Halloween Fan-Made Short Story Contest


I thought it would be a fun idea to host a small creative writing contest.
The theme is Halloween on iZone.
(Haunted house story, disappearing candy mystery, trick or treating story, ect.)

You are allowed to collaborate with one other player to write the story, if you happen to make 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place, you will split the prizes. Be sure to mention this if you do.

Personal Message me the story and entry form on the zone-play or graalians forums.

**NOTE: All Entrants have until have until October 25th to submit their story to the contest.**

Those who would like to participate must follow a short set of basic rules.

Guidelines:

#1. Plagiarism - Do not take parts from other stories, and then claim it as yours, or try to change it. You will be disqualified.

#2. Grammar - Please be sure to check that your short story has proper spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
(Ex: you're is used for actions, whilst your is possessive. (You're going to the movies v.s. Your pet dog is absolutely adorable.)
**You can find a spell check for free in many rich text editing programs and online**

#3. Creativity - The more entertaining it is to read your story, the more likely it is to win. Be original and don't be afraid to stray a bit from the theme. (Ex: benart's bench from classic is stolen and winds up in the skyworld.)

#4. Have fun with it - you don't need to push yourself, you aren't being asked to write a novel. It should be 5 paragraphs long at the very most.

**NOTE: All Entrants have until have until October 25th to submit their story to the contest.**

Judging:
The stories submitted will be read by me (and possibly other judges that may be added to the original post later), and then added to a poll thread for other forum members to choose their favorite stories.

The stories will be posted in the main thread by me, after I read them.
message me then via forum pm. This is to prevent bias when it comes to the poll, so cheating is less likely.
(I'll post the stories without names to ensure that the results are skewed as little as possible.)

Your story will be judged based on creativity, grammar, and organization/format.
**NOTE: All Entrants have until have until October 25th to submit their story to the contest.**
__________________________________________________ ___________________
***Fields marked with an asterisk[*] are mandatory, unless inapplicable, in which you would simply mark the field as N/A.***

The Entry Form:

*Name in game:


*Squad owned/Tag most frequently used:


*Name of your story:


Please include a short 1-3 sentence summary of your story.
(Example: Little Johnny and his sister Sally have been preparing for months for Halloween, But Sally loses her Halloween costume the day before! Will they find it in time to go trick or treating!?
Summary:


*The Story
(Please use a spoiler...)

Spoiler

text goes here

- - - Updated - - -

Note: all the time I spent formatting this in my notes app on iPad was a waste because it did not transfer to the forums. Sorry

Prizes:
1st place:
• 300 Zone Coins
• A Statue in my Squad Station
• 2500 gralats worth of Sellables (graalium) (this may be changed at a later date.)
• If possible, your story will be featured on signs in my house/Squad Station.
• an Honorable Mention in a Separate thread after the judging period is over.

2nd place:
• 150 Zone Coins
• A Statue in my Squad Station
• 1000 worth of Sellables (graalium) (this may be changed at a later date.)
• an Honorable Mention in a Separate thread after the judging period is over.

3rd place:
• 75 Zone Coins
• A Statue in my Squad Station
• an Honorable Mention in a Separate thread after the judging period is over.

Runner Ups:
• an Honorable Mention in a Separate thread after the judging period is over.

**NOTE: All Entrants have until have until October 25th to submit their story to the contest.**  

*Writes story about guns costing more*  

I don't even play zone but I'm down for this.  

Posted by Sicx

I don't even play zone but I'm down for this.

 

Bump  

Sooo.. The stories need to be about zone? Confuzzled  

Halloween on Zone, yeah.  

Posted by TWIZ

Sooo.. The stories need to be about zone? Confuzzled

Its supposed to be.  

The first story so far

The Good Witch House of Horrors (1944)

Spoiler

I woke up with a scream. Terrors, night terrors, the type to make your blood-curl of no such remedies. Sweat rolled down my face as I thought of what Ms. Redd would say when she saw me like this. Sleeping in the basement was a forbidden thought for the Young Girls Academy of Education. As I peered up to the large glass port, I took in the views, a vivid array of flowers and plant life, thriving in the garden. Far away, you could view the Old Oak trees, coated in the blessings of the moonlight. Constant reminders of the Witch of the woods. Her legend is that in old times, she would dress as a young girl, and lure children into the woods to eat them to save her youth. "Amy? Is that you" said my best friend, Jessica. "Yeah, just thought I heard something" I said not knowing what that bloody scream was. "Well get some sleep! The Ladies Gather is tomorrow!" said Jessica. I almost forgot! The annual ladies gather is tomorrow! Ms. Redd would bring us to the Garden to show who's work had improved the most! We are tested in French, maiden skills, writing, and reading. Blessings of the wealthy, which Papa had supplied along with a gold arrow pendant, which I wore around my neck always. "Yes Jess, good night"I said. "See you on the other side" said Jess. With that, I fell asleep with hopes of the next day.

