Hey everyone, since today is only a three day work week, rather than trying to cram a story into only six sections, I'm going to have a Question & Answer session until Wednesday.

So, instead of entering a section in the text box below, I'd like you to type out any questions you might have about Story Telling. Then, I'll pick out the best/most frequent questions, and respond to it here in the Story Telling section. It will be similar to the editorial section of the Neopian Times, but with only Story Telling based questions.

I don't understand how Story Telling works!

It's simple, really. On Monday morning, I write the beginning of a story. Users read my section, and then enter in the text box (at the bottom of the page) their version of what happens next. I choose one of these submitted sections, then place it on the site. Users then read what is now two sections, and write the third section according to what has already been put up on the site. In a normal week, 10 entries (including mine) are posted.

What tips would you give to someone who wants to enter the Story Telling Contest?

Things I look for in a story are:
~Do the characters stay true to their personality?
~Does it progress the story?
~Does it make sense? Does it not contradict something said earlier?
~Is it interesting?

Is there anything I should avoid?

Yes, there are several things that should be avoided in stories:

1) Romance between characters. According to our Terms of Use, pet dating/marriage is not allowed, so I try to avoid the main characters from becoming romantically interested in another character.

2) Weak endings that avoid addressing the plot (that's Adam's job!)
Example #1: ...and all of a sudden the Faerie Queen comes down and makes everything right. The End.
Example #2: "Cut!" the director shouted. "Good job, everyone! It was very believable!"
Example #3: ...and suddenly he woke up! "Phew, it was just a dream."

3) Scenes with excessive gore or death.

Can we start the beginning of the story?

Sorry, only I start off stories. Gotta earn my keep somehow! ;)

How many entries do you get a week?

I get about 800 entries a day, so that would be... yikes! 4,000!

When we submit a story into the contest, how much of a chance do we usually have of winning?

Well, out of all those entries, only about 200 a day are actual entries. The rest is just gibberish. (Gee, thanks guys :P)

Will you get a trophy for asking the best question here?

Haha. Nice try, but no. :P

Do you have to use HTML?

No, I add the HTML myself.

How do I enter Story Telling?

Okay, it's just frightening how many times this got asked. You put your section of the story in the same text box you asked this question in!

How many sections can there be before you shouldn't add new characters?

Usually by the end of Tuesday no new main characters should be added, unless it's a villain. There just isn't time to develop the character.

When you submit a story, do you have to include your username anywhere, or does Neopets automatically know what it is?

Your username is automatically logged when you submit a story, so no need to include it anywhere.

How do you come up with ideas for each week's story? Do you brainstorm each time, or just start writing?

I usually wander around the site Monday morning until a place, item, or character inspires me. I think of one sentence that would describe the story and type it at the top of the page. Like, "Prince changes into a Mortog" for example. Then I just start writing. :)

How many characters should there be?

Oh good question. If I start the story with one character, that's usually a clue that'd I'd like you to add another character for them to interact with. If I start the story out with two characters... a third should only be added if they know a bit more about what's going on/the situation. If I start with three characters, that's pretty much a full house. Any other characters they may come across shouldn't join them. It gets too confusing. However, they can be characters that add to the plot.

Due to time constraints, do bigger, longer entries get over-looked; no matter the quality?

No, I do my best to read through any entry that is long enough to add to the story.

When people enter the same ideas or pretty much the same storyline for the next part, do you pick the first you get or the best of the few same ideas?

I pick the one I feel better represents the character's personalities, or I feel is more interestingly written.

Do you get to pick your rare item?

Sorry, it's completely random.

Can you win the Story Telling contest more than one time?

Yes. We do, however, have an unofficial limit of two wins per week, just to be fair.

Can you submit more than one section per story to the Story Telling Competition?

Yes, you can submit as much as you'd like. Please don't spam a single entry, though. However, I don't mind if you submit the same entry twice, as long as you wait a little while before sending it the second time. :)

What happens when you win the Story Telling Contest?

Your story will appear as the next section, and you will receive a trophy, 2000 NP, and a random rare item.

Can you add an epilogue to the story? You know, something that happens afterward?

Yes, if you feel that is the best way to end the story. However, you cannot submit an epilogue after the final entry. (I often get those over the weekends.) Once the story is over, it will not be added onto at any point.

