Utah's picture
Moderator
Utah from Fort Worth, TX is reading Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry October 6, 2012 - 7:43pm

WE BEGIN AGAIN!

LitReactors, last February I issued you a challenge:  To join me in a grueling, tournament-style short story battle competition.  When I first announced WAR, I was skeptical.  It seemed too big, too involved, too much of a commitment for a group of normal people to participate.  But either I was wrong, or the people of LitReactor are far from normal.  You armed yourselves, you girded up your loins with faith in your abilities as writers, and you engaged one another on the field of battle in a ten week literary bloodbath.  You roared defiance into the faces or your enemies and brought WAR upon their heads.  It was violent and vicious.  You all were ruthless motherfuckers.  I was unspeakably proud.

And now we're doing it again.  My (Un)Official partner Averydoll and I are once again dropping the gauntlet and calling you, again, to do battle.

Consider yourself included.  This is your invitation to participate in WAR2:  PRIDE - The LitReactor Battle Tournament*.  It's a chance, once again, to put your money where your mouth is and go toe-to-toe with the rest of this writing community in a tournament-style competition to crown a site champion, who will receive the title of WAR King/Queen.  We're all here because we like to write and a lot of us would like to do it professionally.  This requires a professional output and consistency.  Discipline.  PRIDE.  And a desire to make war. 

You should step up to this challenge. 

What it is:

WAR is a tournament-style competition.  It will be a series of writer battles in the basic format of the Beyond Thunderdome writer battles, with some timing changes due to the volume of work necessary to make it run.  Contestants will be paired into a traditional bracket format and write until there is only one left standing.  Just like last time, but bigger.  This is a 64-contestant, 7 round double-elimination tournament.  In case of any early withdrawals we are maintaining a list of alternates who are slobbering at the bit to take someone's place.

How it works:

1.  You tell me you want in.  I put your name on the Battle Roster below.

2.  After the Battle Roster is filled, contestants will be divided into their seeds.  For those who don't know, in seeding participants are rated according to perceived chance to win and given a numerical designation to indicate this (in this case probably 1 through 16).  Initial matchups are based on this seed process, with those perceived least likely to win the championship pitted against those perceived most likely to win, and so on.  So initial matchups would be 1-16, 2-15, etc.

3.  We put together the brackets.

4.  On the start date we receive our writing prompts.  Each pair will receive its own prompt (otherwise the workshop would get pretty tedious).  These prompts will be PMmed to each contestant's individual accounts at approximately 5:00 PM US CST on a Friday (please bear with the approximate times here, as I cannot only send one set of PMs at a time).  This gives the weekend for getting your stories off the ground.

5.  Competition stories due at Averydoll's personal email account (non-LitReactor) by 5:00 PM CST one week from date of prompt.  Failure to meet deadline will result in immediate disqualification.  Do not include any personal information in the body of your story.  Do include your prompt at the top of the story, below the title.  Please bear in mind that if you do not follow this direction it's just going to slow down your story getting posted, as Avery will have to take the time to remove all that stuff.

6.  Competition stories must be 2,500 words or fewer (word count not to include title, header/footer, "The End", etc.).  Final drafts of more than 2,500 words will be disqualified.

7.  At deadline, polls will be created in an independent thread for each battle.  The polls will be open for one week, closing at around 5:00 PM US Central time on a Friday.  Brackets will be advanced.

8.  New prompts will drop after the brackets are finalized.  Please bear in mind that my receipt of your stories, verifying there is no personal identifying information in your story (for purposes of anonymity), posting polls, inputting scores in the bracket, and dropping new prompts will all take time.  So you will receive your prompts on Friday evenings, at a time around 5:00-6:00 CST.  Due deadline does not change based upon slight alterations in the Friday evening timeline.

Who participates?

All of you.  Any of you.  I want to see work from those of you who don't think you have a chance to win because this is how we get better.  Iron sharpens iron.  And I'd love to see folks like Richard Thomas (who is a seasoned veteran both of the last WAR and of the publication industry), Nik Korpon, Lidia Yuknavitch, etc., participate as well.  Because there's no honor in taking up the weapons if the battle is easy.  I would like to see this tournament be a very difficult, very bloody one.

When does WAR2:  PRIDE begin?

To give time to get the word out and get as many people involved as possible, the first writing prompts will drop and the competition will begin at 7:00 PM US Central time on November 2, 2012.

What do you get if you win?

Honor.  Pride of place.  You will be crowned BAMF.  Side bets between contestants are, of course, perfectly fine.  But you're doing this tournament for you, and for the joy of testing yourself against the rest of us.

Grab your sap and your heater.  Shield yourself.

Make the commitment again.  Make WAR.

*This tournament is not officiallly sponsored by the officials who officiate LitReactor. 

