Hi AC, not really my scene. I did once try with a short story to Interzone, but no luck. However, I have had a local story published in a local newspaper, and another broadcast on the local radio. Oddly, I find it easier writing gamebooks rather than straightforward stories - and they're more fun to do! The story kind of falls into place, some parts I plan prior to starting, but much of what I write slots into place, much like a jigsaw puzzle. However, I do enjoy reading the occasional short story and I've got quite a few favourite authors on the shelf, such as Bernard Cornwell, Peter F Hamilton, and John Wyndham. Saying that, my own writing has been on temporary hold over the past few years due to a Bookwormathon (not sure if that's an actual word, but if not then I'd like it to be) that has, thus far, encompassed thirty two books over the past five years! Although someday I might return to the alternate history steampunk horror setting, personally I don't think Nye's Song is my best effort, but thanks for the kind comments though :)

AC
Mon Mar 21 16:50:30 2022
Nye's Song
Skull - non-optimum ending reached

Play 2: Excellent. Ever thought of writing for 2000 AD?

AC
Mon Mar 21 16:41:55 2022
Nye's Song
Skull - non-optimum ending reached

Well written and absorbing

Stuart Lloyd
Sun Mar 20 15:50:59 2022
Lindenbaum Competition

16 days left to cast your vote for the 16 books entered for Lindenbaum! The deadline is 10pm GMT on the 5th April. So if you start now, you can read 1 a day before getting your vote in!
http://www.lloydofgamebooks.com/p/voting-is-now-open-for-20212022.html

Thnes Maeswara
Tue Mar 8 15:16:28 2022
The Word Fell Silent
Star - optimum ending reached

lol

First Time Reader
Tue Mar 8 12:19:45 2022
The Diamond Key
Skull - non-optimum ending reached

Long sword is a trap :(

Ulysses
Tue Feb 22 14:56:40 2022
Lindenbaum Competition

Just noticing I spelled 'entries' as 'entires' multiple times above. Wanna say it was a typo but...

Ulysses
Mon Feb 21 14:15:09 2022
Lindenbaum Competition

I've just finished reviewing all of the entires to this years competition and sending in my votes.

There was a great variety of genres, gaming mechanics and writing styles. There were a few entries that I thought were really great, others were enjoyable, and a few with great ideas that I hope will be reworked into more complete gamebooks.

I won't mention any particular entires here as voting is ongoing, but below is the approach I took to assess the entires.

I scored each entry using 5 factors (with different weightings):
Length - while writing a good short adventure is its own challenge, generally more references means a longer more complicated adventure, and so the first factor was the number of references. The entires ranged from 39 to 100 references, with an average of 80.
The second factor was writing quality. I didn't judge this too harshly, and just looked for easy-flowing language without any pauses to try and work out what was being said. I marked writing quality out of 10, and I deemed more than one to be 10/10, there were also a couple of 4s, but overall the average score for writing was 8/10.
The next factor was Story Quality where I considered the premise and how the plot unfolded. While some had far less story than others, I tried to judge each according to what it seemed to be trying to be. The scores I allocated again ranged from 4 to 10/10, with an average of 7.
Gamebook Mechanics was the next factor I looked at, which scored the combat system, implementation of tests, etc. in the text, whether choices made sense, and the extent to which the choices lead to the best ending(s). These scores ranged from 4 to 9, with an average of 6/10. There were quite a few examples of combat systems that were unfortunately poorly explained and/or complicated to use.
The final factor I looked at was 'Challenge', which was a review not only of difficulty, but if the difficulty made the adventure more enjoyable. Adventures that are too eay or too hard can both be less enjoyable that one that offers an interesting challenge. This is where there was the greatest variation, with scores from 2 to 8, and an average of 5. For this factor 5/10 is actually an ok score.

So overall, I judged the entires as ranging from 46 to 83, with an average of 66/100.

Well done to all of the authors, and good luck!

ChewbakaPT
Mon Feb 21 10:18:50 2022
The Diamond Key
Skull - non-optimum ending reached

Being brave, in a world of bandit, is foolish and unwise. The premises of The Diamond Key are those of bravery, yet I failed the task. Wasn't able to defeat the foe. I will surely come back for another attempt.

Tammy
Sat Feb 19 04:30:43 2022
Contractual Obligation

The princess trophy in my stories is usually a sadistic cannibal, so I'd recommend against saving her.

