[CONTEST OVER] JNC Original Light Novel Contest
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Me: crunches for the last week to get out the 40K word minimum I thought was required
Me: goes to upload last night, internet craps out Oh goddamn it.
Me: uses mobile internet to upload, sees minimum word requirement was only 35K words Oh for the love of...Lost & Found ended up taking much, much longer to finish than I would have liked, mainly because it took a while before the narrative coalesced together in a way that felt coherent and natural without feeling like I was rushing through both plot and character development. I still ended up rushing the early bits of the narrative, and had I had more time, I could have easily added another 10K words of early plot development (and definitely will if I win and JNC is willing to let me). As things stand, it's arguably only in the last 20K or so that the writing really hits its stride. Ah well, life happens.
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@Lily-Garden said in [SUBMISSIONS NOW OPEN!] JNC Original Light Novel Contest:
Cthulhu
Well, if I am not getting smarter, I am getting dumber. And now I am a little less dumb! Thanks @Lily-Garden!
Edit: Oh wow! So that's where swamp thing was
stoleninspired from! -
@Ade said in [SUBMISSIONS NOW OPEN!] JNC Original Light Novel Contest:
I thought I would at least submitt two works, but in the end I had so much fun working on this one alone that I completely scratched that plan.
Also I would be interested in what kind of novels you guys send in.
Since I did not want to write a story happening in a place with a culture I only knew from hearsay, I stuck to fantasy, even though the "fantasy" part is already goneI also thought about writing a second, shorter light novel, but couldn't come up with an idea I liked as well as the first one. My LN is also a fantasy story, which is my favorite genre to write. It's part fantasy exploration, part political intrigue, and part rom-com--basically, the kind of thing I would want to read myself.
@LunaNightshade said in [SUBMISSIONS NOW OPEN!] JNC Original Light Novel Contest:
What I find really heartening to read is that many here managed to work their way a bit out of a depression just because of this contest. I would say that even if no one wins, THAT was really worth it.
Aww, thank you! That's kind of you to say ^_^
@WaterDweller said in [SUBMISSIONS NOW OPEN!] JNC Original Light Novel Contest:
First and foremost was the fact that I had yet to produce anything of sufficient length. My favourite kind of story to write (though not necessarily to read), is the kind that explores just a single idea or premise.
Ahaha, I usually have the opposite problem. The last fanfic I was working on was 500+ pages, and still needs another hundred and fifty pages or so to wrap up everything. My biggest challenge was coming up with a story I could end in less than 100k words. The final draft ended up being ~93k words, and turned out really well.
@strangeattractor said in [SUBMISSIONS NOW OPEN!] JNC Original Light Novel Contest:
I think it is a good idea. I'd like to participate as a reader who can give feedback. I haven't had time to write.
Sure thing! Both writers and readers are welcome to join in :) I'm not too sure yet where exactly we should organize though, unless we just make topics on the "Other Discussion" forum here. Does anyone have any other/better suggestions?
Edit: Forgot to respond to this:
@WaterDweller said in [SUBMISSIONS NOW OPEN!] JNC Original Light Novel Contest:Revising my stories is something I've always dreaded, because I know that I'll end up being confronted with all my flaws as a storyteller.
It's easy to be your own toughest critic, but don't let that stop you from taking pride in what you did right. Instead of being frustrated that you're not as skilled as you wish you were, celebrate these flaws as an opportunity to learn and grow as a writer. As I said in an earlier post on this topic, no one is born a greater writer. It's something you become by writing a LOT. No matter how flawed you feel your work is, I guarantee you that anything you put passion into will be worth reading.
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That's it, I'm done and it's submitted. All I have to do now is not look at it again because I've been finding a plot hole an hour today.
What to do next, though? Continue writing straight away or take a break? I have 4 more volumes of the novel I've submitted at various stages of planning, plus a (very) short story that I'm sure I could make into a short-ish novel. That one has turned into a sci-fi archeological mystery isekai horror story - I do like playing "will it blend" with genres. And then there's my ahem rather more adult output, the less said about that the better, I think.
