main
side
curve
  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Challenge 2018 Winter Word Race: TEAM EDITION - First Mini-game up!

Discussion in 'Fan Fiction and Writing Resource' started by Briannakin , Jan 24, 2018.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. Briannakin

    Briannakin Former Manager star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Feb 25, 2010
    Welcome to the February 2018 Fanfic WORD RACE!

    Wow. Has it really been a year since I’ve done one of these? Talk about slacker.

    Let’s face it, National Writing Month is fun, but writing 50,000 words in November just isn’t plausible for some people (students and people with dead muses) and can be intimidating for those that know they can’t make it even close. So this a similar idea (to turn off that inner editor and jut write!), with much less pressure and hopefully during a better time. The purpose of this is just to get people writing fanfic (and also to give a chance for people daunted by or unable to participate in Nano to see how fast they can write).

    However there’s a twist this time around! Everyone will be participating in teams! Mav and I wanted to Fanfic Olympics again to celebrate the 2018 Winter Olympics, unfortunately with the update and the awards, there just wasn’t the time to get organized. So I decided to do this instead!

    [​IMG]
    The rules are still pretty simple:

    1. Sign up here BY JANUARY 31ST

    -I will split everyone into equal, random teams and post them here on February 1st

    2. Beginning Feb. 1st keep track of all the words you write for fanfics (FANFICTION OR RP POSTS ONLY! This is to encourage people to work on things that can be read here). It can be fics that you have already started, a new fic, heck; if you are the kind of writer that likes to write out plot outlines, included that too!

    3. Post your word count every few days. Unlike previous years, do not post your total. Just post how many words you have written since your last update/check-in. Please include what team it is for. I will keep a master tally for each team.

    4. Keep writing until the clock strikes midnight on Feb. 28th (SHORT MONTH WARNING!). Post a final count update sometime on March 1st or 2nd.

    5. Encourage your fellow teammates! Ask them how you can help motivate them! But no shooting blasters at your opponents, that’s just mean!

    6. A final word count for each team and the winners get bragging rights!

    Anyone is eligible to participate.

    Have fun!

    [​IMG]

    Teams and Word Counts

    The Persistent Pentasweets: Word count matters not - Total words: 24 907

    brodiew
    Chyntuck
    Mira_Jade
    Mistress_Renata
    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha



    The Goats From U.N.C.L.E. - Total words: 13 902

    Ewok Poet
    Findswoman
    Pandora
    Sith-I-5
    Raissa Baiard
     
    Last edited: Feb 8, 2018
  2. mavjade

    mavjade Former Manager star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 10, 2005
    [​IMG]

    Ooo oo... me!! This is the first one where I don't have a paper I have to write! :D
     
  3. Chyntuck

    Chyntuck Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Jul 11, 2014
    Me too, me too! I have such a backlog of half-started fics to clear, I need the biggest kick in the butt I can get!
     
  4. brodiew

    brodiew Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Oct 11, 2005
    Sounds interesting, but I wouldn't want to be the weakest link. [face_whistling]
     
    Findswoman likes this.
  5. Briannakin

    Briannakin Former Manager star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Feb 25, 2010
    I won't be keeping track of individual total word counts for this reason, but we are all writers here and people understand both muse problems and DRL. And there isn't anything at stake. I'm not going to ban the losing team. This isn't 2008 :p
     
    brodiew likes this.
  6. brodiew

    brodiew Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Oct 11, 2005
    I can be so DRAMA sometimes. :p:D;)[face_shhh] Thanks for the quick response.
     
  7. Ewok Poet

    Ewok Poet Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Jul 31, 2014
    Wait, the losing team was banned in 2008? :p
     
  8. Briannakin

    Briannakin Former Manager star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Feb 25, 2010
    No, this hasn't been done before, but pre-move (and even pre-me) Mods would sometimes ban losing game participants (it wasn't any sort of disciplinary action) for like 24 hours. It has fallen out of use (for now [face_devil] - I kid, I kid).
     
