Opinions about writing contest

D4isuke

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No... I don't just talk about "Adventum Contest", but all of it—generally.

What I think for me about writing contest is just a mere "boosting" opportunity which the rule of every contest differs in variety. Let's say, WRITE AN ISEKAI STORY AND LET'S SEE WHO'S THE TOP VOTED FOR THE READERS' PERSPECTIVE... and then, most authors may begin the first step as an opportunity to rise the reputation around the site, publishers, and probably the whole internet. There is always benefits for every writing contest to spread your work and get the readers' attention in majority, but if you write a story competitively, I don't think it would bring the benefits around the writing plan itself. Let' say that the writing contest are just your time to practice and exhibit on what you got, and that's it. Contest done and let's see who's the gold, and who's the trash around here.

But if you don't participate the writing contest, it can be fine for some or most since they had the freedom to write whenever they want as long as what's revolving around the mind. In past literary history (about Shakespearean era), there are no such thing of writing contest around that time, and Shakespeare got lucky to let his work be recognized. And current days, it seems that visual media takes over the writing media, and they will treat us like a source material for a visual media (if anything will happen). It's evolving right now, but writing can't be dead since it's part of our language.

Eventually, I also think that the writing contest can be treated as the marketing purpose for the writers to exhibit all they want, and publishers tend to be closed-minded around the concept. Maybe I don't personally like the western literary agents since they are just biased to one concept, and self-publishing it will do the justice against them. That's all I thought about them.
 

RepresentingCaution

Level 37 ? ? Pronouns: she/whore ♀
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If there's a contest open to fanfiction and I can submit what I've already written, I'm in. Otherwise, I'm not going to go writing something totally new just to enter it in a contest.
 

AkalE

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Well most authors here are hobbyists or those that are publishing an early draft. Authors with a clearly planned novel in their mind won't participate in a contest unless the times coincide. These contests are usually the thing for pancers.

These contests give a visibility to the authors and more than that a motivation to write. From the other perspective, a well marketed contest with a good theme will draw more readers and increase engagement as well.


P.S. @D4isuke it's a little confusing what you're trying to convey.
 

D4isuke

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P.S. @D4isuke it's a little confusing what you're trying to convey.

You said you're a reader right? So I don't think you haven't understand behind the author's scene.
 

weakwithwords

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You don't have to be a cook to know when something tastes bad.
 

XianPiete

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No... I don't just talk about "Adventum Contest", but all of it—generally.

It feels like you see these contests as more of a popularity or brand building contest than a creative endeavor. Are you writing to become the coolest guy on Scribble Hub or are you writing because you have a story to tell?

If you are here to build yourself a brand as a writer, I think you might be doing it wrong.
 

D4isuke

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Are you writing to become the coolest guy on Scribble Hub or are you writing because you have a story to tell?

If you are here to build yourself a brand as a writer, I think you might be doing it wrong.

Subjectively saying, I'm neither writing to become the coolest guy nor building myself a brand. I'm just curious how the brand works and my personal thoughts about making it as a "brand".
 

AkalE

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Sorry for the rudeness, but what part you didn't understand on my message?
It's in understanding the issue you have with contests in general.

Is it that it's mostly first drafts or that the metric used is popularity?

From the responses here, I assume your problem is that authors enters for getting popular, right?
--If that's the case, yes. Authors could do that. But its always the case, when someone puts effort, they would want to see validation of their work. Contests are more importantly a way to promote new authors and new work. On the plus side its a great boost for the site's engagement.
 

D4isuke

Depressed Pervert who loves writing good smut.
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It's in understanding the issue you have with contests in general.

Is it that it's mostly first drafts or that the metric used is popularity?

From the responses here, I assume your problem is that authors enters for getting popular, right?
--If that's the case, yes. Authors could do that. But its always the case, when someone puts effort, they would want to see validation of their work. Contests are more importantly a way to promote new authors and new work. On the plus side its a great boost for the site's engagement.
Well, I guess that means the contest is a "boosting" opportunity... as what I have said on the message.
 

Alverost

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Well since Adventum Contest seem to be the case study here, I thought I should give me two cents.

The contest was made for authors to challenge themselves with a new story while also giving SH more original content that belongs to SH. Another one of the aim was creating more home-grown authors that would identify being a SH author.

And yes, the contest also serve to allow authors a method for exposure and that's perfectly fine imo. As the Contest Organiser, I just wanted to see more authors grow and develop.
 

Fuyutsuki_Kaori

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i don't really care about winning tbh, just want to take a new challenge to freshen things up.

for adventum, i just want to write 40k before the contest ends and to put my name up there. even if it's just participating, it's enough for me :D


As someone who is writing in a contest write now allow me to take my point. I will have to agree with what @gaylolis wrote, my over all goal is not to win but to be read.

I have written in multiple sites now but I used to write in just one of those sites. I could not get any reads and I did not know why, was my story boring or was it not good enough for any readers. There was a time when I felt that writing was not for me and despaired leading to stop writing. But I was in love with good stories and I love to write and I also love to have my stories read. If writing in a contest will garner me readers I will write for that contest just to gain more readers. Its pathetic yes, but a story that is not read is not a story but something otherwise and as an author, I dont want my stories to become something otherwise.
 

BenJepheneT

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I guess I can have it as ranting opinion... all I said on the message is purely subjective.
You can say that but it doesn't come across as even remotely thought out. It just sounds like frustration put into words. There's no introspection put into it at all. Don't treat this forum like it's your diary and us like your crowd of affirmative Yesmen™.
 
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