Hello Episode Creators,
It’s time to start the next Creator’s Contest! This time the theme is… CLUE!
It all starts with a clue. With this one piece of evidence, your MC finds themselves trying to solve a mystery…
The specific guidelines are:
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Your story must have "Clue" in the title. Stories without “Clue” in the title will be disqualified. While not required for entry it is strongly recommended that you format your title like this - “Clue: The Manor” 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 after you publish your story. 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 the 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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The primary focus of your story should be your main character solving a mystery based on a clue they find. You MUST write in the Mystery genre. You can incorporate other elements into your story, like romance, drama or comedy, but they should not be the focus of your story. You can choose to set your Clue story in any time period or location.
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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, June 3rd, 2019.
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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 Partner 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 and is suitable for a PG-13 audience. Stories that do not follow these guidelines 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 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 may be continued after. 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 Tuesday, May 28th, 2019. 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 Clue 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 passes as the stories need time to gain reads in the app and also for our staff to review them.
Happy writing!
Love,
The Episode Team
