January Challenge -- Deadline: February 10th

[Dog Food]

It's January. This month is great for quite a number of reasons. It's the coldest month of the year (for the US), it's the month I was born in, and it's the beginning of a new year. So we've reached 2011, how about that? I'd like to honor the special occasion with a challenge.

It's a simple writing challenge. Your piece can not be more than 5,001 words (and must be at least 1,000). But, there are some elements your story must include in order to be counted:

• A Cool Title
• At least ten characters with dialogue
• A Minority Character
• An Alien
• A Chase Scene
• A Disney Death
• A Celebration
• Brains
• A Team
• Mood swings
• An IOU

You can interpret the above list in any way you'd like, as long as you include each of them. Some are deliberately vague so that you can add some of your own creativity and perspectives (does 'Brains' mean someone smart, a zombie apocalypse or something completely different?). There's 11 things in honor of the year.

So starting today, you can begin entering your products. You can only enter once, but you can continue to edit the post with your work in it until the end date: January 25th at 11:59 PM EST.

Judging along with me is Bored, Light and Silver. So if you want to win, suck up to us. Of course, we will be judging on who best incorporates all of the above requirements to make a kick ass story. Oh, and of course, the prize...
1st place will get you $50 (if you're okay with giving me your address) or a rank of your fancy.

If you have any questions, go ahead and ask. Otherwise, good luck with this January Challenge!

[The Riddler]

. But, there are some elements your story must include in order to be counted:

• A Team

[Magnum]

I'm okay with this.

>3,500 words max

I'm not okay with this.

[SkyMyl]

>3,500 words max

I'm not okay with this.

1000 words minimum, bro.

[Magnum]

1000 words minimum, bro.

My short stories tend to hit the 7,000 word mark... And that's with only 4 characters. 10 characters will make it WAY too long for me.

[Kayo]

Disney Death?

[Dog Food]

My short stories tend to hit the 7,000 word mark... And that's with only 4 characters. 10 characters will make it WAY too long for me.

I wanted to make it longer too. But then I realized I (and the other judges) had to read every single entry. So that's one of the main reasons for the shortness. Also, it provides a challenge.

Disney Death?

You know, when a character appears dead, but then they come back.

[Magnum]

You know, when a character appears dead, but then they come back.

Tell that to Mufasa

[Rayquarian]

Tell that to Mufasa

Mufasa was too awesome to get a Disney Death.  He got Killed Off For Real instead.

[Neerb]

Disney death is a fake death? Really? Because, as I recall, almost every single villain in Disney history has had a death that was not only real, but gruesome.

Or does this just apply to hero characters?

[Dog Food]

Disney death is a fake death? Really? Because, as I recall, almost every single villain in Disney history has had a death that was not only real, but gruesome.

Or does this just apply to hero characters?

You're thinking of a "Disney Villain Death", which is a completely different thing. This is a Disney Death.

[Silverhawk79]

WAIT I WANNA JUDGE

[Kayo]

but ALL those elements in such a short space? I'll try.

[Dog Food]

but ALL those elements in such a short space? I'll try.

True, I did add some elements from my initial outline. I'll max it out at 5K words. Although I still think 3.5K would work, since a lot of the elements can be grouped together.

[Kayo]

True, I did add some elements from my initial outline. I'll max it out at 5K words. Although I still think 3.5K would work, since a lot of the elements can be grouped together.

Watch me end up at just over 5K and not be able to cut anything out without ruining the whole thing.