Fanfiction Prompt Challenge Voting

Ducky123 · **Reply #60 on:** April 07, 2019, 10:56:11 AM

My sincere apologies for the late vote but I've been very busy and only been on the forum infrequently.

My vote goes to Soveriegn's One Dangerous Mistake. Out of the two stories, I must say that I simply enjoyed to read it more on a personal level which probably has to do with the fact that jassy's story was full OC so I had a hard time relating to the characters while that was hardly a challenge in Sovereign's story. The ferocious fight amongst the gang was truly written in a realistical, believable way.

In terms of writing style/quality etc. I couldn't put a finger on who did a better job which is why I'm basing my vote off personal preferance in the first place, both did a tremendous job in that regard, yep yep yep!

rhombus · **Reply #61 on:** April 07, 2019, 06:46:15 PM

@Sovereign
With all of the votes finally tabulated Sovereign is the winner of the January 2019 prompt challenge. Congratulations! I have attached your second-star banner to this post.

@Sovereign @jassy @Ducky123 @DiddyKF1
Once again, if you have not already done so, you may talk to DarkWolf about your participation banners.

Now that April is upon us that means that voting on the February 2019 prompt challenge can now begin. Our entries for that month were:

A Lovely Deal
Author: Sovereign
Description: After nearly meeting his end, a young sailback is forced to pay a price for his foolishness. However, over time his way of seeing his new situation changes considerably and before long, he finds something he wasn't even searching as he gets to know one certain female a bit better…
Gang of Five link: http://www.gangoffive.net/index.php?topic=16279.0
Fanfiction.net link: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13209505/1/A-Lovely-Deal

Secret Love v2.0
Author: DiddyKF1
Description: A rewrite of my well-received 2017 story for the Gang of Five's February 2019 prompt. Ducky and Petrie have been developing strong feelings for each other over the last two years since their arrival in the Great Valley, but recently they have been realizing that it may be so much more than that. How will they tell each other, and how will they keep it a secret?
Gang of Five link: http://www.gangoffive.net/index.php?topic=16268.0
Fanfiction.net link: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13195224/1/Secret-Love-v2

Return to the Land of Mists (chapter 3)
Author: Ducky123
Description: One year after the events of the tv-series, Ali's herd once again visits the Great Valley - and of course Rhett is still with them, still seeing Ali as a potential love interest. Littlefoot also begins to realize his feelings for the girl. This results in a grave conflict which ends up sending all of them back to the dangerous Valley of Mists...
Gang of Five link: http://www.gangoffive.net/index.php?topic=16281.msg478315
Fanfiction.net link: Pending

As always, thank you all for your participation in the fanfic prompt challenge!

I look forward to your deliberations on our three entries.

Sovereign · **Reply #62 on:** April 13, 2019, 03:05:02 PM

Thanks for the votes last month as they mean a lot to me.

As for my own vote, it was far from an easy decision as the stories differed on so many things, most of all length. Diddy, your story was very well written and I can see why so many people like it. I, however, didn't enjoy the premise in any meaningful way and I'm sorry but I can't vote for Secret Love v2.0 for that reason (I didn't read it to the end but I believe I got a good enough impression during the ten first chapters. I'm not proud for leaving the fic unfinished but I thought it would be fair to mention that). As for Ducky's chapter, it managed to create a lot of emotion and warmth to it while also taking the plot forward in a natural way. It was quite strong piece of writing and for that reason, my vote goes to Ducky123's Return to the Land of Mists (chapter 3).

DiddyKF1 · **Reply #63 on:** April 13, 2019, 06:46:47 PM

I was sure that was coming, Sovereign, especially after I saw just how long my story really was, and also because I'm aware you're no fan of the Ducky x Petrie shipping. Please don't feel bad for not finishing it, my friend. A story is a story, and there's always time to read the rest until you reach the end.

As for my vote, I'd have to go for "A Lovely Deal." I've read it several times since I discovered it, and I haven't looked at Sharpteeth the way I used to. It gave me a whole new view on how I look at those beasts. They're more than just beasts. Sovereign really showed that Sharpteeth indeed have feelings and are very hesitant to show them, especially to each other, or even in front of anyone, meat-eater or leaf-eater. As I mentioned in my initial review, it's an amazing buildup from initial disgust to slowly warming up to each other, and eventually it blossoms into unrequited love.

I have read "Return to the Land of Mists," but because that story is still in its early stages and the Longneck conflict hasn't really ... happened yet, I didn't have much to say other than it's getting a good start in my eyes, but there's still a long way to go.

Oh, and I'll be sure to keep my entries shorter in the future!

rhombus · **Reply #64 on:** May 23, 2019, 06:18:02 PM

Okay, the last few voting periods have been awkward due to a tie in one case (March 2019) and a situation where we only had two votes (February 2019) as such it falls upon me to make a decision in these cases.