Anyway, I'm certainly taking this evening off, so much wine and probably brandy too will no doubt be consumed. Cheers, everyone, and the best of luck.
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Now that I'm done and the contest is basically at its end, I'm more willing to share the general premise of the two stories I submitted.
By Honor Bound - Consent. That is what separates volunteers versus victims in the great system of inter-dimensional summoning. In all too many instances, those so summoned are given no choice about whether to assist their new world with whatever crisis de jure threatens it. Even worse, many such summonees are barely more than adolescents, wholly lacking in the training, experience, and indeed maturity needed to handle their newfound responsibilities without suffering significant mental anguish. No proper polity can tolerate such treatment of its citizens and retain its right to govern, and the Sol Imperium is no exception.
Captain Konrad Schwarz of the Imperial Gendarmerie is a seasoned veteran, with over half a decade of experience under his belt. He is also a Pathfinder, a specialized officer of the law trained to be deployed whenever the Imperium intercepts a summoning that would otherwise kidnap one of its unwary citizens. Instead of unprepared civilians being thrust into danger, a Pathfinder brings to bear the fullness of the Imperium's magical and technological prowess to complete their primary objectives. First, determine if the summoning authority is engaged in voluntary recruitment or forced impressment. Second, determine if there were any past victims and what fate befell them. Third, determine if the threat the summoning world faces could leak back through to the Imperium itself. And once these three tasks are complete, Konrad must make a choice, whether the new world he finds himself in is worthy of the Imperium's aid, or deserving of the ultimate sanction for the wrongs committed against those that came before.
Lost & Found - Mackenzie is no particular stranger to loss. First, she lost her life to a literal knife in the back, but she found herself given a second chance with a new life in a new world. Next, she lost her ostensible family, when her parents sold her into indentured servitude, but found her first true friend amongst the other forced servants. Then, that sole companionship was lost when the monster of a noble that owned them both took her friend's life, but Mackenzie at least found vengeance when she burned the man into ashes.
Having lost so much, Mackenzie did not expect to find anything else she would want or care for. Instead, she was the one that was found. By those that treated her as friend, as family, even as love. And just as Mackenzie finally started finding a chance to use her past knowledge in biology and chemistry to better things for her family and friends, and perhaps even her new world, a new threat that reeks of that same otherworldly knowledge emerges. Mackenzie is no stranger to loss, but she has already lost too much. This time, she refuses to lose anyone else.
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Alright, I went ahead and made a thread on the Other Discussion forum for discussing writing. If we end up needing to find another venue to organize, we can do that at a later time. Hope to see everyone there!
https://forums.j-novel.club/topic/7788/jnc-writing-support-group
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@zwabbit, just forget the competition and take my money :)
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I went ahead and submitted my novel, it came out to 88,659 words in the end. Please look forward to Awakening of the Amaranth Shade: They Built a Theme Park Atop the Ruins of My Fallen Kingdom?! I’ll Protect the Promise as I Seek the Truth Behind the Collapse! if it passes the second round of judging!
Also, I didn't see it shared here, but JNC posted on their twitter a means of verifying your submission if you feel paranoid:
At the moment there is no confirmation email upon submission, but if you wish to check you can email us directly at contact@j-novel.club with the email address used for the submission!
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Thanks so much for this! They were very quick to send out the confirmation (thanks J-Novel!).
It was so stupid how geeked out I was when I got the confirmation! 🤪 -
Oh how I wish I found these forums when I started writing for the competition in late December. However, now that I've submitted my light novel on the final day of the competition with only a few hours to spare, it's heartening to know that it was not just me that struggled.
95k words, sleepless nights and cheeky "Sick days" from work to complete this on time. Congratulations to everyone who was able to stick to their guns and enter a complete work into the competition, you have my utmost respect.
@admin Can we get a final count of how many entries were submitted? Will 2 months be enough time to judge all of these works?
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@Hylebos Oh. My. God.
