₦airaland Forum

Bad things happen to lots of people. Horror writers happen to be people. Coincidence? I think not!

And I appreciate your participation very much. Thanks a million.

@newdeal: obviously, I am not to blame for your story's lack of focus, if any!

Some are saying the guidelines are too restrictive, others are saying I'm not specific enough.
Guys, there's nothing wrong with the contest. Just pick up your pens and start writing.

If i wrote a very exciting story about a goat, that gets transformed into a school kid by a witch doctor posing as a teacher, to perform evil tasks for him, but then grows a conscience and with the help of his new friends, decides to turn against his master and expose him, even at the risk of losing his human form. You might like the story, but immediately dismiss it, because it will require special effects and your budget doesn't allow for that.

You have a point, but I would buy that story if well told. Shape-shifting is very easy to simulate.

I think if you say, i want a story about the high school experience in the category of thriller/romance/action adventure/horror e.t.c. then the writers can be more focused on what to deliver

I think I would be interested in an excellent story in any genre, provided it's suitable for high school students. I don't want any good writer to opt out of the contest because "I only write stories in this other genre".

[quote author=obinodmx ]Why don't you get people to submit tag-lines or very brief summaries
of their stories, then commission the story that interests you the most.[/quote]Excellent idea. Unfortunately, the person with the best story idea isn't always the best writer. Technically, you can submit the story summaries you posted above to the current competition, since they are more than 75 words long. I doubt that they'll be selected over fully developed stories, though.

The most promising entries I've received so far were sent to me by tundeh and newdeal. tundeh's story has a neat concept and structure, but at under 700 words, needs a lot of development. newdeal's 4000 word story is the exact opposite, it gives me a lot of material to work with, but it reads like a random collection of short stories that happen to take place in the same school.

sisqology didn't really understand what I meant by a "cinematic" story, but I've pointed some things out and I'm waiting for his/her second entry. ossy4rill submitted part 1 of a 2 part story. My co-judge feels the story is too Nollywoodish, but I'm still waiting for part 2. The first entry I got was from a non-writer; I enjoyed reading it but I can't use it. I also got a story outline that I felt wasn't a story at all - nothing interesting happened in it.

Hmm, Gamine, what about the poems you posted in the past?

I'll contact you guys in a month or so.

@Safia: you're welcome to participate. It will be a challenge, but it should also be fun for you.

@tuneh: your story is just 696 words long. That's less than 10% of 7500. So feel free to fill it in!

not bad, tuneh. Very innovative plot. Keep working on it. Keep sweetening it.