Utah's picture
Moderator
Utah from Fort Worth, TX is reading Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry October 6, 2012 - 7:46pm

Enter WAR in a response on this thread.  If I fail to add you, it's likely because I overlooked your post.  PM me.

Battle Roster (this post will be updated as people tell me they want to be added to the tournament):

 

1. Emma, Plunderer from the Fucking Great White North
2. sean of the dead
3. covewriter
4. averydoll
5. Jonathan Riley
6. Dave all up in da hizzouse!
7. Bekanator (Reigning Champion)
8.  Richard Fucking Thomas
9.  Whoremaster Sound
10. Matt
11. Flaminia "Omerta" Ferina
12. Chester Bringintha Pane
13. Species84
14. wickedvoodoo - archnemesis of Utah
15.  Mess_Jess
16. Nick "Come Out and Play" Wilczynski
17. bryanhowie
18. American Typo
19. XyZy
20. Stacy Kear
21. Liana
22. Whatever Renee Pickup is using as her handle at the moment
23.  jacks_username
24. Courtney
25. Otis the Bulldog
26.  Cures and Remedies
27. Jeff
28. RoaringJen (aka VerboseLobster)
29. Jeffrey Grant "The Adverb Assassin" Barr
30. voodoo_em
31. Meredith103

32. Utah
33. Michael Thomas
34. Amanda Gowin
35. Nik "Release The" Korpon
36. Gordon Highland
37. R. "Ross Perot" Moon
38. Flybywrite
39. lspieler
40. TomorrowHill is Chris Carter
41. "Captain" Boone Spaulding
42. Drea
43. Matt Attack, the Prodigal
44. Ben Freeman
45. Jay.SJ
46. Adam

47. Mckay
48. kirakirachan
49. Leah_Beth, Trash Talk Master
50. FoxyLenz
51. telegraphkiss
52. wonderwoman1100
53. Hector Acosta
54. Abottoir Blues
55. Conman
56. Renfield
57. Pandamask
58. David Shepherd
59. Dino Parenti
60. Skygrotto
61. Lou
62. Pendragon
63. Kward
64. Fritz Wolfe

ALTERNATES
1. Ciaran Michael
2. Ian
3. Bill Tucker
4. Anjani Miley
5. Dufrescm
6. Marko Satrianni

7. Closure

8. Program

9.  MLNicky

10. H.I.Marcuson

 

Utah's picture
Moderator
Utah from Fort Worth, TX is reading Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry October 6, 2012 - 7:49pm

And for your listening pleasure, WAR music:

Emma C's picture
Class Facilitator
Emma C from Los Angeles is reading Black Spire by Delilah Dawson October 6, 2012 - 7:53pm

WAR

sean of the dead's picture
sean of the dead from Madisonville, KY is reading Peckerwood, by Jed Ayres October 6, 2012 - 7:56pm

WAR

Covewriter's picture
Covewriter from Nashville, Tennessee is reading & Sons October 6, 2012 - 8:33pm

Put me in Utah/Avery.  Can't wait.

avery of the dead's picture
avery of the dead from Kentucky is reading Cipher Sisters October 6, 2012 - 8:53pm

!!!

No catalogue of horrors ever kept men from WAR.  - Ernest Hemingway

Jonathan Riley's picture
Jonathan Riley from Memphis, Tennessee is reading Flashover by Gordon Highland October 6, 2012 - 9:53pm

War and drink are the two things man is never too poor to buy.” William Faulkner

Dave's picture
Dave from a city near you is reading constantly October 6, 2012 - 9:24pm

"...you can tell a true war story by its absolute and uncompromising allegiance to obscenity and evil."

Tim O'Brien

Bekanator's picture
Bekanator from Kamloops, British Columbia is reading Ugly Girls by Lindsay Hunter October 6, 2012 - 10:00pm

Put my down, bitches! I've got me a title to defend...

That said, I'm really doing this for the ambition, because I honestly don't think I'll be winning this time around. There really is no better way to get a story brainstormed and out of your system in one week.

Richard's picture
Richard from St. Louis is reading various anthologies October 6, 2012 - 10:12pm

shit. i know i don't have time for this. i just bailed on a challenge. but dammit, i was pissed to get knocked out "early" last time. screw it. i need some new stories anyway, i think everything i wrote for WAR has been published, except one. 

WAR.

i'm in. 

Sound's picture
Sound from Azusa, CA is reading Greener Pastures by Michael Wehunt October 6, 2012 - 10:32pm

I'm going to kick all of your asses. I'm in. WAR

Matt's picture
Matt from New Zealand is reading This is how you lose her by Junot Diaz October 6, 2012 - 11:06pm

I want in! WAR

Bekanator's picture
Bekanator from Kamloops, British Columbia is reading Ugly Girls by Lindsay Hunter October 6, 2012 - 11:12pm

@Richard - The way I look at it, if things get bad you can always back out. The first round starts just before a small vacation I'll be taking in November, but I managed the first time, so hopefully I can manage again.