That is an amazing title! 😄 -
Well, I did finish it in time; wrote 70k words in a month. Hope it at least passes the first round so I get some feedback, but I'm largely happy with it. It was supposed to be a fantasy novel with a bit of romance, and perhaps turned into a romance novel with a bit of action.
I decided to avoid the "infinite shy couple" phase entirely by making the power couple fall for each other so hard that they skipped all the way past romance and went straight into treating each other like they've been married for decades. Basically instead of being so shy they can't confess, they're so comfortable around each other that they don't realize they're in love, and have to work backwards. Whenever an option to become closer shows up, they take it without hesitation or embarrassment ("Move in together? That'd be convenient, let's do it!"), and there's the sense that once they do realize their feelings, they'll be absolutely certain that the other feels the same way. The (male) protagonist's PoV describes only the love interest as beautiful, while the obligatory sexy bombshell with the unrealistically massive tits gets only a dry physical description in his narration. Meanwhile everyone around them is convinced that they're in a serious relationship the whole time.
The other idea was that rather than waiting until the final act for them to get together, I'd do it early on and let them have their adventure as a proper couple. Don't know how well that'll read at this point though, especially since it remains to be seen if I'll actually write the rest of the series. It's just that there's countless stories that focus on the main couple getting together, and very few that actually show them being together. It's usually "and then they got married, the end".
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@LeavesCat said in [SUBMISSIONS NOW OPEN!] JNC Original Light Novel Contest:
It's just that there's countless stories that focus on the main couple getting together, and very few that actually show them being together. It's usually "and then they got married, the end".
My "main couple" are effectively married and at it like rabbits within 4 days of meeting each other. But it's kind of sad, really, because he doesn't love her. She knows that, but she's a princess and he's committed high treason so the alternative was death. All I can say in my defence is "it's complicated" and that he will eventually fall for her over the next 3 volumes.
After reading something captivating, book lovers simply need to talk about it with someone.
—Tearmoon Empire -
@Angelus said in [SUBMISSIONS NOW OPEN!] JNC Original Light Novel Contest:
My "main couple" are effectively married and at it like rabbits within 4 days of meeting each other. But it's kind of sad, really, because he doesn't love her. She knows that, but she's a princess and he's committed high treason so the alternative was death. All I can say in my defence is "it's complicated" and that he will eventually fall for her over the next 3 volumes.
Wow! What a trip lol.
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I guess the title of the thread should be changed to "Submissions now Closed!" hahah.
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@LeeroyCGNA just a little under 500, which is right at the top range of my prediction for number of entries.
And we are gonna do our best to get through them (have about 10 people helping with the first round judging)
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FYI, you might want to check your email for a confirmation of entry (separate from one that you may have requested). I received mine at 5:40PM EST on 2/1/24.
Highlights: they don’t want you to post your work anywhere else until you are eliminated (unless it was already previously posted somewhere else).
Your work will be evaluated by 2 readers.
464 entries
They estimate that:
60-100 will pass first round.
10-20 will pass the second round.
good luck everyone! -
The email also mentions that JNC will very likely hold another contest next year, and encouraged us to go ahead and start writing for it if we want.
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@jazzyjeoff, and how good it felt to get that mail! For next year, they really should autosend a mail when you submit your novel.
@Alfaerin, I was glad to see that because it means I don't have to think of something else to fill the gaping hole in my life that stopping writing would create :) Although it does beg the question of whether a volume 2 of something that didn't make the cut this year would be judged negatively because it wasn't strictly a standalone story. The obvious reason for wanting to know is that right now I'd prefer to carry on with a volume 2 from where my contest submission left off.
Still, if I've got a year then I'd have plenty enough time to write volume 2 and also complete my what now seems to have turned into a comedy horror isekai story, which has the provisional title "Help! A Crafty Goddess Reincarnated Me 200 Million Years After My Date with Truck-kun and Now The Whole World's Gone to S***".
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Me: reviewing draft of L&F after the fact
Also me: notices an entire paragraph missing resulting in a very hard cut
Me: Oh goddamn it. I guess this is what I get for basically rushing in such a rough first draft.
