Hello hello, writerly furs! It is time for

Sae's First Annual Writer Appreciation Story Contest!

Writers are snubbed in this community! It’s barbaric! Criminal! But hey, writers, I love you! And am willing to back it up with an awesome contest just for you. So are you ready to set pen to paper (or, more likely, fingertips to keys) and show me what you've got?

(Note: I am doing this during Nano so that those of you who can’t seem to make it far in Nano have a more relaxed thing to write. Or, you can use this contest AS your Nano project, AND have time to edit it afterward! If you are already doing Nano, never fear; I will probably do this next year much sooner.)

~The contest starts today - 11/2/2013. Entries are due 12/26/2013 at midnight MST. If you need an extension, I will probably grant one, but it would be best to get it in on time! Please send all submissions to sacredsourcedoula at gmail dot com. Judging will begin on January 1, 2014.

~Stories are limited to a 3k minimum word requirement and a 50k maximum word requirement (poems are acceptable outside these word counts, but I much prefer narratives).

Okay, that's boring! What about the prizes??

~The number of prizes will depend on how many entrants I receive. If I receive three to five entrants, there will be one grand prize winner. If I receive six to ten, there will be one grand prize winner and one runner up, and so forth. I will update you all on how many entries I've received at the deadline.

The grand prize will be an illustration of a scene from any of your stories - full color, up to three characters, background, the works. I will also feature your story on my page and hopefully garner you lots of attention and praise! These are subject to change; if I get a lot of entrants, I may add a cash prize as well for the grand prize. All qualified entrants will have their names listed on my pages, perhaps with honorable mentions, and a link to their submitted stories if available.

The runner up prizes will be one-character pinups of any character you desire. Your story will be mentioned on my page as well.

"What about the rules?"

~You must use at least one of my characters in the story. The list of my characters can be found here: http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/3318462/. There should be descriptions in each of their ref pictures, with the exception of Aissata, who has never been used in a story. Sometimes she is paired romantically with 's rhino character Daisy.

My characters do not necessarily have to be the center of the story. Some of them will be better in supporting roles, as romantic interests, etc. You may not use stories you've already written.

~You may use your own characters, canon, and universes; you can come up with a setting just for this story, or you can use my very loose worlds and fill them in.

~You may submit multiple entries.

~Write in any style you wish (first person, third, etc). Remember that only a handful of authorly legends have managed to pull off second person in any way. ;)

~My normal rules for commissions apply to any prizes.

~You may use your own characters, canon, and universes; you can come up with a setting just for this story, or you can use my very loose worlds and fill them in.

~Please use Times New Roman 12pt font, single spacing. Don’t submit huge walls of text – indents are your friends! Please put your title and name at the top. You may post your story anywhere, but I will only accept stories as entries if they are emailed to me.

~After judging, you may ask me for opinion and critique of your story. My husband and I will be the only judges.

~You MAY collaborate. I would prefer you do not commission stories for this contest, as it can lead to issues with prizes, copyright and the like.

~If you break a rule, I will try to let you know as soon as possible so you have time to fix it.

"Got any tips on how I can win this thing?"

~I am a bit of a stickler about spelling, grammar, and sentence structure! This will definitely play into who wins. Having someone proof it for you is always a good idea!

~Other things I take into account: plot, conflict, atmosphere, description, psychological and emotional depth / exploration of characters, pacing, twists, etc.

~I will not separate PG and erotic entries. I am far more likely to select a story that is not pure erotica; I prefer stories with plots that explore the characters or have lots of adventure. Sex is fine, of course; but please try to use it as a plot device rather than a plot. Please do not use any extreme fetishes whatsoever; note me with questions.

~Please read the descriptions and stick to them as best you can. Many of my characters have flexible sexuality, but some (like Tegan) never go outside their specified preference.

~I have prompts, but would prefer you to come up with a story on your own! You may also note me at any time if you need help brainstorming or have a question about a character.

~If you are more comfortable with fanfiction, that is okay - but I might not pick you if I don't know anything about the fandom. Best stick to original universes (excepting the My Little Pony one, of course).

Please comment or note here with any questions!! Good luck everyone!