2022 "Liminal Spaces" Writing Contest

Boo!

Scared 'ya? No? Well, here's something that might...

It's about time we had another contest, though the theme this time around is a little more unique. Let's jump right in with the most obvious question:

What Are Liminal Spaces?[]

Liminal spaces are a recent internet sub-culture based on the existence and photography of "transitory spaces". Typically, these consist of vacant, indoor areas such as hallways and waiting rooms, but can also broadly include outdoor settings and even computer-generated ones, so long as they convey the right kind of atmosphere. All liminal spaces share a few core similarities: they're always devoid of people, detached of any meaningful context, and are meant to be passed through rather than lingered in.

Doing the latter can incorporate a sense of nostalgia, as well as unease and limbo. Part of the draw of a liminal space is to do with the feeling of kenopsia, which is defined as "the eerie, forlorn atmosphere of a place that's usually bustling with people but is now abandoned and quiet". This is what fuels the feelings of anxiety and discomfort that liminal spaces often produce; they are familiar environments presented in a strange, anomalous way. It's that aspect that we are most wanting to be explored in this contest: the uncomfortable, the unnerving, the feeling that there's something not quite right.

If you're still unsure of the term, feel free to do your own research, but for the sake of conciseness, I'm going to leave the explanation there. Before we go any further, however, some ground rules need to be established.

The Elephant in the (Back)Room[]

Usually, this is where I'd put the instructions on how the contest is going to work exactly (more on that later), but instead, I've decided to highlight another aspect that's just as crucial.

The most famous liminal space, is, of course, the original backrooms image. No other picture in the sub-genre has managed to sprout its own lore, games, page on the site, etc., or even come close. Despite having an inarguable impact on the popularity of liminal spaces, what the backrooms has become today is really completely separate from liminality as a whole (and, in my opinion, a bit of a shitshow).

Therefore, no backrooms content of any kind will be allowed in the contest. Though this ban doesn't necessarily apply to tropes seen in the backrooms mythos (levels, entities/NPCs, the concept of glitching out of reality), I would discourage using any of these devices unless you are confident you can execute them in an original and engaging way.

One thing I would also generally suggest to not do is to use the word "liminal" in your story, or attempt any sort of meta antics or fourth wall breakage. Really, these ideas just not interesting enough to warrant myself or either other judge to score them highly.

Okay, now that that's dealt with, it's time to talk about how things are going to work.

How to Participate[]

It's been over 10 years since the wiki hosted a contest involving image prompts, but all that is about to change. To enter the contest, you must pick a number between 1 and 30. Cherish this number, as once you've chosen it, it cannot be repicked or traded in for another. The number you choose will correspond to an image of a liminal space, which you are to use as the basis for your story. The image must be included somewhere on the page itself, and must be the only image on said page.

Obviously, you should only pick an image if you feel confident that you'll be able to produce a story within the time frame of the contest, but it's advisable not to wait too long to pick one, either; the sooner you make a choice, the more freedom you'll have.

Judges and Scoring System[]

The judges for this contest are myself, William See, and Zugzuwang. We will be scoring entries based on three main criteria and two more minor, technical ones. The first three criteria will be worth 10 points each and the last two will be worth five points each. This means that each judge has a total of 40 points to award to a story, with each entry earning a maximum of 120 points.

Execution[]

This is the first main criteria and refers to the structure and layout of your story, mainly in relation to its plot. Was the build-up effective? Was the payoff satisfactory? Were the characters believable? A rushed, poorly thought-out story will score low in this category.

Originality[]

This is the second main criteria and refers to the creativity and imaginativeness of your story. What's important to remember is that you don't have to come up with some wacky, crazy idea to score highly in this regard; tired old clichés will lose you points, but clever, innovative ways of using them will not.

Use of Image[]

This is the third main criteria and refers to how you implement your assigned image in your story. It's one thing to write a good pasta, but if it has little to do with the contest's theme, then we can't score it highly in this category. Ideally, you should attempt to emulate the mood and ambience of your image as well as just insert it literally into your narrative.

Spelling, Punctuation, and Grammar[]

Not much explaining to do here. I'm sure you're all aware of what this criteria entails. It's an easy 5/5 points if you remember to proofread your work (though a couple of mistakes here and there won't entail any serious consequences).