How do I know if I won the Story Telling Contest?

Sorry, I don't have a means of alerting you when you win. You'll just have to check back from time to time and see if you've won.

**Update** Thanks to our wonderful programmers, you will now receive an automatic neomail when you win! :)

What kind of things do you get when you win the Story Telling Competition?

The rare item is totally random now. You could receive anything from a codestone to a Darigan paintbrush!

When you enter a Story Telling Contest, do you have to put in all the indentions for paragraphs, or will the staff edit?

All the entries are edited by staff before being put on the site. However, I'd be very, VERY grateful if you broke up your paragraphs, especially when characters are talking. Otherwise, it's very hard for me to tell what's going on! :(

What do you think was the best story?

My personal favourite was number 127. It was a two-week special with a time-traveling Eyrie named Jurgis!

What if someone uses a name you don't like in the story? Can you change it by just using a new name?

Erm, no. I think that would really confuse everyone!

Do the stories have to be about Neopets?

No, they can be about Petpets too! ;) In other words, all the stories must be related to the Neopets site.

How long does my entry have to be?

I found a pretty good way of judging if an entry is long enough: in the text box below, as you type, a grey rectangle appears if you "overflow" the text box. When that grey bar reaches about the height of your cursor, you've probably written enough to progress the story. :) Occasionally, however, I will choose slightly shorter entries if I feel they are the best entry and also progress the story.

How often do you pick the best story for the next section?

I pick one winner on Monday afternoon, and then two daily from Tuesday through Friday. Winners are usually put up around noon and 4:00PM NST.

Is grammar an important factor in which paragraph gets picked?

To a certain degree. If there are a few misspellings, that's fine, but if I get a submission like this:

AND THN THE GELERT SED 2 THE CYBUNY Y DID U DO THAT!!?!??!

Or

And Then The Gelert Said To The Cybunny, "Why Did You Do That?"

In other words, anything that would be an editing nightmare will most likely be passed over, because really, if you are writing in all caps, you probably aren't too serious about winning. ;)

Should I avoid bad words?

Umm... I think this should be obvious. o.O

Did you ever make a Story Telling dealing with Shoyrus?

Yes. Stories 88, 126, 150, and 153 all involve Shoyrus.

Okay, this has nothing to do with Story Telling, but, what's your favorite pet?

Zafaras!!! :D

Is SOME fighting allowed in the storyline, without having gore or death? Such as threats?

Yes, some fighting is allowed (we do have a Battledome after all!) Just no details about ripping things off/out... eewwww.

I had an entry chosen for the competition some time ago, and a few minor details were changed, is that common or was my writing in need of help?

Most of the time I only edit grammar/spelling, but sometimes I will alter a scene or name to make the story run more smoothly. Very occasionally I may add on to an entry if I feel the story/plot will not be fully explained before the Friday deadline. It's mainly just a push in the right direction for people who will write the next part, so please don't be offended if I tack on a small scene.

Will you ever allow us to use different fonts and things in our stories? That would be cool.

Sorry, let's stick to bold and italics. If we had glowing text and what not, I think it might be a pain to read @_@

What if you navigate the site in another language? Will it automatically be translated?

No, sorry. There is, however, a Japanese Story Telling Competition. I, however, am not in charge of that. The most I can say in Japanese is "My dog is very cute."

How do you say, "My dog is very cute" in Japanese?

Watashi no inu wa totemo kawaii desu! :D

Can the story be just about Petpets and Petpetpets? No Neopets at all?

Sure can! Anything under the Neopian sky is fair game. In fact, we did have an entire Story Telling about Petpets: 136

Does EVERY story get read, so every one has a fair chance? Or when you come to a good section, do you add it in without reading the rest just in case?

Yes, they all get a fair chance. If I find a good entry before I'm done reading all the way through, I mark it, then go back to it later if it ends up being the best one.

Can you add images if they are Neopet/story appropriate?

You can suggest it at the bottom of your entry. I can't, however, guarantee I will use it. Also, the image would have to be off the Neopets site.

Is there an age limit for storytelling?

Nope! Anyone is free to enter!

How come every time I enter someone always wins and they don't give any mind to the other people?

