LISTEN CAREFULLY-- I shall say this only once.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to create a piece of literature, or visual literature, around the theme of:


I SPY

You can interpret this any way you want— to spy something with the eye, 007-style espionage, a creepy stalker, a suspicious spouse, a sneaky paparazzi journalist, a witness to a crime, anything you like – as long as it fits I SPY


Seriously, now. Read these things I’m about to say. If you’re too lazy to read this and miss out, that's just tough bananas.


You can be very sure this will not be a popularity contest-- it's about the QUALITY of the submissions, so make sure write your very best. Spell-check, grammar-check, revise, have the piece critiqued, and polish it up 'til it shines!


ENTRY TIMES:


OPENS: 15th January 2008

CLOSES: 29th February 2008



SUBMISSION GUIDELINES


This competition is open to PROSE, POETRY and VISUAL LITERATURE.


IMPORTANT: Each entry MUST have in its title, in capital letters :

PROSE or POETRY or VISUAL.

We are expecting a LOT of entries, and this will help the judges sort them quickly.

Entries that are NOT LABELLED will be DISQUALIFIED.


Upload your entry to:

Contests & Projects > Contests > 2008 > I SPY > Literature OR > Visual

PLEASE NOTE: There are separate sub-categories for Lit and Visual entries.


PROSE: 3000 words or less

POETRY: 3000 words or less

VISUAL: This category may include Typography, Visual Poetry OR a 1-page comic

VISUAL entries must be clearly based on the “I SPY” theme. This is a literature competition, so the words you use will be taken into account as much as the visual aspect. We are looking for excellence in both.

OPTIONAL ( but helpful!) In the comments box under your dev, please state which TWO prizes you'd MOST like to win, and why.



SUBMISSION RULES


Your entry MUST be a NEW deviation submitted ON or AFTER Jan 15th 2008.

You may enter ONCE in each category ( make sure you label each entry correctly with PROSE , POETRY or VISUAL ) .

Sock-puppet entries are NOT allowed. If you enter more than ONCE PER CATEGORY using an alternate account and are discovered, you will be disqualified and asked to return any prizes. Oh, and I’ll give you such a wedgie.

COLLABORATIONS are permitted, but only one person can enter the deviation and you'll have to split the prize.


OUR TOTALLY HOT JUDGES:

(there may be additions to this list prior to the closing date)






JUDGES MAY ENTER the comp in any category, for a special one-off prize to be judged by the comp winners!

Judge’s entries MUST be marked ‘JUDGE’ in the title, and are not eligible for the main prize pool.


PRIZES:


This has to be one of the biggest (and oddest!) prize pools yet, for any Lit comp ever! My eternal and heartfelt thanks and appreciation goes to those who have so kindly contributed to it.

PLEASE NOTE: Prize contributors CAN enter the comp -- we'll even do our best to make sure you don't win your prizes back!

Don’t forget-- the prize list is ongoing—- prizes will be accepted right up to the closing date. If you wish to donate a prize, please leave a message HERE.

Why so many?

Well, for one, the generosity of the dA community appears to know no bounds. Also, we aim to give the nine winners ( 1st, 2nd & 3rd in each category ) some really hefty prizes, and well as offer some to the honourable mentions by way of encouragement awards—and there might even be some special award categories, you just never know!


THE PRIZES SO FAR:


A special thanks to *Adeimantus for offering to even up any major prize categories that need it.


PRINTS & DEVWEAR:


3 20x20 prints PLUS 3 devwear (T-shirts or caps) : ^GunShyMartyr& $Moonbeam13

A devwear Keychain : ^JunkbyJen

A devwear keychain: : `Beccalicious

A print or mug from his gallery : =MSJames

A print from his gallery : *TheKingofFall

A print from his gallery : *Cinepoet

A print of a 20$ value or less: *skufti


SUBSCRIPTIONS:


1 year sub: =SRSmith

A 1-year sub : a mysteriously enigmatic anonymous person or persons unknown, whose identity will remain secret. And no, I'm not telling.