    Ewok Poet likes this.
  9. mavjade

    mavjade Former Manager star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 10, 2005
    Yeah, it was much more prevalent in the JCC or when there were board wide games, but I do recall it happening in fanfic on the rare occasion there was a trivia game or something like that. It gave games 'higher stakes', I guess. And if mods lost a game, they obviously couldn't be banned, but the winner got to pick the mods colors (like in the Dare Challenge for best dare) so they could be 'tortured' too.
     
    Ewok Poet likes this.
  10. Sith-I-5

    Sith-I-5 Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Aug 14, 2002
    The three I'ms.

    I'm well impressed with that AT-AT and skiers gif! Good timing and animation on those laser shots.

    I'm in.

    I'm going to take the opportunity to post a random Star Trek crossover gif, though I do not have any me too ones like that Willow one.

    [​IMG]

    I've got things that I have already started, but not posted, that can pad a team's numbers, and give me an excuse to put stuff up.
     
    Last edited: Jan 24, 2018
  11. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    Woohoo jinkies. I'd like to sign up. I got 2 DDCs and other ongoing shorts and/or ficlet collection, + the GoL thingy. :cool: Being part of a team will be too fun. [face_batting]
     
  12. Mistress_Renata

    Mistress_Renata Manager Emeritus star 5 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 9, 2000
    Definitely after my time! :eek: Thou Shalt Not Abuse the Sacred Ban Button for Frivolous Reasons... even if you reeeeally, reeeeally want to!

    I'm in, BTW. Need a kick in the pants.
     
  13. Pandora

    Pandora Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 13, 2005
    Well, I certainly need something to motivate me to at least open a word processing file.

    So yes--I'm in.
     
    Sith-I-5, Findswoman and Ewok Poet like this.
  14. Ewok Poet

    Ewok Poet Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Jul 31, 2014
    This isn't perfect, by any means. If the sort is truly random, the known word-spewers could all end up in the same team, and then the other teams' chances are way too small. Not to mention that, perhaps, some people would be more comfortable picking their own team mates.

    Not to mention that we could come up with cool team names. :D
     
    Findswoman likes this.
  15. Briannakin

    Briannakin Former Manager star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Feb 25, 2010
    I may strategically place some people who I know to be heavy hitters first on opposite teams, but I didn't want to leave the teams up to be picked because I didn't want anyone to be felt left out (I was that kid in gym class and it sucked). My own participation will be dependent on numbers (if teams are uneven, I'll get to join, but if not, I might have some fun as game master and throw out optional mini challenges for bonus words or something).

    But you can come up with team names even in assigned teams.
     
  16. Findswoman

    Findswoman Fanfic and Pancakes and Waffles Mod (in Pink) star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Feb 27, 2014
    I have to echo @brodiew 's concern about being the "weak link." Part of me really wants to do this; I love the word races and could certainly use the kick in the shebs writing-wise. But I would really feel bad being "that person" who brought the whole team's score down because I had to put my writing on hold halfway through the month due to DRL. I get that there's nothing really at stake, but let's face it—a team's overall count is affected by the performance of all its members, and if some people are underperforming (and I speak as someone who's likely to), it's going to bring the overall number down, just because math.

    Put another way: when we did the word race as an individual thing, it was easier to feel like there really was nothing at stake, but that changes as soon as our counts are folded in with an overall team count. Just my two centavos.