Ulysses
Sat Feb 19 03:37:41 2022
Contractual Obligation

@Yoz Ben

My other writing isn't published anywhere at this time, but rest assured when it is I will be drumming up interest through every avenues available to me, so you should hear about it sooner or later.

With the errors you've noted, as the only place these gamebooks are published is here, I suggest you use the Contact email and send your notes to the Webmaster. Depending on the number and how you have referenced the errors, he may take the time to fix some of them. Either way, thank you for noting the errors.

Yoz Ben
Fri Feb 18 15:13:56 2022
Contractual Obligation

Hi Ulysses!
Thanks for answering in-depth to my (admittedly lengthy) posts!
As I said, I enjoyed those gamebooks a lot.
They definitely are a great series already, with or without further entries.
But, of course I'd greatly enjoy further episodes!
As for being great at starting things and not finishing them, I'd counter that nine(?) gamebooks on this site say you're great at starting and finishing great stories with complex mechanics and funny writing.

You mention you're writing other stuff now, not gamebooks - may I ask?
I enjoyed reading the series, did wonders to take my mind off things. I figure I might enjoy checking out your other work too, if it's published somewhere?

I think while playing those gamebooks, I noted some minor errors like a missing word or similar stuff that a spell-checking software won't notice ("water" instead of "waiter" etc). I was doing some proofreading in other contexts at the time, so I was in the habit, and at some point started jotting down notes when I came across something like that. If those might be useful to you in order to straighten some of those minor kinks, I'll gladly shoot you a mail. If that kind of thing is rather more hassle than it's worth, all good of course, too. Let me know :)

So, here's to hope for another entry in the series at some point!
Cheers

Stuart Lloyd
Wed Feb 16 10:07:39 2022
Lindenbaum Competition

@Ulysses

Yes, entrants can vote for two main reasons

1) Since you have to vote for 3 books, even if you vote for yourself (which I would expect all entrants to do), you also have to vote for 2 others.
2) Wayne always let me vote.

I'm not voting, but I will be providing feedback.

Ulysses
Wed Feb 16 08:21:02 2022
Lindenbaum Competition

Very interested to start reading the entires.

It has only occurred to me now to ask: As an entrant, am I allowed to vote?
I wasn't planning to vote for myself, although politicians do, so I guess it isn't unheard of.

Stuart Lloyd
Tue Feb 15 21:24:44 2022
Lindenbaum Competition

Voting is now open for the 2021/2022 Lindenbaum Prize. Voting is open until 10pm GMT on the 5th April 2022.
You can get the gamebooks at www.lloydofgamebooks.com
Voting
The Lindenbaum prize is awarded to the entrant who receives the greatest number of reader votes. This prize relies on votes provided by readers who have read enough of the entries to make a considered choice as to the relative merits of the gamebooks submitted. It is expected by the sponsor of this competition that votes will be provided on this basis. For 2021-2022, the voting system applied as follows:
A valid vote must be forwarded by email to Lindenbaumprize@gmail.com. A valid vote must nominate the three gamebooks most favoured by the voter from the competition entrants. A vote with less than three nominations cannot be accepted. A vote forwarded with more than three nominations will only have the first three accounted for in the voting tabulation.
Only one voter email is allowed per reader. All votes will be checked for duplication of email addresses.
Feedback to the authors may be forwarded to the competition sponsors at Lindenbaumprize@gmail.com. All feedback given will be provided to authors at the end of competition as a part of the email notification of results.
Voting will close on the 5th April at 10pm GMT!

Stuart Lloyd
Thu Feb 3 15:54:25 2022
Lindenbaum Competition

Entries have now closed for the 2020/2021 Lindenbaum Prize for Short gamebook Fiction. Sixteen authors have been accepted for this year's competition and their entries are currently being adapted to the standard competition PDF format.

We have an amazing array of gamebook goodness with 16 entrants!

It should be noted that as the number of gamebooks has exceeded 14, the competition rules now require an extension on time for the close of voting date will be extended to the 5th April and winner announcement dates to be extended to the 14th April (2 week’s delay). Due to the large number of entries submitted and my decision to hyperlink the books there must also be a short extension of time for all entries to be properly converted to the standard competition format. Due to this delay all entries will be available for free download and review from the 15th February.

All information regarding this year's comp including full entry guidelines, competition schedule and prize details can be found at http://www.lloydofgamebooks.com/p/the-lindenbaum-prize-for-short-gamebook.html.

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