Writing Contest and new Library

[Cygnus]

Greeting aspiring, budding and even closet writers. I am planning on holding a writing contest. If you have a story inside you begging to come out, or if you just want to see what it takes to craft a short story, then this is your chance. Almost 10 years ago, a player named Oromis conducted two separate contest called Writing for Millions and Writing for Millions 2. The results of those contests can still be found in a couple of players personal libraries, including mine which includes over 200 works from various players and staff, past and present.
I want to revive the contest and add more works to the history of Excelsior, And to do that, I am offering over 10 million in gold and prizes. Right now, I am looking at 5 million for 1rst place, 3 million for 2nd and 1 million for 3rd, etc. I will also work with staff to develop a participation reward.

Since this is m y contest, I am going to impose some stipulations:
1. The story must be at least 20 pages in a UO book. (that's like 1 1/2 pages in a word document.)
2. You use the book I provide. (60 page tome. If you require more pages, you can buy them for around 800gp)
3. The story must be centered in the UO universe.
4. Although I won't reject anything to mature, don't forget this is a family shard.
5. Other than that, the skies the limit.

For those of you who are interested I suggest you visit my library and peruse the previous contest works and other storied written that were not involved in the contests. I wish I could tell you which stories won the first times, but I can't. I do know that all the win/place/show stories were more than 20 pages long, hence my 20+ page requirement.

I plan to conclude this contest at the end of February. I may extend it if an author needs more time. I don't want to rush a good ending. So, you have plenty of time to develop a story, get it down on paper, edit it (highly recommend) numerous times, then transfer it into your book.

When you are finished, I will make a copy of your book to display.

Anyone ready to start, please PM me. Also, anyone who doesn't want to write but wants to be a judge, please pm me as well. The number of judges will be limited, but I want to make sure any accusation of bias is minimized.

To get to my library, right now there are 3 ways.
1. Go to House Gates on World Teleporter. Look to the southeast. Double click the green square tile and go the house on the right with the 2 greeters at the front. Don't forget to say hi to them. Follow the trail of gold goings into the house. You will walk into my east wall and arrive that way.
2. There is a linked gate in Junobo's museum which can be accessed from the House Gates,
3. There is also a linked gate by the Psychedelic mushroom in Chrysanthe's Plant Museum.

Any questions, PM me. Happy writing!

[Coalfire]

Love this idea. I'll start hashing out a rough draft this weekend.

Good luck everyone.

[Piper Dixon]

Awesome Idea. Already got a million running in my head. Good Luck to everyone.

[Cygnus]

Got the first two entrants today with another two just needing to make connection with me. What are you waiting for? Even +Colibri said he might submit an entry, which would be awesoooome! And if he does, with his busy schedule, what would be your excuse? Everybody has a story in their head, go throw it down on paper then into a virtual book. Since these will be short stories, no need for character development. Just capture a moment in time; a segment of a larger story; express a moral; write some poetry; create a saga like Beowulf; or a tale like Peter Rabbit. Just try an keep it with the UO/Fantasy genre for the contest. Lots of examples already in the library for you to spark an idea.
If this contest is a success, perhaps I will hold another and leave the subject/ genre up to the author. Hope to hear from you soon. Happy writing!

[Jantra]

Oh gosh, I am all into this! Is there any easier way to work with the UO books? Do they accept copy and paste, for example? I've never done it before.

[Cygnus]

Unfortunately, no method of copy and paste that I know of. However, you can edit your own work. You do not have to erase everything just to make a single correction. As soon as I get on, I will contact you and we can set up a meeting so I can give you the lowdown. If you have any friends that may be interested, bring them along.

[Devlin]

Oh gosh, I am all into this! Is there any easier way to work with the UO books? Do they accept copy and paste, for example? I've never done it before.

You can actually "use" inscription, similar to other skills like tracking/hiding/arms lore, etc. Use inscription, select the original book then target the one you want to copy to =)

Alternatively, write the story in word/notepad/whatever and then copy/paste that into the book. It'll retain formatting, etc.

[Cygnus]

*bump*
Up to 6 entrants. Still plenty of time to sign up.

[Cygnus]

*bump*
Still plenty of time to join this contest. Millions being given away. What's holding you back?

