Challenge Dear Diary Challenge 2020 - Votes for 2019 Diaries due 2-1-2020

The Dear Diary Challenge was originally created in 2007 by the_wandering_shadow, and made into a yearly challenge and competition by MsLanna. This will be the twelfth year running! The sock—for those of you who may not know, that is an account created for the purpose of running a challenge--is currently run by Kahara and Pandora.

Note: If you have any questions about the challenge, be sure to check the rules. You may find that your answer already lies within.


What is the Dear Diary Challenge about?
For our purposes, we are defining a diary as a first person narrative, usually intended to be private, that covers anything from day-to-day events to reflections on the past and present.


Teh Rulez:


1)
The objective of this challenge is to keep a journal going for an entire year. You can write the diary of an original character or canon character, Star Wars or non-Star Wars, droid or Killer Alien Robot--or even Yoda’s lightsaber. While you will be writing this journal for a year, your character’s story can cover a shorter or longer period of time; they can go days or even months without an entry. Do what you want. The TOS is your only limit.

Half-Marathon Diary: As with the past few years, there will be two half-year challenges: the first will be from January 1-July 1, and the second from July 1-December 1. In this case, the challenge will be to keep a diary going for six months. All other rules will continue to apply.

New for 2020: This year, we will also be having a noncompetitive category for Continuing Diaries—that is, for those diaries from previous years’ challenges that remain works in progress. There will not be a minimum number of required entries (given the noncompetitive nature) but if it helps you to have some reinforcement, we encourage you to write one entry per month, the same as the official challenge.

2)
No posting (or writing) until the clock strikes midnight, your time zone, on January 1, 2020. You can use entries written before this date as extras, but they will not count towards the competition. And of course, you can plan and outline as much as you want before that.

Half-Marathon Diary: For the second half-marathon, the start date will be July 1, 2020.

3)
The deadline for posting the first two entries is January 31, 2020.

Half-Marathon Diary: This deadline will apply to the first Half-Marathon; for the second, the deadline for the first two entries will be July 31, 2020.

4)
The goal is to write a minimum of twenty-four entries for the entire year, with at least one entry a month. You can, of course, have as many entries as you want—but remember that this is a year-long challenge, so pace yourself.

Note: Diaries with two or more narrators are allowed. The number of entries for each narrator should be a minimum of 24 (just like any other), and your entries for each narrator need to keep up with the posting schedule the same as for an individual diary.

Half-Marathon Diary: For the Half-Marathons, you must write a minimum of twelve entries--but again, you may have as many entries as you want.

5)
There is no minimum or maximum length limit for the entries. Write a paragraph, write pages, or write a haiku. Just do it.

6)
Please PM the sock Diary_Challenge_Sock when you update your diaries. Though not required, it would help if you could also provide a link to each new entry in the PM. It makes the checking process go much faster!

New for 2020: If you have a diary in the Continuing Diaries section—or the general Out of Competition Category—please PM when you update as well. We will be updating both these noncompetitive sections in the index.

7)
We are the keepers of the documents, namely the Indexers. If you fail to update for a month, we will send you a reminder and give you another week to update.

This means seven days from the missed month update, not seven days from the date of the PM.

For example, if your diary was last updated on March 3, and you haven't updated in 31 days, your updates are due April 3. You then have your 7 days until April 10 to update. This is regardless of when you get the warning PM, which is just a reminder for you.

8)
Since we are tweaking the rules slightly from the past, you are now allowed to miss three total updates throughout the year (and not make them up) without being disqualified.

However, if you miss your monthly post and don't update after the extended 7 days then you're out of the competition portion of the challenge.

You can, however, label your diary as Out of Competition. This means that the story will not be eligible to win at the end of the year, but it is still listed with any other active diaries that are out of competition.

Alternately, you can also let your story be moved to the Dead Diaries category, which is for diaries whose authors have no intention of continuing. Unless we're asked by the author to put something in Out of Competition, this is the default for stories that haven't updated three times.

