Hello Episode Authors,
It’s time to start the next Writer’s Contest! This time the theme is… Queer!
Love is love is love. Whether that’s a pair of wives running a detective agency, or a trans-woman meeting the ONE after a breakup, we want to see LGBTQA+ characters living their best lives.
The specific guidelines are:
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Your story must have “Queer” in the title. Stories without “Queer” in the title will be disqualified. While not required for entry it is strongly recommended that you format your title like this - “Queer: Rainy Day Romance” This will help readers search for your story and identify it as a contest entry.
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You must completely fill out this Google form to enter. Be sure to include your story URL and NOT your share link. Your story URL is visible in the address bar of the web browser you use to access the Writer’s Portal and your script page. It should look something like this: https://www.episodeinteractive.com/write/story/My_Awesome_Story. (<- this part is very important, many, many people mess it up).
In the event that you send the wrong link or make a mistake on your entry form, please send your story title, email address and the correct link in a support ticket so we can update your entry.
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Your story should center around characters that are LGBTQA+. This is an all genre contest, but the main characters should identify as one or more of the LGBTQA+ identities. Stories in which the main characters are in a cis-hetero relationship will not be considered.
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You may write in either Cinematic (full-body, animated) or Spotlight (animated upper bodies) Styles or a combo of the two. You can use any art style you prefer.
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We would love to see diverse characters in your stories! For example, characters who are people of color, non-heteronormative, or are of varying religions and socioeconomic backgrounds, just to name a few! To read more about diversity and inclusion on Episode go here.
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The submission window is 8 weeks. Your story must be published no later than 11:59 pm Pacific Time on Monday, May 18th, 2020.
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You may NOT use or re-title a previously published story. This must be a new and original work that has not previously been published to Episode or another platform. Sequels, prequels, spin-offs, etc. are not allowed.
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If you are an official Episode Director or Writer you may enter the contest, but only with original work outside the scope of your contract with us.
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Be sure that your story follows our content guidelines. Stories that do not follow or which violate our Content Guidelines may be disqualified and/or have their story banned from the app. If you are any doubts or questions about whether elements or themes of your story fit with our Content Guidelines please contact the Episode Review team here. We are happy to help you with ANY questions you might have!
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Winners are determined based on the highest levels of reader engagement, rubric score and fit to contest theme. Check out our Episode Explained articles on Creator’s Contests, the Grading Rubric and Reader Retention for more info on how they all work.
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There is no length requirement for this contest. You only need to have 3 completed chapters published by the entry deadline. Your story may be a complete short story or can be continued after the contest is over. Because you only need three complete chapters to enter you CAN publish new chapters after the deadline. However, you may not substantially alter or change your first 3 published chapters after the deadline (other than to make minor corrections).
Fixing typos and errors are allowed after the deadline for contest entries. This includes things like character or speech bubble placement, spelling / grammatical errors or typos. You may not: add options to your CC, change or update your cover art, add additional scenes, choices, dialogue, backgrounds or overlays. When in doubt ask Support before you make any changes. Once the winner’s shelf has been made public you are free to make changes or updates to your story. -
Remember to allow at least 3 business days prior to the contest deadline for your backgrounds, overlays and story cards to be reviewed. This means you should plan on submitting them no later than Wednesday, May 13th, 2020. You may not add, change or modify story cards, backgrounds, or overlays after the entry deadline until the winner’s shelf is announced.
Winners from this contest will be showcased in a special Queer shelf in the Episode app and get a shoutout on our social media account! Winners will be announced 2 - 4 weeks after the submission deadlines pass as the stories need time to gain reads in the app and for our staff to review them.
Happy writing!
Love,
The Episode Team