A year's subscription OR a wishlist print : *WhoisAenna

A 3-month subscription : *rober2

A 3-month sub: *skufti

A 3-month sub : ^JunkbyJen

3 one-month subscriptions: =Squarix


CRITIQUES & FEATURES:


Feature as a character in a 365Tomorrows story : =SRSmith

An in-depth critique: *Cinepoet

Three poetry critiques : *TheObviousChild

Two critiques : ~Reji

Two in-depth critiques and a gallery overview : : `Jon-Law

Prose critiques : ~007-BloodyAlaizabel

In-depth critiques : *Negated

3 journal features & 3 critiques : =WineWriter

A journal feature : =decknine

Lit mag READ THIS [link] will feature one winning poem or prose piece in their print magazine, and feature one runner-up poem or prose-piece on their website for one month : *TheObviousChild


COMMISSIONS:


A year's worth of poetry commissions : ~malicedomestic

A short story commission : ~TheGlome

A prose commission, topic of your choice : *Zhinggibiis

A personalised mini-comic, mailed directly to YOU and starring YOU, along with a nice letter and maybe a chance to strike up correspondance (trust me, Phill is not a pervy lunatic. Well, not if it isn't a full moon) : *apocathary

A poetry commission: ~Reji

Commission of narrative verse or prose : ~AubraPenner

Picking his way into your house, winding your clocks, plucking your chickens, giving smelling salts to your dormice and carving your candles into angels & garden gnomes --OR-- a prose commission : *NLY

A dirty limerick (which may or may not be about actual DIRT, depending on the age of the winner, lol): *batousaijin


OTHER VERY COOL ITEMS:


The naming of a cute lil baby kitten : ^PoeticWar

A photograph of the original members of black metal band Mayhem, with notes from Dead himself on the back : *salshep

A dog. Yes, A DOG, to be chosen from a list of options. Shipped free to anywhere in the world (may be subject to quarantine laws) OR an illegal but integral copy of "The Anatomy of Domestic Animals" by Barone, with notes : ~LadyLouve
_{( Please be assured that the utmost care will be given to ensuring this animal’s welfare and happiness, it certainly will NOT be posted out willy-nilly to just anyone! )}

A bottle of Porto Ferreira 1999 (for adults) : ~LadyLouve

An exclusive postcard from the Lisbon Zoo with commemorative stamp from the 50 years of post services AND a family ticket (two adults and two children) to the said Zoo. This ticket includes access to all the facilities, Dolphin, Reptile and Bird show and a special tour to the "backstage" where you can meet personally all the keepers, trainers and even some animals. *The travel costs are not included* : ~LadyLouve

Have your story turned into a fashion design piece by a last year fashion design student who has a guaranteed job with Storytailors Designs : ~LadyLouve

Several issues of the lit 'zine LOCUS : *skufti

An original drawing, sent in the mail: ~TheGlome

A custom-made children's book : ~ThorStrongStone

A unique 250-page book, one of only 11 in existence and the last copy available -- bound, numbered and signed-- of the collected works of Todd Keisling featuring stories, novel extracts, illustrative artworks, designs from the lovely Erica, and more : `alienhead

A custom 11oz mug OR an original piece of art (may or may not contain traces of tentacles) : *salshep

A postcard (with a limerick about the subject of the winners choice) from England, and a genuine London Tube Map - complete with the NEW Jan 08 design on the front : ~Benji-man

A jar of internationally renowned home-made strawberry & pineapple jam (subject to international shipping laws) : ~thecoolbeane

A journal stamp, and a postcard from Wales with a real stamp on it : =bewareofthesnowman

_____________


Once more, many thanks to all the prize contributors, and those yet to add to the prize pool!

_____________


This competition is sponsored by #underlit and *007-WriteOff.


#underlit _{is a chat dedicated to intelligent conversation (most of the time), encouraging writers to write, creative endeavours of all kinds and the pursuit of quality and improvement in writing. We’re not snooty elitists, though. Anyone is welcome, but be aware: if you ask for honest critique, you WILL get it!}

Feel free to pop in an have your entries critiqued!


*007-WriteOff _{is a fun writing club that runs like the NaPoWriMo and NaNoWriMo concepts – but all year ‘round! Members are required to make a 007-account, and put the main 007-WriteOff account on watch. Then all you need do is drop a message on the main page and let us know which month/s you’ll be writing in, and we’ll add you to the list for that month. You can write every day, or just as often as you can. The idea is that all the people writing that month will watch and support each other, and that you’ll end up with a bunch of rough drafts/ideas/polished works that you can then showcase in your main gallery. Lots of fun!}

( 007-people, be sure to read the next journal on the main WriteOff account! )



_{Thanks much to $Moonbeam13 and ^FallenRox for their help and support with this comp.}



WARNING: THIS MESSAGE WILL SELF-DESTRUCT IN 30 SECONDS.