Subject/Protagonist - Batgirl
There is no setting or time period or universe (DC/Marvel/etc) requirement. Can be the past, can be the present, or even the future. Any villains are acceptable.
Deadline - Midnight, December 31st 2010 - January 1st, 2011 Pacific time. ** Closed **
Okay, here are the contest parameters for The Lair's superheroine story contests:
1. There MUST be at least ten stories for the full prize of $100.00 to be awarded. If there are fewer then 10 stories sent in, then the winner will be awarded half that amount (thus $50.00). All stories must be original (of course) for this contest.
2. Multiple entries from an (one) author are acceptable.
3. At the risk of sounding like your sophomore English teacher, grammar and spelling count. Reading something that is poorly written is just too much to bear. Understand that a few mistakes are OK, but constant and consistent errors detract from the flow of the story. Also, please pay attention to formatting. One thing I hate is reading a 200 word sentence in a 5,000 word paragraph. Look over what you have before you send it in. Would YOU be able to read and understand it in a sitting?
4. If you want to win the money, have a fairly original plot to the story. Bring something new to the table and make sense. Don't just have Supergirl (or whomever) become a nympho because you can't wait to get to "the good stuff." Build up to it. The best stories are the ones that never leave you thinking, "Now, Wonder Woman would never do that." If it's a well-written story, you can believe anything.
5. Stories must be complete in and of themselves. That means that sending in a chapter from a series will not be accepted, though the story itself can have as many chapters/parts as the writer would like. Just so long as the story has a beginning, middle, and end. There will be no extra points for length, nor will anyone be penalized for having a really short story. However, be aware that longer stories have better character development, and much more detail in them when describing scenes. If you want to score big, do not just say "Bob tied up Batgirl", but tell me HOW EXACTLY he did it!
6. Put your name on the entry!!! Really, I mean it!!! It is NOT THAT HARD!! There should be a title and a by line. No "anonymous" will be accepted. If you cannot think of a fake name, then you have no business in the creative field of story writing! ;-)
7. One writer per entry. No co-writing allowed.
8. Contest entries should be marked as such in the email subject field (ie Story Contest Entry Submission).
9. Entries themselves should be written and formatted in RTF (preferred as it is much easier for me to open and read on my system), or HTML (no reformatting on my part needed to post to the Lair), DOC (tho have found that I have not been able to open all of these, depending upon which form of Windows one is using), and lastly TXT (though this is not preferred as I usually have to reformat it to rich text format [see RTF above] just to keep from having to side scroll to read it, which really irritates me about such formatting) formats. Please do NOT include the story in the email text fields, but include as an attachment.
(Rules 8 & 9 were stated at the bottom of the page below the email button but too many people have misunderstood what I have been asking for submissions)
10. Entries must be original to the contest. That means, they cannot have been posted anywhere previously by the author. Indeed, they cannot be posted anywhere previously by anyone else. That means NO PLAGARISM!! Write your own damn stuff!! Don't steal stuff from others. Don't send me stories that someone else spent time writing, even pieces of them, because someone WILL catch them. Any story that has anything that was in a story published elsewhere will be immediately disqualified and that story immediately removed at any time, and without any prior notice. (Thus, if you are wondering what happened to your story contest entry... that's what!)
Personal preferences:
Dislikes --
Lesbianism. Overdone. And I am not like most guys that get off on two women together. I don't. In fact, I more then dislike it, I HATE it! I usually stop reading at the first act of lesbianism with a story. Any story that has any lesbian acts will not win. Period! I cannot say it enough. Including lesbianism in the story will be cause that story to lose right then and there.
Likes --
Bondage. Bondage and lots of well described and creative bondage. That should come as no surprise to past visitors and those that are familiar with the past winners of the contest. Look throughout this website and what do you see? Lots and LOTS of heroines in bondage. This is NOT a coincidence! lol ;-)
Dialogue. I like a story what has dialogue. Heroines are a yappy lot, and full of clichés. But I am also one who 'hears' things as I read. I want to hear the heavy breathing and the moans and groans. I want to hear voices rising in volume as the adrenaline rises. I want to hear good Mmmmmphing!! lol
Descriptions. Be it bondage or be it what the heroine looks like or how the bomb is attached to the mayor's wife, I like descriptions. One, it shows me that the writer has a good imagination, and two it shows me that the writer also has a good mental eye for detail. And, of course, I personally like reading such things.
Of course, the more accurate you are able to describe the image(s) from the Challenge, the better! :)
Male Villains - I perfer male antagonists. (See dislikes) I am a male, and a heterosexual one at that, and any story I read I identify with the male bad guy that is going after the female protagonist.
Questionable --
Stories heavy on pain, suffering and torture? Depends. Setting the scene is OK, and having something of the sort for plot and characterization aspects are fine, but dwelling for three paragraphs on a bloody piercing of a heroine for nipple rings is a bit much. However, keep in mind the spirit of this website. While you will see SOME instances of brutality, most of the action takes place with tongue pressed firmly in cheek. I personally prefer well written bondage scenes over much of anything else, and will grade stories accordingly. As in previous contests, if there is to be any torture there should be a valid (plot type) reason for it.
ALSO!! -- Absolutely NO underage characters are to be portrayed or utilized. Making any hero/ine and/or villain/ess under the age of 18 will be grounds for automatic disqualification! Having there be kids to be saved is one thing, but I will not have the Lair closed down because of any possible or potential pedo type scene or ideas.
Bottom line -- have fun and let your imagination soar.
Prize for winning = $100
The Judge - Wizard
Award money will be provided by myself. My money, my rules.
Have fun!
Send entries here, with 'Contest Submission' in the heading.
DO NOT put the story in the body of the email, but send it as an attachment (html, doc or rtf only)