@Sovereign

After reading through the entries for February 2019 I fee confident in my choice in naming Sovereign the winner of that month. Though there were three strong entries and each had strong merits on their own, I do think Sovereign's entry set a very high bar. I have attached your your three star banner to this post, Sovereign.

@Anagnos

For March 2019 there were only two qualifying entries (my stories are not entered in for voting) so the decision fell upon me once again. After looking through this month's entries once again I was especially take in by Anagnos's story and the unique perspective on Screech and Thud's relationship that it conveyed, which is something that is often overlooked in fanfiction. As such I am confident in naming Anagnos the winner for March 2019.

You may talk to DarkWolf about obtaining a one-star banner for your accomplishment.

Just as a reminder to everyone else, please keep in mind that the April 2019 and May 2019 prompts are still open so if you have not already done so, please feel invited to give those a try. I look forward to seeing what you all come up with!

rhombus · **Reply #65 on:** June 02, 2019, 08:11:02 PM

@DiddyKF1

As the only entrant for the April 2019 fanfiction prompt you are the winner of that month. You may discuss with DarkWolf about obtaining a one-star banner for your accomplishment.

I am not surprised that particular prompt only had one taker as it seems that the two most challenging prompts are those relating to jokes or romance, but I am glad that we did get some participation out of that one.

rhombus · **Reply #66 on:** July 27, 2019, 06:46:19 PM

It might seem incredibly cheap, but I was unable to pick to a winner for the May 2019 prompt challenge. This is due to both contributions for that month being very strong entries that explored different aspects of their unique worlds - in one case exploring the backstory of a flyer society's theological and sociological views, and in the other exploring a most savage tradition in threehorn society. Furthermore both stories explored these ideas in a manner that had great emotional resonance with me, and that involved interesting characters. For that reason, @Sovereign and @Anagnos you both are winners of the May 2019 challenge!

Congratulations!

I have attached your respective banners to this post.

rhombus · **Reply #67 on:** August 07, 2019, 04:36:03 PM

@Anagnos @Sovereign @DiddyKF1 @OwlsCantRead

My apologies for the delay, everyone. I recently was named a full-time instructor at my college and this has entailed a lot of additional paperwork and meetings as I prepare for the next step in my career.

That being said, we have had a great turnout for the June 2019 prompt challenge.

As is the custom, it is now up to our participants for that month to vote for the fanfiction they believe best fulfilled the prompt for that month. The qualified candidates this time are:

The Necessary Truth
Author: Anagnos
Description: Sometimes the hardest lessons are those you teach yourself. Ruby was not always known to be responsible. One night she decides to venture outside the comfort and safety of her nest. This journey will test her determination to survive through perilous paths that lurk in this world.
Gang of Five link: http://www.gangoffive.net/index.php?topic=16374.msg483089
Fanfiction.net link: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13306706/1/The-Necessary-Truth

A Lingering Mystery
Author: Sovereign
Description: In the days following his quest for the Stone of Cold Fire, Littlefoot is haunted by weird dreams. What had he really witnessed on his perhaps strangest journey and who were his mysterious helpers? The longneck tries to get some answers but relief for his thirst of knowledge will be found much closer than he might have initially believed.
Gang of Five link: http://www.gangoffive.net/index.php?topic=16383.msg484580
Fanfiction.net link: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13320149/1/A-Lingering-Mystery

Is It Right?
Author: DiddyKF1
Description: My entry for the June 2019 prompt. Immediately after discovering the Great Valley, Littlefoot ponders just how right or wrong it might have been to become friends with those that are "different."
Gang of Five link: http://www.gangoffive.net/index.php?topic=16398.msg486299
Fanfiction.net link: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13335980/1/Is-it-Right

Of Broken Words and Mud Brothers
Author: OwlsCantRead
Description: Ostracized and considered an oddball amidst his peers, a Big Water swimmer tries to prove himself, allowing a storm to send him careening into the Great Valley. Hungry for company, he cunningly entangles his fate with that of five young landwalkers. But can the nascent bonds of friendship between those who are so different really be forced, or will this end up backfiring terribly?
Gang of Five link: http://www.gangoffive.net/index.php?topic=16431.0
Fanfiction.net link: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13347415/1/Of-Broken-Words-and-Mud-Brothers

As always, thank you all for your participation in the fanfic prompt challenge!

I look forward to your deliberations on our four entries.

Anagnos · **Reply #68 on:** August 08, 2019, 09:06:24 AM

Well, I've had a considerable amount of time to ponder who ultimately gets my vote this month. Let me say that all of the entries were absolutely amazing, so picking out the winner wasn't exactly easy for me particularly. I got a half a mind to just pick them all, but there can only be one winner, so obviously I cannot do that. In the end, my vote ultimately goes to Diddy's entry. I really liked the plot in that one as it was quite interesting to see how each member of the Gang thought about their unlikely bond between one another and also their parent's reactions to their friendship.