    I guess I would be curious to know if there's a particular reason for deciding to do the word race this way (other than making the whole thing slightly more Fanfic Olympics-like)? Not meaning to argue, just wondering. And the mini-challenges and such would be great fun. :)
     
  17. Ewok Poet

    Ewok Poet Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Jul 31, 2014
    Yikes, the M-word! [face_pig][face_monkey]
     
    Findswoman likes this.
  18. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    I just had a brainstorm not a brain freeze/fart [face_mischief] @Findswoman where quality triumphs over quantity every time @};- @};-

    Instead of a strict winner/loser thingy, if there are two teams the "winner" would be designated gold; the second "silver", the third bronze, if there are three teams. If four, the fourth could get a mix of two: gold/silver :cool: So everyone's efforts gets acknowledged [face_thinking] :cool:
     
    Last edited: Jan 25, 2018
    Findswoman and Ewok Poet like this.
  19. Briannakin

    Briannakin Former Manager star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Feb 25, 2010
    If you don't want to participate, there is nothing forcing you to. I'll probably go back to running this the normal way after if people don't like it. I understand not wanting to be the weak link, but as you stated, there is nothing at stake. We all understand DRL. There is no particular reason for me to do it this way, I just wanted to try it out, see if I could mix it up a bit, get some teamwork going, and yeah, do something different for the olympics. People can inspire other people to write in so many unique ways (just look at me and Mav - I feel like we've both written more last year than we have in previous years due to our shared West Wing universe). I thought teams could make PM groups and just randomly talk and inspire each other.

    Of course quality is better that quantity (just ask anyone who has done Nano - the quality is usually pretty bad before the edits start). But this isn't about final drafts. This is about turning off the inner editor and that inner voice that makes you doubt and just writing whatever comes to mind.

    That is a good idea to do more than 2 teams. If we have the numbers for it, I may consider it (though if it just becomes like 2 people to a team, it might become awkward if people don't get along with their partner - bigger groups mean there's more chance of being with someone who can inspire you).
     
    Last edited: Jan 25, 2018
    Ewok Poet and Findswoman like this.
  20. Ewok Poet

    Ewok Poet Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Jul 31, 2014
    We more or less know who doesn't agree with whom and there aren't many such combos, so I don't see that as a problem...
     
  21. mavjade

    mavjade Former Manager star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 10, 2005
    This is Bri's challenge not a mod challenge, but she did ask me my opinion on doing it this way. I said I thought it would be fun to try for a few reasons. People can cheer each other on, help each other when they get stuck on something, maybe get to know some fanficers they don't know very well a bit better, and maybe make a new friend. While there is a 'winner', that's not really what it's about.

    So it's of course up to each person if they want to participate, but I wouldn't worry too much about being the weak link. I'd hope that everyone here knows that DWB and DRL happen, and that some people are faster writers than others. I don't think anyone is so competitive that they'd be upset over it.
     
    Last edited: Jan 25, 2018
  22. Mistress_Renata

    Mistress_Renata Manager Emeritus star 5 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 9, 2000
    This.

    I don't care whether I win first place gold or fifth place zinc, I just thought that being part of a team would spur me to do more than if I entered the challenge solo. :)
     
  23. Sith-I-5

    Sith-I-5 Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Aug 14, 2002
    Oh. Must be my imagination. I could have sworn I had seen a lightbulb smiley on here to denote an idea.

    Oh well.

    I have existing "word reserves" of two or three un-posted projects on the backburner, that I can post during this, so I volunteer to be teamed with @brodiew @Findswoman and anybody else worried about DRL scuppering our efforts. In my eyes, no particular need to make our team the same size as other teams.

    #Team Necroscope :cool::p
     
    Last edited: Jan 26, 2018
    Ewok Poet and Findswoman like this.
  24. Briannakin

    Briannakin Former Manager star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Feb 25, 2010
    So. I totally acknowledge that this challenge is 100% on the honour system (thus why stakes have never been that high, kinda like NANO), but what do you mean by "word-reserves"? Are these already-written? If so, they aren't eligible to be counted towards your word count.
     
    Ewok Poet and Findswoman like this.
  25. Sith-I-5

    Sith-I-5 Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Aug 14, 2002
    Rule 2 said Fics that you have already started?

    I did not know that could mean multiple things, and went with fics that I had already started, but not posted anything yet.

    Whatever it means, I'll still volunteer to partner with those two.

    There are no colours in it, so I don't mind where we finish.
     
    Last edited: Jan 26, 2018
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.