It's a contest. Even though everyone tries their best, there can only be one winner.

How do you know when it's a good time to bring a story to a close? For instance, what if time runs out but the plot isn't wrapped up yet?

On a normal workweek, the story's last two sections appear on Friday. The section that goes up at noon should have all or most of the climax. The story that is put up around 4:00PM NST should be more falling action and wrapping up of the story.

Every time there is a new section, there is a "..." at the end. Do we have to add this or do you edit it?

You can add it if you'd like, but I usually add it in the editing process.

Who writes the first part of the story?

That would be me :) *waves* Hi!

Should I add humour?

Sure, if you'd like! Humour is always good if it's appropriate to the story.

If you like the story that someone entered and want to put it in, but there is a detail that you are not happy with, are you allowed to change it?

Yes. If I like your story the best, but there is a minor flaw in it, like, gore, romance, or a contradictory statement, then I edit it. I'm sure you'd rather have me do this than not chose your entry at all! :(

Can you get two prizes and two trophies from winning the story competition twice?

Yes. Every time you win, you will get another trophy, 2000 NP, and a rare item :) The Story Telling trophy in your lookup will gain a x2 if you win twice, and x3 if you win three times, etc.

How do you know when each entry was sent? In other words, do we have to put the date on our entries?

No, everything is quite organized when I view it :)

What happens if two users submit the same story, but the story is so good you want to put it in?

Sorry, if two unrelated users submit the exact same story, someone is obviously cheating. In that case, both entries are disqualified, as I have no way of knowing who really wrote it. Please don't ever post your story anywhere for other people to "read through and check" before sending.

How do you know when someone wants to italicize text? Do they type in the italicize tags? This has been bugging me a lot!

Some users add it before they submit it, but most of the time I add it. It's only used to make a certain word stand out, or to clarify it is a character's thoughts.

Why do you never pick my story? I try really hard!

Yes, I can understand your frustration, but everyone tries very hard. It's just like any other game on the site. To master a game and get a high score, it takes lots and lots of time, patience, and personal drive.

When does the next competition start?

Unless there is a holiday, Story Telling always starts on Monday, usually around noon.

I tried to enter the Story Telling Competition, but after I wrote my entry, and hit submit, it told me it could not enter the text into wrap. Why did this happen and what does it mean?

Yes, sorry, I only heard about this glitch after it was too late. I'm not sure what was wrong. However, we do have a new email address for Story Telling! This way, I can be quickly notified if something goes wrong in the future. The email is storytelling@neopets.com

What is the most frequent story line people like to use?

Usually the main character needs to stop some evil plot and save the world.

Who made up story 127? Jurgis was cool! I LOVED IT!

Yay! That is also my favourite story! I wrote the first section, but other users like yourself wrote the rest. Well done, everyone!

Can human characters interact with Neopet characters in the story?

Erm, actually, I've been asked to avoid that if I can. :(

Do we get paid for this, and who the heck is Skippy the Floud?

No, this is for your benefit! :P Dear departed Skippy was the tragic hero from story 96. *sniff*

Do you like the Story Telling Competition?

I sure do! I love to be creative, and read all the wonderful stories that are sent in! :)

Can we include our own Pets in our entries?

Yes, but please, please, please, don't have entries like, "and then, out of the bushes sprang Ixifungurl_2003 to save the day!" If you are genuinely adding a character to the story, you can use your pet's name if you like, but if their name is Tracker1023_35, please just name them "Tracker".

Ohhh, my entry never makes it in time! What time should I submit it so you can judge it before another entry is picked?

It's usually best to have your entries in before 11:00AM NST for the first section, and by 3:00PM NST for the second. I need time to edit the stories before putting them up! @_@

How can you get a gold trophy in the Story Telling Contest? I see some players have a silver trophy, but gold is all I want.

Wow! They must have won a very early Story Telling Competition! These days, only gold trophies are given out to winners.

What does the trophy look like?

*points to the very top of this section* It's the little JubJub behind the book.

How do you get your prize?

It will simply appear in your inventory.

How do you read all those submissions?

Well, like I said, only about 100 per section are actually legitimate stories. I love to read, and can do it fairly quickly. Phew!

Do you ever win paint brushes?

