Challenge Dear Diary Challenge 2022 - Votes for 2021 Diaries Due 1-31

Please check the Reminders Post (following after the index posts) for information specific to this year's challenge. For quick reference, update rules will be similar to last year (2021).

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 fourteenth 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.

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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.

Continuing Diaries: This is a noncompetitive category 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!

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. We try to keep all the entries in the index up to date, but it really helps us stay current if you send a PM to the sock when you update. Since rules are still relaxed this year, we're not keeping a count of when you update, though there is still a total goal of 12 entries (for half-year diaries) or 24 (for full-year diaries).

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.

You can 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 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
Dear Diary Challenge 2020
Dear Diary Challenge 2021

 

2022 Index


Beyond the Saga

Finn Fun, the diary of a Jedi by earlybird obi-wan. Updated 2022 October 20


Non-Star Wars

I Conquer Ba Sing Se and Other Earth Kingdom Adventures by devilinthedetails. Updated 2024 November 17

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Continuing Diaries

The Wrong Side of History by Pandora. Updated 2024 November 7

 

2021 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 Ground Quakes and Trembles by devilinthedetails. Updated 2021 May 1

If Only by Kit'. Completed 2021 June 26


The Saga

On the Edge of the Empire by Anedon. Updated 2021 August 30

The Coruscant Crusade by Jordan1Kenobi. Updated 2021 July 1

While the Charcoal Smolders by Mechalich. Completed 2021 December 27


Beyond the Saga

Emergencies by earlybird obi-wan. Completed 2021 December 18

Dear Daddy by CaraJinn. Completed 2021 June 26

Where do I go next? by Adalia-Durron. Completed 2021 June 17

Bylines by Thumper09. Completed 2021 June 6

Hi Kiddo by CaraJinn. Completed 2021 June 26

Diary of an investigator by earlybird-obi-wan. Completed 2021 December 18


Sequel Trilogy


Non-Star Wars

Hither & Yon: An Eventful Sojourn in Middle-Earth by WarmNyota_SweetAyesha. Completed 2021 November 17

Lyberfunk, a Cyberpunk 2077 Story by moosemousse. Updated 2021 February 19

My Game Plan, Actually by WarmNyota_SweetAyesha. Completed 2021 November 17

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Continuing Diaries

Out of Competition

Living with a Nightsister by Anedon. Updated 2021 March 31

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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.

2020: Diary of a Very Sympathetic Padawan by devilinthedetails and Realizing my Heart's Fondest Dream by WarmNyota_SweetNyesha.

2021: Full Year Diaries: Emergencies by earlybird obi-wan (First Place) and Hither & Yon: An Eventful Sojourn in Middle-Earth by WarmNyota_SweetAyesha (Second Place). First Half- Marathon (January-June): Bylines by Thumper09. Second Half-Marathon (July-December): My Game Plan, Actually by WarmNyota_SweetAyesha.

 

Welcome & Reminders

Hi everyone, sorry for the late posting of this challenge thread! Welcome to anyone new here, and welcome back to all our returning readers and writers.

The rules for this year will be similar to last year, since we're keeping the relaxed posting rules in place. We will still update the index weekly, but there's no required update schedule and we won't be PM-ing you with reminders to update. (So to get all your entries in by the end of the year, it will probably work best if you plan to keep track of your own progress.)

Swiping this one from last year's post by Pandora, because I think it says it all re: spoilers:

The Continuing Diaries category will still be available this year too, so if you have an unfinished 2021 diary that you'd like to see moved to that category in the new year, just let us know!

And finally, Pandora has posted the voting information for 2021 diaries here: https://boards.theforce.net/threads/dear-diary-challenge-2021.50055320/page-5#post-57758461

 

I have posted the first entry of my full year diary Finn Fun, the diary of a Jedi

 

(Reposting from 2021 thread)

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Voting for the 2021 Challenge

The time has come to vote for your favorite diaries of 2021. This year, we have a total of ten diaries, in three 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: January-June Half Marathon, Full Year Diaries, and July-December Half Marathon.

*As a reminder, based off questions from previous years: you do NOT need to be a writer in the challenge or even someone who has posted in this forum before to vote, you do NOT need to have read all of the stories to vote, and you do NOT need to have read all of the story you picked.

*That's really all there is to it. If you have any questions, feel free to ask in the thread.

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The Diaries:

Full Year Diaries

Emergencies by earlybird obi-wan
Hither & Yon: An Eventful Sojourn in Middle-Earth by WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

First Half-Marathon (January-June)

If Only by Kit'
Dear Daddy by CaraJinn.
Where do I go next? by Adalia-Durron
Bylines by Thumper09
Hi Kiddo by CaraJinn

Second Half-Marathon

While the Charcoal Smolders by Mechalich
Diary of an investigator by earlybird-obi-wan
My Game Plan, Actually by WarmNyota_SweetAyesha


Voting will close on January 31, 2022 at 11:59 PM North America Mountain Time.

 

One more week from tomorrow to get your votes in and to start any full-year/January-June half marathon stories!

 

The deadline has been changed to the 31st (not the 30th), so everyone has four days left to read and vote.

 

2021 Diary Challenge Results

The votes have been counted up and we have a total of four winners in all three categories to announce for last year's Diary Challenge.

Full Year Diaries

First Place: Emergencies by earlybird obi-wan

Second Place: Hither & Yon: An Eventful Sojourn in Middle-Earth by WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

First Half- Marathon (January-June)

Bylines by Thumper09

Second Half-Marathon (July-December)

My Game Plan, Actually by WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

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Congratulations @earlybird-obi-wan, @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha, and @Thumper09! And thank you to all who participated, whether through writing or reading, in the 2021 challenge.

 

Superb and thanks.

 

Thank you very much! Great job to all the authors!

 

Congrats to @earlybird-obi-wan, @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha, and @Thumper09! And to all who finished a diary or participated by starting one. Thanks for a stupendous year's worth of diaries!

 

Thanks all and congrats to @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha and @Thumper09

 

This is just to say* that I am officially entering the diary I started for the 2018 July-December Half-Marathon into the Continuing Diaries category. Hopefully this will encourage me to continue yanking forth words from the void and putting them together into entries even if it's still in progress at year's end.

Here's the link: The Wrong Side of History.

*Oh, and I'm sorry about those plums that just magically disappeared from the refrigerator. What can I say--I was hungry and I couldn't help myself.

 

Hi everyone, just dropping in to remind everyone that the July-December marathon will be open beginning July 1st -- so if you want to start brainstorming ideas for a half-marathon diary now is a great time!

 

Hi again! Sorry for the late announcement, but it's July once more and that means that diaries for the July-December half-marathon can now begin. Just for the sake of a reminder, the minimum number of total entries over the six months for a half-marathon is twelve -- and there is no minimum word count per diary entry. So if you want to write something short and sweet, the July-December event would be a great time to do so. (Though you are of course always welcome to write an epic too. There's no maximum limit on word count or entries! ) The deadline for posting your first entry for July-December is July 31st. Good luck and happy writing!

 

Finished my diary