The webpage for the third annual Samurai Fiction contest is now live:
http://www.samurai-archives.com/writcon2.html
This year, I'm sticking with the genres idea, with the addition that
this year, for every 5 stories entered, I will add an additional $50
to the prize winnings - so it is in all the entrants best interest to
try to get as many people to join as possible. Also, between now and
September 15th, the entry fee is only $7 - it will go up to $10 after
that. Below is a general description of the details, however, check
the webpage noted above for more detailed information:
Third Annual Samurai Fiction Contest, 2007
The parameters for the third annual Samurai Fiction contest are
covered on this page. The stories must involve Japan or the Samurai,
and the story may take place any time up to, but no later than the end
of the 19th century, and may take place at any point in Japanese
history before this.
Requirements:
This is to be a piece of fiction writing taking place within an
unspecified period in Japanese history up to the late 19th century.
The available genres are listed below, or along the window on the left
of this page - the stories must be written in the style of one of the
genres on the listed.
Parameters:
The story is required to be more than 1,000 words, with a 5,000 word
targeted limit - overages are acceptable if necessary, but please
don't overdo it. It can be done in the first person, or the third
person, and must be a complete short story, not an excerpt from a
larger story. The genre(s) must be listed at the top of the story
above the title - one genre or a combination of two genres are
acceptable. Although the particular genre will not affect judging, all
entrants must make sure that their story follows the requirements of
their chosen genre(s) - see details below.
Sequels: Sequels to previous stories entered in the contest are
acceptable - however, the story must be a stand-alone short story, not
a continuation of the previous story.
Entrance Fee and Prize Details:
The entrance fee depends on when you sign up for the contest:
The current fee is $7
If you sign up for the contest between September 16th and December
31st, 2006, the fee will be $10.
If you sign up for the contest between January 1st and the deadline of
March 31st, 2007, the fee will be $15.
So it is to your advantage to sign up early.
Additionally, for every five entries, the Samurai Archives will add
$50 to the winnings.
The fee is payable via PAYPAL (www.paypal.com), payable to: webmaster
@ samurai-archives.com. Be sure to include your full name, and Yahoo
ID, Samurai Archives Citadel ID, and Delphi Forums ID (please list any
and all that you have, omit any you don't - this is so we can keep
track of entries) when you pay the entrance fee, and note that the
payment is for the 2007 Samurai Fiction contest. You will receive a
confirmation email that your submission has been received.
Why an entrance fee? Because the winner of the contest will win 80% of
the total sum of all fees collected, the runner up will win the
remaining 20%. Additionally, as stated before, for every 5 entries,
the Samurai Archives will add an additional $50 to the total winnings.
Note: Entrance fees are non-refundable, so if you pay the fee, be sure
to send in a story, as the fees will stay as part of the total the
winner will receive.
If you do not have a credit card or paypal account but still want to
enter, please send an email to webmaster @ samurai-archives.com about
sending a money order.
Submission Information:
Submissions are to be sent via email to webmaster @
samurai-archives.com in a WORD .Doc format OR HTML. At the top of the
first page, please include your full name, your Yahoo ID, Samurai
Archives Citadel ID, and your Delphi Forums ID (whichever is
applicable) so it can be matched with your entrance fee, as well as
the genre(s) the story falls under, and the title of your story. You
will receive a confirmation email that your submission has been received.
Judging and Winning the contest:
Submissions will be judged by a panel of Yahoo Group and Samurai
Citadel community members who are not submitting stories. The judges
will not be told who the authors of each respective submision are
until after the judging has closed, to avoid any swaying of the
judges. The recipient of the submissions (The Samurai Archives
webmaster) will not be a judge, and will only moderate the
proceedings, to keep entries anonymous. The winner will receive the
total of all collected entrance fees, and the winning story will be
featured on the Samurai Archives site as the winner of the 2007
Samurai Fiction contest. All stories will be placed in the 'Fan
Fiction' section of the Samurai Archives as well. The winner will be
announced at the Yahoo Group and the Samurai Citadel at the end of
judging.
Deadline for entrance fee: 3/31/2007
Deadline for fiction submission: 4/05/2007
Judging starts: 4/10/2007
Judging ends: 4/15/2007 or until necessary
Winner to be announced after judging.
Timelines are subject to change.
See the website here for more details:
http://www.samurai-archives.com/writcon2.html