Season 1 – Issue 11 – Wizarding World News

Interviews with the judges

Welcome to the finals round everyone, it’s Headmistress Hope here! While I was on a short sabbatical during the last few days, I came upon a few of our judges in a pub in Argentina and decided to ask them some questions about what they do for us. Our judges Neji, Georgie, and Linda all agreed to answer some questions for you guys.

1. Tell us about yourself, who are you, how and when did you start writing, and how did you get into writing fan fiction and writing for comps?

Neji– Hi, my name is Neji (obviously not my real name, I picked it when I was a 12 year old Naruto-lunatic fangirl… (Now I’m a much older Naruto-lunatic fangirl). I have a HUGE passion for reading, not just fanfiction but general fiction—I actually work as a bookseller IRL, so I get to talk about books and stories all day, every day!

I’ve been writing stories since I was old enough to hold a crayon but didn’t really start any big writing projects until I was about 11 or 12. Aside from a few brief forays into original fiction (mostly in the fantasy/science fiction genres) I’ve mostly stuck with fanfiction since then, although very few of my ideas actually become a finished article. There must be upwards of two hundred unfinished chapters, ideas and character profiles lurking on my hard drive and in notebooks around my house!

I tend to get hooked on one particular fandom and find it hard to break away until something else catches my attention—for the longest time it’s been Harry Potter, but I’ve also written stories based on Supernatural, Chronicles of Narnia, Dragon Age and Elder Scrolls (though only a few of those have made it to actually being posted on FF.net). I’ve never written for a competition before, so the IWSC is my first proper experience of this kind of contest.

Georgie- Hi! I’m Nerd Girl, but call me Georgie. I honestly can’t even remember how I got into fanfiction. I heard about it somewhere, decided to google it, and the rest is history! That was back in 2012—my 7th anniversary here is in August!

I got into writing as a creative outlet, and fanfiction suits me because I struggle to come up with ideas myself. So having an established world to jump from really helped. Again, I’m not sure about how I got into comps, but I think I saw some written in the author’s notes and followed my nose. I’ve been in a number of competitions and challenges on the Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenges forum and I am in my third full season of Quidditch League at the moment. I love the competitions because it encourages me to write regularly and keeps my creativity up by forcing me to write things I wouldn’t usually.

Linda- Hi! My name is Linda, aka MyWeirdWorld here on fanfiction. I picked my username ten years ago, back when I was still in my emo phase. Can’t remember the moment I started writing, as I was always a kid that liked to write stories, but when I was 12 it got more serious. I got Pfeiffer’s disease that year and missed about 4 months of school. At the same time, Twilight was released. That, and all the free time I had, got me into fanfiction.

After that, I started writing Hunger Games SYOT (submit your own tribute) stories, and original fiction, all the while reading fanfiction and original fiction written by people like us. The main fandoms were/are Twilight, HP, HG, Supernatural, GOT, Marvel, etc. Way too many probably.

I started Beta-reading when I was 15 or so, and now I’m 23. I’m Dutch, but back when Twilight was popular, I couldn’t wait until New Moon was translated. Ever since then, I’ve been reading, and later writing in English.

I didn’t know about these competitions until I got an invitation to judge for this one! And I’m really glad I joined, it’s been a lot of fun so far.

2. How did you feel about your very first judging? Were you nervous, excited?

Neji- I was nervous and excited in equal measure! I’ve done beta-reading in the past for friends, so I do have experience of reading and judging someone else’s writing, but not in such a structured way as this. I’ve always struggled with giving negative feedback, no matter how necessary or constructive it is, so I was worried that I’d find it really awkward or difficult to give any negative comments during my judging. As it turned out, there were so many fantastic stories that I barely had to write anything negative after all!

Georgie- Both excited and nervous! I’ve been on the receiving end of both really great and really harsh judging in the past, and I wanted to be able to give accurate and honest feedback without being unnecessarily harsh. But I’ve really grown to like judging, and I’ve read so many great stories over the season

Linda- Both! I was really surprised by the quality and originally of the stories, but didn’t want to mess up the judging. It was my first time using a form like that when judging a story. Beta-reading something is really different compared to this. It actually reminded me a bit of my work (teacher). The forms are almost exactly the same lol.

3. What makes a story really creative for you? Is it uniqueness of idea or more the writing style? Or is it how the universe is used and expanded to create a great story?

Neji- For me, a story feels creative if it is original and fresh. There are only so many themes, tropes, pairings etc. out there, so you’re naturally going to come across the same ones you’ve read before, but if a story has a really original twist on a common theme, or writes a pairing in an unusual way, I find it really interesting. Writing style plays a large part as well, as the most interesting plotline can still be hard work to read if the author’s ‘voice’ is monotonous or repetitive. I’ve abandoned reading a few stories for just that reason—an idea can be original and fantastic, but without any real creativity in the vocabulary or sentence structure used by the author, it’s still not going to keep my attention.

Georgie- I think what makes a story truly creative is how the author can spin their plot. For example, there are so many Harry/Ginny fics out there. But what if it was written from an unusual point of view, such as Hagrid or Pig the owl? Or a story that was written entirely in letters between two characters. Creativity doesn’t need to be out there either—some of the most creative plots I’ve read have had really subtle twists in them.Linda- Usually when a certain side of the HP universe is explored that I hadn’t thought about before, or when certain people fit together (platonic or romantic) in a way that I hadn’t expected. That surprises me and makes the story fresh and interesting. The writing style is a great bonus, but for me the foundation of the story is the way the characters are formed and their storyline.

4. What is your pet peeve? Badly explained OOC, too many SPaG, interrupted flow?

Neji- There are a few things which can really bother me when reading a story, but the biggest issue for me is a large number of SPaG mistakes. A few mistakes here and there are normal, especially if an author doesn’t always double-check their work or employ a beta, but if there are enough mistakes that I can’t just ignore the odd one or two, I find it hard to continue reading. Mistakes like the confusion of to/too/two or misused apostrophes are my least favourite to see!