9)
We are not presently having discussions and mini-challenges, the way we have in previous years' challenges. This may yet change in the future, but for now, we're not planning on it.

10)
Voting for the winner will be in the first two weeks of January. Everybody may vote, so invite your readers and others you know here to do so. (For example, a line in your signature is a good way to let lots of people know about a Resource event.)

Rules originally written by MsLanna. Current version written and revised by Kahara and Pandora, with input from Briannakin, jcgoble3, and Ewok Poet.

Old Challenge Threads:
Dear Diary Challenge 2007
Dear Diary Challenge 2008
Dear Diary Challenge 2009
Dear Diary Challenge 2010
Dear Diary Challenge 2011
Dear Diary Challenge 2012
Dear Diary Challenge 2013
Dear Diary Challenge 2014
Dear Diary Challenge 2015
Dear Diary Challenge 2016
Dear Diary Challenge 2017
Dear Diary Challenge 2018
Dear Diary Challenge 2019

 

2020 Index

The index will be sorted by era and title. The color coding is as follows:

Green= within the updating schedule for the full-year challenge
Purple and Maroon=within the updating schedule for the half-marathons
Red = one month without update, you have 7 days to update, or you're out of the challenge
Blue = Out of competition. Diary is currently still being updated.

Before the Saga

Diary of a Very Sympathetic Padawan by devilinthedetails. Completed 2023 November 15

The Saga

Outcast by CaraJinn. Completed 2020 December 20

A Drop in the Bucket by Mechalich. Completed 2020 December 23

Worries of a Mother in Uncertain Times by Lady_Misty. Completed 2020 December 12

Beyond the Saga

Realizing my Heart's Fondest Dream by WarmNyota_SweetAyesha. Completed 2020 December 1

X-Wing Pilot by earlybird-obi-wan. Completed 2020 December 17

Powers vs. Passion by Adalia-Durron and Anedon. Completed 2020 June 27

Through His Eyes by Briannakin. Updated 2020 July 18

Sequel Trilogy

Non-Star Wars

Picard's Diary by RX_Sith. Updated 2020 June 15


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Continuing Diaries

Out of Competition

"Being with the enemy" by AzureAngel2. Updated 2020 January 18
From Dusk to Dawn by Anedon. Updated 2020 February 24
Far From Home by divapilot. Updated 2020 February 22
In That There That Isn't Here by Mira_Jade. Updated 2020 February 28
No Perfect Way by DarthIshtar. Updated 2021 January 2
Death Watch: The Journal of Praetor Orto by Volund Starfire. Updated 2020 April 16
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Dead Diaries

 

2019 Index

The index will be sorted by era and title. The color coding is as follows:

Green= within the updating schedule for the full-year challenge
Purple and Maroon=within the updating schedule for the half-marathons
Red = one month without update, you have 7 days to update, or you're out of the challenge
Blue = Out of competition. Diary is currently still being updated.

Before the Saga

The Saga

Written in Sand by CaraJinn. Completed 2019 December 25

The Journal of Ronen Syndulla-Jarrus, Jedi Action Hero (or Something) by Raissa Baiard. Updated 2021 January 1

Beyond the Saga

Diary of a padawan by earlybird-obi-wan. Completed 2019 December 19

Corsec notes from Rostek Horn by earlybird-obi-wan. Completed 2019 December 19

Sequel Trilogy

Non-Star Wars

"Truth in a Whisper" by WarmNyota_SweetAyesha. Completed 2019 December 1

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Out of Competition

The Diary of a Miscreant by moosemousse. Updated 2019 March 13

There is Something in the Void by Anedon. Updated 2019 July 30

The Searcher by Cowgirl Jedi 1701. Updated 2019 October 5

Reawakening of The Force by RX_Sith. Updated 2019 September 19

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Dead Diaries

Darkest Journey: The Journals of Vydel Dir'nul and Kardem by Volund Starfire. Updated 2019 January 29
To the Last Star by divapilot. Updated 2019 February 25
Agents of Thrawn by starbuck_archer. Updated 2019 August 20
Pre-Flight Checks by Volund Starfire. Updated 2019 September 10