Afraid someone might make fun of your work? - Who cares. Do you think you're competing against King or Tolkien?
Don't know how to start? - Just throw an idea down, then brainstorm off of that. You will be surprised.
You want to try, but can't come up with an idea? - Then try these suggestions:
take a real life event like a birth of a baby and move it into the fantasy world Hint Hint +C
write about your first UO adventure
Write about your greatest UO adventure Ex - When I killed a Sphinx, +Rayne informed me I was the first to do it.
Write about a guild adventure
Create a story about friendships made here
Make up a story about one of your UO goals and frame it like a quest from the gods

I could keep going on but you get the idea. Everyone has a story in their head just waiting to come out. Don't let fear hold you back. It's the story we'll be interested in, not your mastery of the rules of writing. I have written two full novels and will begin working on a third and I suck at it. So, what's your excuse?

Contest runs till the end of the month. Still plenty of time. Remember, minimum length to enter is 20 pages. That's 1.5 sheets of a word document. You've done far more than that in school on subjects you could care less about. Just DO It!

[Cengaver]

Sorryly i dont have time but idea for writers and bump post : Lord of Cengaver Triology

Lord of Cengaver - The Fellowship of the Champs
Lord of Cengaver - Fifty Shades of Blacklist
Lord of Cengaver - Edge of Tomarrow

[Cygnus]

Sorryly i dont have time but idea for writers and bump post : Lord of Cengaver Triology

Lord of Cengaver - The Fellowship of the Champs
Lord of Cengaver - Fifty Shades of Blacklist
Lord of Cengaver - Edge of Tomarrow

I am sure there is plenty of material for the asking to create these instant classics.

[Birko]

You have me inspired

[Cygnus]

*bump*

Just a thought for you cash strapped gold challenged players. What an easy way to earn millions. Take your fertile imagination and jot it down on paper, then mold it into that work of art that could win you 5 million gold. For you new to the shard, what could be more easier to earn that much moolah? Nothing!
There is still 2 weeks left, so plenty of time to knock out a winner. Just pm me or respond to this post.

[Cengaver]

Refreshin post and i begin to writing, but my english is bad

==Lord Cengaver - The Fellowship Of The Champions==
- Prologue - Long long long time ago (^_^) , heheh ok well, but really long time ago , hmm you think , In this time everywhere in the peace , are you imagine this time how long ago (^_^) , In this time with one kingdom , one king and many lords , king rules lords , and lord rules peoples in small towns, In this time, everyworks needs manpower , but strongers making hard works , and others making other works or helping to strongers, lords rules peoples , lord decided who making what works , and this is forgetten story about a man, known name with "Cengaver" , but first off you must feel living atmosphere...

-Section One- Elenia birth in the yew small town , second daughter in farmer family , all year yew people working on reagent farming , summer time ginseng and garlic , winter time black pearl and mandrake root very popular, every season exchange time , people harvest all reagent and sending to king landing (capital city britania) , Elenia likes exploring , she will join reagent caravan to visiting britania , its very big and beatifull city , but father dont permit to visiting , because capital have more dangerious people and places , every year older sister going capital city but this year she is last level of pregrancy , after elenia maked long talk and promises , family accept to she join reagent caravan to going capital , and after fewdays caravan prepared , she begin to long road , she wave hands to family , many ideas and dream in her mind , she is very happy , but actually where is she going , deep darkness waiting her on the road...

-Section Two- Barack birth in capital city , sometimes a jester , sometimes a thespian , he is very funny boy , he fearing everything , he not have family , coming from streets , he dreaming evertime his own drama show , everyday planning , dreaming characters , replics stories... but he fearing about people reaction , he most hoping about peoples love his drama show , because all days people appreciate and laughing his performs , one day accidentally fall in the theatre platform , peoples thinks this is part in show , and clap hands crazy , after claps ends , barack thinks this is the right time , begin his drama show , actually show not complete and story is not very funny , after five minutes somebody shouts "get out!" , and anotherone "get out! you rat" , people laugh and shouts "rat! rat! rat!" , peoples grips him , carry to sewer hole , and sorryly yes , throw him into the sewers tunnels... after peoples leaving ground , into the sewers tunnel , barack thinking everything is a nightmare , how this can be real? what i am maked wrong? how i can exit here? while thinking , he heared somethings , sewers have many tunnels , tunnels connected another tunnel with large pipe , barack creeping into the pipe for going another tunnel, he find worn spear on ground and take it, sound coming closing , see a shadow , shadow walking in the tunnel and talking , 'anh mi sah ko...' , barack tracking shadow with long distance , shadow exit the sewers , barack waiting sometimes and exit sewers , he looking around , outside the capital road , he think 'i cant going back , but where can i go?' , he saw many footmark on the ground , thinking 'well i am not first' , he thinking sound again 'anh mi sah.. what is that' , he decide going to meets from sounds owner , last time looked to capital and begin to tracking footmarks , but he dont know , deep darkness waiting him on the road...