Yes, you can win paint brushes. :)

Can we enter in the next story if we already won the last?

Yes, you can win up to twice a week.

How long does it usually take you to write a story?

It depends. Sometimes it just pours out of me very quickly, like in 10 minutes, but sometimes I get writer's block. So, it can occasionally take me about 45 minutes.

Do you have to put "The End" if the story part you're submitting is the ending?

It always helps, but isn't necessary to win.

Why don't you admit about Jelly World?

Jelly World? Don't be silly! There's no such thing as Jelly World!

When I enter the Story Telling Contest, do you guys vote on the best ones and put them on the site?

Nope. We're very busy here, and the Story Telling Contest is my sole responsibility. Therefore I am the only judge.

I'm sure Neopets have traveled around Neopia... but does a story ever stay inside just one area (like Tyrannia), and does it ever go into Neohomes? (I'd like Neohomes to be better developed).

Yes, most stories are confined to a certain area, like Mystery Island, Krawk Island, the Lost Desert, etc. Neohomes, huh? Hmm....

If I win, will my trophy etc. automatically appear in my space, or do I have to go somewhere and click on something to get them?

No, it all comes to you :)

Are you just a normal Neopets player or are you Adam/Donna?

No, I am neither Donna nor Adam (I don't smell THAT bad! Sheesh!) However, I am a full-time employee of Neopets.com. I was lucky enough to acquire a position of content writer here :)

I live in Australia, do I spell words the way we spell them here or do I spell them the way you do in America?

By all means, please spell words as they are spelled in your country. :)

Do you choose humourous entries over deep and meaningful entries?

It really depends on the tone of the individual story.

Why do some people enjoy reading while others hate to even try to read?

I'm really not sure! Personally, I LOVE to read, much more than watching television or movies. Your imagination, especially with the help of a book, can build the most amazing worlds!

Who is the usual staff member that edits people's work and picks the best addition to the story line?

I choose the story, and make any minor story edits, but err, *blushes* spelling and grammar aren't my strong points. El Pickelsaur is usually the one that edits.

If you were to continue a story instead of beginning one, would you be able to do it?

Well, there's an interesting question! Umm, well, I've gotten a lot of practice starting stories... if I continued one, it'd probably be something silly, like they get attacked by felberries! Hehe, seriously though, um, I would hope I'd be able to. I sometimes have good ideas on what could happen, but it wouldn't be much of a competition if I wrote all the entries! LOL!

How often do you check the new entries (or sections) that people are entering to continue the story?

I go through the entries first thing in the morning, marking good ones, and deleting the gibberish, then wait maybe an hour, then go through the newer submissions. I usually keep doing so up to hour before I need to put the next section up (to leave time for editing).

Asparagus?

Only with lots of butter!

How many winners are there in a week? If there is more than one winner, do you give everyone the same prize?

There are 9 winners a week. The prizes are random.

If the entry was really good but it wasn't very long, would you still read it?

If it's only a few sentences or a single paragraph, not likely. It just can't progress the story. However, if it is at least a few paragraphs, and seems to progress the story enough, then yes, I will take the time to read it.

Many of the entries seem to be written by seasoned writers. What if some of us are beginners, or at an intermediate skill level in our Story Telling skills - do we have a chance?

Everyone has a chance! Each person is unique, and so is their version of the story. Even if you think you don't have the writing skills to compete, it's your imagination that really counts! Besides, practice makes perfect. If you don't win, just keep on trying!

Why won't you let Adam write the first part of the story?

Eww, do you really want a story about dung and asparagus?

Were you hired only for your writing skills, or do you do other things for Neopets too?

I can also make balloon animals! Erm, but I don't think that's why they hired me. I think they liked how I wrote. I'm also a big fan of the site :)

Can you win the Story Telling Contest the same week you win the Poetry Contest or get an article in the Neopian Times? (Are any of those things related?)

These competitions are totally unrelated; so yes, if you are REALLY lucky, you could win all of them in the same week!

Of the entries you get that are not gibberish, how many are formatted properly, use correct grammar, are reasonably well spelled and are "good?"

About 200 a day.

This is pretty much irrelevant, but...

