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New Rules for 100 word Challenge
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NMiller View Drop Down
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    Posted: 08 Mar 2023 at 4:50pm
Did you all see the new rules? Interested on everyone's take on these.

AI use to create stories in whole or in part will be subject to DQ.
Not sure what is being used to determine this and if this will negatively effect actual honest human work.

Exclusivity Period until 30 days after round results.
I'm up for anything that gets actual human writer more visibility. I like that idea that early round wins could have an option to be published by NYCM. Will they be offering $ because I know some people pub there work for pay, but perhaps there is not much market for 100 word stories that pay a ton.

What do you think? 
(Edited to include info from email)

Artificial Intelligence (AI) - Any stories that use artificial intelligence, robotic writing generators, or other software to create stories in whole or in part will be subject to disqualification. We will be using all resources available to enforce this rule, and all disqualifications will be in our sole discretion.

Exclusivity Period - We are now asking writers to please wait to publish their stories, whether on their own personal websites or through third parties, until 30 days after the round results are announced. We are hoping to publish more of our top stories, and this period will allow us to make an offer to the writers before they publish elsewhere.



Edited by NMiller - 08 Mar 2023 at 7:57pm
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So... no forum sharing? Is that self-publishing by the new standards?

Obviously no complaints with kicking AI sh*t to the curb. But the idea of paying for a contest that keeps a story just hanging in purgatory for the entire judging period PLUS 30 days ... just kinda sucks?

Idk, I guess the 100-word stories have been the hardest for me to publish comparatively but I'm saddened at the idea of not having the fun rush to read group stories after writing :/

ETA: first round stories are written on April 28/29 depending on time zone and wouldn't be free to even submit elsewhere until July 21. Bonkers that a contest I'm paying for expects no simultaneous submissions without even releasing pay rates 


Edited by taaaylor - 08 Mar 2023 at 7:24pm
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Originally posted by taaaylor taaaylor wrote:

So... no forum sharing? Is that self-publishing by the new standards?


Exclusivity Period - We are now asking writers to please wait to publish their stories, whether on their own personal websites or through third parties, until 30 days after the round results are announced. We are hoping to publish more of our top stories, and this period will allow us to make an offer to the writers before they publish elsewhere.

I think the forum would still be allowed because behind the password it would not be considered "published" and I doubt they would want to stop a good thing like this forum.
I think NYCM would have to weigh in to be sure... I imagine it would be obvious if they did not add the link for it when time came.
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I haven’t seen them yet. But, of course, that could be because I unsubscribe from them now and then, so take this comment for what it’s worth. Judging from your info and Taylor’s comment, it seems a long period to hold a story. Usually, I remove my work once I’ve returned reads ready to submit elsewhere. Honestly, micro is such a low word count it may be a solution to shorten the contest judging window or offer some incentive to writers. No forum sharing is moot since it was optional anyway, and sometimes the feedback was twice as long as the story, which although not a bad thing, is no significant loss. Well, to me, anyway. It’s much more effective in the longer narratives. I’m in favour of the AI weeding suggestion, but as you note, I wonder what they’re using to determine this infringement. Anyway, I might get a look at the new info at some stage.
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And... saw your response. Okay, it's not a huge concern.
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Ty for the exact language from the email, NMiller! Here's more from the official rules, Section 19. Added emphasis to the first section.

Quote 19. Exclusivity And “Hold-Back”. In order to qualify as an Entrant in the Competition, and in order to qualify as a “Round Finalist”, “Group Finalist”, or “Winner” in the Competition if and as thereafter applicable, an Entrant may not publish, upload, broadcast, disseminate, or otherwise distribute in whole or in part the Entrant’s Entry (through third-parties or otherwise), the Entrant may not self-publish the Entrant’s Entry, and the Entrant may not cause the publication, merchandising, or licensing of the Entry or otherwise cause the Entry to be publicly disclosed in whole or in part (all, collectively referred to hereinafter as “Disclosed”) at any time within the thirty (30) calendar day period (“Exclusivity Period”) following the first date of winner announcements for each successive round, respectively.

[I cut the part listing that each of the 3 rounds has a 30-day exclusivity specific to the end of its round, because it's just repetitive legalese]

This foregoing prohibitions on Entrant self-publishing and other publishing includes, without limitation, a prohibition against the Entrant publishing the Entry in whole or in part on the Entrant’s own personal website, with “handles”, with “hashtags”, through URLs, and on social media pages. In the event that all or any part of the Entry is already on-line in whole or in part contemporaneously with the submission of the Entry to the LLC for the purposes of this Contest, then the Entrant must remove all of the text and content of the Entry from such publication for the full duration of the applicable Exclusivity Period.

