Hey, I kinda like Harg and Krag Bellower. They seem like a perfectly nice pair of half-orc rent-a-cops. Perhaps I will steal them, if you don't want them anymore. ;)Hahah!
Liane, I should kidnap you to be a judge next year. Then you can get all the names you need for 30 novels.
Agh, no. I am flattered but I could not possibly judge people's work. It always makes me feel like a total weenie.
(it was cool to meet you at the con though!)
(it was cool to meet you at the con though!)
Did our paths ever cross at any point at PaizoCon? Because, I knew you were there and I actually wanted to meet you.
Did our paths ever cross at any point at PaizoCon? Because, I knew you were there and I actually wanted to meet you.
Yes, but only very very briefly. I was going to say hi but you were talking to someone and I didn't want to butt in. Figured I'd get a chance to do it later but then I never did.
I didn't get to talk to nearly as many people as I would have liked. Unfortunately I'm pretty behind at work (as is perpetually the case) and had to spend a big chunk of the con holed up in my hotel room reading over trial transcripts from this three-week-long murder case I'm doing. So I missed a lot of stuff, but the stuff I did get to do (and the people I got to meet) made it worthwhile anyway. Even if I still missed too many of them. :/
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Friendly reminder to all.
Pathfinder Fiction Contest 2011 has already started and entries are coming in. Don't miss your chance to put out the best fiction in fantasy, set in your favorite world of Golarion.
Round 1 is a 1000-1500 word story and ends July 1st at 12:00 am. 20 writers will be chosen to go on to Round 2. The grand prize is to win Paizo Gift Certificates and get your story under James Sutter's eyes. He will choose this year's Top 3 winners.
For more information head over to Pathfinder Chronicler Contest Details.
The ultimate goal is to get your stories published in Pathfinder Chronicler Anthology Volume II. Here is last years Pathfinder Chronicler Anthology Volume I contestants were published in.
Happy writing!
You might want to see if Vic or Sutter or someone can push this contest announcement onto the official Paizo blog. That way, it gets more exposure. Didn't they do something like that last year?
Happy writing!
Submitted. Now trying to get my girlfriend to pitch a story as well. The more the better!
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Far better to leave it open-ended. Let the authors find inspiration (in Golarion) in whatever ways they can.
Just my two cents,
--NeilI Am No Publisher, but as someone who browses bookshops it seems to me that a lot of books which are compilations of stories by different authors tend to have a linking theme - E.G. 'vampire stories' or 'what if? Sherlock Holmes' or 'fantasy romance'.
Any collection of short stories set in Golarion will automatically have a linking theme. That theme? Golarion.
Get your girlfriend to submit a story too, Todd! That way you'll have twice as many chances of winning the prize. ;)
The stories are starting to pour in now, and I'm so pleased that I get to read all of them!
I'm doing my best to convince her and also to teach her about the setting as much as I can. She's competition though (as in she's a better writer than I am and I have no shame in saying so). Man, it's spectacular to have an SO you can use as a mutual sounding board for fiction ideas. :D
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aaarg! writer's block :(
I find that flipping through a Monster Manual or Bestiary is a good way to generate ideas. Just pick a monster and imagine encountering it - Who would be likely to confront this monster? Why? (Right there you have 2 characters, and a conflict: man vs. beast) The story doesn't even need to be a direct conflict - it could be about what happens before or after the conflict takes place, too.
<Opens monster manual at random>
Cosmo.
<Opens monster manual at random again>
Bella Sara Unicorn lawyer.
<Does double-take>
Hey! Not fair! Cosmo versus Sebastian; That's a documentary, not fiction.
<Wanders off to find an Nstrivaxon to bother>
<Laughs diabolically>
<Emerges from behind a pillar>
<Tiptoes off in opposite direction>
recipe for dealing with writer's block
Umm, no, I really don't think so, not here.
Spoil sport.
Egads, I really could do with a succubus censor to deal with this girl. Oi, Evans, how about a succubus censor to handle Fury?
Actually, no, on second thoughts that might not be a good idea. The last thing we need around here is another 'Ask A Succubus'.
Uh-oh, I really hope that wasn't too late.
Rûmlin has now gone away to engage in some banging-his-head-against-the-wall before having a lie down somewhere nice and quiet. I really don't know what he expects me to do about someone like Lucy Fury, but the thought's been made and I can't be unthought now.
