Middle-Earth Fanfiction Awards

[linaewen]

Some time ago, I posted about being recognized with some awards for some tales that were nominated in the Middle-earth Fanfiction Awards.  I have participated in the MEFAwards for two years now, both as a nominated author and as a reviewer, and I really enjoy it!  Not just because of the personal gratification I get when people vote for my stories, but even more because it's a great way to find a lot of really, really excellent Tolkien writing, all gathered in one place.

The MEFAwards are about to begin again -- in fact, the season for nominating stories begins tomorrow, May 22!  I'm very excited to be a MEFA volunteer this year, in addition to being a writer and a reviewer.  ;-)  If you are interested in participating this year as an author, a reviewer, or even just a reader, be sure to read about how you can be involved futher down in this post!

Now -- to celebrate the new MEFA year, I would like to share my banners with you for those tales of mine which won last year.  (And if you are really curious, and if it's not too much bragging on my part, you can go look on my profile page for the banners representing those tales of mine which won in 2007).

The Best Sword Ever received Third Place in Times: Mid Third Age: General  



Feet That Wander received First Place in Races: Cross-Cultural: General



A Great Evil Unmade received Second Place in Genres: Alternate Universe: Steward's Family

Obviously I was so busy admiring Boromir here that I didn't notice that the banner preparer had written 3rd Place instead of 2nd Place!  *is embarrassed* I shall have to see if she can still fix that, since I'm really pleased that this tale won 2nd place and I want to brag about it!  :-D



Fennas Haradren received First Place in Genres: Adventure: General





MEFA 2009 - Nominations to Begin Soon

As you may have heard, the Middle-earth Fanfiction Awards will shortly begin accepting nominations for the 2009 awards. Nominations will begin on May 22, and the folks at MEFA would love to have you put forward your favorite drabbles, stories, poetry, essays, and any other variation of fanfic you have encountered.

WHO CAN NOMINATE?

Any member of the MEFAwards Yahoo group may nominate up to twenty pieces. (Self-nominations are allowed.) If you are not already a member, please go ahead and join there so we can get you set up with an account at our awards website. Once you join the Yahoo group and we make sure that you don't already have another account on our site, you will be sent a password to use at our website.

If you are already a member but have lost your password, please try to have the site send it to you automatically, using the "Forgotten password?" link on our homepage. You can also email mefasupport@mefawards.net for assistance. Please do not try to create a second account.

WHAT CAN BE NOMINATED?

We accept pretty much every variety of fanfic you can imagine. Our eligibility requirements are fairly straightforward:

1. The piece has to be fanfic. And it has to be based on Tolkien's world. (Or a crossover between Tolkien and some other universe.)

2. The piece has to be available at an eligible URL. This basically means you don't have to join a site to view the piece, and (if the piece is spread across more than one page) there's a way to get to the subsequent pages from a single URL.

3. This must be the first time the piece has been nominated. We do allow pieces that competed as WIPs to compete again when they're finished, but other than that - it's one bite at the apple for each story, each essay, each whatever. Check out our full list of pieces nominated in previous years: http://www.mefawards.net/mefa-archive

4. The piece has to meet our rating requirements. (See http://www.mefawards.net/MEFA2009/index.php?page=FAQratingsguide) When in doubt, we have a ratings panel that can evaluate an author's story and decide whether the story in question is ineligible on this count. Eligible stories must meet our ratings guidelines for General, Teen, or Mature.

There are of course special cases. If you are in doubt, email mefasupport@mefawards.net before nominating and they will tell you if the piece is eligible.

WHEN CAN YOU NOMINATE?

Nominations will run May 22 through the end of June. All MEFA days begin based on GMT, so nominations will begin at 12:01 AM GMT on May 22 and end at 11:59 PM GMT on June 30.

If your story is nominated, you will have until July 7 to completely finish up the nomination process. This involves emailing your liaison to say you want to compete; filling out a fairly detailed form on our website; and working with your liaison to resolve any problems caught by your liaison. If you do not finish this process by July 7, your nomination will be revoked.

