The second rule of WRiTE CLUB.....

We are now just one week away from our first WRiTE club matchup and I can already feel the excitement building.  My wife tells me that the submissions have been trickling in and although she's not allowed me to read any of the samples yet, she has been amazed at the quality of the work.  As promised, this post is supposed to clear up any lingering questions about WRiTE CLUBS purpose and how you to participate.  First, here are the rules again.

1st RULE: You do not talk about WRiTE CLUB.

2nd RULE: You DO NOT talk about WRiTE CLUB.

3rd RULE: If someone taps out, WRiTING is over.

4th RULE: Only two people to a WRiTE.

5th RULE: One WRiTE per week.

6th RULE: No shirts, no shoes.

7th RULE: WRiTES will go on until Feb1. 

8th RULE: If this is your first week at WRiTE CLUB, you HAVE to WRiTE.

Recap:   Every writer who wishes to WRiTE should submit a 250 word sample of their WRiTING via email to dlh.hammons@gmail.com.  The sample should be identified by a pen name of your choosing (be creative) that nobody has ever seen before.  The writing can be of any genre, any style (even poetry), with the word count being the only restriction.  My wife will be monitoring that email address and will assign a number to each sample we receive.  I will never see who belongs to what writing, other than by the pen-name.  Beginning on Monday, November 7th, the first WRiTE will be held.  Just prior to that date I will randomly select two of these anonymous entries and post them on that date for head to head competition .  The winner will be selected by WRiTE spectators via your votes left in the comments (you don't have to be a WRiTER to vote, anyone can participate).  Ties will be decided by me (if necessary) since I will have not seen any of the authors names.  The victor will automatically be eligible for the semi-finals that will begin February 1, 2012, and the runner up will be placed back in the pool for possible selection for the next weeks WRiTE. It's that simple!

Tapping out means a WRiTER can decide at any time during the 12 week competition to withdraw their name from the pool.  No matter how many submissions I receive, there will only be one WRiTE per week.  Each week any new submissions will be placed in a "newby" pool from which one half of the WRiTE will be made up.  The other WRiTER will come from the existing pool.  If there are no "newbies", both WRiTERS will come from the existing pool less the previous winners.

On February 1st the 12 winners will match up against one another on daily posts until the ultimate WRiTER is chosen. 

After the competition is over and we have a champion, I will release the true names of only the WRiTERs who allow it.  Otherwise, the competition will remain completely anonymous to prevent anybody from having their feelings, or pride, hurt.  It will also be fun trying to figure out which writing might be who's, but remember RULE #1.

Now let's answer the questions left in the comments from the first post about WRiTE CLUB.

Can we start submitting any time now?  Yes.  You can submit anytime during the 12 week preliminary round.

Does the 250 words have to be a complete piece (i.e., flash fiction)?  No. 

If not, does it have to be the first 250 words of something? No.  It can be carved out from any part of a  larger piece of your work, the only thing I ask it that it not have been previously posted or published.

Because your wife is manning the email, it's ok to send our 250 words from an email address that has our name in it, yes?  Yes.  I will not see the emails, only the submissions with their pen names.

You're going to start during the craziness that is NaNo?  Yes.  First, because believe it or not there are some writers who choose not to participate in NaNo.  Second, what's 250 words compared to 50K?  But most importantly of all, WRiTE CLUB goes on for 12 weeks, well beyond NaNo, so you can choose to submit in December or January if you like.

So if you've been toying with the idea of taking part in this totally unique, and anonymous venture, now's the time to send in those submissions.  Next Monday will be on us quickly.  Grit those teeth and flex that imagination.

And whatever you do, DON'T tell your friends.  DON'T take the badge I've created and post it on your own blog.  DON'T twit, or update your Facebook status update about it. *exaggerated wink *

Monday, November 7th...WRiTE CLUB is ON!!!  

(PS.  Have fun starting tomorrow NaNo-nites!)