Each Entrant specifically acknowledges, understands, and agrees that in the event of any violation of the Entrant’s Exclusivity Period commitment to the LLC and to the Competition hereunder: (I) NYCM may elect to disqualify the Entrant from the Competition, and (II) the Entry Fee along with any monies or other consideration expended or incurred, may be thereby forfeited by Entrant. Subject to the foregoing, subject to any rights licensed or conferred herein, and subject to the remaining provisions of these Official Rules, an Entrant may make any further use of the Entrant’s material that the Entrant sees fit after the expiration of the Exclusivity Period applicable to the subject material.


Whew! I'm not a lawyer, but these are some broad rules. I don't see how the forum environment would be even doable with these rules. I will definitely email to ask NYCM about payment and forum sharing specifically. Like, are we even allowed to share titles since stories can't be "publicly disclosed whole or in part" ?

This is already a wall of text, but I will share that the contract I received for my short story in 2021 was fair and reasonable. It offered a token payment ($50 USD) in addition to the prize money to grant NYCM the license to reproduce my story online on their website or marketing for as long as NYCM exists as a company with zero language for exclusivity (i.e. I could pursue reprint publication if I wanted to).

So, my biggest hesitation remains: are they seriously expecting writers to pay $24-$29 USD for no simultaneous submissions with no solid information on payment for almost 4 months? Do we at least get the chance for cool custom art? Like LOL. Come on. NYCM would use these stories to promote the contest; at a minimum, we should get some information that the publication offer is more than just "exposure".

I know the 100-word fiction market is not anyone's means to making rent (even at pro-rates, it's like eight bucks). But the idea of losing the forum-fun AND twiddling thumbs for that long is pretty absurd.


Edited by taaaylor - 08 Mar 2023 at 8:35pm
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Also, double post because someone else pointed this out elsewhere... This appears to be a new rule as well:

Quote The LLC also reserves the right to deny Entry to any Entrant that has previously been named a Winner of two (2) or more competitions run by the LLC.

Winner is defined by placing among the top 3. Ummm I am not arrogant enough to think that I might win again, but I am competitive enough to HOPE for it. And the idea of losing the ability to write in one of these contests makes me physically sick to my stomach. It's not just losing the contest; it's the whole community around it.

Plus the idea that writers who have won before -- whose work I love reading -- might lose the chance to compete? I can think of at least one person who's an excellent writer who could technically be barred from entering again by these rules @_@

Ugh. Big ugh all around.
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I am thinking that the AI disqualifying may be a real hornet's nest to put into practice.
I don't think that everyone disqualified not being given a chance to retort, or refute, 
would just be not fair.

I am wondering if the not winning more than two contests reg would be for the
same contest, but not all the others the writer has not won in? And might it be separated by 
time spans? 

I think NYCM needs to clarify all these changes for us non legal types.
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@Taaaylor Yeah I'm against this "exclusivity period" concept. I doubt they'd stop us from sharing on the forum because that's one of the biggest draws of the contest. Without the community, I think they'd lose contestants for sure. Thought it's still worth asking them because the wording is a little confusing. 

But I don't see why they should want exclusivity for publishing winning stories anyway. They could pub it as a reprint under the previous ruleset, which would suit their purposes just fine. And I assume they're not paying for the story, so that's kind of frustrating if I need to blow my exclusivity rights on an unpaid pub when a major reason I do this contest is to push me to write new stories that I want to ultimately sell. That being said, I guess if I had a prize spot it might sting less... but that should only matter in the last round, then. 

My other major problem is that sometimes themed submissions come up. Last year I submitted immediately and managed to get a perfectly themed submission and acceptance. That would have been impossible with months of exclusivity!

It's a real kick in the teeth for those of us who use the comp to generate and refine stories that we want to get on the submission train as soon as possible. 

@Suave yeah I feel like the AI-ban will be uncontroversial haha. I think as writers we're probably all frustrated with the concept that AI had to ruin art first (couldn't it ruin computer programming? Or math? C'mon, how did the AI revolution attack my dreams first haha)
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Originally posted by taaaylor taaaylor wrote:

Also, double post because someone else pointed this out elsewhere... This appears to be a new rule as well:

Quote The LLC also reserves the right to deny Entry to any Entrant that has previously been named a Winner of two (2) or more competitions run by the LLC.

Winner is defined by placing among the top 3. Ummm I am not arrogant enough to think that I might win again, but I am competitive enough to HOPE for it. And the idea of losing the ability to write in one of these contests makes me physically sick to my stomach. It's not just losing the contest; it's the whole community around it.

Plus the idea that writers who have won before -- whose work I love reading -- might lose the chance to compete? I can think of at least one person who's an excellent writer who could technically be barred from entering again by these rules @_@

Ugh. Big ugh all around.

Omg I just read this! WTF, that's some BS. Community is the biggest thing in this contest! Why would they do that?! I'm totally fine with having a great writer win a few times in a row. It means I get to enjoy reading more of their work and gain the benefit of their critique. And like, it might even feel less special to win knowing that some of NYC's best writers might be barred from entry on a given year. 

I'm not loving these new rules (other than the AI one)
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