Georgie- I have two:

1. An over abundance of SPaG mistakes. I expect everyone to make a few mistakes. But when a story is riddled with them, or when someone is consistently making the same mistake despite feedback, that can get frustrating and difficult to read.

2. Plot points/characterisation that are extremely different to canon without any explanation. I love reading AUs or creative takes on people/events, but if these differences aren’t explained, I find it very confusing to read. Explanations can be either in an author’s note or in the story itself, but having one will increase readability enormously.

Linda- OOC-behavior is definitely something that sticks out to me. Just remember that one line:

“Did you put your name in the Goblet of Fire, Harry?” he asked calmly.
Albus Dumbledore

We all remember that one moment during the movie where Dumbledore literally yelled this at Harry. When something OOC happens in a story, it really takes me out of my reading flow. It makes me question the rest of the storyline, because their motivations are tainted by OOC-behavior.

To clarify, When it’s out of the blue. That’s what I hoped to convey by using Dumbledore’s outburst in the movie as an example. Characters don’t have to act like they do in canon, but we do have to know their reasons as to why they act a certain way. And if i’m reading a story and a character all of a sudden shows behavior that has no reason to it, and is really out of the blue and makes you think “ehh what?” That’s my pet peeve.

5. What is important to look at regarding plot?

Neji- A plot needs to make sense, first and foremost. It can be set in the most outlandish AU, or with the oddest combination of characters or circumstances, but it HAS to make sense within those parameters. To me, this means that any rules within that world should be followed, or an explanation given if they are broken (e.g. in a Regency-era AU, blood purity might be used to divide society instead of gender or race, therefore Hermione can’t be nobility unless there is a sensible reason why).

The ‘point’ of a plot is important too: What exactly are the characters trying to achieve? If there’s conflict, what’s the reason for it or why do the characters want to resolve it?

I also think that the pacing of the plot is crucial, as this can make or break a story if not done well. A great plot can be ruined if it feels dragged out or rushed.

Georgie- I think it is important to look at the plot overall, and how it will fit together over the story. Sometimes a story can have a great plot at the beginning, but it becomes lost or disjointed as the story unfolds.

Linda- No matter how insane the plot may sound, if it makes sense to the characters, and if it fits with their motivations and what they show in the story, go for it. This is especially important in the humor-genre. I think most people are a little scared to try this out, but it’s important to think outside the box.

6. What ways can a theme be implemented? Is it hard to recognise more subtle uses of theme?

Neji- That entirely depends on the theme! Quite a few of the themes I’ve seen during this competition have been interpreted as directly influencing certain characters, either as individuals or how they interact with each other and the world around them. I think a theme could be used in many different ways – to illustrate positive/negative relationships between characters, to reveal details about the world the story is based in (for example: the Beauxbatons theme of werewolves to represent prejudice in Round Six) or even to create a dramatic plot twist!

The possibilities are endless! I actually really like to see an author using subtlety when implementing a theme, as this shows real skill on their part—the ability to use language and structure to insert a theme in such a way that the reader is aware of it without it actually being pointed out to them. It can sometimes be a little hard to spot on the first read-through, but as I will often read a story more than once (especially if it’s relatively short) I find it quite rewarding to spot something significant on the second go.

Georgie- A theme can be implemented in so many ways! I’ve seen themes implemented literally, subtly, figuratively, and everything in between. I think it is possible to incorporate a theme subtly but also keep it clear—although I know that sounds like an oxymoron! For example, if the theme was the colour blue, you could have a story about someone who is struggling with sadness or depression. You might never use the word “blue”, but it is clear to the reader that the theme has been used. And the subtle uses are often more creative than the obvious/literal ones.

Linda- A theme can be implemented in a very on-the-nose way, but a more subtle manner of introducing a theme in a story can definitely be done as well. I personally think using a subtle way will reward itself in the plot section too, as it can force you to think in a more creative way. In a way, you’re challenging yourself.

7. Linking stories is a new category, what do you expect to see? What would you consider important: details or an overall link?

Neji- In previous rounds, I’ve noticed some authors like to use subtle clues and small details, while some prefer to be bold and make a clear link to a theme or prompt. Therefore, I would expect to see a variety of methods used to link the stories together. I think both approaches have merit, depending on their execution, but for my personal preference, I’d consider details to be key. Even if a story makes a great link to another, but there aren’t that many details throughout the piece to back that link up, it won’t feel as strong as a link which has those details underpinning it.

Georgie- I’m expecting to see some really interesting overall plots/ideas, and some really creative links. I think it is important to consider both. There needs to be a clear link, but it is better to have multiple links than just one. And I think this is where the details come in. You could have an overall link through a character, but there could also be details like using a certain object across the stories, or the weather.

Linda- I think this depends on the writer. I don’t prefer one or the other, as both form a link to the story. But I do think it’s important to remember that when you link it to small details, that you include enough to recognize the story. It’s similar to implementing a theme; are you going for a subtle way or a more bold use of theme?

Whatever you choose, it has to be present and has to make a vital impact on the story. So for the new category of linking the stories, I don’t have a preference, although I do want to tell everyone to keep in mind that it has to be recognizable.

8. What interrupts the flow the most in the stories you judge?

Neji- I think the main thing that interrupts the flow for me, as a reader, is formatting. If a story is formatted oddly (for example, dialogue between different characters all in one paragraph without indents/new lines, or very long descriptive paragraphs with few breaks) I find it quite hard to settle into reading it. It’s different if a formatting style like this is used deliberately to make you read it in a particular way, such as a stream of consciousness written as one long paragraph with no punctuation, but if it feels out of place within the story, I find it awkward and hard to get into.

Georgie- Incomplete/unexplained transitions. Time jumps are common for this—there is a way to do this smoothly, but they can also be really jarring. Sometimes transitions between paragraphs can be jumpy as well if they are two completely different ideas. If transitions aren’t smooth, it can take the reader out of the story as they try to catch up.

Linda- OOC-ness of course, but too many SPaG errors can make the reading experience less enjoyable as well. This doesn’t just mean spelling errors, but also includes things like way too many commas.

