Miss Snark mentions gather.com novel contest

As a popularity contest, I would be heartily uninterested. I haven't the time or the inclination to go harrass people into voting for me.

(Though if I got 7,000 people on AW to all vote for me. Hah. There's some power. )

I'd vote for you, PeeDee. If I remember correctly, I really liked the concept for your novel.

I am debating entering a trunk novel. I gave up on it long ago, so there isn't much to lose. Only problem is that it was edited down from novel to novella. I don't see any word count requirments in the rules, though...

Julie Worth said:

No, you send the entire ms plus the first three chapters in a separate file. They'll then post those first three chapters (2-10k words total) for 14 days so that all your buddies there can vote for it...or at least that's the worry expressed in the comments--that it's a popularity contest.

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Their rules seem to be a bit fluid. Now the chapters are posted individually during the first three rounds, and must each be 2-10k.

So... OK, I've read everything on their website again. I think my brain is melting.

...

Anyhoo, it looks like they post your chapters for 14 days for voting. It seems to me, then, that the sooner you submit, the better. I mean, right now there aren't many submissions so you'll be getting more votes. Um... right?

If I submit this will be my first contest EVER. That's why I am even more confused than usual.

CrankItTo11 said:

I mean, right now there aren't many submissions so you'll be getting more votes. Um... right?

If I submit this will be my first contest EVER. That's why I am even more confused than usual.

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They say: 20 Round 1 winners are announced, 15 based on the highest number of votes and ratings from members of Gather.com and 5 selected by the Gather editorial team.

Votes and ratings--who knows how that's to be calculated. When I looked this morning, only one entry had been posted, and had received exactly one rating (4 out of 10). This is after being up for 12 hours, not a good sign. Other not so good signs: the site is very sluggish, and the contest is not prominently displayed.

Edit: Two hours later they're up to three ratings on the first submission, even though the piece is way too short by the rules (just 700 words). The second piece is three chapters instead of one, and even then barely makes the 2000 word hurdle. Apparently the lack of submissions is forcing them to post submissions that don't meet the standards.

Thanks for the summary, Julie. So this contest is off to great start, eh?

I can't even find where the entries are posted. Could you post a link, or point me in the right direction? I don't know why I am having such a hard time navigating on gather.com.

http://www.gather.com/first%20chapters

They now have 3 submissions...nope, back to 2.

The entires aren't too strong. Gather.com folks aren't shy about letting the authors know, either.

I am having serious doubts about this contest resulting in anything publishable. But... who knows. I think it's a great trunk novel contest (as in, one you are no longer submitting elsewhere) and a good opportunity to toughen up your skin. At least it is free.

Crikey, let me get this straight.

1) put your synopsis and bio in the body of the email

2) Put chapters 1,2,3 (in one document and make sure chapters are numbered) as an attachment

3) Attach each chapter seperately as an individual document.


Am I reading this right? So that's four attachments all together?



Subject line=First chapters competition Entry, and send all of this to [email protected]

Help!!!

Tri

According to the rules: http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474976883192


A) You should submit four (4) total documents. One (1) complete manuscript, and the other three (3) are each of the first three chapters, respectively. See the Submission Guidelines for additional requirements.

Thanks, Julie.

Tri

Tri? Are you submitting? Crank?

If you guys do, I will.

That's it. You guys go first.

Here's what screwed with me:

• You must also break out the first three (3) chapters, sequentially, in a separate document so that they may be posted on Gather.com.

My take is that this is not three seperate documents, but one document with three sequential chapters. Not...three attachments. One attachment.

Comments?

Dang, tri, I just posted that it was four! And that's copied from their FAQs.

Tri? Are you submitting? Crank?

If you guys do, I will.

I don't see any harm. It's free right? I've got one manuscript left. It just so happens that my agent is sending it around. I'll have to have a talkie with him about this, though. Heck, it doesn't matter where it gets picked up.

But...I have had pro non-fiction books published. Does that exclude me? I thought this was concerning genre fiction only.

Tri

Right. Then when I get home tonight, I'll get the files and bits in order and figure out whether I'm submitting three files or eight or four or what, and I'll submit.

Which means if you guys chicken out, I'm coming for you.

*ahem*

Come on in, Julie. The water's fine...

Tri, the way I read it, if you've only published non-fiction, you're okay, or if you published vanity fiction, fine. But if your agent is submitting your ms, you're not.

Gak! Double Gak!

Tri

OK, I'll do it. I'll submit it tonight. I'm submitting a book that I wrote about five years ago and I haven't looked at since... so I don't feel like I am risking much. It's so craptacular, but this will be it's last hurrah before it is electronically buried forever.

I think (I hope) it's OK if you've been published, so long as it isn't novel-length fiction.

As for the number of files, I don't think they are consistent in the instructions. I'm doing two because that is how I understand the submissions guidelines... if I'm wrong (which I realize the FAQs state say I am)... I'm wrong. I'll let you guys know if they write back to me and say I need to break it into seperate documents.

Here I go. Someone hold my hand....

*ieeeeeee* (sound of me jumping into contest)

I'll be right behind you tonight. we shall storm the contest together.

You know. Unless we don't, or something.

You guys are nuts.

I'm waiting until at least two weeks before deadline.

Last year, I was under the impression that Gather was a site for writers ready to post their work for critique, and polish their craft. I soon learned that it was nothing more than a "myspace gone bad" with flame wars, character assassinations against other members, circulating hate-list to new members via private email, false accounts created to slam other members, cliques campaigning behind the scenes to pump up ratings and votes for those in the circle, and bombarding "outsiders" with low ratings and harassing comments. Twenty word "articles" (many cut/pasted from Wikipedia or online newspapers with no sources sited) were posted to earn comments, which translated into points, which translated into gift cards or cash. I don't recommend anyone participate on the site, and would certainly be wary of entering into any agreement with Gather.com. Be afraid, be very afraid.

Besides, if you haven't spent the last year politicking on the site, building your "network", joining the appropriate cliques, and proclaiming your undying love to the ringmasters by faithfully offering lavish praise for their every misspelled and grammatically incorrect word, your work will be rated low and dismissed with negative comments. Or worse, ignored completely.
I'd rather get a legitimate agent rejection then go anywhere near that site again. I'm just glad I used a pseudonym there.

Scrawler said:

Besides, if you haven't spent the last year politicking on the site, building your "network", joining the appropriate cliques, and proclaiming your undying love to the ringmasters by faithfully offering lavish praise for their every misspelled and grammatically incorrect word, your work will be rated low and dismissed with negative comments.

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Could be. "The Travel Clinic" seemed to be decent, interesting writing, but the first person to come along slapped it with a 1 out of 10.

Whoa.

I'm very glad you posted that. That's interesting, in a worrying sort of way.