I really like this series alot, but I'm not too sure of writing a original verison of my own on the dreaming. I'll try my best to do what I can of writing a horror story...

KEIKOMIDORINO91

04.12.2008 12:27 AM

I've never read those books before. Im disappointed about this contest too. I think agree, It should be something more like our own story to write. but Im not a good writer yet anyways. Lol.

LIZZYOUTRAGEOUS

04.11.2008 06:45 PM

5 more days.... I just sent mine in Friday. I hope everyone who wanted to enter will make the deadline.

PHEONIA

04.09.2008 06:58 PM

I honestly and absolutely LOVED the dreaming series, but even though I AM writing a short story based off of it, I'm actually under 13 so mine won't be counted ^^!! Either way, I wouldn't send it off. It's completely fine if you do, but IN MY OPINION it's a bit of a waste of time better spent re-reading the series... okay, maybe I'm still on the fence about sending it. AH! And I agree, you aren't 'selling your soul', especially if you enjoy writing, are good at it, and think it's a good idea. I respect your opinion, but I do think that's a little... harsh. Anyways, I also think it's kind of hard, because the only thing they give you to really work with is the wife of the faory king, the original quinkan girl who was teased. In conclusion, I say go for it if you want ot, but it DOES seem like a waste of time to me, as I have no free time anyways... speaking of which, I need to eat dinner still!! GAH!

JINENKICHAN

04.04.2008 07:20 PM

I don't think anyone entering is "selling their soul". And I seriously doubt that anyone entering is entering for the moeny. That's not why I'm entering. I did it because I need that extra bit to put on my cover letters when I submit to agents and publishers to help me stand out from the thousands of manuscripts they get each week from talented, but unrecognized writers that get tossed in the bin, just because they don' have any credit to prove they are sellable. And honestly, it's a great way to book sales of a series. I see nothing wrong with that at all. No one's being forced to buy the books (go to your library), or to enter.

MORAG

04.03.2008 02:31 PM

Sorry I can't wright it^^' I don't know anything about The Dreaming^^' Guess I won't win it^^I wanted to read it but my mom won't buy it for me^^' So that's really unfortunate^^

TEAR13

03.31.2008 11:21 AM

holy crap that was a good bit of a writing work out. i actually hit the page quota :dances: now all I have to do is edit.... :dies: why can't I be a betta spella? why???

PHEONIA

03.30.2008 09:55 PM

To the detractors of this contest, I put forward the following: Assuming you win, at 300 words per page (that's a rough estimate) at the minimum amount (20 pages), you're getting paid roughly $0.05/word. That isn't great or terrible, and you can live on it if you're a prolific writer. If you write the maximum amount, you're getting paid about $0.025/word. That is roughly what HP Lovecraft got paid 70 years ago and what a lot of newer work-for-hire writers in niche industries work for today. The clause mewichigo1 pointed out is a standard work-for-hire clause. If it upsets you, don't try to write in any industry except the novel and short story markets. Commercial creative writing is frequently (always?) work-for-hire. Also, it allows them to edit freely, if for some reason they select a work that is poorly written but has some great ideas, or one that is expertly written but with lackluster ideas (I'm not sure why Tokyopop would do either thing, though). I agree, though, that the name of the contest is misleading. I have nothing against fanfic at all, but I haven't written any in more than 15 years, and I'm not interested in getting back into that particular hobby. If Tokyopop repeats the contest, I hope they consider changing the name. :) Finally, to dwpunk: It's actually not much harder to judge an open competition than a closed one. Either way, roughly 90-95% of all entries will hit the reject pile before the editor finishes the first paragraph. Certainly, a wide-open contest would bring in more entries, but you can whittle down any pile pretty quickly. This is more a promotion than a contest, really, but at the end of the day the winners get to add "award-winning writer" to their resumes, which won't hurt them if they pursue future writing careers. As long as this promotion helps Tokyopop's sales, it's a win-win for both parties. :) Good luck to the contestants! :)

IRISHNINJA

03.30.2008 06:01 PM

you don't have to go buy the books to write your short story... just go to wikipedia.org and type in "the dreaming manga" and you can read about it and find out about the characters and places! it's easy and free! thats how you can write your short story without spending money!!!

SIMRANMAHMUD

03.30.2008 12:10 PM

This is a bit ridiculous. I mean, not only is this a gimmick to boost the sales of the Dreaming series, the cash value given the regulations Tokypop will have over your entry doesn't make it worth it. Quite frankly, you'd probably make more money writing your own series, especially if it isn't published by Tokyopop. I don't see why I have to go out and buy this book to write a short story about them. To buy all three books, you'll be at nearly thirty dollars, and since you have to ship your work, there's going to be some cost in that as well. Really, if you win the runner-up prize, you really didn't get all that much. You know, I think I might be more interested in this if we got to write a short story for Vampire Kisses. At the very least, the original books have been around for a while, before Tokyopop decided to do a manga for it. Or maybe I say this because I find writing about vampires to be very fun. And why is it we can't sumbit our own original stories. I don't agree with DWPUNK's comment about this. Given what you're saying, then the rising styrs of manga contest wouldn't be anything like it is. While I do enjoy writingf anfiction and already having that plot to work within, this is a PROSE competition not a FANFIC competition. And that's what's bothering me. I think they seriously need to rethink this next time.

DARKKITE

03.30.2008 09:33 AM

I laugh at the people who agree to sell their souls to Tokyopop just for a couple hundred bucks.

SWEETTOHRU

03.30.2008 08:55 AM

I'm not gonna enter as I actually read the rules and do not agree with them. They take your entry and basically you have no control over it and they could rewrite the story entirely if they wanted to. Sorry, but... NO.

MEWICHIGO1

03.30.2008 07:22 AM

I got mine sent off today. Had to hold my squirmy 5 month old most of the time I was writing and editing it, so went slower than I would have liked but I got it done!! I think the third volume was the most interesting. Had a bit more action, which I love.

MORAG

03.29.2008 07:10 PM

It doesn't limit originality. You can still be original. If you think about it all fiction pieces work within a set of rules and nothing is truly "original;" it's all been done before. TP just can't hold a free-for-all because the judging would be insane. How can you compare such a diverse range of works? It's impossible; so with this format they have something more specific to judge against. Does that make sense? And you should by no means think it inhibits your originality; it should give you a sense of challenge and as long as you stay within the framework of the existing plot you can still go as crazy as you want with your story, you can still make it your own.

DWPUNK

03.29.2008 07:05 PM

I think it was better if Tokyopop let us come up with our own short stories. Like, based on our own ideas, novel-like without the drawing needed in the actual rising stars of manga competition. basing it on someone else's story eliminates the originality of the concept idea of the work and requires for the participants to purchase or read the material, instead of creating their own little "proses" just a thought.

DRAGMEDEEPER

03.29.2008 01:07 PM