9. What do you think is the hardest type of prompt to include? (eg. speech, character etc.)

Neji- I’d say speech/dialogue, mostly because you have to use the provided dialogue word-for-word, so you have to craft at least some of the story in a way which fits that/those line/s without it feeling forced or contrived. Some people make that look really easy—I’ve seen some great examples during this competition! But I think I personally would find that the hardest to include.

Georgie- Dialogue, for two reasons. One, as Neji said it can be hard to use an exact line, and can sometimes come across as a throwaway line. Dialogue is also hard to use in a way that fulfills the requirement of being integral to the plot. Unless it sets off the major events of the story, dialogue really needs to be used multiple times to really be seen as integral.

Linda- I think color or speech is quite hard to do, compared to for example a character prompt, although for both I have seen great ways that they have been incorporated in stories.

Well, there we are! Our judges had a lot of similar opinions on most of the questions asked, but there were also some very different and hopefully informative answers that will help you with your final fics. Make sure you use these hints to better those finalist fics! You do have two weeks left. Good luck, guys, and may the best team win!

tHE FINALS

The Finals have been looming for the last few rounds. That terrible notion of linked fics has been hovering like a storm-cloud over Azkaban Prison. There has also been the build up and suspense, wondering which three schools would make the final? Would Durmstrang be able to take third place from Mahoutokoro? And most importantly, which of those contestant designed rounds actually won? First we will take a look at the winning teams.

Hogwarts – They have clung to first place even after a desperate plea for replacements in the final two rounds. However, a look on the inside tells me that these new recruits have gelled wonderfully with the rest of the team, and Erika came in with a bang snatching JP in the second round she wrote! The question is, will the fact that this team has a lot of new faces hold them back? Or will a fresh outlook make them more formidable than ever?

Beauxbatons – They have consistently dominated the competition, only during the Ancient Greek round were they knocked off the top spot, and yet they have continued to dominate with some fantastic fictions, frequent overall JPs from Paceso, and they have reviewed perhaps more than any other school. Consistency is very important, but will it give them the edge they need to take down the other schools?

Mahoutokoro – Many thought they were the underdogs, but they have fought to go from fifth to second! And while Beauxbatons did take second place back, Mahoutokoro should not be underestimated. They are a well oiled machine, working together and fighting harder than any other team. This killer spirit could be just what they need to take out both Beauxbatons and Hogwarts!

The Rounds

First place has a round designed by Heidlebergchick. The focus was herbology, and the themes were beautifully constructed by looking at the nature of the plants that gave their names to the themes. Hogwarts will be writing Dittany, a healing herb. This round was doubly interesting due to the special rule of including flower language, meaning that they will have to incorporate birth into their linked stories too.

The second round went to Beauxbatons and was designed by Mahoutokoro writer, WhiteTiger91. This theme is based on transfiguration, but the spell given to the French school is that disappearing and reappearing. The theme is wonderfully thought out, asking the students to look at discovery, a wonderful theme for linked stories. Beauxbatons will have to be sure to incorporate the spells into their stories for extra points.

The third and final round went to Mahoutokoro, and was designed by one of their own: 3cheersforidiots. Will that give them an advantage in this creature inspired round. Mahoutokoro must include the Pygmy Puff in their stories, the creature that the theme is based on. The idea of the round is somewhat different, focusing on contradictions due to the contradiction that such a sweet creature could be an illegal breed.

durmstrang and ilvermorny

Durmstrang

Durmstrang, the school in the far north of Europe, has turned out many brilliant witches and wizards throughout history, and this year has been no different. Under the leadership of Headmistress Claire, our Durmstrang students fought hard from day one to produce many incredible stories and encouraging reviews. Indeed, in the very last round we were all highly impressed by the humongous number of reviews given.

We thank you all for your amazing efforts and hope to see you in both Summer Camp and next year!

Ilvermorny

When Newt Scamander visited the United States, his new friend, Porpentina Goldstein, claimed that Ilvermorny was the best school of magic in the world. From the way our students at Ilvermorny worked hard to produce amazing reads to the sheer tenacity displayed when things got tough, we are proud of our American students.

Thank you, Ilvies people; we’re looking forward to seeing you at Summer Camp and year 2!

Ilvermorny and Durmstrang stories:

Whilst three of our schools are currently battling in the finals, we thought we would revisit some of the fabulous stories written by our Durmstrang and Ilvermorny students. Both schools had amazing stories each round, and many JP nominations and wins throughout. There were also quite a few high-scoring stories that did not necessarily gain a JP, and we thought we’d share a few of them!

Durmstrang:

Claude Amelia Song was a Part Time student and wrote this fabulous fic in the first round, starting the season with a bang! 31st October 1972 was her first story and started the season off strong.

Round five was a difficult round, but QuickSilverFox excelled with this fantastic submission called ‘Equinox Sacrifice‘

The equinox has come once again and the price must be paid to the Godly Patrons of the Sacred Twenty Eight. For International Wizarding School Championship Round Five.

Shana wrote ‘A Painful Realization‘ during the round 6 Dark Arts themed round. Shana got many JP’s and was a strong writer, but we picked this unsung hero to feature in this second to last issue of the paper.

It has been years since Fred Weasley died a hero in the Battle of Hogwarts. Ever since his brother’s death, George has been bearing the pain of losing not only his brother, but a part of him, and has been wondering just how long that anguish will last. Finally, he makes a realization: the pain will never go away. Ever.

Ilvermorny

Sonya Heather De Vito has been a strong writer from day one, and despite being on a team with more downs than ups, she rarely failed to impress, her story in the first round was particularly memorable. ‘A Visit to Mahoutokoro’ was the start of something great for this Ilvermorny student.

Hermione visits the Japanese wizarding school and is quite impressed with its culture and traditions.

Joy Kathlyn was another one of the students that refused to give up and wrote this incredible Muggle!AU fic during round eight: ‘Thirteen and a Half‘

All Dolores Umbridge wants to do is teach History in peace. Apparently that’s not happening. Well, at least the supposed curse on the position is just a myth, after all magic isn’t real. Now, all she needs to do is not have a mental breakdown courtesy of Potter. Muggle AU.

