Tremendous! More ballots. And I have scored and written brief critiques for 3 of the 6 stories (although I haven't turned them in as ballots yet).

Here are current statistics:
1 story has 9 ballots
5 stories have 5 ballots each

It seems one of the authors has been beating the bushes for readers. While it'd be great if people read all the stories, or at least more than just one, it's okay to have supporters. However, I do check for duplicates.

Also, authors, you may score your own story. Some give themselves all 3s (I guess they figure it's an average score), some give themselves all 5s (maybe they figure no one else will), some try to evaluate their story against the others and score theirs accordingly, and some feel it's impossible to be impartial and so refuse to score their own story. Do whatever you feel is right.

There are about 15 1/2 hours left to finish scoring the stories.

Thanks again for your support.

Scotty
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Anthrofiction Network

There is about one hour left until the entry deadline.

Three more entries! Furvert, The Legend of Tal-niene, and A Little Slice For Desire.

All five stories feature physical transformation using: advanced science, magic, witchcraft, godly intervention, and surgery.

All stories are anthrofiction with the possible exception of one, which features the transformation of a human into an object. However, since the object seems to be aware, and the other character treats it as if it were, and the object contains the spirit of the human--I'm going to allow it.

The plot is a bit more difficult for two of the stories. Maybe you can help me decide. This is the suggested plot structure:

First, the Plot

Three basic parts: the setup, the turning point, and the resolution.

The setup: Start with two main characters, let’s call them A and B. A loves or desires B, but there must be some physical reason why A thinks the relationship cannot work: they could be different species, races, or lifeforms; perhaps the only problem is they are sexually incompatible; or A might have some deformity. How B feels about A is up to the author.

The turning point: A attempts to use physical transformation on himself or herself to erase the incompatibility that keeps A and B apart. Some ideas the author can explore: What price does A pay for this transformation? What is the form of the transformation or how does it happen?

The resolution: How does B react to A’s transformation? Is it a disaster or do they live happily ever after, or is your resolution something in between?

That’s it. Easy. A basic plot involving transformation.

In the first difficult story character B isn't a character at all, but an object of desire. Character A goes through a partial transformation to better accommodate this object. I hadn't thought of the possibility that B could be an object (and of course B doesn't go through the transformation). Everything else fits. So: yea, nay, or maybe?

In the second difficult story character A seems to go through two transformations: one at the turning point that isn't obvious and not fully revealed until the resolution, and a second an obvious physical transformation during the resolution. The plot calls for a transformation as the turning point, which this has... maybe. After the turning point character A completes a task that could only be completed by someone of supernatural ability (the granting of this ability might be considered the first transformation). Is a visitation by a god and the granting of supernatural ability, transformation enough to count as fulfilling the plot? So: yea, nay, or maybe?

I will consider your answers before I make my determination.

Thanks!

Scotty
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Anthrofiction Network