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Book Contest 2008:
Same rules as last time:
50 books in a year (or more than me depending on how many people reach 50 or over)
Novels and Novellas. Short story or poetry collections as well. No children books. I expect the novels to be at your reading level. If you have a question, please feel free to ask me!
Prizes will be award to the winner(s). It can be whatever the winner wants (within limitations, obviously). I retain the right to deny any request based on my finicial limitations, availablitiy, or other reasons.
(new addition) For every 5 people, a new place will be made, ie: with 1 person: 1 place (winner), at 6 people: 2 places, 11 people: 3 places. Got it? It's a little confusing since I'm crap at explaining...sorry! This has a cap to it: somewhere between 3 and 5. I'll decide that after I see how many people join.
(new addition) The contest OFFICIAL begins at 0:01 dA SERVER time Jan. 01 (that's 8 PM for me. The easiest way to find this is to click on the pageview option in the stats section (I'm crap with timezones too!)). It OFFICIAL ends at 24:00 dA SERVER time Dec. 31.
Create a journal with your list, or just note/e-mail me with your list. I'll create a page off my webpage for the list with all the books compiled there. Unless my page goes over bandwith or something, this list will be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The page should be sdmccarty.com/books.html. The 2007 list is sdmccarty.com/books2007.html.
The books should be read IN 2008. However, since reading is not a precise art (timewise, I think) books read HALF OR MORE in 2008 will count. If more than half was read in 2007, it counts towards neither contest, but it is still worth finishing. This means, if the book is 500 pages, if you read 250+ in 2008, it'll count towards the new contest. If you read 251+ in 2007, it counts towards neither.
You can join at anytime during the year. I suggest doing it before Dec. 31 though. Near the end of the contest, I'll note people with the details, so it's good to be in on that loop if you decide to enter.
The finalized list will be due by the end of Jan. 03 dA SERVER time to me. Send me a note with your finalized list. Notes after that will be ignored (especially if I've already done the drawing...)
These books don't have to be in English. Read whatever you want (within the limits stated above) in whatever language you want.
I trust you guys to follow the rules. I WILL NOT check up on the books. I might read them, but that'd be it.
Have fun! This is the most important rule! This is a great way to test yourself and see how many books you can read. I didn't even think I'd get up to 25, but I got 32! I was amazed and am going to try to get AT LEAST 33 in 2008! If you're not having fun, then don't do it. It's not worth it. The point is to have FUN - not to win a silly contest. You don't need to tell me if you're dropping out of the contest (unless you've read quite a few books (especially if it's more than the amount I've read), and you DON'T want a prize). This is for fun - with a little incentive added to it. You learn a lot by reading, and I think many people would do well to start reading more. Everybody who tries is a winner to me (HA! so cliche!...ps: I don't know how to get an accent mark on that so let's pretend that there is one).

Writing Contest...?
I was thinking of holding a writing contest. The rules would be:
The writing must be a cohesive unit. Meaning that is CAN be a collection of short stories, or poetry, or a work of fiction or non-fiction BUT, if it is a short story or poetry collection, I need for it to seem like they would all be in the same collected work. A common thread of love or whatever would be enough for that. I know that some collections DON'T have a common thread except for the fact that they've all been written by the same person, or all won a prize, or something like that, but I want some thematic(?) common thread for the collections.
Can be fiction or non-fiction. As long as the work(s) meet the "common thread/cohesion" requirement like stated above.
There must be at least 120.000 words total - 10.000 a month (feel free to check my math, I'm not known to be a match whiz except with one girl but that's a different story). Is that too much? I don't think so, but I could be wrong. My writing is at best subpar. I WILL be a stickler for this. Even if I only get 10.000 words total, the only people who are up to win are those who get 60.000 or more.
Can be OVER 120.000 for the adventurous...or those literary folks out there. 120.000 is a MINIMUM.
The amount of places/winners will be the same as above (1 person = 1 winner, 6 = 2, 11 = 3). Again, a cap set at somewhere between 3 and 5 - to be announced at a later date.
Again, send the writing to me in a note/e-mail. I will collect them together for all people to see. Can be submited to dA and where ever else you feel it prudent.
I do not care what it is over. Raunchy romances are just as accepted as social commentary. HOWEVER, if you're works are going to NOT be suited for those 18 and under, please let me know, so I can set up the page accordingly.
You should note me with what you're writtings will be about. This is mostly so I can categorize appropriately.
By entering, you are letting me post up the writings on my page. I shall NOT post them anywhere else. They are yours, not mine. I'm just collecting them.
Group entries are allowed, but ONLY 1 PRIZE will be awarded to the group. Prizes are the same as listed for the book contest.
Time is the same as above. Start = Jan 01 0.01 dA SERVER time. End = Dec. 31 24.00 dA SERVER time.
Does NOT have to be in English. I'd prefer English just for the selfish reason that I can read it XD but that is not necessary. However, your note to me about what it's going to be (short story, fiction, etc) and the age level (safe for everybody or 18+ only) should be in English so I know for sure that it's going in the right place. Of Japanese. I'm good with that language too.
Again, this is for FUN. If you're not having fun, don't do it. I won't force anyone to continue unless they are having fun.


What do you think? Should more words be necessary? Isn't that writing contest NANOsomething like 50.000 in one month? Something else I should change? Please let me know so I can get this show on the road

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