Nottheonlyfanaround started the competition as a judge, and so we always knew to expect some great stories, here in ‘A Day Away‘ she explores the more difficult aspects of one of our more mischievous characters younger life.

Every day Sirius spends with his family feels like it lasts an eternity, even though James assures him tomorrow is only a day away.

Durmstrang and ilvermorny

Durmstrang

We thank you all for your amazing efforts and hope to see you in both Summer Camp and next year!

An interview with Shadows Rain Down – Durmstrang

Why did you take part in the comp, and looking back do you think you got what you were looking for?

A friend invited me to join and I wanted to try my hand at writing again. Did I get what I wanted from it? Yes-—except for when I was late or missed a round because of my disability or just real life throwing a wrench into everything. I have written seven stories, or I should say dictated them, and with my fears that I would never be able to write again that is a great milestone for me.

What was the best moment in the comp for you?

When I received my first feedback. It encouraged me to continue on.

What was the hardest round to write for and why?

Rounds 6 (Dark Arts) and 9 (Astronomy). Six: the main premise just didn’t sit well for me. Nine: I was unsure what the main theme for my school was until a day before the deadline.

Did the way you write and read stories change in the comp? Do you feel like you learned anything?

My writing muse did come back after a several years in absentia, and my dictating skills have greatly improved.

What do you want to say to the schools that made it to the final?

Cheers and congrats. *lifts a jug of Butterbeer in a toast*

An interview with Little tee – Durmstrang

What was the best moment in the comp for you?

When I got a Judge’s Pick. I was thrilled and shocked, to be honest. It was my first round, and it had been a while since I had written and published something, so I was not expecting such high honors, but they really brightened my month! The Great Book Review inspired me and encouraged me to plan out a continuation for that one-shot (albeit some time down the road…) into a bigger story.

What was the hardest round to write for and why?

I guess round nine (Astronomy), but I don’t really remember a particularly hard round overall.

Did the way you write and read stories change in the comp? Do you feel like you learned anything?

Oh, I don’t know. I might have matured in how I approached themes. I learned how to twist themes into something I was more comfortable to write.

What do you want to say to the schools that made it to the finals?

May the best school win!

An Interview with DitzyMagic – Durmstrang

Why did you take part in the comp, and looking back do you think you got what you were looking for?

I really wanted to improve my writing skills and experiment with genres/prompts I hadn’t tried before. I took this up as a challenge, and I definitely did get what I wanted.

What was the best moment in the comp for you?

Getting reviews from people involved in the comp. We had a review challenge, but then I also got some reviews which were just plain encouragement and praise, which was wonderful!

What was the hardest round to write for and why?

The last one, knowing it was the last round for our school. Also because it was a bonus round and due to some mishap, I had to work with the last 3 prompts that had not been picked.

Did the way you write and read stories change in the comp? Do you feel like you learned anything?

Yes, of course! My writing improved, and due to the feedback, I was able to catch careless mistakes I tend to make whilst writing.

What do you want to say to the schools that made it to the final?

Best of luck and that they’re all amazing!

Ilvermorny

Thank you, ‘Mornies’; we’re looking forward to seeing you at Summer Camp and year 2!

Thank you, Ilvies people; we’re looking forward to seeing you at Summer Camp and year 2!

MACUSA has recruited our Ilvermorny students to deal with an insane orange man, but some students from Durmstrang were available to give an interview!

how to link your stories

For the finals, we prepared a challenge for you like no other before. We already gave you some smaller teamwork challenges in previous rounds, and hopefully you have figured out how to work as a team at this point. You will need your team for the finals more than ever! Linking multiple stories into a greater narrative is no easy task. There are several things the team has to consider which ranges from different preferences in genre, writing style, characters and simply the different way we find inspiration.

When we did a practice round for the finals, we Heads decided on a small period in time which had enough canon information and characters involved and still did not have too many specifics that would limit us in our creative choices. For those of you who do not remember our trial, you can look up the stories we wrote in issue 7 of the WWN.

Writing about an event

The option we picked to link our stories was to settle on a point in time and an event that everyone writes about. You can write about this event from the perspective of different characters to account for different writing styles (eg. different genres or 1st person vs, 3rd person). At the center of your stories should be how the actions of your characters impact the event as well as how the event impacts their life. Each team member can settle on a character, or a part of a character’s life that is related to that event for example.

writing about characters

Another way to link multiple stories is by writing about a fixed character or set of characters over a certain period of time. You can retell the life of a person or write about how two people find each other, how a group of friends goes through thick and thin or how opposing forces work against each other.

writing about a historical development

Especially when the team has radically different character and era preferences, you can decide on writing about a historical development. Maybe your stories all deal with certain laws that are passed like the Statute of Secrecy or about one of the wizarding wars. Here, you should do research together so you get the details right. Make sure the stories are still linked enough by focusing on few aspects of history without going to broad. Otherwise, this approach can easily lead to very loosely connected stories which will cost you points.

writing about a place

If you all are in love with a certain setting, you can decide to write about that and make it the protagonist of all your stories. For example, Hogwarts has housed students for many, many years and offers enough stories and characters to work with. To keep the stories closely linked, you can focus on a certain part of the setting, so you don’t venture out too far from where the actual story should take place. Make sure the setting is of real importance to all of your stories.

writing a sequential story

This might be the most obvious choice—agreeing on a plot for one story and simply having each team member writing a part of it—but it is also the most difficult one. For one, you will have to work really close together to make all ends tie together and the transition between the stories work out. Also, if one student fails to finish their story in time, your whole plot might collapse as there will be a missing link. But high risk comes with high gain. This method of linking your stories will certainly get you many of those extra points!

Details are important!

You should try to settle on a few basics, and then add small details that everybody can incorporate subtly into their story without restricting themselves too much. This way, the stories get a certain feeling of connectedness on a deeper level.

Stick to canon to keep things consistent

This is not a must, but a recommendation. It can save you and your team a great deal of discussion and confusion as everyone has their own head canon and preferences.