-Section Three- Sementa living in trinsic town, single daughter of veterinary family, very kind woman, everybody likes sementa because she running for helping everybodys, sementa loves animals, father veterinary too, father and sementa all days aiding sick animals and other works, but actually she will learning about wild animals, bats snakes wolves and other wild animals, but wild animals living in caves and dangerious, father going every year to capital city, because every year 'harvest festival' comes many people to capital city, this is the big ceramony in year, everybody comes with pack horses mules and more type animal, after long way animals tired and this means more work and money for veterinaries, but this year father not feeling good and sementa going capital city alone, she prepearing 2 horses for travel, and begin to road, she sad for father, he is old and farewell time is coming, mother dead in she is childhood age, she think join 'kingdom veterinary academy' after father leaving, time is running and path nearly ended, she saw something far, more far away, black clouds spinning on capital city road like tornado, first time saw this type clouds, thinks 'i must arrive capital before storm', and continue the road with full horse speed, capital closing, closing but something wrong, peoples escaping with bloody dress, she shocked and stopped, shout the people 'whats going on!' but people turns mad and only running with crying, she think 'i must help this people' and whip horse, and entering fogs... deep darkness waiting her on the road...

-Section Four- Viktor...!?, ehh nobody know anything about viktor history, where birth or where comes from?, viktor is mercenary, fearless strong warrior, over middle ages he is entering many battles against pirates and rebels, (oh everywhere is peace right but pirates and crimes, these monsters living somewhere everytime, i mean all towns in kingdom ruling in peace , erhhm back to the story,) viktor not speaking more, he have very nice plate armor with dragon symbols, sometimes talk in sleeping 'dragons, ıhmmm, dragooonss is my strenght, i drinked- a dragon blood, hiyaah!' and awaken, he knows only his wages, not good not bad man, in this time viktor caravan walking to capital city, but viktor have some senses after all years, he feeling badthing about this travel, he think 'this is my last work, i am done after that', he needs money for living, mercenary life not cheap like family country life, hotels meals animals weapons womens, everything is coming with money, he think 'why accept this... why i need money.. i can live in wild cave like dragons... after this... after-' BOOM!, hearing very big explosion like thunderbolt, he shout 'what the... everybody come center and making a circleee!!!' , he whipping horse hardly, he pulled his sword, he is fearless warrior, turn to sound source and ride horse full speed, climbing to hill and shout very big warcry 'hiyaaah!! meet the my power overwhelming!!', no body arounds, 'this is the trap!' , riding horse and climbing most high hill, no bodys! but he saw a big black demolition cloud on the capital outside road, there is festival area, he shocked, never seen before similar this, well he saw many explosion but its in battles, ships throws big keg for explosion but there is civilian area, who will kill many civilian people? and how? there is in over thousand people and... this must be a war or massacre! first time he feeling fears, *spit* and shout to caravan 'a big explosion near capital, everybody waiting behind this hill and beware!', he turn horse to capital road and somebody shout to him 'where are you going viktor!!!', he stop horse, turn one time around and shout 'to the look whats happens! i feeling badthings!' riding again, viktor have noble soul and valor but, deep darkness waiting him on the road...