Trying to get back on topic, I'm torn between advising all writers to blot out the words 'devil', 'Asmodeus', and 'Lawful' from contributions (unless it involves extreme humiliation of such beings) which would be the responsible thing to do (from a succubus' perspective) and keeping shtum about it because - for the love of Shelyn - I'm a succubus, and we're supposed to approve of flighty and irresponsible.
Fortunately, being only a censor I'm not supposed to engage in Punishment (which would be definitely far too lawful) and merely supposed to make sure that usage of words which not many like very much (I suppose 'income tax' qualifies here) is kept to a minimum.
Please remember that articles may end up in anthologies. Be mindful of the publishing laws and so forth of the United States and that certain things may make it Very Hard for your story to be selected for such honouring.
Okay, I have to go away and do some work on my profile now.
<Wanders off>
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Please remember that articles may end up in anthologies. Be mindful of the publishing laws and so forth of the United States and that certain things may make it Very Hard for your story to be selected for such honouring.
Okay, I have to go away and do some work on my profile now.
<Wanders off>
this last is true to everyone, including those who are part of Pathfinder Chronicler :P
There are things we simply can't make public due to community policies
Putting some polish on this turd. Should have it tomorrow or early Thursday.
For once I started something in advance and actually got through a few drafts before submitting :-D
I just have to say, 1500 words is rough! I don't think I've ever written anything that short, and regardless of whether or not I advance to the next round, I count the completion of my story under the word count maximum as a personal victory.
Don't want to mess this up!
Go get'em, Maggie! I'm pullin' for you this year!
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For once I started something in advance and actually got through a few drafts before submitting :-D
I just have to say, 1500 words is rough! I don't think I've ever written anything that short, and regardless of whether or not I advance to the next round, I count the completion of my story under the word count maximum as a personal victory.
I am so pleased! Microfiction is the "next big thing" among my MFA-type friends. It is well suited to internet publishing and time-pressed readers' tastes. It's a challenging form of fiction, so kudos to you. Also, kudos for your drafting! Editing can be one of the most satisfying parts of writing.
This will be the first time I've ever submitted fiction for a writing contest, and I have to say, I've loved the process! I personally found a lot of inspiration through my research as a GM for my Kingmaker/home campaign.
Thanks, Pathfinder Chronicler for providing me with the impetus to branch out in this creative direction. I think I've found a new favourite hobby to tide me over between games!
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Don't want to mess this up!Go get'em, Maggie! I'm pullin' for you this year!
Gee, nice to know some of the rest of us are so appreciated ;)
I kid, lol. Honestly, best of luck to everyone! This year's a bit harder, too, since we're starting off with a 1500 word story, which is much harder to work with. There's a lot of strong competition this year :)
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Quick submission question. As to the PG-13 restriction (for which I have no issue), would use of any speech considered vulgar or profane be a point of disqualification or is it more along the lines of a true PG-13 rating. I'm not dropping the proverbial f-bomb in the tale, but I have two words (one used twice) that could pose an issue if the use of any vulgar/profane language is a point for disqualification.
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This will be the first time I've ever submitted fiction for a writing contest, and I have to say, I've loved the process! I personally found a lot of inspiration through my research as a GM for my Kingmaker/home campaign.
Thanks, Pathfinder Chronicler for providing me with the impetus to branch out in this creative direction. I think I've found a new favourite hobby to tide me over between games!
Our pleasure Laura, if we get one more person to write constantly after each contest we have already achieved one of our goals (of course if we get even more people to do it, they all are welcome)
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Quick submission question. As to the PG-13 restriction (for which I have no issue), would use of any speech considered vulgar or profane be a point of disqualification or is it more along the lines of a true PG-13 rating. I'm not dropping the proverbial f-bomb in the tale, but I have two words (one used twice) that could pose an issue if the use of any vulgar/profane language is a point for disqualification.
I suppose it would depend on the words and the context.
Personally, I don't have this problem since I do tend to push toward the mature version of our craft.
But no, for the contest I believe it won't carry you any trouble.
Of course, Ted might have a different thing to say about this matter, specially at the moment of making such story public.
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Quick submission question. As to the PG-13 restriction (for which I have no issue), would use of any speech considered vulgar or profane be a point of disqualification or is it more along the lines of a true PG-13 rating. I'm not dropping the proverbial f-bomb in the tale, but I have two words (one used twice) that could pose an issue if the use of any vulgar/profane language is a point for disqualification.I suppose it would depend on the words and the context.
