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Post by dalekbuster523finish on Jul 4, 2016 17:50:01 GMT
Whilst I understand not replying to every one of the runners-up personally, I don't see why they couldn't send a formal standard response to everyone whose identity hasn't won. It's pretty easy to send automated stuff currently - there's websites online for it.
I assume they have probably picked the winner now so I hope it has gone to a worthy winner with a good story and if there's another competition at any point I'll certainly give it another try.
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Post by chrisscorkscrew on Jul 4, 2016 19:39:20 GMT
Re: AFTER HOURS - Entry into Paul Spragg Memorial Short Trip Competition competitions@bigfinish.com Mon 04/07/2016 14:09 Junk Email To: Tin Dog (tin-dog@hotmail.co.uk); You replied on 04/07/2016 15:14. Hi Michael, I can't contact every one of the runners up as we had hundreds and hundreds of entries, but in a few cases I did want to get in touch about the story. Just wanted you to know that I thought this was a really strong story, almost theatrical in its plot, and a nice harking back to two Third Doctor characters. I really enjoyed reading it. Keep up the good work! Ian That's an amazing vindication! Congratulations on a personal message. This bodes so well for your continued writing career, not to mention building bridges with Big Finish who may well think of you again.
Chriss C.
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Post by chrisscorkscrew on Jul 4, 2016 19:53:04 GMT
Whilst I understand not replying to every one of the runners-up personally, I don't see why they couldn't send a formal standard response to everyone whose identity hasn't won. It's pretty easy to send automated stuff currently - there's websites online for it. I assume they have probably picked the winner now so I hope it has gone to a worthy winner with a good story and if there's another competition at any point I'll certainly give it another try. I really, really hope they haven't picked the winner yet as there is certainly nothing waiting in my In Box to make my day!
If they've had hundreds of entries, there is no way they could have actually looked at every synopsis in little more than three days (across a weekend too) in anything than the most cursory of manners. If they are claiming they have, I would have to seriously think about entering next year. It's not the not winning which matters, but the thought that submissions are being considered on their merits.
From the feedback we've seen though, it does sound like Big Finish are taking a typically thorough approach and that gives me hope that the winner is yet to be chosen!
Chriss C.
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Post by dalekbuster523finish on Jul 4, 2016 20:08:13 GMT
Whilst I understand not replying to every one of the runners-up personally, I don't see why they couldn't send a formal standard response to everyone whose identity hasn't won. It's pretty easy to send automated stuff currently - there's websites online for it. I assume they have probably picked the winner now so I hope it has gone to a worthy winner with a good story and if there's another competition at any point I'll certainly give it another try. I really, really hope they haven't picked the winner yet as there is certainly nothing waiting in my In Box to make my day!
If they've had hundreds of entries, there is no way they could have actually looked at every synopsis in little more than three days (across a weekend too) in anything than the most cursory of manners. If they are claiming they have, I would have to seriously think about entering next year. It's not the not winning which matters, but the thought that submissions are being considered on their merits.
From the feedback we've seen though, it does sound like Big Finish are taking a typically thorough approach and that gives me hope that the winner is yet to be chosen!
Chriss C.
They must have picked a winner though because otherwise they wouldn't be sending personal emails to people.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 4, 2016 20:24:06 GMT
They're not notifying the winner until late July, so I think it's unlikely that they've decided within the first week of the month.
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Post by constonks on Jul 4, 2016 20:51:57 GMT
They must have at least narrowed it down to a handful if they've already got "runners up". Perhaps they've got about twenty they're still deciding between, and a few others that fell into the #21-40 range got some emails??
Or they've already contacted the winner much earlier than expected.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 4, 2016 21:26:08 GMT
I guess it depends on whether or not Ian worked weekends. If not, he'll have only had two days to go over what might well be over 500 entries roughly 1000 words each.
Is that really enough time to properly read aprox 500,000 words?
That's the equivalent of reading The Great Gatsby 10 times in 2-4 days, which seems a bit unrealistic.
