I would guess that they'd all be judged, but only one the best ranked one would be eligible for a prize.

Also, I'd love to see all the stories after the fact, and d0gr0ck's suggestion of using Google Docs to host them sounds like the easiest way to do that. If it helps, I can handle that if you send me the stories after the winners have been chosen. :)

Kingdomslayer
That is a legitimate idea

That is a legitimate idea opaopa, I'll leave you to that.

If you need to talk further just mail me at chaosfaction@hotmail.com

Kingdomslayer
Bump

Bump

Starcadet's picture
Starcadet
Bump!

Bump! I'm having a blast working on my entry, I hope others are doing the same! Also in regards to the prize not being worth it for a story of this length, I say just shush. This should be a chance to practice creative writing and have a chance at getting some CE out of it. Not a bad deal at all if I may say so.

Also, I have a question. Do you want us to paste the story in the body of the e-mail or do you want us to attach the story as .doc or whatever format?

Sunless's picture
Sunless
A writing contest? Oh,

A writing contest? Oh, whatever shall I do... I guess I could give it a shot...

The fools! Little do they know, they've practically handed me their Crystal Energy on a silver platter! Nyehehehehehe~!

Cobalt
Legacy Username
I've enjoyed writing for it.

I've enjoyed writing for it. :D

drmchsr0
Legacy Username
Just a clarification on the

Just a clarification on the non-original content.

What's your stand on crossovers?

Elicius's picture
Elicius
Genius!

Just wanted to give my support for this competition. I can't write for toffee, but I'd love to see what some folk come up with. My mind is ablur with terrible ideas >.<

Zachatk
Legacy Username
bump for artistic and

bump for artistic and creative justice!

Ecliptic's picture
Ecliptic
I am really excited for this.

I am really excited for this. I'm only 400 words in but I think it will all come together.

And really the prizes are secondary to the fun of writing itself, right?

akragster
Legacy Username
I just started this morning

I just started this morning and I'm already about a thousand words in, I might finish today if I'm bored enough. It's coming together nicely so far, but I have no idea how I'm going to double its length when I'm already more than half finished. Perhaps I'll add a few more chapters.

Also, do you want it in a Word file?

Starcadet's picture
Starcadet
>>Ecliptic: "And really the

>>Ecliptic: "And really the prizes are secondary to the fun of writing itself, right?"

That's what I think. :D It was a great exercise for some quick writing about a familiar subject matter. :)

Starcadet's picture
Starcadet
:O

Bump back to first page!

Kingdomslayer
To the questions about the

To the questions about the document, I would prefer it in the body of the email, though a .doc could also work.

Kingdomslayer
Oh yes, additionally,

Oh yes, additionally, cross-overs are acceptable, but it must contain some Spiral Knights-relative content or theme primarily.

Fulcanelli
Legacy Username
I for one am happy to see this.

It sounds like a nice opportunity to draw out some of those talented writers who lurk around the clockworks, I'll submit something myself possibly a little later.

Nick's picture
Nick
Developer
ChaosCross, I do hope you

ChaosCross, I do hope you post the entries somewhere public. We'd love to read them.

akragster
Legacy Username
I love the recent influx of

I love the recent influx of competitions we've started having. This one, the limerick one, and the joke one make three so far. It's nice to see the community being active.

As for my story, I'm lazy. I'll finish tomorrow (maybe).

nearo
Legacy Username
Sigh,

I got writers block :(
1300 words though.
and oh derp, I typo'd as art block earlier ^^' just what I'm used to having more..

Cobalt
Legacy Username
I have 3000+ words now, I

I have 3000+ words now, I need to wrap it up. :v

Nick's picture
Nick
Developer
Sounds like we'll have some

Sounds like we'll have some epic yarns here.

Cobalt
Legacy Username
Mines about how Nearo and I

Mines about how Nearo and I take down Vanaduke. :D

Starcadet's picture
Starcadet
:D

:D Yay! Finished mine. 3,199 words. Yay for creative exercises!

I can't wait to read everyone else's. :D

elementah
Legacy Username
Not just yet, Replicant! We

Not just yet, Replicant! We sha'll see who really wins!

[I can read minds...]

Ecliptic's picture
Ecliptic
Only three-ish days left

Only three-ish days left folks! (It does say BEFORE June 7th)

Gosh, now that there is an art competition too, I think I need to illustrate a scene from my story. I'm not gonna have any time to hunt snarby anymore at this rate. :O

nearo
Legacy Username
Finished!

Better slow then never :)
Did a buttload of writting today since it's really my last day *finals and stuff tomorrow* went from 1400 to 3600? or so.

Fraxur's picture
Fraxur
I think 2500+ words are a bit

I think 2500+ words are a bit too long.

PDotAlex
Legacy Username
Why have I only heard about

Why have I only heard about this now?

DAMN YOU JOKE THREADS AND YOUR NONEXISTANT PURPOSE

Kingdomslayer
The deadline is here

The deadline is here everyone, please check back soon for the official results!

Winners can expect their prizes sent whiten the week.

nearo
Legacy Username
Can't wait to see

the awesome stories that win, one of which will be Cobby's I'm sure :3