Writing Challenge

			Taskforces

The Writing Challenge 2024 WINNING ENTRIES THEME "We watched the wormhole close for the last time... and knew there would be no going back." WINNER "The Diary of Your Dead Lover" by Jovenan RUNNER UP "The Epilogue" by Evan Ross Writing Challenge Forum Archive Edit this nav The Writing Challenge is a competition that asks interested members to write short pieces of fiction in response to a given prompt. Originally a bi-monthly contest, the Writing Challenge was active from 2003 to 2014. Challenges included special events, tie-ins with Writing Improvement Month, prizes, and short story collections of all the entries in mobile formats to allow reading on the go. Rules & Guidelines Word Count: Minimum: 300 words Maximum: 3000 words Judging: One judge will be chosen from each ship to form the judging panel. Only entries from active simmers will be reviewed by the panel for winner selection. All members are welcome to submit stories for community enjoyment, even if not judged. Submission Format: Stories must be written in prose format (not sim-style). Submit either a solo story or collaborate with a buddy — but only one story per person. Post your story in the first post of a new thread. Use the thread title format: [Primary Character Name(s) of author(s)]: "Your Story’s Interesting Title" Example: Tristan Wolf: "Five Ways to End Your Starfleet Career" Content Guidelines: Submissions are non-canon by default — you can incorporate them into your own backstory, but it’s not required. You may: Create original characters for the story. Use your own existing sim characters. You may not: Include or write for characters belonging to other players. Rank is flexible — write from any perspective (Ensign, Captain, civilian, Horta, etc.). Showcase Option: If you want to share a story without entering it into the challenge, prefix your thread title with [Showcase]. Showcase entries won't be judged but are welcomed for community reading. Collections File:Sept oct 2013.pdf File:WC NovDec 13.pdf File:WC JanFeb 14.pdf File:WC MarApr 14.pdf Past Winners Italicized names denote a writer who has won two or more challenges. A list of multi-time champions may be found at the bottom of the page. Any entrant who wins two challenges in one calendar year will be considered the “Champion” for their year. If there is more than one, they will all be considered “Champions.” 2024 Theme: "We watched the wormhole close for the last time... and knew there would be no going back." Winner: "The Diary of Your Dead Lover" by Jovenan Runner-Up: "The Epilogue" by Evan Ross 2023 Theme: "If you've come to the end... you've only found another beginning." Winner: "Fifth Ring" by Flint Kadar Runner-Up: "The Place Where All Sailors End" by Karrod Niac 2022 Theme: "The texture of their shirt... I'll never forget the way it felt in my hand that day." Winner: "Revelations Hitting Like That Time We Crashed In The Ocean" by Corliss Fortune Runner-Up: "Fire Flower" by Ulasso 2021 May '21 Theme: "Wind" Winner: "Insidious Whispers" by Wes Greaves Runner-Up: "Cries on the Wind" by Loxley 2020 May '20 Theme: "Echoes of the Past" Winner: "Lullaby" by Geoffrey Teller Runner-Up: "Time to move on" by Pholin Duyzer 2014 November-December  '14 Theme: "Love & Betrayal" Winner: Ties that Bind Runner-Up: Chocolate September-October '14 Theme: "Run Shivers Down My Spine" Winner: "Heritage of the Lost" by Nathaniel Wilmer Runner-Up: "The Last Night on Lookout" by Leland Bishop AND "The Touch of the Sleeper" by Della Vetri July-August '14 Theme: "Fashion" Winner: "Fatal Mistake" by Jalana Laxyn Runner-Up: "Dress Greens" by Irina Pavlova May-June '14 Theme: "Do what is right, not what is easy" Winner: "The Wind Knows a Song for the Ages" by Ren Rennyn Runner-Up: "Orders and Consequences" by Kaitlyn Falcon March-April '14 Theme: "Rabbits!" Winner: "The Bunny Abides" by Tyler Kelly Runner-Up: "Watch your head!" by Jalana Laxyn January-February '14 Theme: Image Inspiration One Winner: "Conspiracy Theories" by Sal Taybrim Runner-Up: "New Beginnings " by Ceilidh Riverview AND "Back-up Plan" by Kieran Waddell 2013 November-December '13 Theme: "Treason & Plot" Winner: "Sins of the Mother" by Saveron Runner-Up: "Pray for Favour" by Diego Herrera September-October '13 Theme: "What Will Come" Winner: "Yesterday's Tomorrow" by Sinda Essen Runner-Up: "Diplomatic Impunity (or 'The Tribble with Troubles')" by Saveron July-August '13 Theme: "Under My Skin" Winner: "The Genetic Engineer's Manifesto" by Ben Livingston Runner-Up: "Resignation" by Evan Delano May-June '13 Theme: "From the Past" Winner: "Not Until This World Burns" by Diego Herrera Runner-Up: "Lessons From the Past" by Kalianna Nicholotti April '13 Theme: "Do Unto Others" Winner: "Lex Talionis" by Sinda Essen Runner-Up: "Among Warriors" by Jorus Cogud February '13 Theme: "Someone to Watch Over Me" Writing Improvement Month Challenge -- these stories were not submitted on the Forums and are not available to view. Winner: "We Who Remain" by Della Vetri Runner-Up: "No Matter What" by Greir Renard January & March '13 Theme: "Where do you see the Star Trek universe in 2400?" Winner: "My Brother's Keeper"  by Saveron Runner-Up: "Calling Home" by Ryoma Hoshino 2012 December '12 Theme: Belief systems in Trek (Special Contest!) Winner: "The mightiest warrior of them all" by Jalana Laxyn Runner-up: Sentimental Value by Brayden Jorey November '12 Theme: Way Back When (Special Contest!) Co-Winners: "Empty Skies Over Tokyo" by Kalianna Nicholotti and "Guts and Glory" by Diego Herrera (Tallis Rhul)  September/October '12 Theme: "Isn't It Romantic?" Winner: "Love is a Battlefield" by Sinda Essen (Jhen Thelev) August '12 Theme: Flash Fiction (Special Contest!) Winner: "The Life in a Moment" by Velana July '12 Theme: First-Person Fortnight (Special Contest!) Winner: "Ethical Considerations" by Alleran Tan May-Jun. '12 Theme: "A Broken Clock" Winner: "Time Is..." by Kalianna Nicholotti Mar.-Apr. '12 Theme: "The Storm" Winner: "The Tempest" by Alleran Tan Jan.-Feb. '12 Theme: "Masks" Winner: "Affectations" by Velana 2011 Nov.-Dec. '11 Theme: "What if Earth had been destroyed in 2387 instead of Romulus?" Winner: "The Day I Died" by Cameron Bunag Sep.-Oct. '11 Theme: "Where No Man Has Gone Before" Winner: "Today, Tomorrow, Yesterday" by Jaxon McGhee Jul.-Aug. '11 Theme: "Fortune" Winner: "Your Lucky Day" by Saveron May-Jun. '11 Theme: "Fire" Winner: "Mazu's Flame" by Della Vetri Mar.-Apr. '11 Theme: "Out of the Mouths of Babes" Winner: "Faith" by Alleran Tan Jan.-Feb. '11 Theme: "Song and Silence" Winner: "The Price We Pay " by Saveron 2010 Nov.-Dec. '10 Theme: "What if Praxis had never exploded?" Winner: "The Iron Sky of the Federation" by Alleran Tan Sep.-Oct. '10 Theme: "Legends" Winner: "Beneath Raptor's Wings" by Quinn Reynolds Jul.-Aug. '10 Theme: "Universal Rights" Winner: "Righting the Past" by Tal Tel-ar May-Jun. '10 Theme: "Present" Winner: "Circle" by Thomas Gregory Mar.-Apr. '10 Theme: "To Seek Out New Life" Winner: "Excision" by Kevin Breeman Jan.-Feb. '10 Theme: "Perspective" Winner: "Broken" by Jesse Lawn 2009 Nov.-Dec. '09 Theme: "What if the Cardassians had occupied Earth instead of Bajor?" Winner: "Real Lips" by Kevin Breeman Sep.-Oct. '09 Theme: "The Gathering Darkness" Winner: "The Darkness Within" by Tallis Rhul Jul.-Aug. '09 Theme: "The Gauntlet" Winner: "The Gauntlet of Atlas" by David Whale May-Jun. '09 Theme: "The Tomb" Winner: "The Mystery of Lengdis VIII" by Jhen Thelev Jan.-Feb. '09 Theme: "Inheritance" Winner: "Only One Constant" by Nemitor Atimen 2008 Nov.-Dec. '08 Theme: "What if the Federation descended into a civil war?" Winner: "The Cost of the Greater Good" by Iolo Madoc Llewelyn Sep.