February/March challenge - Independence

Count Zero · February 8 2013, 10:23 PM

Hi all!

As today marks the anniversary of Barlow's Declaration of the Independence of Cyberspace this contest's theme will be independence. While Barlow used it as a political term don't hesitate to explore it in all its variants and more figuratively.
Your story should be original work (i.e. not posted or published so far) and it should be finished when you post it. You need to post a link to your story in this thread to participate in the challenge.
Apart from that, everything goes, original or canon characters, alternate universes, short story or lengthy saga, it's up to you.

As February is so short and we're already a week into it this contest will also cover the month of March. The deadline is March 28th 23:59 CET so that we'll have enough time for voting and starting the next challenge on time.

Count Zero · February 11 2013, 07:17 PM

That bad, huh?

jerriecan · February 11 2013, 07:54 PM

Not bad at all! I haven't had much time to read lately, let alone write something for a contest. I have an idea - hopefully I can find the time and energy to put fingers to keyboard.

jespah · February 11 2013, 11:34 PM

I'm in thinking about it mode. Plus I shovel snow every day now, or so it seems. Perhaps I'll write something that takes place on Andoria.

Saito S · February 14 2013, 12:27 AM

Count Zero wrote:

That bad, huh?

Not at all! In fact, it's an interesting enough idea that it's got me thinking about trying to put something together, for the first time since... well, the ONLY time I've ever submitted anything here, which was about a year ago. The theme coupled with the lack of restriction on length (as that other story showed, confining myself to 10k words or less when writing a story is... just not happening, more often than not

), and the extra long period in which to write something, is enticing.

My main stumbling block is what I mentioned in the thread that followed my story submission back then: I just don't know if I want to take the time to write Trek, as opposed to putting that time and energy into original works. So I'm not sure. I'm assuming that "original or canon characters, alternate universes, short story or lengthy saga, it's up to you" still means "set in some recognizably Star Trek setting", heh.

jespah wrote:

I'm in thinking about it mode. Plus I shovel snow every day now, or so it seems. Perhaps I'll write something that takes place on Andoria.

Now that's writing what you know!

Count Zero · February 15 2013, 01:42 AM

Saito S wrote:

I'm assuming that "original or canon characters, alternate universes, short story or lengthy saga, it's up to you" still means "set in some recognizably Star Trek setting", heh.

Well, more or less. I understand what you're saying but I do think there's a lot of leeway. Vast corners of the Trekverse are quite unexplored. I think that e.g. both entries for last month, while taking place in the Trekverse, could also easily stand as original works with a few changes. Anyway, I hope you'll enter something. I enjoyed your last story.

Saito S · February 15 2013, 09:42 AM

Count Zero wrote:

Saito S wrote:

I'm assuming that "original or canon characters, alternate universes, short story or lengthy saga, it's up to you" still means "set in some recognizably Star Trek setting", heh.

Well, more or less. I understand what you're saying but I do think there's a lot of leeway. Vast corners of the Trekverse are quite unexplored. I think that e.g. both entries for last month, while taking place in the Trekverse, could also easily stand as original works with a few changes.

Fair point! And as you say, the January stories (which were both very well done, by the way! Kudos to you and Cobalt Frost) essentially did this; Cobalt's especially since it was about a completely original race without even a mention of any established Trek lore, but yours as well if you simply changed "Romulan" and "Reman" to something else. So that's definitely something to ponder as I think about what I might try to write...

Anyway, I hope you'll enter something. I enjoyed your last story.

Thanks!

Cobalt Frost · February 15 2013, 03:33 PM

My entries do tend to presuppose a familiarity with my fic 'verse as established in my other entries and story posts...

HaventGotALife · March 2 2013, 06:42 AM

Count Zero wrote:

Hi all!

As today marks the anniversary of Barlow's Declaration of the Independence of Cyberspace this contest's theme will be independence. While Barlow used it as a political term don't hesitate to explore it in all its variants and more figuratively.
Your story should be original work (i.e. not posted or published so far) and it should be finished when you post it. You need to post a link to your story in this thread to participate in the challenge.
Apart from that, everything goes, original or canon characters, alternate universes, short story or lengthy saga, it's up to you.

As February is so short and we're already a week into it this contest will also cover the month of March. The deadline is March 28th 23:59 CET so that we'll have enough time for voting and starting the next challenge on time.

I'm working on something. It's in the very early stages--I have a little bit of an outline, some notes, and about two paragraphs. But I just wanted to make sure that I understood the rules. This will be my first piece of fiction for the site. I hope I get it done in time. I'm very excited, I haven't done any creative writing in nearly 10 years. So this should be interesting.

All I have to do is submit my piece of work in this thread, right? And I am allowed to just make up an alien species, correct? I'm not even sure if Starfleet will be in it. I don't know yet where this is going. Does it have to have established lore in it?

jespah · March 2 2013, 04:09 PM

You'll need to make a separate topic for your story. I'll leave it to Count Zero to hammer out the remainder.

Welcome to our mighty band of siblings.

Count Zero · March 2 2013, 06:14 PM

HaventGotALife wrote:

All I have to do is submit my piece of work in this thread, right? And I am allowed to just make up an alien species, correct? I'm not even sure if Starfleet will be in it. I don't know yet where this is going. Does it have to have established lore in it?

