h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hi Sally,

Is this the happening place? The place where we all sign up?

Yep?

Yippee!

mad lemur

Yes, it can be! Thanks for joining in. Discussing it here will save clogging up Chris' pf. I'll put a link there to this thread.

Sally

So far then we have

Sally
Mad Lemur

Can anyone else add their name to the above list?

Sally

Oops, maybe we should explain to newcomers.

We're thinking of starting a new subs race on September 1st. There will be no teams, just individuals with the same goal.


Here's some ideas I've had so far, but they're not carved in stone.

1) everyone must post their own subs, with no exceptions

2) everyone must be a member of GW (should go without saying really)

3) 1 sub = either 1 story (including flash and novels), or 1 poem, or 1 non-fiction article. Can also include letters to the editor if people choose.

4) There are no restrictions on where people sub, though I do agree that auto-posting sites can't really count. I feel that subs should go through an editor or competition judge, but that's just my view. Others may feel differently, and I'm willing to accept that some people want to.

5) all totals must be *total* and not split to show 'group' totals.

Feel free to pick holes in these. This is everyone's subbing race.

I did have the idea, depending on how many took part, of having small groups of three or four (randomly selected from those taking part - Team A, Team B etc, then change them around after say, three months) but I suppose that could lead to factionalism again.

Anyway, those are my thoughts. Now I want to hear other people's. We've got till September to work it all out.

Sally

Hi Sally and ml, I'd quite like to join the September subbing thread. The rules seem fine to me. Are there any minimum requirements? Say, one sub a week to remain in the race? Or, is that just up to the individual?

Also, if anyone sabotages the thread, I think we should agree to ignore those people, completely.

Antonia

Great stuff Antonia!

So that's:

Antonia
Mad Lemur
Sally

I don't think we should have subbing minimum requirements, simply because we all have other commitments. I think some people, like Arrowqueen (if she joins in) does block subbing, doesn't she? Anyway I'd be out then

As for the latter, agreed. We mustn't let people spoil it.

What goal are we aiming at? 500 subs in 3 months? 200 subs in 1 month?

Sally

Hi everyone,

This sounds like a good idea - good rules.

Personally I'd vote for no teams rather than teams (even small, changing ones) in view of recent history, but either way, count me in!

Chris

I think you're probably right, Chris. We can all root for each other and still be competitive.

Antonia

Hi,

I think just keeping a list of, 'who's subbed what' rather than, 'who's subbed what for which team' is a better idea too!

ml

In that case I'm happy to go with the majority view. I think you're all absolutely right. We're all in this together, aren't we?

I've got to nip out now but I'll be back to discuss it later.

Sally

Right I'm back. It's great to have you on board Chris.

So now we have.

Antonia
Chris
ML
Sally

I'm sure we can drum up a few more by September.

Sally

I really only joined the other ones to counter-balance all you-know-who's submissions and give the GW team a fighting chance.

I'll join if you don't think I've got an unfair advantage, since I do it for my living and other people are having to fit theirs in round full-time jobs.

What do you think?

Cheers,
aq

I think the fact that some people sub more than others, perhaps because they make a living from writing, is a good reflection of the diversity of this site. It says something about GW that it attracts new, intermediate and established writers.

That's a long way of saying 'Please give us your subs AQ!'

So now we have

Antonia
Arrowqueen
Chris
ML
Sally

I've left messages in a few other pfs, so hopefully more will join us soon.

Sally

Hi Sally, count me in,
Sheepdoglady (Elaine)

Thanks Elaine! We're very happy to have you.

So, now we have

Antonia
Arrowqueen
Chris
Mad Lemur
Sally
Sheepdoglady

The list is growing nicely folks!

Sally

Hello Sally and everyone!

Sorry not to have replied to the message in my portfolio before now - I've been out all day shopping in the nearest town - long hot bus journeys and arms dropping off! Yes please, I would like to join the September subbing race.

Northey

No worries Northey! You're here now and that's all that matters. I've been out all evening anyway. If you've got any ideas based on what you've seen here so far, feel free to share them.

So the latest list is:

Antonia
Arrowqueen
Chris
Mad Lemur
Northey
Sally
Sheepdoglady


Sally

I've had a think and I will join your subbing thread.

We all put down where we've subbed to and if we get accepted and each piece counts as one regardless whether it's a poem, 60 word story, 5,000 word epic or a saga novel, right?

Great news Star. You're very welcome.

Yes, you're spot on with the 'rules'. I think, out of fairness to poets, that their poems *should* count as one sub, as I know from writing poetry myself (albeit briefly) and seeing poets workshop their work, that as much effort goes into one poem, as we all put into short stories/novels.

I also think (and feel free to disagree with me everybody) that we don't need to count rejections. It's the subbing and the hits that count, not what gets turned down. I'm sure we can all do the math at the end to see how many hits there have been out of how ever many subs. But, as always I'm willing to bow to the majority view on this.

So the new list is:

Antonia
Arrowqueen
Chris
Mad Lemur
Northey
Sally
Sheepdoglady
Star

I'll try and remember to leave everyone a message in their pf nearer the time to remind you when the race starts, and with a link to the thread. Do we want to run it here, in my pf? Or are we running it on the Challenge thread?

Sally

NOT counting rejections is a good idea, Sally! It's a bit dispiriting to look at totals for the first subbing challenge and see 'Northey (8 rejects)'.

And personally I think setting up a thread in the Challenge section would be a good idea, so it's really out in the open and we're not clogging up your pf.

Northey