"WAKE UP WAKE UP!" screamed Jess. "Whaaa....?" Was it tomorrow already! Wait..It was today! "We got to get to bed before Ms.Redd checks on our room!" We slept in the basement because the our bedroom had very thin walls, and you could often hear neighboring conversations. "Okay, Okay!" I smiled weakly. Jess started to get up when there was a muffed noise. Jess froze. We stood confused for a few seconds when we heard "Heehee hee!" What on Earth could that be? Jess slowly moved to the porthole and saw a young girl, running with baskets of food. Wait....The food for the Gathering! "Jess that girl is stealing our food we had on the icebox outside!" I screamed quicker than ever. "It must be a coincidence, she probably just has the same basket as us, and carrying supplies to a village." She seemed almost calm! "Well I got to see!" I said as I quickly shoved up the steps. Moving in a pluff dress and cortet limited my ability to breathe. I quickly changed into an nightgown as fast as I could. "Amy no!" shouted Jess. "I'll be back, don't worry!" I said. As I pedaled through the flower field slowly gaining on the girl. How was she so fast? She seemed to be an upperclass girl, wearing the finest of clothes and a bright pink dress. The moon still shown as the Sun came up. "HEY!!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. I had to stop. She was too fast and running as if she had pure adrenaline! "Never.....Give.....Up..."My side hurt as I plowed through. I could start to see more details of her. She was very beautiful, pure blonde hair and perfect figure. She was so fast! I would never catch up! Even so, I kept on pedaling, spraying morning dew all over my nightgown. She was laughing! Yes, I could here her more clearly now, she was laughing, running at top speed and carrying 4 baskets of fresh bread! "HEY YOU! WAAAAAITTTTTT" I was desperate now, my sides ached so bad. I was almost to the Oak Trees now, as she was entering an old path, a forbidden path. The sign in front says "Do Not Enter! No Trespassing" The girl entered without the slightest of hesitation. So I did too! I trailed her, getting closer and closer until She was finally about 50 meters in front of me! She was insane! How could any human possibly run that long! She was like an IronHorse! Those newfangled steam devices people use! I had to stop. I was exhausted. The rusted school bike was getting weak, I could tell from it's groaning. The tire hit a root, and I fell. Hard. I fell into a almost never ending ditch, hitting tree trunks and plant thorns on the way down. "AHHH!" I screamed. When I finally stopped, I lay still...I was soooo tired. I fell asleep in that moment.

"So...How are you my dear?" said an eerie voice. "Who's there! Show yourself!" I said desperately. I slowly saw a figure.. Bent over and and had a warped face. "You asked, here I am." Said a crackly, old voice. When I finally saw the face in the light, I gasped. It was so hideous! I stepped back. Into a cage which was instantly flung up into the air. I let out a scream at the top of my lungs."GET ME OUT OF HERE, ANYBODY PLEASE HELP ANYONE!" I shaked. Not from fear, which I was definitely terrified, but rather as if another force was controlling me. "HELPPPP!" This was the worst feeling ever! "Young...*cough*, young girl! you and I are the same, we are mortal but I plan, to make us one. You will join us, along with your friends and we will be the most powerful creatures in the world!" said the "thing" would be the best way to describe it. "Your disgusting, why would I want to look like you!" I cried. "Ah, So you haven't realized who I am yet have you? I am what you call a "Witch" when, actually *cough*....... I used to be like you. Normal, average. I was once beautiful actually." Wait...the girl I was chasing! "Your crazy! Let me go I don't care bout your history!" I said. "How about....no" the witch said.

The witch picked me up with an old blood carnelian shaded pan, which she used to put me up with one hand! "I HATE YOU!!!!" I screamed insults at her as loud as possible. "Well you won't when I'm done with you... Ahahaaaahahahahahaha! *cough*, you are to carry out my legend! Destruction and War! Isn't that nice?" Ewwww....It grinned as if it was enjoying this.