Syntax[]

This is more to do with eloquence and sentence structure than just plain technical accuracy. Dull descriptions and bland, forgettable wording will not serve you well here, but make sure not to go too over-the-top.

Rules & Regulations[]

All entries must be posted as an onsite article in order to be counted. Google doc/pastebin links will be ignored.
All entries must meet the wiki's Quality Standards. This means that no Spinoffs or any other kinds of blacklisted subject will be accepted.
All entries must be 100% original and written specifically for the contest. This means no OC content, pre-existing pastas, or stories based off real-life events or people.
All entries (excluding poems) must be within 500 and 5000 words. Entries that exceed or fall short of this margin will not be accepted unless they are edited to an appropriate size.

Regarding poems, though they will be accepted, they are liable to receive less points compared to a regular story due to their length. If poems happen to be your area of writing expertise, then don't despair; a good enough poem still has a chance of doing well compared to a lacklustre story.

Additionally, feel free to post your story on the Writer's Workshop prior to posting it as an article. Just don't expect myself or either other judge to provide any feedback there.

Story Formatting Guidelines[]

As well as all the relevant categories (including the contest category), entries must include an author's note indicating that the story is for the contest. This can be achieved by copy-pasting the following template at the very top of the page:

{{AN|This is my entry for [[User:Cornconic|Cornconic]]'s Liminal Spaces story contest.}}

Entries must also include the 'by-user' template at the very bottom of the page to make it clear who has submitted the story:

{{By-user|<insert your username here>}} Make sure not to include the chevrons (these things: <>)

The Timeline[]

The contest has officially begun with the creation of this blog post. This means that from now until the 28th of August, you should let us know you're participating by leaving a message in the comments section. Please keep in mind that we will not be accepting story entries until the 14th of August, or one week from now.

This is so that authors can ensure that their stories are of the utmost quality before they are submitted. After all, you can't just pump out a story in a day or two and expect it to do well without frequent revision. I implore you to take this first week to make your stories as polished as possible. Eliminate unnecessary sentences, tweak descriptions, make sure it all flows as smoothly as possible.

Once you have submitted your story, we would appreciate it if you could keep any additional editing to a minimum. The last day to submit a story is the 4th September, so you have plenty of time to ensure that the uploaded version is the best it can possibly be. Fixing a couple of typos won't merit any consequences, but an extensive change will force us to mark you down.

As soon as your story is published to the site, you should let us know by commenting the link. The scores will be announced within a week of the 4th.

Why You Should Participate[]

One word: prizes. The top five winning entries will receive a very special prize in the form of their stories being read by a selection of talented YouTube narrators. Those narrators are:

This, of course, is a great way to get your writing across to a new platform, and therefore a larger audience, where it can receive further feedback and recognition.

If that wasn't enough, then I should also inform you that the 1st place, winning entry will receive the elusive 'Contest Winner' category, one which is listed on only 28 pages out of almost twelve-and-a-half thousand on the wiki. This category is featured in the 'Suggested Reading' tab of the 'Story Content' drop-down box at the top of the page, further increasing the spread of your work across the site should you attain it. Pretty sweet, eh?

If that wasn't enough, then the winning entry will also receive a spot on the front page of the wiki, which is about as much exposure as you can get without going off-site.

To Conclude[]

I think I've managed to cover just about everything, but if you have any more questions, feel free to let me know on my talk page or in the comments section of this blog. I'll add a continuous list of which numbers have been taken below to avoid confusion, as well as the full list of images once the contest is over.

I'm excited to read all your spooky stories. I'll finish with the same advice I gave last contest (though it's still just as relevant): be thorough, patient, and above all else, have fun. Your story probably won't turn out very well if it feels like a chore to write.

Numbers List[]

21 - ClericofMadness
22 - TetsuyaH
23 - Glisario
24 - HopelessNightOwl
25
26 - Letrune
27 - HyperThermal
28 - Neon.Lia.7
29 - Palaeontologica
30

Results[]

Another month has passed, and with it, another contest. Where does all the time go, huh? Well, at least a little bit of it has gone into these entries, which we're going to take a look at now...

As the years progress, the turnouts just keep getting bigger. An enormous 17 entries makes this contest one of the most popular since 2015. Can you believe that? I certainly can; I had to review all of them, along with my fellow judges, William See and Zugzuwang. Big thanks to them for all their help.

Without further ado, here are our verdicts:

1st place