A little more help

These are just some examples of how you can work out a bigger narrative as a team to work with. If you find another way to link your stories, go for it! We are looking forward to seeing your creative ways of creating a bigger narrative with your stories.

You should also try to see different preferences and writing styles as an opportunity. If someone prefers dead-serious drama while the next team member is great at writing comedy, do not try to force yourselves into the same niche. Try to work that into your greater narrative. Different perspectives can explain the change in genre for example. We still expect your stories to be unique and creative, so do not force yourselves into writing stories that might sound like one big story, but lose all individuality.

You have an extra week to make sure all your stories fit into the narrative. Read what your teammates write, and we encourage you to share links to the docs you are working on so that everyone can see in real time where you are and let you know if there are clashing details in your stories.

We know that working as a team is not always easy, so if you have problems finding a way to make it work, as your Headmistress for help!

changes to season 2

Next season there will be a few changes! As you all know, you filled out a feedback form for us, and you told us exactly what you disliked and what you liked. This article is going to look at those views and show how we plan to listen and adapt the competition to suit you.

Did you find your school chat and Headmistress supportive?

An overwhelming percentage of you found those school chats supportive, but we are aware that others did not have the best experience. Some of the Heads are very busy, and it has been clear that having too much work has left some at a disadvantage. They did not have the support and the ball was dropped from time to time. For that reason, we will make two changes:

Admin

We have been accepting applications for those that would like to be Administrators on the Forum. This spreads the work out a little, and gives Heads a little more time to focus on their schools. Administrators are not Heads, however, they should be treated just the same and will be a vital part of our team. As you know we closed applications just a few days, this was so we would be able to reveal to you the new Admins in this edition of the WWN. We are proud to introduce Georgia aka (Nerdgirl) and TQA (The Quiet Awakening) as our two new admins.

Deputies

Some schools did try this system this season with varying degrees of success. As there will still be a lot for Heads to do even with the Admins, we will be appointing Deputies within schools. To be a Deputy, you will have to have taken part in Season 1, and we will be looking at candidates that can work well with their school and support the Headmistress in making sure the school has all that they need. This will be the Year One position.

We hope that these changes will further improve how incidents and quarrels are handled. Sometimes this is messy regardless of what we do, and we have had very few upsets in this regard, but we hope that this system will further enable us to handle things smoothly, more efficiently, and above all in a kind and caring manner.

Did you find the rules easy to understand?

For the most part, the rules seemed to be understandable, however, there is always room for improvement. We will be taking a thorough look at the rules, ensuring they are as clear as possible. We often get questions about the rules, so we will be asking all students, old and new, to give them a thorough read at the start of the new season.

Themes and Prompts

The themes and prompts for the most part had a positive outlook, however, many of you felt that they were not always clear. For that reason, we will streamline the themes, simplifying them for rounds’ threads. There were also students that felt they would like more examples and more depth going into the themes. For this, we are replacing an old article in the WWN with a themes article that will look at the various themes, how they can be interpreted, and giving examples and clear outlines of what will and will not be accepted as a use of theme.

It was also pointed out that some schools seemed to get ‘better themes’. As Headmistresses are arguably biased towards their school, we will be writing the themes, however, the unbiased Admins will be the ones that will decide which school gets which theme in the coming seasons.

Season 2 launch, the Number of Rounds and Breaks?

This section was a little muddy! 46% of students felt that the competition length was brilliant, the number of rounds perfect. However, we did not want to ignore the 32% that said the amount of rounds was great, but they really needed a break. I truly sympathise with this, I am desperate for a break myself. 21% also wanted to have a less rounds! We also had a poll on when the competition should start back:

January: 36%

Earlier than November: 26%

November: 26%

Later than January: 10%

So what we have done to try and listen to everyone is shorten the competition by one round. This would be nine rounds, and round ten would be the final. Not a drastic change, but with a break in the middle, we hope that together this will make it easier for the portion of students—and Heads—that were completely overwhelmed by the work of this competition.

Also, I have to give credit where it is due; Paceso. During the poll for when to start—earlier than November was winning at this point, and I was in a corner crying—Paceso suggested the January start with smaller optional rounds for events like Halloween. As such, this is what we will be doing. January will be our starting month, but we will be announcing special rounds too!

Penalties

There were a few comments about penalties;

‘I wish the late penalties were a bit less harsh? But the rest were exemplary!’

For this reason we will be either dropping the penalties, but late stories will not be accepted. This is standard for many of the competitions on FF.Net. Alternatively, there will be a smaller window of a few hours to submit after the round deadline as well as a 5 point deduction. This is something we are discussing and deciding on at this time. It will be made clear in next season’s rules.

Organisation

We had a clear issue with time zones and Daylight Savings this year, and I think we can all agree that this was very hectic. For that reason, a change that we made in the last few rounds will be staying; UTC! This is a time that is not affected by Daylight Savings, and as such, it is a far easier time to go by. We will still do our best to provide the correct time in a range of zones, but UTC is the time to go by.

We did have feedback asking for the rounds to be released at a more fitting time for some members of the competition. Unfortunately, this would be difficult as all members of the Headmistress Team are awake around this time. With different time zones it is hard to find that ‘sweet spot’ and having it at a time that is feasible for all those in Admin Team ensures that the round can go out no matter what happens.

Judging

Overall, judging was seen as fair. There were instances where you felt that certain aspects were unfair, such as characterisation. There were students that felt that they were judged harshly on characterisation due to this being ‘fanfiction’. For this, the judging criteria will be made clearer for both Students and Judges. I will be writing an article in the first edition of WWN next season, explaining characterisation judging, and why there will always be an element of looking at OOC—to put it simply, you all have to be judged by the same stick, and that stick is canon.

There was also feedback that you did not have time for the judgings to be used for the following round. We have tried to trim the time as much as possible, however, in order to give good feedback, Judges need time, and depending on the round, we get many last minute submissions. That really shortens the time that our Judges have, and they have to do real life on top of it all! For that reason, as much as we would like it to be sooner, we have to keep the date the same.