OwlsCantRead · **Reply #69 on:** August 08, 2019, 09:28:13 AM

Fitting that the biggest lesson of them all for the prompt month of "Lessons" is that it's never easy to opt for one story over another during the ensuing voting process.

I am a fan of all the entries, but more importantly, I like the various different life lessons that they all tried to inculcate to the protagonists and readers. And in the end, my pick is Sovereign's "A Lingering Mystery", mainly because the lesson that it brings up is something that seems to smash apart the inquisitive nature of the sequels themselves ⁠— that despite the Gangs love of adventuring and Littlefoot's eternal pursuit for innate knowledge and curiosity, some things in the world cannot be explained and we just don't know the answer to it.

In a brave new world, that is probably the lesson that hits home most of all. Sometimes, despite everything, we just can't get an acceptable explanation to a phenomenon we cannot comprehend, and we must learn to accept it in spite of our screaming logical brains. It's very similiar to the hidden runner episodes in the TV series, come to think of it.

I also like the other two, though! That sip of familiarity to our real-world reality in this story's lesson and its melancholic end is what edges it out for me.

Sovereign · **Reply #70 on:** August 08, 2019, 09:38:59 AM

Of these entries, I must say that OwlsCantRead’s Of Broken Words and Mud Brothers is the strongest one. Even if it is still unfinished, it holds a lot of potential and the two chapters released thus far have been very solid and promising. Mo’s exile from his herd as well as the hope offered to him by Tenor were emotional scenes that shed a lot of light to the swimmer’s thus far obscure past. While the other two tales were good as well, I have to vote for Owls’ story this time.

DiddyKF1 · **Reply #71 on:** August 08, 2019, 01:37:34 PM

This one was very difficult for me. Eventually, I ended up being torn between Anagnos or Sovereign's entry, since I tend to refrain from voting for incomplete stories. Nevertheless, OwlsCantRead's entry has plenty of potential for unlocking Mo's story for all of us to see.

In the end, I knew it'd be either make it a four-way tie or concede to Sovereign. Both stories were very good, and they greatly showcased lessons that are very difficult to learn for the children we've come to know and love with all our hearts.

Finally, I've decided to give my vote to Anagnos' entry. We've been shown a very fine example of a younger Ruby being so curious about the world around her and almost oblivious to the obvious dangers of the Mysterious Beyond. It was very intriguing to find a story on the "pre-Great Valley" chapter of Ruby's life that we've rarely been able to explore, and it does a fantastic job at explaining her earlier character traits. For those reasons, I give Anagnos my vote.

"Well, good luck with tiebreaker! Heehee!"

rhombus · **Reply #72 on:** August 10, 2019, 02:49:40 AM

Well this was quite a difficult tie to break as all four stories were very strong entries. The fact that we had a four-way tie was a testament to that fact. That being said, I think that I must give OwlsCantRead's entry, Of Broken Words and Mud Brothers, my tie-breaking vote. It is not yet finished, but thus far it has presented a very interesting premise in a story that features an under-utilized character in the fandom. For that reason I think that it edges out the other worthy entries.

@OwlsCantRead I have included your banner in this post.

OwlsCantRead · **Reply #73 on:** August 10, 2019, 04:15:49 AM

Quote from: rhombus on August 10, 2019, 02:49:40 AM

Well this was quite a difficult tie to break as all four stories were very strong entries. The fact that we had a four-way tie was a testament to that fact. That being said, I think that I must give OwlsCantRead's entry, Of Broken Words and Mud Brothers, my tie-breaking vote. It is not yet finished, but thus far it has presented a very interesting premise in a story that features an under-utilized character in the fandom. For that reason I think that it edges out the other worthy entries.

@OwlsCantRead I have included your banner in this post.

Ah, thanks! I wasn't expecting this at all so I'm pleasantly surprised.

Just a minor thing I noticed right as I was fiddling with my signature: are the number of stars supposed to roll over every year? Because if it does (I think it does tbh but I really aren't sure) then the accurate score should be a one-star banner since I haven't participated much in 2019.

Apologies if it's an awkward question to ask in advance, though.

Anagnos · **Reply #74 on:** August 10, 2019, 05:17:11 AM

I fear there might have been a slight mistake on Rhombus' part, because that's exactly what I noticed as well, but didn't comment on it. If I recall correctly, Diddy got a brand new banner for winning the April prompt. However, congratulations for winning June's prompt, Owls! You very much deserve it for the amazing work you've put together.

rhombus · **Reply #75 on:** August 10, 2019, 11:27:51 AM

@Anagnos @OwlsCantRead @DarkWolf91

That is correct, they roll over each year, you should use a different banner for the 2019 prompt challenge as it is a year-by-year thing. I will talk with DarkWolf about getting the proper one-star banner.

rhombus · **Reply #76 on:** August 10, 2019, 09:04:12 PM

@OwlsCantRead

Here is the correct banner.

