Welcome to the Soc.Sexuality.Spanking
2011 Summer Short Story Contest!

I have shamelessly copied sections of the rules for previous contests where they seemed to me to fit. If there are any questions about these rules or the contest in general, please email John Marks. Please include "SSC-Query" in the subject of any such email – this will put it in the proper folder for my early attention.

You may also post questions in the NG if you like, but if I don't happen to notice it or it gets caught in a kill-file, you won't get an answer unless you email. Also, Google automatically mungs email addresses posted to Newsgroups, so I may not have the address to answer directly questions posted to SSS.
For both reasons it is better to use email.

The contest begins with the first posting of these rules, on 24 June 2011. The Contest ends at midnight, GMT on 16 Sept 2011 (that is at the end of 16 Sept, not the start) The end is later than usual because the start was delayed this year.

All entries should be self-contained works of fiction or verse, not fragments that can only be understood as part of a larger whole. However, they may be parts of series or share common characters with other works, provided that they can stand alone. All Entries must depict a spanking or spankings, or imply one (or more), or in some way refer to spanking. Other kinks or erotica are acceptable but not required.

• All entries should be posted to the soc.sexuality.spanking usenet newsgroup (SSS). All entries must also be sent to John Marks.
• All entries must contain the string "[SSC2011]" at the start of the subject (I will be using an email filter on this string, so if you leave it out the story may not get into the right folder, and may be missed.)
• All entries should also include the name of the category in square brackets in the subject line. If the category would be a spoiler for the story, include "[Cat Below]" and list the category in a note after the end of the story proper. The subject should also include the story title, possibly abbreviated. I would prefer if the subject line did not contain the author's name.
• The story text should also include the Title, Author, and SSC category, usually at the top, although other placements are ok.
• Posts to SSS must of course follow the ordinary posting rules (including the so-called "magic words") or the bot will reject them. (However, I understand that the SSS Mods have made “SSC2011” (no spaces) in the subject line an alternate “magic word” for posting.)

Aside from the category label, no labels are required for the SSC. You are free to use any labels you may wish, or none. Many posters prefer to label gender with tags such as “M/F” (adult male spankes adult female) or “F/m” (Adult female spanks male child or teen). Tags such as “nc” for non-consensual scenes are used by some authors. When a work has content likely to bother some readers, many consider it a good idea to indicate this in the subject or a disclaimer. Others do not. Readers must read at their own risk, but posters of unlabeled content may risk strong responses.

Post in plain text. If you use a word processor with a proprietary format, like MS Word, save as plain text before you post. Please also avoid using attachments, and avoid posting in HTML if you can. Plain text will be easier for everyone to read. Indicate italics _like this_ and boldface *like this* if you chose to use them.

By emailing your works to the submission address, you consent to their being publicly archived. Aside from the giving the organizers the right to post as part of an archive, authors retain all their copyrights.

All entries should be no longer than 500 words, except for entries in the [Long] and [Mini-epic] categories. Titles, headers, author names, copyright notices, disclaimers, category indications, and brief author notes are not included in the word count. A few words of leeway may be given to allow for counting programs that give slightly different results, but try to keep to a strict 500.

All entries must be the original work of the listed authors, and should not have been previously published or posted (posts to a private discussion list need not count).

An entry may fit into more than one category. The author should indicate what single category the entry is to be considered in. Entries with no indicated category may be rejected, or may be assigned a category by the organizer, at his whim.

Each entry will be assigned to at least one and up to three reviewers, depending on the number or reviewers who volunteer, and the number of entries submitted. Reviewers will write a short reaction to each work, considering how well the work fits the category and its overall quality or success at what it intends. These reviews will be posted to the newsgroup and in the archives. Reviewers will also rate the entries (except in the [festival] category), and these ratings will be used to help determine a "winner" in each category and an overall "winner".

For details on this year's categories, please see the Categories page.