-Section Five- Ephie birth in magincia, she is daughter of 'wizards high council' leader, mother gived this name to her, ephie means well-spoken pleasant speecher, but lovely mother cant live longer after birth, after mother dead, father hate to ephie, he thinks ephie murdered his wife, dont speak with her normally and what time he speaking using bad talk style to ephie, but only to ephie, she is sharpening time by time, nobody likes ephie, she is known 'mother killer', if not daughter of leader maybe folks banish her, time is running and ephie growing alone, her face changing to sad and ugly, looks like over middleage a dwarf girl, after she finish first scholl, father making new marriage and new childs, he very love second childrens and ephie see this everytime, she is sharpening time by time, nobody playing with her, which time she trying another friendly attemp child escaping from her and saying 'mother killer', ephie growing alone, one day father calls ephie and explain plans about her, he think turn ephie to wizard-nun, this mean all life sacrifice for wizard study and education in wizard tower, she not have choice, she is crying crying... (argghh are you understand ephie status? i think its enough, erhmm back to story,) after many years... magincia little island in ocean, she dont want to live, she going near ocean, walking to the abyss, she thinks 'one more step for freedom... one mor-' Catchaaa! one hand catch her from shoulder, ephie turnback slowly, looking ground and 'what are you doing!' said ephie but not hear anything from hand owner, 'leave me alone' said but not hear anything for answers, ephie confused because she not see any leg on ground, ephie raise his head and shocked, this is a shade!, she think 'a ghost a sh-sha-shade, maybe i am dead already' but shade leave her alone and slowly fading out, ephie shout 'wait! what you are! who are you! why you save me!', she hear one dark voice 'Anh Mi Sah Ko Mephities', she shocked again, shade is gone, she stunned, she studies wizardry and magical special word many year, actually she saw many creatures, elementals vortex etc. but not shade or ghost, thinking this words is must have special power, talking 'ah mis ah ko -what.. -ummm... -mepties?... ' one hour later air changing to cloudly, 'an mis sak ko..' ... 'memphities' one hour past again rain becoming but she not moving only thinking 'animis hak ko', she stand to city, saw wizard tower far away, but she know its a not tower, its a dungeon for her, she concentrating to word, 'anh mi sah ko-' BOOOM! a thunderbolt falling to tower, 'anh mi sah ko-' BOOOOM! another thunderbolt falling to tower and explode stones, high floors collaps to the ground, she is awaken and walking to collaps area, impact broke the ground and reveals old underground ruins, everybody crowded around impact area, wind hard and rain like river, she descend into ruins, first time she see here because nobody knows this basements, she saw a middle golden chest, everybody working carry stones from impact for cleaning, undress robe and wrap to chest with robe, carry like stone and go out, hiding chest, after somedays she unlock chest alone, she think if i can find a treasure i can begin new life!, open the chest, gingseng garlic some other reagent, worn leather gloves, little gold and a map, she really disappointed but she is accustomed, throw everything around and crying, sometime later she looks to map, this is city cemetery map, see one crypt marked, after night she going to cemetery and find the crypt, this is maybe last chance her, intrestingly not have any word on gravestone, maybe rain clear the words, must be very old, digging and open cascet, not skeletons, only books, maybe 6-7 large books, not money or treasure, she sad again and cryi- 'Anh Mi Sah Ko Mephities' she hear one dark voice again, everywhere is dark nothing see anything, she understand this is her path, carrying book to out city and hiding, after this someday ephie go out city and reading this books, this is old symbol language she cant reading but if touch the words she can feelings, language name is 'Necromancy' but special words is very different to wizardry, all word 'Anh Mi Sah Ko..' but means changing by thinks, after sometimes ephie feeling different, more fearless more senseless and more powerfull!, her face changing like old women and her body changing looks like skeleton, she begin talking shades in her dreams, shades said 'kill them all', one day saw father second child, she think poision her and saying 'Anh Mi Sah Ko..', child poisoned skin color turn green and dead in one day, nobody understand whats going on, everybody sad but she very happy, she will using this anotherday on another one... and after one week nearly hundred people dead but everydead groving her power, she drains souls for powers, father thinking mass disease and calling evacution ships for family and civilians, ephie saw ships and understand, revenge time is come, thinking peoples kills one by one and 'Anh Mi Sah Ko..', oh this is 'mother killer' shouter boy-'Anh Mi Sah Ko..', oh this is not playing boy 'Anh Mi Sah Ko..', oh this is father second wife 'Anh Mi Sah Ko..' , people are falls ground and dead one by one in short time, ephie see father, he is very sad and crying near new wife and second childs corpses, ephie very very happy and thinking time is come father, thinking dead and 'Anh Mi-' Ha HaH HaH!, father start laughing, laughing and walking, laughing... he is lost his mind... ephie think this is best than dead and leave father alone, go to ship and sail to capital city, she heard harvest festival beginning in few weeks later, she arrived outside capital and resting near road, she think 'i am out the magincia, well i can begin another life in here, i must leave this..' but she feeling different in last days, like pregrancy, something growing in her body day by day, and she heard dark voice in dream again 'kill them all, feed or leave!' , she understand, shades needs more power from souls, but first time said 'leave', what is mean 'leave', she saying 'leave me alone shade' gently, nothing happens, she think 'oh its gone, now go out this-' she cant feeling legs, shocked 'wa-wa-wait! what is my legs!' but dont controls hand too, 'oh noo whats going!', she cant moving and feeling something raising to the head, from inner body, body parts moving selfly or onething control her body, she looking last time to capital road and see, deep darkness waiting her on the road...

