The Maw: Star Wars Contests & Challenges

The Kessel Run: A Star Wars SmackDown

Now before we start, it's worth noting that we simply could not and would not be doing this were if not for our dear friends on the ScienceFiction & Fanfic profiles. Here at starwarsfans we simply do not have the numbers - something we hope will change, of course!

So thank you for your support, SF & FF! Much love and as always, may the Force be with you!

And now we've got that bit out of the way, welcome to The Kessel Run: A Star Wars SmackDown! Why the Kessel Run, you might ask? You also might ask what, exactly, is a SmackDown?!

Well, a SmackDown is a short story contest where writers compete for the ultimate prize of Bragging Rights (amongst other, as yet unannounced prizes!) and the Kessel Run because gaining overall victory in a SmackDown is anything but easy!

Over a series of rounds, the number of which will be determined by the overall number of contestants, you will be tried and tested, pushed to the very limits of your story telling abilities - all in the name of fun competition, of course!

A Few Points to Consider

1 - For each round you will be asked to write a short story based on an image(s), quote(s) or text prompt. The maximum word count for each round will vary, but throughout this contest we will never ask you to write more than 5,000 words (except for the final round, but that will have no maximum word count)!

2 - The time given for you to write for each round will vary from a week to a month, and all in between.

3 - There will be at least two rounds where we will specify the entry must be submitted as a one-shot standalone story as opposed to part of an existing collection. The reasons for this will become clear, we promise!

4 - When it comes to judging, something all stories submitted for this contest will be subject to (other than the qualification entry - see below) a team of Ambassadors will use a simple and basic scoring rubric, taking both SPG & story content into consideration. For elimination rounds (these will be announced when such a round goes live) the writers of the lowest-scored entries will be eliminated from the contest. The number of eliminations per round depends entirely upon the number of contestants.

5 - Any questions (and to be fair we suspect there will be many) should be asked in the comments' section below and directed at your host on behalf of starwarsfans, AngusEcrivain.

Qualification

The Kessel Run: A Star Wars SmackDown, is open to all comers and is most definitely a case of the more the merrier. However, should you wish to take part you must submit a qualification entry, the details of which are as follows:

Using up to 1,000 words, write a piece of Star Wars fanfiction making use of one of the three prompts given below. This will be your qualifying entry to The Kessel Run: A Star Wars Smackdown. Think of it more as a commitment to take part as opposed to anything else.

You have until September 30th to complete and submit your qualifying entry.

Once complete, upload the story to your profile as normal, either as a standalone one-shot or as part of an existing collection, and submit the direct link via this form [now inactive].

Feel free to share that link in the comments' section below, to allow your fellow SmackDowners to check out your work (and their competition)! It should be noted though that only those stories submitted via the above form will guarantee inclusion in the contest.

Your qualifying entry will not be judged. It will be read, however, and should it not adhere to one of the given prompts, participation in the contest will not be guaranteed.

Please remember this profile is available for all and as such, stories submitted for the contest should be as PG-13 as possible. Those running the profile and the contest are all writers though, and as such understand that a story goes where it wants to go. As such, some leeway will be given.

Only entries written in English will result in inclusion in the SmackDown, as we unfortunately do not have any other language capabilities.

Qualifying Entry Prompts

1 - Whilst it's true enough, the 'Redshirt' is more of a Star Trek creation than a Star Wars one, the latter most certainly has it's fair share. And though they may not wear red shirts, they most certainly die as if some kinda' crimson was their favourite colour!

Imagine you are (or your character is) a nameless, faceless minion of the Galactic Empire, on board the Death Star whilst some jumped-up farm boy is gunning for the exhaust port.

2 - You are (or your character is) sentenced to work the Spice Mines of Kessel for a crime you (or your character) did not commit. Well aware this is nothing short of a death sentence, you are (or your character is) determined to escape!

3 - You have (or your character has) always wanted to check out a Figrin D'an and the Modal Nodes show, however when you arrive (or your character arrives) at Chalum's Cantina on Tatooine you discover (or your character discovers) the advertised show has mysteriously been cancelled.