Judges Picks

Judges’ Picks have been raised, and there is an element of how a certain story is picked. This season, it has been all about which one a Judge favoured. We are going to make the constraints for JP a little stricter next season as it was raised that certain writers do not stand a chance due to writing less liked characters. We are currently working on outlining the criteria so that Judges’ Picks will be the best stories that were put out on that round without the bias of ‘but we don’t like Snape’ ‘cause trust me, WE DO!

Wizarding World News

The Wizarding World News is what will have the most changes. This is supposed to be a tool to support you in the competition and help you to gain some extra points. We also use it as a direct form of communication with you on an official level and invite you to contribute to it. The segments that were least popular have been cut:

Themes and Intro to a round
Storytime with Headmistress Claire
Fictional Articles
Figures in History

New articles will be introduced, and some of our other articles will be changed.

Grammar School and How to be a Better Writer
1. This will be renamed ‘Writing School’, and it will cover grammar challenges, writing techniques and will include prompts from this point onwards
The Great Book Review
Interviews with Heads, Judges and Students on various comp related topics
Writing Guidance
1. Detailed look on themes and prompts from the rounds, including more examples and explanations of what is and is not accepted
2. How to use certain prompts
3. Articles on how different areas of your story are judged
Dear Aunt Molly
1. This will remain the same
Creative Corner
1. More challenges for students to take part in, possibly every round, or every other round
Trivia and Puzzles
1. First three answers get the points (cannot come from the same school) or names in an internet made hat.
2. Puzzles that can work without the first comes gets the points — think of last rounds word wheel

There were other issues that were raised, and we are not ignoring them. They might need a compromise; some students wish for more time to write and larger word counts, others are begging for a smaller word count. Issues like this will just take a little more thought on our part. We just want to take the time to thank you for putting so much effort and detail into the feedback. It helps us to see what works, and what doesn’t, and how we can change things so that you guys enjoy it all the more.

Let us know in the comments what you think about our changes and what you are looking forward to!

introducing our new headmistress

We have a new team member in our small group of Headmistresses, and we have prepared a short interview to introduce them officially. At the end of the interview, we will reveal who it is. If you are an attentive reader, you might guess their identity before reaching the last question!

Students will be curious to know what qualifies one for the position of Headmistress, what do you think are your qualities as a comp leader?

Haha that’s a tough question, I think I can bring some ideas forward, listen to people, work well with the incredible Headmistresses, and, just like them, I don’t tolerate bullying. Like any comp leader, I want everyone to be able to have fun as well as grow as leaders. I can be objective and am definitely 110% committed.

Oh, and I’m willing to grow myself as a leader.

Do you have any specific ideas you want to introduce to the comp? Your own vision?

Honestly, I really love the way the competition is. If anything, I can vision the competition continuing to grow and becoming the best FanFiction writing competition out there. I’d love to see more schools in the future, but at the same time I’m glad to have the opportunity to get to know the students better in a smaller setting. As for ideas, my mind is bursting with content for the WWN after falling in love with being a pretend journalist [at another comp]. At the same time, though, my ideas seem to come very unexpectedly (usually around 3am at night, beginning with an incoherent ‘what if…’)

Why do you think you were picked?

Because I give excellent chocolate bribes. Well, sort of. I kind of eat most of them… I have a feeling it may be due to past experiences moderating as well as the chocolate.

When did you get the invitation to join us?

Well, this story may need to be entered history the books, so I shall have to tell it with some theatrics 😉 It was a cold, wet Tuesday morning. As I woke up, annoyed I could no longer pretend to be a breakfast burrito and even more so that the promise of snow (something rare in Australia and thus something I look forward to) was nothing but drizzle. Bah humbug. And so, expecting a not-so-great day, I checked my phone. AND BAM!! Lo and behold, a message from Verity that would change my life forever! So theatrics aside, the invitation really did brighten my entire week. It was something I didn’t see coming, and it instantly put a smile on my face. Admittedly, I was a little unsure due to past experiences I’ve had on forums, but becoming a Headmistress is an absolute honour and I know working with such a kind and hard-working team will be rewarding.

Do you want to tell us about your past experiences, your worries and hopes for this comp?

I’ve had a whole range of positive experiences in both writing and as a moderator. Sometimes things have been really fun, like making new friends, learning new ideas, getting to create something that others hopefully enjoy. Other times, not so much. In recent experiences, I’ve seen bullying and have been bullied myself, both by writers and by moderators. It has made me even more determined that people get to enjoy themselves, in which I like to think I take a firm but fair approach. I want people to be able to laugh and learn, and not to be scared (scared of being ridiculed, scared of saying the wrong thing, scared of trying new things, scared of cliques—anything). Here, I think that’s already been done really well this first year, and I look forward to bringing my experiences and turning them into something useful and positive. In all honesty, I have many worries. I worry that I will repeat past mistakes, that I may be too much. I’m quite a stubborn person, so whilst I am trying to grow, there is always that niggling fear that I will make mistakes. As for hopes, there is only one main hope, and that is friendship. I want to grow closer to many writers I’ve come to know and adore, as well as get to know many new faces. Having friends around the world who all share a love of Harry Potter is an amazing gift, and I hope to always keep it. I hope, too, that people will come to know me as exactly who I am, the good and the bad, through me and my actions (and that it goes well haha).

Thank you for your honesty! Now an easier question: Which school will you be leading? Why that school?

Ooh, now this is a fun one! At the moment, a poll is out to determine whether it will be Durmstrang remaining (as it looks at the moment), or another school. I’d have absolutely loved to have an Australian school simply based on where I live, but I also prefer canon. I must say, I do love the idea of Durmstrang, but each of the possible schools had a rather unique draw to them. Castelobruxo in Brazil is set in the jungle (in treehouses from memory) and is guarded by forest creatures—I love the idea of going to a school amidst nature with rainforests and jungle cats. Uagadou being set in Uganda had similar draws for this reason: I love lions, and if it was chosen, I’d have made my students belt out Lion King tunes at random. Koldovstoretz and Durmstrang, on the other hand, seemed awesome because, well, I, uh…. okay, the men. I can imagine hot Russian teachers by the name of Dimitri walking around the castle grounds. Anyone who knows me knows I’m obsessed with the ‘bad boy’ stereotype too (cough Draco, Theo, Barnaby… cough) and given Durmstrang’s dark reputation, it seemed suitable.