-Section Six- Deep darkness already have more power and need more, ephie start to resistance thats orders and darkness take over to control ephie body, only one thing important for it, power!, if darkness have enough soul power, its back to the life and open old portal for paralel world again , this paralel world is like mirror this world but everything turn like mirror image, life turn death, good turn bad, in this world dog turn hellhound, humans turn skeletons... name is this world 'Fellucca', ancient necromancers corrupted world, mephietis(darkness controlled ephie) raise and look around, see the big capital main road, this road everytime have some traffics, soldiers performers caravans and many visitor comes or goes capital city, mephietis saw sewer tunnel entrance near main road, explore sewers and find secret ladder from arsenal, planned to big explosion its means bloodshed and more death more souls, but mephietis body very weak, waiting for night and hypnotise some visitors, darkness using hypnotise visitor like slave, knows few week later big ceramony coming here, slaves open hole to ground and carry to explosive keg drop into hole, this continues every night, if slaves going weakens, darkness kills peoples drain all souls and make another slaves from road, after few weeks time is come, preparing finished, peoples begin to build tent banners and decorations for ceramony area, but actually ground full fills explosives, mephietis watching peoples far away like leopard, deep darkness waiting everybody on the road...

-Section Seven- Pipes ringing!, peoples dancing in streets, performers singing songs, all peoples celebrating and 'harvest festival' start with many opportunity, peoples walking and gathering around ceramony area, king convoys comes with hundred noble family flags, near the evening, area overcrowded, man women child animals... maybe ten thousand soul!, 'Anh Mi Sah Ko..' mephietis send slaves exit the sewer and slaves walking to area with torch in day time, slaves arrives one by one front of explosive kegs, 'BOOOMMM!!!' something goes wrong!, one slaves very very tired and cant stand anymore, droped the torch on keg early time and half of all kegs explodes early, that is big explosion already kills many peoples and kills all slaves, 'Anh Mi Sah Ko..' mephietis hypnotise some peoples but peoples already paralyzed or stunned, mephietis cant control this peoples, peoples faster escaping and all tents decorations begin to burning, sometime later air fills big black clouds, half population escaped and other half dead or heavyly wounded, 'Anh Mi Sah Ko..' mephietis drains all souls and power overwhelmed, leave the ephie body and come back to our world, with abomination forms, this abomination looks like big faeces(turd), one big eye and one very big circle jaw hole, many big teeths, tooth hole, grinder!, jaw every open and close makes a sound 'whomp!', and sometimes shout 'harrawor!' 'harrowor!', this abomination not have legs but half body living under ground and tentacles raise everywhere like hands, tentacles catch peoples and carry to abomination, and fall into jaw hole, 'whomp!', 'whomp!', 'whomp!', now harrower ate wounded and corpses, and going bigger with every flesh, 'harrawor!' 'harrowor!'.... elenia wounded and cant move, she can only shout 'help me!' *cough*, 'somebody help me please!', barack hear her voice but can't move, he very feared and can't move, legs like stunned, hug hardly to old spear... a horse sound coming from fog, and one other girl shout '-where are you!', elenia '-come to my voice please!', little time later sementa found elenia and see her legs broken, try to carry her to horse but one tentacles catch sementa and abducting, elenia shout 'noooo!', sementa shocked, what is that!, she try to escape but can't, tentacles hard to wrap sementa, and carry to... sementa see one big hole... with many teeths... she closing eyes... SLASSHHH! woow, viktor cut the tentacles, save her!, viktor cutting tentacles one by one, 'Hiiyaah! taste my stell!!', sementa back to elenia but not found horse, turn back and see tentacles catch elenia... sementa and elenia try to open wrap tentacle but can't!, call viktor, '-Chevalier! come to help us please!', Chevalier!, viktor hear her voice, Chevalier! for long time nobody call viktor with Chevalier, he remember old days, turn to sound source and whip horse, DROOWNN! oh no, tentacles raise from ground and wrap viktor, viktor cant move, only remain one arm free, now all three going to dead, sound closing... 'whomp!', closing... 'harrawor!' 'harrowor!', '-Chevalier! hurry please!' can't make anything, while carry, viktor look near, a boy with spear, shout to him '-hey boy!! give me spear! hey come on boy!!', barack aweken, see viktor call him but barack can't respond, he think 'i can't! its horrific!!'... victor shout again 'come on boy!! give me spear! gi-ve-me speaarr boy!', barack saw all three very close to jaw hole... start to running and gived spear to viktor!!, viktor '-that is it valor boy! now get out here!' , *spit*, viktor see big eye on abomination and shout very big warcry 'hiyaaah!! i am the dragon and taste my breath!!', throwed the spear with full power... spear whistling in air... for this story and many others continues in Cygnus library heheh

[Cygnus]

Refreshin post and i begin to writing, but my english is bad

We need to get this copied into a book. I will pm you as soon as I can after I get off of work.