Please note - the nomination period is one week shorter this year than in previous years. So get those nominations in early.

WHERE CAN YOU NOMINATE?

Nominations are submitted via our website, http://www.mefawards.net/MEFA2009/ . When you log in you will see links to nominate a story by someone other than yourself or to self-nominate your own story. (If you don't see these links it means you aren't allowed to nominate, which usually means you're not a member of the MEFAwards group. If you think this is an error, please email me at mefasupport@mefawards.net)

You can also browse other peoples' nominations by clicking the "Browse All Nominated Stories," and you may start reviewing them as soon as they are nominated. There's one piece of advice I hear over and over from veteran MEFA participants: it really is never too early to get started, and the less stressful MEFA voting will be. Both members of MEFAwards and non-members who have their stories nominated can vote.

A quick caveat - until May 22, our site will be in "testing" mode. If you log in before then, you will be able to nominate stories or enter reviews but they will be erased when the site goes "live" on May 22. You'll know we're accepting real nominations when the pink bar at the top of the page labelled "TEST" disappears.

See you at the MEFAwards!

Comments

[estellye.livejournal.com]

Congratulations once again for your well earned awards! It's so great that you are participating as a volunteer this year. :)

I wanted to let you know I haven't been at my computer at a good fiction reading time yet, but I am looking forward to reading your unearthed and re-written tale as soon as possible! I read the first few lines and squeed, though. I love your young Boromir.

HAPPY FOR YOU , but

[siradaono.livejournal.com]

insecure authors sit in thier rooms and watch through the window as others play.

Re: HAPPY FOR YOU , but

[lin4gondor.livejournal.com]

You aren't talking about yourself are you? You whose writing makes me cry just about every time? You with the imagination which knows no bounds, and the words to actually pin it down long enough to share it with others?

Every writer has dry moments, where they look out at the others playing and wonder why they bother. It's discouraging -- I know! I even get kind of discouraged looking at these awards, realizing they are for old stuff and that I've produced almost nothing new in over a year. But I'm sorry if I added to your trouble, during your dry patch. :-)

Re: HAPPY FOR YOU , but

[siradaono.livejournal.com]

thx, i am writing and researching for a historical fiction of a relative, John Rock.
I am spending allot of time scanning through thousands of names and families in S. Carolina circa 1740 to 1850, day and night.
My MUSE is back and I dont know which to work on from hour to hour.
but in all honesty, when I read the works of Varda, agape, loth, estelle, and lin, and shrink into the shadows and realize I am an under-educated hack, simply a poser of prose.
thanks for being kind but I could not, would not, compete against the likes of talented writers.
Thank goodness for vanity publishing sites like lulu.com, otherwise I would just stop. I am vain, and hopeful about my tales, because you and others like them. Compared to you and your talent I am nothing, a shadow of a writer.
I am ever disappointed with myself, not having continued schooling and told that to Barry (English Teacher Friend) last week. I would like to take an Eng. Lit. class to knock off the rust and help me towards my longing, my goal, to be published.

ah I am just blue today

thanks Lin

Re: HAPPY FOR YOU , but

[lin4gondor.livejournal.com]

I'll be praying against that blueness then. May your research and Muse energize you, and insulate you against too much comparison with others. Whether you believe it or not, there's no one can compete with you either, for that prose and emotion you do best. I tell you, when you write a spooky tale, I know for a fact I won't be reading it at night. ;-)

Re: HAPPY FOR YOU , but

[siradaono.livejournal.com]

Wrote one for you, us, and say again, Thankya.
Mayhap a well left still, gives sweeter waters, as time goes by.

You have worked marvelous wonders Wordslinger! Congrates Lin!

[lindahoyland.livejournal.com]

The MEFAs are always fun! Good luck!

[primsong.livejournal.com]

I hope you do wonderfully well, as you most assuredly deserve. :-) I've written so very little for M-e this year, I'll most likely just be admiring from the sides, but writers like you give the rest of us much to admire.