Fan-Fiction Contest [Deadline Extended!]

[Sterne]

This event was created by the minds of Sanctus Refero with the intention to support and bring the attention to the hard work of Square Enix and the Final Fantasy XIV Development Team. Please be sure to read and ask questions if you're not sure what this is about.

Please review all of the rules to see how they have changed.

[size=7]Quick Facts:[/size]
3 Categories Added:
Short-Story, Novelette, Alternative Entry*
Deadline
Extended: Release of 1.19 Patch!
Updated! Requirements:
Short Story: 7,500 Words Minimum
Novelette: 10,000 Words Minimum
*Alternative Entry: Poetry, Prose, Art etc...
Real Life Prizes for: See Below for Details
Best of Each Category: Short Story, Novelette, Alternative Entry

Below are further details broken up into categories for you to peruse and commit to heart. Please be sure to read everything if you wish to participate in this event.

[size=5]MISSION STATEMENT: [/size]
The purpose of this event is to combat the mediocrity and complacency that lays upon the pallets of many Square Enix fans. Final Fantasy, the long lasting franchise, has become something dear to us. By inspiring the minds of the fans and tickling the creative toes of our Role Players in Final Fantasy XIV, we can show our support for the fanbase and for the development teams. Let's come together and show our power!

[size=5]RULES:[/size]

• 7,500 or 10,000 Words Minimum
  • As counted by Microsoft Word
  • Submissions must adhere to the requirements of their respective category
• No serious alterations to the current state of the Final Fantasy XIV Universe
  • ex. The Grand Companies of Eorzea are actually one big fat lalafell
  • Your story will not be considered for the contest if it does not take place in the FFXIV world to a notable extent.
• Sexually Explicit content is forbidden
  • Pointless vulgarity, violence and sexuality will effect the quality of your submission in the eyes of the judges
  • Suggestion: "R" rating or lower
• Criteria judges will be looking at
  • Creativity
  • Content
  • Grammar and Spelling
  • Aesthetic (formatting)
  • Intangible/Tangible research done
• A title is required
  • "Untitled" will not cut it. Alternatively "The untold/unknown Story" does.
  • You may use a Pen Name
• Poetry, Lyrics, etc. are acceptable
  • Note: Must be authors own work.
• Plagiarism will disqualify you immediately
  • Note: Fire may or may not be involved

[size=5]AFTERTHOUGHTS:[/size]
By submitting an entry into this contest you are hereby giving us the right to use it in a collection of stories in a free e-book to be published. The submissions will not and cannot be used for profit by us since you still have basic and essential ownership over your work. In addition, the collection holds the potential to be printed into a physical book and sent to Square Enix dependent on factors that include, but are not limited to: Submission Count, Reception and Support.

Update!
Note: The Art submissions as a whole may or may not be included in the E-Book printing depending on formatting and complexity of all the submissions. As an alternative, they will be posted and made available for voting in a separate sub-gallery website yet to be determined.

If you would like a physical copy of the book we are sending to the Dev Team, it will not be free as printing costs money. An announcement covering the feasibility of this will be made at a later date.

[size=5]Prizes[/size] Updated!
Each Best of Category Entry will receive a Moogle Plushie
*Note: After the e-book is released, a poll will be held for the People's Choice. The winner of this vote will receive a Chocobo Plushie or Steam Game of equal or lesser value.

[size=6]How to Submit:[/size]
Stories must be submitted in both PDF and .DOC format to contactus@sanctusrefero.com -- Submissions only in .DOC will still be accepted.

Note: To give more people a chance to participate in this great event, we've extended the deadline and decided to reach out to everyone who plays Final Fantasy XIV and not just Besaid. Our apologies for the oversight of this former exclusion.

[Nero]

If the first Price would be a Flatscreen, i would totally considering this. :P

[yukaru]

this sounds like fun. i will let my sis know too...... glad you extended the deadline... even though i'm on besaid... i didn't see this before.... /fun ^ ^

[DoctorMog]

So, any topic is acceptable?

[Geesus]

I agree with Yukaru! This is a really great idea and I think showing some sort of gratification to the Devs and others working through atroscities tirelessly would be a fantastic gesture. I'm IN!

[Atoli]

I think a plushie is already a great prize for some Fanfiction, but 10k words? A bit much..especially for poems, lyrics, etc. xD
I mean..seriously? Who writes a song which is 10.000 words long?o,o'

If there wasn't the minimum of 10k words, I'd totally do this.

[origamikitsune]

Pooka here. One of the judges for the contest, and editor for the e-book.

10k words is is about 15-20 pages, depending on formatting. I will poke the other people involved in setting it up and see what they say about adjustments (though I make no promises).

As it is intended to be a short story contest, I don't think that we will accept "submissions" in the competitive sense that do not meet the requirements. However, I will ask the organizers about accepting submissions that do not fit the requirements to be included with the final publication - that way we can include our poets, artists, and other creative players in the e-book. Again, I make no promises but I will try to make it happen.

I'll let you know how it goes (or Sterne will) as soon as I have an answer.

[Atoli]

I will ask the organizers about accepting submissions that do not fit the requirements to be included with the final publication - that way we can include our poets, artists, and other creative players in the e-book.

Thanks a lot, that would be great

[ObeiKinstar]

the deadline is extended to when?

[Sephrick]

Pooka here. One of the judges for the contest, and editor for the e-book.

10k words is is about 15-20 pages, depending on formatting. I will poke the other people involved in setting it up and see what they say about adjustments (though I make no promises).

Actually, the average word count for a double space, 12-point font page is 250. So you're looking at a minimum of 40 pages per submission.

Source: Journalists know these things by heart, lol.

That being said, I'd like to say thanks for extending this deadline and opening it up to the rest of us. I've head an idea kicking around that I was just going to write up and stick in my blog, but I think I'll submit it to this instead.

the deadline is extended to when?

[B]

[size=7]Quick Facts:

Deadline
Update! Deadline Extended: Release of 1.19 Patch!