 

Past Challenge Winners

2007: Under Duress by VaderLVR64

2008: Freedom in Bondage by Alexis_Wingstar and A Mother's Journal by BigFatty

2009: Dear Tam by DarthBreezy

2010: Cherished Moments - Then, Now, and Always by WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

2011: Downward Spiral: The Diary of Syal Antilles by Lane_Winree

2012: Artoo's Frazzled Circuits: The OT Diary by Hazel

2013: Artoo's Frazzled Circuits: TTT Diary by Hazel

2014: The Journal of A Very Married Talon Tantiss by Jedi_Lover (First Place)

The Journal of Jax Pavan by Ewok_Slayer and Journal of a Forgotten Child by Briannakin (Second Place)

2015: Turn Your Face to the Sun by JadeLotus and The God of Second Chances: The Journal of Breha Amidala Solo by divapilot (First Place)

Notes for when you are older by Kahara (Second Place)

The Chronicles of I-5YQ by Ewok_Slayer (Third Place)

2016: Letters Never Sent by Ewok Poet (First Place)

The Journal of the Former Emperor's Hand by Carlos Danger (Second Place)

2017: Doaba Ke'demii: The Diary of a Young Comradette by Ewok Poet (First Place)

Memory Books and Personal Logs by Lady_Misty and The Journal of Talon Tantiss: [Part 5]-Secrets Revealed Vol 2 by Jedi_Lover (Second Place)

2018: Full Year Diaries: Memory Logs by Lady_Misty (First Place) and Team guy by earlybird-obi-wan (Second Place). January-June Half Marathon: "Raising the enemy" by AzureAngel2 (First Place) and Sibling Snark & Sweetness and Long & Winding Path by WarmNyota_SweetAyesha (Second Place). July-December Half Marathon: Shaman, Traveler, Oracle: Journal of an Exile of Lasan by Findswoman (First Place) and Crisis of Faith by TheRynJedi and (Not) The Ballad of Ronen Syndulla-Jarrus (and Noemi Bridger) by Raissa Baiard (Second Place).

2019: Full-Year Diaries: Written in Sand by CaraJinn. July-December Half-Marathon: The Journal of Ronen Syndulla-Jarrus, Jedi Action Hero (or Something) by Raissa Baiard.

 

Reminders:

*If you are writing a diary inspired by The Rise of Skywalker, or other recent Star Wars media, remember to observe the boards spoiler policy. It's worth checking if it was released in the last year or so, because sometimes the spoilers thing applies for some time.

*This year, we are also introducing a new non-competitive category, Continuing Diaries (the relevant information is in bold in "Teh Rulez"). As the name indicates, it is for diaries started in previous years' competitions that remain in progress, with the intention of providing encouragement to the writers to continue working on them. There is so much focus in writing challenges on starting projects, and not near as much on finishing them once they are no longer quite so bright and shiny and brand new. But with challenges such as wiptober on tumblr, this is being changed up a little, and this category is our way of being a part of that change.

*And that is all. If you have any questions or suggestions, post them here in the thread, or send a PM to either the sock or one of the hosts.

 

Happiest wriggles, I've this yummy idea for a Mara diary but I have a question--can the entries also include messages between she and Luke?

 

@WarmNyota_SweetAyesha: That's an interesting possibility. I have brought your question up with Kahara, and we'll get back to you after we've discussed it.

 

@WarmNyota_SweetAyesha: First of all, I apologize for taking so long to get back to you on this. I've discussed this with Kahara, and we just have a question regarding how you plan to use these messages in your diary: are they part of the diary (as in, Mara as diary writer copies them in) or is Luke adding his messages as a second narrator?