Unless of course they've found one so breathtakingly better than the other entries that nothing can top it.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 4, 2016 21:42:11 GMT
If I was running it I'd have started reading as soon as stories were submitted, get the bulk of them done before the deadline and keep an going ranking system. It would probably be easy to keep a top 30 or 40 stories in one batch that way. BF probably approached it in the same way. So at the deadline it's only the last day or two's worth of entries to read.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 4, 2016 22:05:15 GMT
If I was running it I'd have started reading as soon as stories were submitted, get the bulk of them done before the deadline and keep an going ranking system. It would probably be easy to keep a top 30 or 40 stories in one batch that way. BF probably approached it in the same way. So at the deadline it's only the last day or two's worth of entries to read. That makes the most sense
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Post by dorney on Jul 4, 2016 22:33:20 GMT
And of course, you don't need to have identified the winner to know who some runners up are,
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Post by constonks on Jul 4, 2016 23:45:14 GMT
Just listening to the podcast now and there are some updates on the ST competition from Ian:
- There were well over a thousand entries. Ian HAS read them all, and has narrowed it to an initial short-list of a hundred, but already knows that some of those are runners-up (and has emailed a few). - Hopefully, the winner will know around the end of next week or so. - The most popular pairing was the Seventh Doctor and Ace (by a wide margin). - On a couple of occasions, Ian had to Google some characters to remember who they were. - Next year, there will probably be a limit to the number of entries per person. - Ian liked reading every single one of them in some capacity. - They're tentatively scheduling the release for December 29th, which was Paul Spragg's birthday.
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Post by TinDogPodcast on Jul 5, 2016 5:04:04 GMT
I shouldn't have shared it.
Sorry.
I was just a bit.... stoked.
Oh it was in my junk folder.
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Post by Tony Jones on Jul 5, 2016 5:33:11 GMT
I shouldn't have shared it. Sorry. I was just a bit.... stoked. Oh it was in my junk folder. You go ahead and be stoked. I would be
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Post by chrisscorkscrew on Jul 5, 2016 5:53:21 GMT
I shouldn't have shared it. Sorry. I was just a bit.... stoked. Oh it was in my junk folder. Quite right for you to be happy and to share with us. If anything else, it reminds us to check our Junk Folders!
Chriss C.
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Post by chrisscorkscrew on Jul 5, 2016 5:56:04 GMT
Just listening to the podcast now and there are some updates on the ST competition from Ian: - There were well over a thousand entries. Ian HAS read them all, and has narrowed it to an initial short-list of a hundred, but already knows that some of those are runners-up (and has emailed a few). - Hopefully, the winner will know around the end of next week or so. - The most popular pairing was the Seventh Doctor and Ace (by a wide margin). - On a couple of occasions, Ian had to Google some characters to remember who they were. - Next year, there will probably be a limit to the number of entries per person. - Ian liked reading every single one of them in some capacity. - They're tentatively scheduling the release for December 29th, which was Paul Spragg's birthday. Thank you for posting this. The initial shortlist of 100 sounds, at the very least, a little bit hopeful (there must be one or two of us in that shortlist) as well as reassuring, as it shows the entries have been read properly. I'm surprised about 7th/Ace though - maybe it's the demographic of those submitting?
The one about being a limit to the number of entries per person next year made me smile - we all saw THAT one coming!
Chriss C.
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Post by dalekbuster523finish on Jul 5, 2016 8:45:31 GMT
I wonder if we'll be allowed to resubmit the same entries?
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dorney
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Post by dorney on Jul 5, 2016 9:51:46 GMT
I wonder if we'll be allowed to resubmit the same entries? I wouldn't imagine that'd be a good idea.
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Post by dalekbuster523finish on Jul 5, 2016 9:54:07 GMT
I wonder if we'll be allowed to resubmit the same entries? I wouldn't imagine that'd be a good idea. Why not? There could be a story that was good but didn't get anywhere the first time round because a better one was submitted. Granted, there could be a story that was terrible that didn't get anywhere because it was bad. But if someone feels that strongly about a story, surely to push it is a good thing rather than to give in because it didn't win the first time?
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dorney
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Post by dorney on Jul 5, 2016 10:54:52 GMT
I wouldn't imagine that'd be a good idea. Why not? There could be a story that was good but didn't get anywhere the first time round because a better one was submitted. Granted, there could be a story that was terrible that didn't get anywhere because it was bad. But if someone feels that strongly about a story, surely to push it is a good thing rather than to give in because it didn't win the first time? Doing the same thing tends to lead to the same result. Particularly when the chances of success are less than 1%. It's simple maths. For 99% of people, if not 100%, resubmitting would mean another rejection - and if there's a limit to the amount of stories you can submit, that might mean your sole chance for that year gone. Whilst self-belief is a useful thing for a writer, you have to persuade other people to believe in you. In my experience of various writing comps, the best response to rejection is to accept that the submission wasn't quite right and look to improve on it the next time. Listen to the winner and try to work out what they did that works. Be honest about the flaws in your own submission, etc.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 5, 2016 11:24:35 GMT
I think the biggest question is who sent the email with 11 entries attached!
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