Being Headmistress means a lot of responsibility! Is there something you are afraid of or worried about?

You can say that again! Mostly, I’m afraid of messing up. I’m by no means perfect, but I really do want to ensure I make everyone’s time wonderful and get it right. I want my students to have faith in me and to prove to my fellow Headmistresses that they made the right decision in trusting me with this. There are also the usual fears. Life is quite unpredictable, and there are times I fear real life will come in the way. Already this year, we had devastating fires here that meant I didn’t know where I would be or how I’d get along. But, I think those fears are common, and I do plan on being around as much as I can! I’m looking forward to seeing my school win 😉

Now the big reveal: Tell us who you are!

Voldemort! Just kidding, I’ve still got my nose 😉 I’m whitetiger91, also known as Tiggs or Tigger. I’m currently a part timer in Mahoutokoro.

Welcome on the team, Tiggs!

Thank you, I’m so excited to be here!

official IWSC Awards and nominations

Welcome to the 2019 IWSC Awards. Wow, what a year it has been! We have had ups, we have had downs, we have had laughs a plenty, we have celebrated and commiserated. But now comes the time to celebrate the best of you: our students, our reason for running this competition. We asked you to send in nominations, not only for your fellow students, but for the wonderful stories they have created throughout this competition. Thank you so much to everyone who sent in nominations, without you, we could not hold these awards! So give yourselves a pat on the back. Good luck to everyone and every story that has been nominated. This is the link for you to vote for those nominated below: Awards Ceremony Votes

These are your nominations:

The Fred and George Award

Bust a Move by Vanilla Orchid
Ink by Saturnine Spiders
A Prank to end all pranks by ditzymagic

Snapes award for Tragic Tales

To Make a Monster by Hemlockconium
Woes of Guilt by DitzyMagic
Finding a Way by Paceso
Grey and Green by Socrates
Invincible by WhiteTiger91

The Lovegood Award for Creativity

A Werewolf’s Woes by Hemlockconium
Death Doesn’t Discriminate – Sonya-Heather-DeVito
Songbirds and Starlight – secretfanficlover (voted for self)
To Make a Monster by Hemlockconium
In Another World – Sonya-Heather-DeVito
Love is often described as deadly – by Leprachaun123
A Light in the Darkness by GhostDragon

The Longbottom Prize for Coolest Cardigan

Ron Weasley’s Wingman Award

Percy’s Prize for the Best Beta

The Remus Lupin Award for Bravery

Whitetiger91
AshesGleamandGlow
Claude Amelia Song
Leprechaun123 (stood up to go full time)

the great book review

Mahoutokoro – Vertigo by Tiggs – OVERALL JP

As I settled down in my warm, comfy window seat, a story on my lap, I began reading over what I’d been given. Oh my gosh, this story moved me to tears!

Eight year old Theodore Nott is so incredibly sweet and naive. I love how Tiggs has told this story from an eight year old Theo’s perspective.

As we know from canon, Theo’s mum died when he was a child, and Tiggs’ telling of that story is completely heart-rending. As the story starts, we find out that Theo has broken his broom due to vertigo, and as we continue through the story, it is something that he continues to battle with, especially when he overhears a conversation between his parents that they don’t really have the money to keep buying Mrs Nott’s potions that are being used to cure her cancer. After a reassuring hug with his mum, she tells him that if he keeps practicing his flying, then she’ll come and watch him.

Theo later offers his father his Niffler moneybox to help pay for his mother’s treatments, but his father refuses his help. Theo then takes it on himself to try and to make the potions for her treatment — Doxil or as Theo calls it, ‘doxies’ in hopes that if he tries, she’ll get better, but as we soon learn, that isn’t to be the case. Mrs Nott has refused anymore treatments, meaning that sooner or later, she will lose her life. As soon as Theo discovers this after hiding outside his parents bedroom door yet again, his world comes spiralling down around him as he realises his mother will never live to see him fly.

This has got to be my overall favourite story all season — Tiggs has such a talent for writing the emotive, and to add to that emotion knowing that this is her last story, possibly ever, hurts as much as an eight year old Theo finding out that his mother is going to die.

-Claire.

Beauxbatons – All Because of a Book – YouHaveNoIdeaWhatImCapableOf

This story was very interesting. I loved that Draco was approaching a mission, but the motive for him was more to do with protecting his family. I love how ‘youhavenoideawhatimcapableof’ characterises her characters. Draco was devious but charming, and his motive is purer than the average Death Eater. Pansy was very much the spoilt princess I always imagined her to be; she is in a tight spot, but doesn’t fail to find a way to make it work for her.

The mission on which they venture is also an interesting one. The idea of breaking in, however, again the characterisation is what makes it interesting. You can see the more Slytherin nature coming through, and perhaps Draco’s approach is more intelligent than even Hermione’s idea in canon. The set up in one Slytherin manipulating the other, and in that scenario, Pansy milks Draco for all he is worth, getting something from this herself.

The ending was witty and unexpected. I really liked the juxtaposition of their devious natures at the beginning of the story, to Pansy’s exclamation that Draco could have just asked for what he needed.

-Verity

Ilvermorny – I’m Better Than Falling – JoyKathyn

Having just gotten back from the Quidditch World Cup with my family, reading “I’m Better Than Falling” by JoyKathlyn was a great way to decompress. It was perfectly paced, and for a fic involving Quidditch, there was a bit more of the character’s inner thoughts than I had expected, and I loved it.

I really liked the main character, Wynonna. She was a new character, and you added so much to her that was simply amazing. You also resisted the urge to make her an amazing player. She’d only played pickup games before this, so there was no reason she’d be Viktor Krum in the skies. You made her skilled enough that it made sense that when she pulled her final move, it seemed natural that the other players would be impressed. They realize that with training, she will become an amazing flier and an asset to the team.

