Rules, Guidelines and FAQs (Round V)
General Rules
1. First you must declare your project. It has to be a new project that you haven't written yet, though there is no limit to how much planning you can do beforehand.
2. On Monday of each week you start writing from where you left off in your project. For Warriors, this means the following chapter or part of your story. For Bards, this means an entirely new poem or short story every week.
3.You can post what you've written in the publishing centre or in a progress thread. You can post as many times as you want each week. By the end of the week you must meet the minimum wordcount for that week (usually 1000 words.)
3.5. As soon as you're ready to enter for that week you can do so in the submission thread. The first person to finish starts the submission thread with the title format of [Week XX Submissions].
4. By Sunday of each week you'll enter a link to what you wrote for that week into the submissions thread. Once you've entered the link to your work you can still enter again if you update your work.
5. Anybody who fails to enter their work by Midnight on Sunday (in whatever time zone you're in) is eliminated.
6. You can go back and edit as much as you like, but a copy of the original piece must be available via the link you originally submitted.
Play Modes
Warriors: To stay in the competition you must submit 1000 words or more per week in the form of a part or chapter of a complete novel/novella, or a new short story in an anthology. Novels can include fiction, biographies, memoirs, historical narratives, or anything that fits into a novel format.
Bards: To stay in the competition you must submit fourteen lines or more per week in the form of single or multiple pieces of the same project or anthology. If you're writing a script, it must be sixty lines per week.
Rogues: To play you must declare a target when you join and stick with it. Rogues can play alongside and have the same status as Bards or Warriors. So long as you stick to your target and keep the same project the whole way through, you'll still get an award at the end. The only difference is that you can't win the title of Last Man Standing. Rogues can play with previously started projects, rewrites and edits, or interdisciplinary projects, including artwork and music composition.
Sages: If you don't want to play but still want to be involved you can be one of our honorary Sages. They dedicate themselves to replying to progress threads, reviewing chapters and providing support and encouragement to those who are competing.
Guidelines / FAQs:
Where do I post my stuff?
There are a few options to choose when deciding where to post.
1) Via the Publishing Centre, if you want it to be reviewed.
2) Create your own thread in the LMS Club and post there.
3) Create a thread in the Writers Corner and post your work in there.
Remember to post the link in the submissions thread.
I'm late! Can I still join?
To compete as a Warrior or Bard you have to join before or during the first week. After the first week submissions are over there are no late entries. Any time after that, or if you get knocked out as a Warrior or Bard, you can continue as a Rogue and take part as you wish. You still get everything you would as a Warrior or Bard, except you're no longer eligible for the crown.
When can I write / submit my chapter?
You can start writing at 12am on Monday, and submit your entry for this week any time after that. To pass you have to submit the required amount by 12am on Sunday of the same week. You can submit as many times as you want during the week, as long as you have the minimum required amount by 12am on Sunday.
Can I plan?
You can plan ahead and develop your plot as much as you like.
Does drawing count as writing ahead?
Any artwork you do won't affect the contest, so you can draw up any character sketches you want before the start date.
Do Rogues have to submit their chapters?
Rogues set their own challenge, but must report in once a week with their progress. If you don't feel comfortable posting your chapter then you can mention when you sign up.
What's all the other stuff in this forum?
The club is full of debris from previous rounds. To avoid confusion, try not to bump any of the old threads.
But I really like my current project.
You're more than welcome to join and play as a Rogue if you want to use an old project. You'll still get tagged weekly and be cheered on, no matter how far through you are already.
What if I finish my project?
The aim of the competition is to keep working on the same project. Unfortunately this is harder if you're working on something shorter like a novella, however prequels, sequels and spin-offs all count as the same project if you finish early.
My parents are taking me on holiday!
Real Life obligations happen to the best of us. If you know you're going to be without internet access then give at least two weeks notice, and depending on the circumstances you may be able to submit your chapter early.
Can I change my MC's names?
Sure! As long as you're still working on the same novel it's fine. Mention it in the submission thread so your readers (or myself) don't get confused.
What if I change my mind about something that happened?
If you feel you've changed your mind and want to edit something that happened previously, you're free to do so as you wish, but you must still post a new chapter from the point your at in the story. If you do, it might be helpful to others if you mention what changes have happened so it's easier to keep on track.
Does it have to be in order?
You have to keep moving forward with your project. Time skips, filler chapters and flashbacks are fine, but you can't go back to rewrite a chapter or add something in earlier on.
Can I recycle ideas?
PM me on this one. Generally, you're welcome to base your novel in a world you created previously, re-use cameo characters, names, places, e.c.t. Re-using multiple characters within the same plot counts as rewriting.
What about...
Any other questions, feel free to ask in this thread. I'll probably reply with the keywords in bold for quick reference when scrolling. Alternatively you can ask on the main wall and one of our super friendly veterans might have an answer, or shoot me a PM.
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