I'm sure this will work out in the end, but we just want to clarify things.

 

@Diary_Challenge_Sock -- a very good question and my thought was indeed to have Mara copy in the messages as they will be Luke's comments and replies to her messages throughout their time apart, although they will be together during some entries. Basically there is one narrator with varied content.

 

@WarmNyota_SweetAyesha: Sounds good then. So you can consider this message the official go ahead.

 

I have a vague idea for a 2020 diary but I don't dare to aim for a full year. However, if I go for a half maraton and the muse-mouse speeds up by the end of June, can it be extended to a full year later on? (I think a similar question was asked by someone in 2019, but I don't remember the outcome. )

 

@CaraJinn: We did discuss that possibility, of a half-year diary changing to a full year one, around the time the Half-Marathons were introduced, but only as an abstract concept we would deal with if it came up--and so far, no has actually done it. I can only say, as I did then, that I think it would work out fine. Just let us know in June if that's what you need to do.

 

I have an idea but it requires the use of a character introduced in The Rise of Skywalker material. Not sure if it will work with the spoiler period. How late can one post to be sure to not infringe on the spoiler period but still be considered for this challenge? Is that even possible?

 

Fanfic follows the board-wide policy of two weeks after the US release date, so for TROS, the end of that is January 3rd, so you could easily do a diary. Even if you want to post before then (hypothetically, I know there isn't a big difference between the 1st and 3rd), all you need to do is make it clear in the thread title and first post that there are spoilers.

 

Then I'm in for at least one half marathon in 2020. Ready, steady...wait (until Jan 1st)

 

Thanks, @Mira_Jade. Like Paul Simon, this challenge is still crazy after all these years.

There are only eighteen minutes to go in my time zone (North America Mountain Time) before one year ends, and another begins, but I just wanted to remind everyone--particularly those who are still working on diaries from previous challenges--that we have a new non-competitive category this year, Continuing Diaries.

The information regarding this is in bold in the "rulez," but in short, this category is to provide encouragement, and a bit of structure, to those who are still working on diaries from previous years. If you want us to include your diary in this category, just let us know.

 

My half-marathon Mara Jade diary starts
here . Title is Realizing My Heart's Fondest Dream.

 

So, I'm relaunching a diary I did years ago. With the renewed interest in Mandalorians, I'm relaunching my journal with a rewrite.

Death Watch: The Journal of Praetor Ordo

 

Voting for the 2019 Challenge

The time has come to vote for your favorite diaries of 2019. This year, we have a total of five diaries, in two categories, to choose from. To quote the pertinent rule: invite your readers, and everyone you know, to participate.

*Send your votes in a PM to the diary sock. You may vote for one story (just one!) in each of the following categories: Full Year Diaries and July-December Half Marathon. There were no entries in the January-June Half-Marathon in 2019.

*Voting will close on January 15, 2020 at 12:01 AM North America Mountain Time.

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And now, the eligible diaries:

Full-Year Diaries

Written in Sand by CaraJinn

Diary of a padawan by earlybird-obi-wan

Corsec notes from Rostek Horn by earlybird-obi-wan

*

July-December Half-Marathon

The Journal of Ronen Syndulla-Jarrus, Jedi Action Hero (or Something) by Raissa Baiard

"Truth in a Whisper" by WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

 

Kind of in a limbo writing-wise. This might be an opportunity to try something different. Not sure what I'm going to do but hope to have something of them the next week.

 

Ahsoka Tano's diary is coming up for 2020: Outcast

 

I want to give this another go, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to keep going. I kind of need to know that people read what I write, because writing something for other people to enjoy is easier than writing for me.

 

@moosemousse, that's at least a little true for most of us. Why not give writing whatever-it-is a try? And if the point comes where you want to discontinue the diary that's easily done.