I also loved the simple story you picked involving the tryouts. It gave you the space you needed to fill out your characters and make their struggles come across perfectly. I particularly enjoyed how you incorporated your fic title, as from the sound of it, it seems it will be a love story, but it’s just Wyn psyching herself up.

I will read this many times, and I highly recommend!
– Hope

Durmstrang – A Prank to End All Pranks – Ditzymagic

After a cold, wet day full of chaos trying to wrangle young witches and wizards, all I wanted to do this evening was curl up with a hot cup of tea and a good book. I was therefore extremely grateful to pick up ‘A Prank to End All Pranks’ by ditzymagic.

Immediately, I was drawn in by the witty dialogue which perfectly captured the humorous essence that is Lee Jordan. I could clearly picture him jumping out of his seat as he recapped the Quidditch game—this time, as a member of the Ministry’s Department of Magical Games and Sports. As I read further on, my enjoyment grew as the author really fleshed out Lee’s character, carving out unique ambitions for him and shedding new light on a boy who only ever seemed to be a side-kick to the Weasley twins.

The story had quite a few moments that would make even Filch himself smile. I had a good chuckle at Lee’s overzealous flower gifts to a certain brainy brunette, and again at the chaos the pair end up causing.

What I love most about this story, though, is the creativity and energy put into it. I’ve never read such a vibrant description of a Quidditch match before, which was jam-packed with action and realistic plays, nor have I ever read such a unique take on a friendship between two characters.

Hogwarts – Midnight in the Desert Tween Good and Evil – EaGLes

This story starts in the most unique setting a writer could pick for a Harry Potter fan fiction. The Sahara is far removed from the places we know our favourite characters in, and it is described in a way that makes the reader feel their shoulders to check if they get sunburn themselves.

That it is Draco Malfoy of all people who we find stranded in this desert makes the story a riddle the reader wants to solve. This was one of those rare stories that made me want to read every word, looking for hints at what has happened to our protagonist that made him move so far away from everything he knows and what would happen to him throughout this story.

I loved the way the first prompt—Egyptian tombs—was really at the center of this story, and the second one—vertigo—was used in multiple and creative ways.

As the story goes on, it takes a turn back in time, and the change of pacing and tone fit the switch between those times. Still, it is a story that deserves more than the limited word count with a plot so full of ideas.

-Lun

creative corner

We wish to thank everyone who sent in anything this year, be it a piece of writing, poetry, or a piece of artwork. You guys are so insanely talented! We cannot wait to see more from you next year! Please enjoy some of the best bits that you guys sent in for the creative corner, pictures are available in the blog!

dear aunt molly – a special bullying edition

Hello dears,

Now the end of the season has arrived, and with it, some issues that need to be addressed.

Over the course of this school year, there have been a small handful of bullying instances amongst team members. Unfortunately, when large numbers of people are together, differences of opinions can occur, and tempers can flare. Now, we need to learn to RESPECT that we ALL have differing opinions, and that no one opinion is either right or wrong! When people get jumped on for their own opinion — it is right out of order! Who has the right to be judge, jury, and executioner?

In these instances if you do feel like you’re being bullied, please come and tell your Headmistress, this is what we are here for! If you should feel that your Headmistress isn’t listening and you feel they just aren’t helping you in any way, please always feel free to send a pm to one of the other heads. Headmistresses Verity and Claire especially, as they take an extremely dim view of bullying and will endeavour to sort the problem out ASAP.

There is a rule that we will tolerate absolutely zero bullying on the forum, in our school threads or in team chats. This rule is in place for a reason! Cyberbullies have no right to make victims of anyone! But, and I can’t stress this enough, before you make a complaint of bullying, make sure you can substantiate your claim.

We will take each claim seriously and do our best to help by ensuring we understand the full story. Please try to be as detailed in your explanation by including information and copies of the text so we can ensure the right action is taken. We will operate on the basis that every story does have two sides so that each party is treated fairly and the best outcome is achieved.

If you do feel you are being bullied but are unsure if it constitutes as bullying, do not hesitate to contact us either—we will listen and help you sort things out. This is important. If we investigate and find no claim of bullying then this in itself could be considered bullying, and trying to get someone else in trouble for no reason. We cannot, and will not take action where there is nothing to act against. However, when we find bullying, we will endeavour to sort the problem out with conflict resolution. We will listen to both sides, and see if a resolution can be achieved, if not and the offending party refuses to apologise, they will be asked to leave the competition! This is what zero tolerance means!

We hope in future years to come that they can pass happily and peacefully, and you guys continue to enjoy this competition for many more years to come.

This has been Aunt Molly. Signing off.

Rules for Heads in dealing with Bullying

All Heads must investigate every claim of bullying.
Heads should always try to find a peaceful solution to bullying instances.
Heads should share all bullying instances with other Heads to ensure accountability on their part.
If a resolution cannot be found, those being bullied should not be the ones to leave the competition or the team.

the international wizarding competition league table

School	Points	Position	overall points	MVP
Hogwarts	95.5	1st	1680.25	EaGLes
Beauxbatons	201	2nd	1676.62	Paceso
Mahoutokoro	182	3rd	1648.37	3cheersforidiots
Durmstrang	111.63	4th	1378.13	QuickSilver
Ilvermorny	39	5th	875	JoyKathlyn

Trivia – for fun

There are no points this round, just fun! I would like to take the time to congratulate Hemlockconium for getting the points last round for the wordwheel challenge! The sheer number of words that were sent in was phenomenal! Well done! SilvermistRuhi got the points for trivia in the last round, so well done there too. We hope you enjoy this last bit of trivia, even if there are no points attached.

Name all the house ghosts
How many staircases does Hogwarts have?
What was the name of Hepzibah Smith’s House Elf?
When we first meet Tonks in OotP, what colour is her hair?
Who said it: “The Ones who love us never really leave us.”
Which spell is used to send red sparks into the air?
What animal does Moody turn Draco Malfoy into?
Who does Fred Weasley ask to the Yule Ball?
Who was the referee in Harry’s first Quidditch match?
What does the Hogwarts motto “Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus” mean in English?