-Oct. '08 Theme: "Wink of an Eye" Winner: "Dawn Breaking the Night" by Delinda Sharee Jul.-Aug. '08 Theme: "The Puer Aeternus" Winner: "Q-uer Aeternus" by Jackford Kolk May-Jun. '08 Theme: "Hospitality" Winner: "Hospitality Reaches Across Many Borders" by Idril Mar Mar.-Apr. '08 Theme: "The Golden Path" Winner: "Each to Their Own" by Jhen Thelev Jan.-Feb. '08 Theme: "Secret Events" Winner: "One Final Secret" by Robert Falcon 2007 Nov.-Dec. '07 Theme: "What if the Dominion had won?" Winner: "Desperate Times" by Rode Mitchell Sept.-Oct. '07 Theme: "What are little girls made of?" Winner: "Els" by Jhen Thelev July-Aug. '07 Theme: "The Trickster or Ape" Winner: "The Missing Statue" by Danzia May-June '07 Theme: "Tears" Winner: "Kelly's Wish" by Lily Ventu Mar.-Apr. '07 Theme: "Lies" Winner: "The Spoils of Deception" by Toni Turner Jan.-Feb. '07 Theme: "Revolution" Winner: "Revolution on the Hunley a personal account" by William Carrington 2006 Nov.-Dec. '06 Theme: "What if some race other than the Vulcans discovered the first Human warp flight?" Winner: "En Route" by Nemitor Atimen Sept.-Oct. '06 Theme: "The City on the Edge of Forever" Winner: "Eternal City" by Ben Walker July-Aug. '06 Theme: "The pretender" Winner: "Before & After the Play" by David Cody May-June '06 Theme: "Windows" Winner: "The Window" by Julia Harden Mar.-Apr. '06 Theme: "A Poison Apple" Winner: "The Last Entry" by Aresee Ventu Jan.-Feb. '06 Theme: "Going Home" Winner: "I'm home, Goodbye" by Kaitlyn Rowan 2005 Oct.-Nov. '05 Theme: "What if... there was no more warp drive?" Winner: "Among the Stars" by Toni Turner Aug.-Sept. '05 Theme: "The Devil in the Dark" Winner: "X Factors" by Aresee Ventu June-July '05 Theme: "Honor" Winner: "Adoption" by Ethan Brice Apr.-May '05 Theme: "The Art of Deception" Winner: "Graduation Day" by Ben Walker Feb.-Mar. '05 Theme: "Sacrifices" Winner: "What Price, Love?, a tale of three Mars" by Idril Mar Older July-Aug. '04 Theme: ["Academy Memories" Winner: "Windows To The Past" by Tyr Waltas Jan.-Feb. '04 Theme: ["Love" Winner: "Love Under Fire" by Akino Janaar Sept.-Oct. '03 Theme: "Death" Winner: "In Service to the Emperor" by Idril Mar Multi-Winners Six-Time Winners Jhen Thelev/Sinda Essen, 2013 Champion (September/October '13, April '13, September/October '12, May/June '09, March/April '08, September/October '07) Four-Time Winners Saveron, 2013 & 2011 Champion (November/December '13, January/March '13, July/August '11, January/February '11) Alleran Tan, 2012 Champion (July '12, March/April '12, March/April '11, November/December '10) Three-Time Winners Tallis Rhul/Diego Herrera (May/June '13, November '12, September/October '09) Idril Mar (May/June '08, February/March '05, September/October '03) Lily Ventu (May/June '07, March/April '06, August/September '05) Two-Time Winners Jalana Laxyn (July/August '14, December '12) Della Vetri (February '13, May/June '11) Kalianna Nicholotti, 2012 Champion (November '12, May/June '12) Velana, 2012 Champion (August '12, January/February '12) Kevin Breeman (March/April '10, November/December '09) Nemitor Atimen (January/February '09, November/December '06) Toni Turner (March/April '07, October/November '05) Ben Walker (September/October '06, April/May '05) Past Judges Writing Challenge judging typically involves three or more rotating judges, as well as a special guest judge (usually, the winner of the previous round). Judges have each won at least one Writing Challenge, though many have won two or more. The current pool of judges includes the writers for Cassandra Egan Manno, facilitator, three-time winner (as Lily Ventu) Toni Turner, two-time winner Sal Taybrim, one-time winner Rendal Rennyn, one-time winner Judges' Hall of Fame Cascadia Rainier, two-time winner (as Kali Nicholotti) Sinda Essen, six-time winner (including as Jhen Thelev)

	Taskforces