Zgamer's Thoughts On The Contest

This July will mark my first full year of baiting on the site (mind you I took no breaks during that time). I just thought I would reflect on how the contest has changed in my eyes.

Now, do I think that this contest has changed much? Yes and no. Yes because of the amount of depth this contest has gained and no because it hasn't changed the basic formula. I see more positive than negative though because we've had so many fun changes. The precursors, the festival, the tighter focus on quality. It's been so interesting. Probably the biggest (and best) change is the plot structure. While it is good not to tell everything about the stories, I'm glad we've gotten more elaborate with our plots. Some may complain that we are losing originality in this contest, but while that may be partially true, I see even more unique ideas come out than before. It also helps that people are improving on their grammar and spelling, thus not ruining the reading experience.

I also notice a huge change in my writing style. I use to follow the basic format of baiting that most did in the early months, but I noticed that near the end of last year, I have become a lot more elaborate on details. My press sections had more substance, my structure was more refined and I was adding more detail to support the story. Of course, I've also had to change the detail part since my baits were getting too long (which helped baits like Jackrabbit but hurt baits like The Jungle and The 38th Parallel). I have changed a lot since then, and I don't expect I will stop changing. The great thing about this contest is it really tests your writing skills and adaptability. If the audience is bored with your style, you need to adapt to fit their needs. That's not to say you need to comprimise completely, but that way you get an understanding of how to sell your ideas.

So does the future of the contest still look bright? Well, as long as the authors are having fun sharing ideas and there is still support for the process, I say YES! I look forward to many more months of baiting.