Also, MAYBE this time we'll have a round duking it out. That'd be pretty cool beans.

JEFFREY GRANT BARR's picture
JEFFREY GRANT BARR from Central OR is reading Nothing but fucking Shakespeare, for the rest of my life October 6, 2012 - 11:38pm

Wow that is a shitty fucking awesome song. 

I fucking love Utah!  Dude, I missed you so much.

Flaminia Ferina's picture
Flaminia Ferina from Umbria is reading stuff January 28, 2014 - 7:31am

WAR!!!!!

WARWARWARWARWARWAR!

yeah I'm in. Write it. Flaminia. Oh well, actually I've got a new battle name. FLAMINIA FERINA.

Bring it on.

Chester Pane's picture
Chester Pane from Portland, Oregon is reading The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz October 7, 2012 - 5:57am

Chestah Pane!

avery of the dead's picture
avery of the dead from Kentucky is reading Cipher Sisters October 7, 2012 - 6:13am

JGB: Did you want in?  Because I can't tell.

Species84's picture
Species84 from Fluidic space is reading UNIX a standard operating system (1985) by Austen & Thomassen October 7, 2012 - 6:19am

Sign me in.

Bombadiers to your stations!

 

 

wickedvoodoo's picture
wickedvoodoo from Mansfield, England is reading stuff. October 7, 2012 - 8:13am

Fuck... 

I am gonna be so very busy these next few months. Like, ridiculously so. I am a bit worried about adding to my workload. I have to move house soon and I am part way through two big projects that I don't expect to be finished for a while yet. Plus, y'know, working at the hospital and travelling cross country to stay with the missus when I get chance. I never get to sleep as it is.

But...

Seeing as I fell just one, brutal, J.Y. shaped hurdle short last time, I don't think I am allowed to say no. Utah wouldn't let me live it down. You and Jessica are shit-heads, you know that? Total, lovely, squishy, huggable shit-heads.

And...

Last time was so much fun.

Plus...

As Bekka said, there are contingencies in case my participation goes bad. I would feel like an ass for pulling out, but it won't ruin anyone else's fun. I can live with that.

So...

WAR! motherfuckers. Watch your asses, coz I got a greased up gun muzzle that will fit real snug in your backside. I have a lovely set of skulls from last time, though Bekka's collection is better. I hope I don't draw Richard Thomas too early on, because he is gonna be keen to put me in my place for the upset last time. I want to draw Utah himself. We almost got to duel last time, almost, and in an alternate universe we were the finalists.

You are all gonna die. In fiction, of course.

Mess_Jess's picture
Mess_Jess from Sydney, Australia, living in Toronto, Canada is reading Perfect by Rachael Joyce October 7, 2012 - 8:15am

I will have sweet f-a free time around then, but count me in, I'll provide something even if it's sleep deprived hallucinations. I hate feeling left out. 

Nick Wilczynski's picture
Nick Wilczynski from Greensboro, NC is reading A Dance with Dragons by George R.R. Martin October 7, 2012 - 8:36am

God created WAR so that Americans would learn geography.

-Mark Twain

--

I'll see you there.

sean of the dead's picture
sean of the dead from Madisonville, KY is reading Peckerwood, by Jed Ayres October 7, 2012 - 8:52am

Watch your asses, coz I got a greased up gun muzzle that will fit real snug in your backside.

I have so many questions about this sentence...

Nick Wilczynski's picture
Nick Wilczynski from Greensboro, NC is reading A Dance with Dragons by George R.R. Martin October 7, 2012 - 9:04am

I almost forgot!

almost...

 

bryanhowie's picture
bryanhowie from FW, ID is reading East of Eden. Steinbeck is FUCKING AMAZING. October 7, 2012 - 9:13am

I better give it a shot this time.  I feel silly for missing it the first time.

Americantypo's picture
Americantypo from Philadelphia is reading The Bone Clocks October 7, 2012 - 9:19am

I've been slow writing lately, so count me in. War helped push me to finish stuff and meet deadlines.

XyZy's picture
XyZy from New York City is reading Seveneves and Animal Money October 7, 2012 - 9:20am

Chestah Pane!

I mean, War!

Stacy Kear's picture
Stacy Kear from Bucyrus, Ohio lives in New Jersey is reading The Art of War October 7, 2012 - 9:21am

Sign me up. Smack talk, smack talk, smack talk.

wickedvoodoo's picture
wickedvoodoo from Mansfield, England is reading stuff. October 7, 2012 - 9:24am

I have so many questions about this sentence...