OwlsCantRead · **Reply #77 on:** August 10, 2019, 10:30:04 PM

Quote from: rhombus on August 10, 2019, 09:04:12 PM

Here is the correct banner.

Thanks for the prompt correction! Now I'll have double the Taunts!

rhombus · **Reply #78 on:** August 11, 2019, 12:06:03 AM

Quote

Thanks for the prompt correction! Now I'll have double the Taunts!

Oh no, now the two Taunts can scheme together.

rhombus · **Reply #79 on:** September 15, 2019, 08:53:12 PM

@Sovereign @Ducky123 @OwlsCantRead @DiddyKF1 @LeventeII

Good evening, everyone!

The Summer Prompt Exchange has now concluded. I was quite pleased with the number of responses! With the exception of myself (my entry will be coming soon, but it would not be open for voting anyway) and jassy, everyone else has posted their entries in the allotted time. The entries that you can vote on are the following:

The Birth of Something Beautiful
Author: Sovereign
Description: Many seasons ago, in a land far away, two longnecks struggle to form a bond of eternal love. However, that turns out to be more difficult than at least one of them had hoped but on the stake isn't only their own happiness but the very existence of everything that came afterwards in the world of Land Before Time.
Prompt Responded To: Getting yourself a girlfriend/boyfriend is usually not an easy task. Even worse if the subject of your choice fancies someone else than you. Write a fanfiction set in the LBT universe that features the struggle a character of your own choice to overcome this particular problem. It is completely up to you whether he is successful or not. As an additional spark of inspiration, you may consider using a set-up in which the subject of love interest is struggling with the loss of the one they fancied to further complicate things and add a tragic touch.
Gang of Five link: http://www.gangoffive.net/index.php?topic=16436.0
Fanfiction.net link: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13350119/1/The-Birth-of-Something-Beautiful

The Circle of Life
Author: Ducky123
Description: After the rapid loss of both grandparents, Littlefoot is feeling terrible and leaving his mate Ali alone to tend to their eggs. It is only through Ali's efforts that he learns the true meaning of the Circle of Life.
Prompt Responded To: "Write a story about sacred beliefs or traditions, involving any one of the Gang's families."
Gang of Five link: http://www.gangoffive.net/index.php?topic=16457.msg488917
Fanfiction.net link: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13366636/1/The-Circle-of-Life

Boundless Curiosity
Author: OwlsCantRead
Description: On one ordinary day in the Great Valley, Datum and Axiom's leaf-eater friends get a little too interested in how the two rainbowfaces have such a wide myriad of knowledge. Deciding to spy on the pair, they're about to learn that sometimes, one has to rein in their curiosity. Set in Rhombus' Seven Hunters continuity.
Prompt Responded To: "Write a story about the Rainbow Faces. What exactly it is about is entirely up to you. It can be a new meeting, an adventure, their background story or whatever else you can think of about them. 'Your imagination is the limit', as the Rainbow Faces would say."
Gang of Five link: http://www.gangoffive.net/index.php?topic=16476.0
Fanfiction.net link: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13381280/1/Boundless-Curiosity

The Tree Star-Floating Game
Author: DiddyKF1
Description: My entry for the 2019 Summer Exchange Prompt. On a dreadfully hot summer day, Ducky invents another new water game and invites Petrie to play it with her, but this new game may become just as dangerous as log-running ...
Prompt Responded To: “Things can never stay the same for very long. Write a story about a time where the summer brings about great changes.”
Gang of Five link: http://www.gangoffive.net/index.php?topic=16477.0
Fanfiction.net link: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13381341/1/The-Tree-Star-Floating-Game

Finally Free
Author: LeventeII
Description: Freedom. Freedom is a concept to everyone, yet it is difficult to formulate its meaning in one sentence. Everyone has an own idea of freedom, but all these ideas are equally positive. When dinosaurs encounter freedom, it can have small, but also big consequences. Screech and Thud face freedom, but in a form the two hunters never expected.
Prompt Responded To: "Every writer has at least one area where they excel or where they find they have always done especially well. Whether it is a genre, some kind of plot point or a trick with the writing process itself, it is always a good idea to stop for a while and think just how you created your most beloved stories. Even if you are a beginning author, you might have some idea of your strengths and weaknesses already. Write a short story based in the Land Before Time universe where you utilize your best qualities as an author."
Gang of Five link: http://www.gangoffive.net/index.php?topic=16481.0
Fanfiction.net link: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13385957/1/Finally-Free