Firstly, let it be stated that no short story shall fall below the length of 1000 words, nor above the length of 3000 words, for the sake of fairness among competitors.
1. Stories should be between 1k and 3k words.
Secondly, let it be stated that those who wish to submit more than one story per week are allowed; however, the competitors will not be held to a score of 52 stories a year, but the long-term score of one (or more) stories a week.
2. Write one story a week to stay in the competition.
Thirdly, let it be stated that the competitors need not formally publish their writings via the Publishing Center of YWS; they may choose instead to update a public thread in the club forums of Story A Week to show their writing for the sake of other competitors and judging.
3. You can publish your works if you want, but you don't have to. All that's required is posting them somewhere public, up to and including a personal thread in this club.
Fourthly, and lastly at the time of writing, let it be stated that the stories should be written and read in the search for good spirits and enjoyment, and the culminations of collective effort by the competitors should be viewed as a great accomplishment on their parts, no matter should they have written one story, twelve, or the whole fifty-two.
4. Have fun with it!
Rules & Miscellany [Read First!]
10 posts in this topic.
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Any questions pertaining to the contest can also be asked in this thread!
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Is it permissible to submit parts of a story over a period of several weeks? (for example, The Gladiator part 1, 2,481 words, The Gladiator part 2, 2,293 words, and The Gladiator part 3, 1,987 words submitted over a period of three weeks?)
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Absolutely! I think I clarified this in response to a wall post but never actually updated the rules.
My only justifications for "is it a short story?" are:
1. Is it NOT a novel/novella?
2. Is it a self-contained piece?
3. (For the purposes of the competition) Is it at least 1000 words long?
If your story runs long and you don't have time to finish it that week, I'll allow it as long as it's done sometime in the next month or so. If your story ends up being 17k words long and takes you 3 months to write, maybe LMS is more your style. -
self-contained piece - defined as "a piece with a beginning, middle, and end that is not a physical part of a larger piece"
Thus, a prologue or epilogue might be considered "self-contained", but chapter 14 would not -- because a prologue/epilogue occurs (or SHOULD occur) separately from the events of novel itself, but chapter 14 is a part of the novel. -
I wonder if we can have a one-day extension for the first week? ^^' I can finish mine before the deadline if only my laptop doesn't mess up.
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You're fine! As long as it's just one day, I'll allow it. I'd rather you get the work done and stay in the competition than drop out because of one day and a computer malfunction!
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Can we submit a second draft as the short story?
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Oh goodness @Lightsong I never responded to this! Yes yes yes, absolutely!
I'm so sorry, I thought I had already responded. -
Haha, it's okay. <3
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