Announcing the Stuck With You Writer's Contest!

Hello Episode Authors,

It’s time to start the next Writer’s Contest!

The theme is… Stuck With You!

You’re stuck in a situation with the LAST person you’d expect. Whether the two of you are trapped in a broken elevator, forced to go on a cross country road trip together, or paired up for a project worth half your grade, you’re going to need to get through it together.

The specific guidelines are:

  1. Your story must have “SWY” in the title. Stories without “SWY” in the title will be disqualified. While not required for entry it is strongly recommended that you format your title like this - “SWY: Spring Breakdown” This will help readers search for your story and identify it as a contest entry.

  2. You must completely fill out this Google form to enter. 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.

  3. Your story can be in any genre, and it should explore what happens when your main character is in a situation where they’re forced to be with or work together with the last person they’d ever expect.

The two main characters and the situation they’re stuck in together must be shown in the first episode.

Examples of possible plots:

  • You’re on your way to the best spring break vacation ever… too bad you have to bring your annoying friend’s brother along for the ride. When your car breaks down, how are the two of you going to get all the way to the beach?
  • You’re one test away from heading to law school, but the only
    LSAT tutor you can get is the girl who might have stolen your boyfriend. Will you be able to learn the truth AND pass the test?
  • As a rising indie rock star, you’re asked to record a new song with a trending rapper… in THREE DAYS. Will your styles clash, or can you make beautiful music together?
  1. 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.

  2. 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!

  3. The submission window is 9 weeks. Your story must be published no later than 11:59 pm Pacific Time on Thursday, October 7th, 2021. To find out what time that is in your time zone, go here!

  4. 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.

  5. 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.

  6. 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 have 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!

  7. 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. As well, we recommend using keywords to your advantage, to help interested readers find your story quickly! For more information on how best to use Episode keywords, check this article out!

  8. There is a length requirement for this contest. You 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. You CAN publish new chapters during the judging period. However, you may not substantially alter or change your 3 published chapters after the deadline (other than to make minor corrections).

  9. 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, change your story’s genre, 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.

  10. 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 Monday, October 4th, 2021. 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 Stuck With You shelf in the Episode app and get a shoutout on our social media account! Winners will be announced 3-6 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!

The Episode Team

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Frequently Asked Questions About Contest Rules:

How many episodes does my story need?
Your story needs three published episodes before it can be entered into the contest. You are welcome to publish more throughout the contest judging!

Can I use Early Access or Skip the Wait on my story?
Yes, you can!

Can my story be a sequel to my existing story, or about my existing characters?

No, your story must be a new work written for the contest.

Can I enter my already published story into the contest?

No, your story must be a new work written for the contest.

If I never published a story with a similar idea, can I enter it into the contest?

Yes, an unpublished story, even if it was written before the contest was announced, can be entered into the contest.

When is the best time to publish?

Within the last 7-15 days of the contest deadline is the most optimal time. This gives you time to get everything approved, see if there are any issues and make edits, and make any major changes before you’re locked in after the deadline.

Can I edit my story after the deadline?

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.

Can I enter my story on the submission form now?

Please wait to enter your story until you’ve published it! This way if you make any changes to things like the title, you don’t need to worry about or change your entry.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Contest Story Plots:

In episode 1, can I show my main characters being stuck together as a flashback, dream sequence, etc?

Yes, as long as the situation and the main characters are introduced and shown in Episode 1. Your main characters must be stuck together by the end of Episode 1. Your story will not qualify if their situation is not shown in Episode 1.

Can I have multiple characters be in the situation?

Your story must focus on the main two characters being directly impacted by the situation. Other characters can be present, but the core idea should be the main character and someone else being stuck together.

Do my characters have to be enemies?

No! Your characters just have to be unexpectedly together for the situation. Examples of non enemies: someone your MC has had all of their classes with but never spoken to, a celebrity who happens to be vacationing in the same small town, former friends who drifted apart.

Do my characters have to hate being stuck together?

No! They can enjoy it, but make sure your story still has some compelling conflict!

59 Likes

I’m definitely joining.

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good luck to anyone entering :slight_smile:

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Finally yayy!

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I like this new one! Good luck to anyone who joins!

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YUPPIE A NEW CONTEST! :crazy_face: been waiting for this!

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omg it’s finally here!! this contest is so perfect for the story I’m working on. Good luck to everyone entering!! :smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

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Yay!! :partying_face: This fits a story I was working on perfectly!

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Wish I had more time to join! Might try though :thinking:

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writes a story about how she’s stuck with her anxiety

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:sob::joy:

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Dang, I had this crazy idea in my head and I can use it all along :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:

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What a cool contest!! :heart:

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This contest actually sounds interesting! Good luck to everyone joining! Looking forward to see how people are going to be creative with their entries :smiley:

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wait does this mean they have to be stuck together by episode one @Melani3 ? sorry, i just need clarification

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when i heard the contest title i immediately thought of the Ariana Grande song

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Yes, the main characters must be stuck together by the end of Episode 1.

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I know which unpublished story I’ll be using tor this contest😌

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