 

 

My methods are unorthodox. All is fair in love and war.

wickedvoodoo's picture
wickedvoodoo from Mansfield, England is reading stuff. October 7, 2012 - 9:24am

Also, Howie's in? Fuck yeah.

Americantypo's picture
Americantypo from Philadelphia is reading The Bone Clocks October 7, 2012 - 9:26am

And I want to try and make it to the second round this time, ha ha.

Liana's picture
Liana from Romania and Texas is reading Naked Lunch October 7, 2012 - 9:30am

Ahhhhh I have a million excuses I was going to give. Screw it. And God said, "Let there be WAR!!!!!" So that means I can't help it, I want in!

avery of the dead's picture
avery of the dead from Kentucky is reading Cipher Sisters October 7, 2012 - 9:31am

SUPER excited to see howie joining the fight this time!!

This is going to be such a good fight.

R.Moon's picture
R.Moon from The City of Champions is reading The Last Thing He Wanted by Joan Didion; Story Structure Architect by Victoria Lynn Schimdt PH.D; Creating Characters by the editors of Writer's Digest October 7, 2012 - 9:32am

Opting out of this one. Want to focus my time on the novel.

jyh's picture
jyh from VA is reading whatever he feels like October 7, 2012 - 10:48am

Is this actually going to have 64 entrants? They fixed it.

sean of the dead's picture
sean of the dead from Madisonville, KY is reading Peckerwood, by Jed Ayres October 7, 2012 - 9:39am

this is going to be like the NCAA tournament, but interesting!

bryanhowie's picture
bryanhowie from FW, ID is reading East of Eden. Steinbeck is FUCKING AMAZING. October 7, 2012 - 9:44am

I'm excited.  War brings out the best in writers, it seems.  I'm hoping i get a boost in my writing like the participants of the other War got.  

I'd put Averydoll as a favorite this time.  Perfectly Natural is a masterpiece.  If she writes with that kind of scary honesty and humor again, we're all fucked.

Utah's picture
Moderator
Utah from Fort Worth, TX is reading Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry October 7, 2012 - 9:52am

Wow that is a shitty fucking awesome song.

I fucking love Utah!  Dude, I missed you so much.

@JGB:  Thanks, man!  I missed you too!  And you're right, this song is fucking awesome.

Utah's picture
Moderator
Utah from Fort Worth, TX is reading Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry October 7, 2012 - 9:53am

JY, you want in on the ground floor this time?

jyh's picture
jyh from VA is reading whatever he feels like October 7, 2012 - 10:06am

Maybe. With 64 slots, I figure I have a minute to think about it.

OtisTheBulldog's picture
OtisTheBulldog from Somerville, MA is reading The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz October 7, 2012 - 10:25am

I want in.

Mess_Jess's picture
Mess_Jess from Sydney, Australia, living in Toronto, Canada is reading Perfect by Rachael Joyce October 7, 2012 - 10:30am

Maybe. With 64 slots, I figure I have a minute to think about it.

Heh. I got so many giggles from this one line.

jyh's picture
jyh from VA is reading whatever he feels like October 7, 2012 - 10:40am

Ha. Another way to think about it: With 64 slots, I figure I had better get to work.

Courtney's picture
Courtney from the Midwest is reading Monkey: A Journey to the West and a thousand college textbooks October 7, 2012 - 10:40am

WAR. I'm in.

Americantypo's picture
Americantypo from Philadelphia is reading The Bone Clocks October 7, 2012 - 10:51am

Did we do 64 last time? That's a lot of stories to read!

.'s picture
. October 7, 2012 - 10:51am


My favorite part is the WAR avatars. 

wickedvoodoo's picture
wickedvoodoo from Mansfield, England is reading stuff. October 7, 2012 - 11:07am

Filling up quick! Nice to see. Some new names, too. Very cool.

How you running the double-elimination? There are variants, though what seems to be the easiest has a nice little wiki page.

 

JEFFREY GRANT BARR's picture
JEFFREY GRANT BARR from Central OR is reading Nothing but fucking Shakespeare, for the rest of my life October 7, 2012 - 11:15am

I started reading the explanation at the top of what WAR is, got bored. But I want to WAR! I assume this is a writing challenge or something. I wil read the rules later when I am drunk. Must leave page of screaming guitar solos...

Emma C's picture
Class Facilitator
Emma C from Los Angeles is reading Black Spire by Delilah Dawson October 7, 2012 - 11:46am

I want a cool fucking battle nickname!

Utah's picture
Moderator
Utah from Fort Worth, TX is reading Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry October 7, 2012 - 12:03pm

Emma, ask and you receive.

jyh's picture
jyh from VA is reading whatever he feels like October 7, 2012 - 12:04pm

The Emmasculator