HEY! The name of the Eyrie in your favorite story is the name of the main character in a very famous book- The Jungle, by Upton Sinclair! It's about socialism and immigrant life in America, taking place in Chicago with all the meat packing industries... The name is pronounced yoor-ghis.

I've read that book as well. I'm a big fan of the classics :)

Is it hard to choose a story when there are a lot and most of them are pretty interesting?

Yes, there have been several times when I just couldn't decide between a few stories! Of course I can only pick one in the end, but I feel bad I can't use the other good ones :(

Do you just create the names of the Pets you use, or do you use Pets that are yours or friends?

I usually just make them up off the top of my head. Just ask Donna; I have the strange ability to make up mass random fantasy names at a moment's notice. *shrugs*

Is it true that Story Telling is the best contest ever?

Yes! :)

Why don't my paragraphs show up?

Sorry, this is a competition. Everyone submits a paragraph, and one is chosen to become the next section of the story.

Does an 11 year-old kid have any chance of winning this contest?

You sure do! Some of our repeat winners are quite young I believe. All it takes is a good imagination and simple writing skills.

Were any Neopets harmed in the making of these stories?

No, just Skippy, the Floud *sniff* :'(

I was wondering what if you enter late (like the 4th section) will you be penalized because you didn't read the first half??

Erm, how could you possibly write the fourth section if you haven't read the first three?!?

How did the Story Telling Contest originate?

I think a previous writer here started up the competition. I was eventually hired, and Story Telling became my responsibility starting with number 85.

What's the weirdest chapter anyone's ever submitted?

I get a lot of weird submissions, but of those that actually got put onto the site? Hmm... The third section of 123 comes to mind. A bright blue jellybean... who woulda thought? ;)

Which would be harder to sustain, a humourous story or a scary story?

I personally think a humourous story is harder to sustain.

After both sections of the story are published for one day, if you submit another part for the first paragraph for the next day will you count it for the starting of the next day, or will you ignore it and only look at the sections that are submitted that day?

When I come to work in the morning, I read all the entries that were submitted the day before as well. :)

Ok, can I have characters from other copyrighted books, movies, etc?

No, any stories violating copyright laws will be disqualified.

What do you mean by most of the entries are gibberish? Literally, like "ljsdi skdmac asdkj iasw?" or just not very good?

Yes, I literally mean gibberish: ewihth soiewyhgt hs dfhlgsh. Of course, there are also a lot of random sentences that have nothing to do with the story. "My dog is cute, give me np!!" etc. That type of stuff is just immediately deleted, so please, don't bother. Really. :P

What if a kinda short entry was better than a really long one which one would you enter?

The better story.

Whenever I see that a new story has started, a second "section" has already been posted, even if the news was *just* announced. Do you put up two sections automatically, or do you just start the contest awhile before the news page is updated?

The news doesn't start the competition, it just announces its existence, really.

Why do the stories only last one week?

If they are too long, it discourages people from entering the contest, as they have to read so much just to catch up on what's going on.

Can you submit more than one entry for the same section of the story if they're different?

Yes, you can write as many different versions for one section as you like. Once I couldn't decide between two entries, then I realized-- they were both by the same person! Pfft. I wish I was that lucky. LOL!

Why do you have the Story Telling game in the luck/chance category? The Poetry Contest is in the puzzle category. Is writing a good story just luck compared to writing good poetry?

What? It is? *smacks Adam* That will be fixed shortly. *glares*

Do you look for frequent authors? If so, do they normally get in because of being a frequent author?

No, I don't look for them. That wouldn't be fair. The reason some users seem to win more often is because many of them submit several times a day... everyday! @_@

If my entry is too long but you really, really like it, then would you take off a scene or two or simply discard it for being too long?

I would most likely use it, but edit out anything I felt was superfluous to shorten it a bit.

You said to avoid humans in the story... Faeries don't count as humans, do they? And can characters such as the Esophagor be in it? o.O

Yes, as they are Neopian characters. And I wouldn't call a Faerie "human" to her face! They have some crazy powers! @_@

Can we do "arty" things, such as have a character who speaks only in rhyme or write songs into the plot?

Sure! In story 97, Rorru only speaks in haiku!

Well, I hope this FAQ answered most of your questions! If you are still unclear on anything, or there is a problem, please email me at: storytelling@neopets.com