First, we would like to remind you of the FTTW Halloween Fiction Contest. Details can be found here, but keep in mind that the deadline entry - October 20 - is creeping up on you. You know you've got a scary story just waiting to be put on paper (err..screen). So get writing and get entering.

We've added quite a few new writers to the already impressive FTTW staff. Yesterday we debuted Deb's hockey column, I'll See You on the Ice. Thursday saw the debut of Keith's roller coaster column, The Lift Hill. Today we have a sci-fi column that will become a regular feature and tomorrow look for the debut of "My Life as a Vermont Drag Queen." We have some reader submissions coming up soon, including talk of cars and Star Wars and the music industry. Got something you want to write about? There's always room for more here at FTTW. Check out the submission guideline page and send us your ideas/proposals/articles.

If you remember, I mentioned the Boobiethon a few weeks ago, a breast cancer awareness fundraiser. Why don't you stop over there today and pledge a few dollars to a very worthy cause?

Be sure to check back tonight for Produced By's column - he scored an interview with a Real Hollywood Writer. Good stuff.

Last - be prepared for big changes around here very soon. FTTW is getting bigger and better and we're going to introduce a new format to better serve the needs of both our writers and readers. Coming very, very soon.

Questions, comments, undying praise for the staff of FTTW? Leave 'em here.

Posted by Michele Christopher at 11:00 AM | Permalink | Del.icio.us It | Fark It | Digg It

THE FIRST ANNUAL FASTER THAN THE WORLD HALLOWEEN SHORT FICTION CONTEST.

Everyone loves a scary story. Why not try your hand at writing one? With Halloween approaching, we are giving you the chance to give us a scare or two for the holiday. Here's the deal:

1. No more than two entries per person
2. Stories are not to exceed 500 words.
3. Fiction only.
4. The theme for you story should be applicable to Halloween; not necessarily about Halloween, but something appropriate for the season - examples would be ghost stories, horror fiction, anything spooky, scary, gory or creepy.
5. Stories should be sent to contest@fasterthantheworld.com with the header "Halloween"
6. Stories can be entered into body of email or sent in Word or Wordperfect format. Please do not send stories in notepad form.
7. Deadline for entries is October 20, 2006
8. Judging/voting will be done by FTTW readers
9. Winners will be announced October 30, 2006 and published in a special Halloween issue of Faster Than The World.
10. Authors retain all rights to their stories.
11. Writers at FTTW may enter, but their stories are ineligible for voting.

Have fun with this. I know we will.

If you have any questions, etc. ask them here. Thanks.

Posted by Michele Christopher at 2:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (8) | TrackBacks (2) | Del.icio.us It | Fark It | Digg It

FTTW was built from Michele and turtle wanting to do things they hadn't seen anywhere else. Trust us, we looked in a lot of places for the perfect mix of a great site, but never found one. Frustrating nights turned into frustrating days until we decided to do it ourselves.

We made a site about punk rock and fast cars and a big variety of things, but the pace we were writing at turned it into more like a job. We don't write short posts. Everything we write is kind of long and making you guys laugh and think three times or more a day took our passion and burned us out. But at the same time, more people were coming to read the site. We were doing something right, but what? Our stories were always fun, but the damage it was doing on us was turning us into basketcases.

We started watching one guy in the comments whose writing we liked. A plan was formed and we had a new writer, thefinn. Soon to become a new editor but that is another story. More people lined up for one time shots - especially when we took a vacation and let our readers take over the site - and if the response to their stories was postive and they were willing to do it, the were on as full time contributors. As more people came on, the idea of a magazine came into place as we had more submissions coming in.

The bottom line of me telling you the history of FTTW is two fold.

1. This is how it happened

2. We want more writers

Number two is the big one. We want you, the readers, to send us in material. If you like the site and want to join in what we are doing, cover an angle and bring us a story. You see what we do here. No topic left uncovered. No limits on length. No guidelines as far as language and subject. Hell, last night we got a guy to submit us something about how it took him five years to knit a scarf. We are also adding a funny advice column. And a new comic (that will be three comic strips here).

You never know. Sometimes a one shot story from someone turns into a weekly slot on FTTW cause we like it so much. You might be good and not even know it. We just want to showcase you. You have something you are an expert in? Some topic you are passionate about? Something interesting happen to you? Been to a great show? Collect something unusual (not dead bodies, please)? Write it up. Tell us a story. Send it in.

So send your submissions in. Let us put you up.

Cause next Monday, all of this will change again.

I told you. Hold on. FTTW keeps growing and we want you part of it. Think you can write? Did we miss something? Can you help us fill in those blanks? Wanna be part of the FTTW Team?

submissions@fasterthantheworld.com

[also, any questions you have about writing for us will be answered through that address]

We're waiting for you.

* Also, if you would like to subscribe to the feed for this site, please click the extended entry thing. People have asked and I guess it's not that noticeable on the sidebar.

Continue reading "FTTW Wants You!" »

Posted by Michele Christopher at 10:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (12) | Del.icio.us It | Fark It | Digg It