Rules for the AWR Cup of 2010

[James]

Basically each cup match is like a mini Monthly Assignment. You get a topic, you have to write an entry around that topic, and the judges judge it and the winner progresses. Here are the few rules for the Cup:

- Your entry must be in the format of prose.
- Must be in before the deadline.
- Once posted it cannot be edited. Editing will lead to disqualification.
- Must be based around the topic given, if not expect to be docked points.
- Must be between 500-5000 words.

Not many rules, and most of them are simple. If you have any other queries ask them now!

[Jenny (Reffy)]

Min-Max words?

[James]

Jan 3, 2010 20:54:32 GMT -5 Jenny (Reffy) said:

Min-Max words?

Ah, yes. Something I wanted to actually discuss.

How does everyone feel with no min cap, but a 5,000 words absolute cap for maximum?

Because any higher and the judges might drown in the workload.

[Jenny (Reffy)]

I agree with the max of 5,000 words. Don't want the judges having to read a novel every time!

However (this is going to sound so hypocritical of me) ... this is a more serious contest than the assignment. The assignment is open to experimenting and new things. This is a competition.

I think there should be a minimum. As much as I love Flash Fiction, below 200-500, it is more like poetry and isn't easy to judge because of this. It probably isn't very fair to your opponent either. As we all saw with my Flash Soft-Sci-Fi

[James]

Well then, the questions is where does the cap go.

500 or even at a 1,000?

[Jenny (Reffy)]

Jan 3, 2010 21:08:29 GMT -5 James said:

Well then, the questions is where does the cap go.

500 or even at a 1,000?

That ... I have no idea I'd be ok with either, although 500 would give the contestants more breathing room.

Opening it up to the other contestants! I'm not the only one here.

[ASGetty ((Zovo))]

I'd put the minimum at 500. That's easy, I can do 500 describing a spoon. . . by accident.

If they can't crank out 500 words then they didn't want to win.

[James]

So go back to the original 500-5000, no exceptions though now.

Sounds good?

[ASGetty ((Zovo))]

Works for me.

[Jenny (Reffy)]

Works here Experimenting with Flash Fiction is not for the Cup

[Jenny (Reffy)]

((Double posting wewt!))

I was chatting to NotAlice about our ideas ... and a question popped up. Is there a restrictive age limit? (eg. Parental guidance, must be teen-viewable, cannot contain adult content) How graphic can we be? (eg. violence, drugs, sex, sexual-scenes)

I know the rules for AWR, but what is the views on using stuff like this in the Cup?

[Matteo ((Taed))]

How about, if it seems like Schro could have written it then you've gone too far? So no .... cat eating .... little boy raping .... vomit inducing .... stuff.

[NotAlice]

Aww you've just taken out all the fun hehe

[James]

Considering that the judges are all +18, I think we can just apply the same rule. You leave a little warning at the top saying 'This story is mature blah blah blah'.

I distinctly remember scoffing when I read that FoG had a rule saying you can't have too graphic pieces.

Also if we did disallow it... then we would have debates over what counts.

So yeah, no restrictions. Just a little warning at the top, as per AWR rules, saying why you think it might be a mature piece.

[ASGetty ((Zovo))]

I was chatting to NotAlice about our ideas ... and a question popped up. Is there a restrictive age limit? (eg. Parental guidance, must be teen-viewable, cannot contain adult content) How graphic can we be? (eg. violence, drugs, sex, sexual-scenes)

I would say do whatever is appropriate for the story, some times not going far enough is just as bad, if not worse than going to far. However, bear in mind that I am not above lowering scores for bad taste.