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Contest ideas?

Posted: April 1st, 2010, 4:18 pm
by Nathan Bransford
Hey everyone, I'm thinking of having a contest on the blog in the coming weeks, and while I have some ideas I'm kicking around I thought I'd see what people here would like to see. While I won't be able to use every idea, if I go with yours I will give you full 100% credit!

Re: Contest ideas?

Posted: April 1st, 2010, 4:32 pm
by Josin
Flash fiction from a writing prompt?

Re: Contest ideas?

Posted: April 1st, 2010, 4:44 pm
by Harper Karcz
A short story of 100 words or less, which must incorporate 5 wacky keywords of your choosing.

Re: Contest ideas?

Posted: April 1st, 2010, 4:54 pm
by shadow
Opening sentence hook contest.

Re: Contest ideas?

Posted: April 1st, 2010, 7:03 pm
by otherside89girl
Main character name! haha.

Re: Contest ideas?

Posted: April 1st, 2010, 7:30 pm
by Erica75
One sentence: Why is your book important?

Or, one sentence: Why should I buy your book?

Re: Contest ideas?

Posted: April 1st, 2010, 8:07 pm
by Quill
Best 25 word logline, humorous or otherwise.

Re: Contest ideas?

Posted: April 1st, 2010, 8:39 pm
by lightelement94
Steal NPR's Three Minute Fiction contest (300 word or less short story based on a photograph they supply). Or else, er...

Best pseudonym?

Re: Contest ideas?

Posted: April 1st, 2010, 8:43 pm
by abc
I'm with Josin on doing another writing prompt. That contest (teen diary) was definitely the most fun. Specific ideas might be: a letter from OR to your long lost sea captain dad (inspired by my current reading of Pippi Longstocking to my daughter); a description of a haunted house (inspired by House of Leaves. Sorta); write about being in an amazing moment (or seeing something amazing) while also describing a memory IN CHARACTER (e.g. 17 year old Greg is riding on a roller coaster but remembering the time his older brother accidentally killed his pet bird--but, you know, better and cooler) (inspired by Hollis Frampton's very awesome experimental short film Nostalgia).

Another idea, we could pitch for a book that's not ours and is already published.

Re: Contest ideas?

Posted: April 2nd, 2010, 1:10 am
by Jaime
Who can come up with the best faux book title?

Something that would make you want to buy the book without reading the blurb :)

Re: Contest ideas?

Posted: April 2nd, 2010, 2:31 am
by Colonel Travis
Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse decide to expand and are looking for a fifth member. First question on the job application is: "What is your calamity, your horse color and how would they improve our organization?"

Re: Contest ideas?

Posted: April 2nd, 2010, 2:35 am
by BlancheKing
How about:

"Pick a famous work of literature and write a (insert number here) word parody of it."

Something like "Harry Potter and the One Night Stand"

Re: Contest ideas?

Posted: April 2nd, 2010, 5:05 pm
by charlotte49ers
elevator pitches
opening line (or opening hook for a query letter)
some sorta prompt (the teen diary entry was so much fun!)

And yay for more contests. I love 'em!

Re: Contest ideas?

Posted: April 2nd, 2010, 5:12 pm
by Matthew MacNish
Best line/paragraph of dialogue from a colorful character?

Re: Contest ideas?

Posted: April 2nd, 2010, 5:42 pm
by emptyrefrigerator
Most hookable first word. Or first letter of first word.