As jespah pointed out, you have to post your fic in a separate thread and a link to it here in this one.
Your story should take place in the Trekverse but Starfleet doesn't have to be in it. Original characters and original aliens are perfectly all right.

HaventGotALife · March 2 2013, 08:53 PM

http://www.trekbbs.com/showthread.ph...91#post7752391

Here's my entry. Will I be able to have any commentary in my thread while the contest is going on?

HaventGotALife · March 2 2013, 09:04 PM

jespah wrote:

You'll need to make a separate topic for your story. I'll leave it to Count Zero to hammer out the remainder.

Welcome to our mighty band of siblings.

Thank you for the welcome and the information.

Count Zero · March 2 2013, 11:23 PM

HaventGotALife wrote:

http://www.trekbbs.com/showthread.ph...91#post7752391

Here's my entry. Will I be able to have any commentary in my thread while the contest is going on?

Yes, of course. That's why the monthly contest was created in the first place - to get feedback on one's writing and to hone one's skills. It can take a while nowadays, though, so don't be impatient.

Bry_Sinclair · March 3 2013, 09:32 AM

Looking over my ship and crew lists, I've decided I fancy having a little play about with the Peregrine crew (first seen during my Talarian Incursion shorts).

I will have to give it a think and see what I come up with before the end of the month.

February 8 2013, 10:23 PM	#1
Count Zero Your fluffy highness Location: Land of Awesome	February/March challenge - Independence Hi all! As today marks the anniversary of Barlow's Declaration of the Independence of Cyberspace this contest's theme will be independence. While Barlow used it as a political term don't hesitate to explore it in all its variants and more figuratively. Your story should be original work (i.e. not posted or published so far) and it should be finished when you post it. You need to post a link to your story in this thread to participate in the challenge. Apart from that, everything goes, original or canon characters, alternate universes, short story or lengthy saga, it's up to you. As February is so short and we're already a week into it this contest will also cover the month of March. The deadline is March 28th 23:59 CET so that we'll have enough time for voting and starting the next challenge on time. __________________ "Mama always told me not to look into the eyes of the sun. But Mama, that's where the fun is." Wanna talk all things pony? Hop over to Brony Kingdom. We have cookies!

February 11 2013, 07:17 PM	#2
Count Zero Your fluffy highness Location: Land of Awesome	Re: February/March challenge - Independence That bad, huh? __________________ "Mama always told me not to look into the eyes of the sun. But Mama, that's where the fun is." Wanna talk all things pony? Hop over to Brony Kingdom. We have cookies!

February 11 2013, 07:54 PM	#3
jerriecan Lieutenant Commander	Re: February/March challenge - Independence Not bad at all! I haven't had much time to read lately, let alone write something for a contest. I have an idea - hopefully I can find the time and energy to put fingers to keyboard. __________________ Check out the first part of Star Trek: Pathfinder. *Star Trek: Pathfinder* #1: The Siren's Call**

February 11 2013, 11:34 PM	#4
jespah Commodore Location: Boston, the Gateway to the Galaxy	Re: February/March challenge - Independence I'm in thinking about it mode. Plus I shovel snow every day now, or so it seems. Perhaps I'll write something that takes place on Andoria. __________________ Honk if you love silence http://www.jespah.com (includes fanfiction with most ratings). TU Publishing Adult Trek Anthology

February 15 2013, 03:33 PM	#8
Cobalt Frost Commander Location: seduced by The Coolness in Phineas & Ferb's backyard	Re: February/March challenge - Independence My entries do tend to presuppose a familiarity with my fic 'verse as established in my other entries and story posts... __________________ Damn the resonance cannons, full speed ahead!

STAR TREK

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ABOUT US

March 2 2013, 04:09 PM	#10
jespah Commodore Location: Boston, the Gateway to the Galaxy	Re: February/March challenge - Independence You'll need to make a separate topic for your story. I'll leave it to Count Zero to hammer out the remainder. Welcome to our mighty band of siblings. __________________ Honk if you love silence http://www.jespah.com (includes fanfiction with most ratings). TU Publishing Adult Trek Anthology

March 2 2013, 08:53 PM	#12
HaventGotALife Captain Location: Michigan	Re: February/March challenge - Independence http://www.trekbbs.com/showthread.ph...91#post7752391 Here's my entry. Will I be able to have any commentary in my thread while the contest is going on? __________________ To me, Star Trek's stories are about the depth and complexity of human relationships. It studies us and asks us to look within ourselves, to relate, to ask how would we respond to all that is in their world?

March 3 2013, 09:32 AM	#15
Bry_Sinclair Commodore Location: Along the border of Talarian space	Re: February/March challenge - Independence Looking over my ship and crew lists, I've decided I fancy having a little play about with the Peregrine crew (first seen during my Talarian Incursion shorts). I will have to give it a think and see what I come up with before the end of the month. __________________ Avatar: Captain Hilgrat Ja-Inrosh (deceased), Commanding Officer, U.S.S. Silverfin NCC-4470, Border Service Third Cutter Squadron Manip by: FltCpt. Bossco (STPMA)