I woke up feeling different. Almost...happy as if, there were small indents on my neck and my physical feminine features had improved, I looked in a obsidian black mirror across my cage...What I saw was insane! I was beautiful! And my feminine parts had grown. I shook the cage "Nooooo! This crazy place and now I'm drugged! NOOOOO!" But wait...I noticed also I had no fingerprints, and my eyes shined bright purple.. "Next thing I know Ill be a cat" I muttered. I sure wish Jess was here! I continued shaking the lock when...it popped off! "What...." This is confusing. I have to find a way out...I could see light shining through a small wooden door. I opened it and walked out. Wow! Everything was bright, and so clear. My vision was as if I could see every detail, every leaf vein, every pebble...crazy. I hear a voice behind me. "So I see you have awaken!" said a voice. But I was prepared for this. I grabbed a rock, and hurled it behind me... To hit nothing. "Nice shot..haha!" This time a cold hand clamped on my shoulder behind me. "Now how did you get out?" I spun around to see that hideous face. I took off. Arriving at my village an hour later, I understood. Somehow I was turned into a witch, but I realized that I wasn't evil. How? "This is crazy." I muttered under my breathe. I couldn't remember a thing.

The Legend of the Good Witch
A good witch helps children and families every month only when the moon shines over the flower fields, The witches name is Amy. She is a national figure.

Summary-
Amy, is ready for the Girl School Gathering Board school when a girl steals her supplies and she follows her into the woods. She wakes up to find herself in a cage, and finds that the girl is actually the Evil Witch. Amy returns to help children, using her powers for good, while the Witch was found with a gold arrow pendant through her heart.  

This looks fun. C:<  

I am so doing this.  

Your story will be judged based on grammar

... As much as AP English classes have made me into a grammar nazi, this is actually a terrible idea. Just take the time to proofread and edit stories with poor grammar usage. Why would ideas be negatively biased for poorer writing conventions in a fanfiction contest, where the entire goal is creativity?  

Posted by Talon

... As much as AP English classes have made me into a grammar nazi, this is actually a terrible idea. Just take the time to proofread and edit stories with poor grammar usage. Why would ideas be negatively biased for poorer writing conventions in a fanfiction contest, where the entire goal is creativity?

grammar is important.


However, grammar won't be judged harshly, as long as it isn't extremely prevalent in the story.
Ex: once upn a teim terh wuz a man who leik cookiz TEH ehnd!  

^loool  

Posted by Shadowfox

gGrammar is important.


However, grammar won't be judged harshly will be judged leniently, as long as it isn't extremely prevalent in the story. has no effect on the original intent of the story. (This sentence uses two indefinite clauses (won't be, isn't) and negative construction. Negative construction should not be used, per Strunk and White's Elements of Style. If it "won't be judged harshly", what will it be judged? Leniently? Strictly? Metaphorically? This is ambiguous and indefinite.

Writing should be positively constructed. Negative statements should only be used as a means of denial or in antithesis, not as a means of evasion as demonstrated above.)
Ex: once upn a teim terh wuz a man who leik cookiz TEH ehnd!

how To i Am grammre?.

If you're actually going to truly care about grammar, then a vast majority of syntactical strategies often used for rhythm and effect in fictional and creative writing violate the rules of English grammar. Grammar, aside from elementary fundamentals, should be thrown out the window in creative writing.

Just saying.

If you state that "good grammar" is a criteria for success in this project, it would probably deter writers from using anything other than standard sentence syntax. You should probably leave that out. Proper grammar is an implied given anyway; it sounds like you're directing this contest towards a 5th grade English class.

Also, your example:

Posted by Shadowfox

Ex: once upn a teim terh wuz a man who leik cookiz TEH ehnd!

... has almost nothing to do with grammar. These are mostly spelling errors, and grammar and spelling are completely separate. Grammar deals with syntactical construction, not spelling. Spelling is a simple writing convention. The same goes with punctuation. While they do go hand-in-hand together, they are separate guidelines of English. Your sentence was grammatically correct aside from "once" and "TEH", though I must admit the spelling and punctuation was way off.



Yes, I'm a grammar nazi; yes, you can call me a tool for this; and yes, this is over the line and probably unnecessary; but yes, I enjoy doing this.