Personally, I don't have this problem since I do tend to push toward the mature version of our craft.
But no, for the contest I believe it won't carry you any trouble.
Of course, Ted might have a different thing to say about this matter, specially at the moment of making such story public.
Is the first round a blind judging as well? I thought that was the case for the final five (or at least it is the only round labeled as a blind judging on the contest page)? If so, then an edit for me is indeed in the cards simply to keep the tale anonymous.
EDIT: oops, misread. I'll probably still make at least one or two edits if there is any potential for concern.
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Is the first round a blind judging as well? I thought that was the case for the final five (or at least it is the only round labeled as a blind judging on the contest page)? If so, then an edit for me is indeed in the cards simply to keep the tale anonymous.
EDIT: oops, misread. I'll probably still make at least one or two edits if there is any potential for concern.
no worries the blind editing is the last one for the final judge, in any case I judge an story for itself I hardly check the names except to grad them :P
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Quick submission question. As to the PG-13 restriction (for which I have no issue), would use of any speech considered vulgar or profane be a point of disqualification or is it more along the lines of a true PG-13 rating. I'm not dropping the proverbial f-bomb in the tale, but I have two words (one used twice) that could pose an issue if the use of any vulgar/profane language is a point for disqualification.
Montalve may be ok with profanity but I think you take a risk in including it. You have three other judges that may not be so open minded. Profanity in itself is hard beast that is tasteful in fantasy. If we were in the bronx from a broken home and mama and dad did crack, I might go toward the realistic side. In fantasy?
Harder to find such an understandable situation.
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Montalve may be ok with profanity but I think you take a risk in including it. You have three other judges that may not be so open minded. Profanity in itself is hard beast that is tasteful in fantasy. If we were in the bronx from a broken home and mama and dad did crack, I might go toward the realistic side. In fantasy?
Harder to find such an understandable situation.
just because we had been used to a lot of juvenile fantasy my friend
true to be tell in the middle ages there were far more profanities than in today's bronx, of course the point would be which ones sound "realistic" for the media being used.Conan could be decently spoked or quite insulting, depending who he meet. Profanities as many other words and elements well used can bring an story to be more "realistic" of get people better immersed into it... or they can throw it by the side by making it sound like modern cosplay.
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I lean toward Zuxius's (and Montalve's later) response to the question of profanity. I am not opposed to it, but I much prefer if an author can use it creatively, instead of using time-worn or contemporary swear words. For example, someone using words that are profane towards a specific Golarion deity would be entertaining and contextual:
"Wine to water!" could be an "oath" in Cayden Cailean's church, or "What a blunted sting!" could be an insult in Calistria's temple.
(Maybe those are not the best examples, but you get the idea: context is important and finding creative ways to work around profanity can often yield better results than using swear words that we hear every day).
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Some of the oaths/curses I've used in the Pathfinder fiction I've written so far include:
"Oh Hells" = An obvious play on the familiar "Oh hell," with a nod to fact that Golarion has nine of them.
"Devils and demons!" = Used as the equivalent of "g%# d&&n it!"
"Erastil's Horns!" = As in "caught up on Erastil's horns," used as the equivalent of "son of a b#~+@!" Used primarily by a ranger character.
"Shelyn's tears" = Used to mean roughly "this whole situation is all fouled up."
While I have no issue with profanity and use it liberally in my modern/urban fantasy fiction, it looks out of place in high or low fantasy. But making up substitutes is pretty easy.
ETA: I find it hilarious that internet forums such as this one, which are completely protected under the first amendment and have no legal need to filter profanity are (as can be seen above) generally more prudish about "curse words" than broadcast television, which actually does face legal sanction for using foul language. (All of the words bleeped out above can be used on television. Not looking for a debate, just find it amusing.)
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Some might have noticed Sutter's post in the Paizo's Blog.
Some others might have not, please all those interested in the contest (either if they had already submited or not) please read our latest post here: Pathfinder Chronicler
Are you also extending the second portion of the contest to match or are you going to force writers to come up with 4500 words in 15 fewer days?
So how do those of us who may have submitted go about getting our stories out of submission to go through the editing process?
I was wondering a bit about this as well. It seems rather strange to change the rules after submissions have been accepted. It might favor those who waited till the last minute as opposed to those who followed instructions and got their stories in on time.