|
News
Muggle Field Trip (2-2007) Challenge |
| Hogwarts’ Muggle Studies instructor has proposed a field trip to any Muggle town/city/location in order to observe and interact with non-Magics and their world for a weekend. Knowing that they have grown up in Muggle households, the professor approaches certain students to assist in this, including Harry. Satisfied that adequate security measures have been put in place, a thrilled Arthur Weasley strongly encourages his children to join in as well. Although leery at first, Harry decides that he would love to show his friends (especially Ginny) more of the world in which he lived before coming to the school. The problems arise when no one anticipates how seriously isolated from Muggle life most of the students have been. These are compounded when certain non-Magics become suspicious of the visitors and their own seemingly strange ways. The author’s challenge is to write a story to include: 1. A Muggle capital city of any European country, except England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland, that they will visit which will seem wonderful to them, if somewhat mundane to us. There are officially 41 European countries left to choose from. 2. The field trip will include an overnight stay in a Muggle hotel. 3. Describe at least three Muggle situations that they will encounter, will have trouble understanding, but may come to enjoy. 4. Describe at least three Muggle objects/structures/individuals, the purpose of which will be misinterpreted by teacher and students alike. 5. Tell about a close call with a suspicious Muggle or Muggles, and then how Harry and Ginny are able to defuse the situation (perhaps turning it to their advantage). 6. A special romantic moment between Harry and Ginny that occurs specifically because of their interaction with the Muggle world. 7. A unique lesson that a student or students realize they have learned from their experience. Rules: 1. All general submission rules apply. Huge stories over 10,000 words are discouraged but not prohibited. R-rated stories are allowed but discouraged. Judges are not required to read stories over 10,000 words or any R-rated stories. 2. All entries must be submitted under Muggle Field Trip (2-2007) sub-category under SIYE Challenge and be submitted by midnight DST, Monday, April 30, 2007. 3. Multiple chapters are allowed as long as all the requirements are in the chapter(s) that are submitted by the deadline. 4. The categories for judging are Best Overall, Romance, Adventure, Humor Bonus phrases for extra creativity are the following. Using any or all of them is not required. A good, creative story will always count much stronger than any bonus. · “You really might not want to touch that if you value your…” · “What is the worst that could happen if…” · “There is no such thing as…” · “You have got to be kidding me mate.” · “I have got to get me one of those!” · “You [blank] just like a Muggle.” · “[famous Muggle name]? I’m sorry, I’ve never heard of him/her.” PS: This Challenge is from the creative mind of one of our own staff, Spenser, after drinking a lot of his own home-brewed, Burundian Kowtow coffee. (It doesn’t look like coffee and it doesn’t smell like coffee) But he has been challenged. (Monopoly?) PPS: All the original Comments are still listed in the earlier News article. |
| Sir Ollivander on 2007.04.04 - 05:30PM () |
Comments
carolquin came out of the woodwork on 2007.04.04 - 06:02PM to say:
Eric.....I am still expecting you to deliver on the idea you came up with a few days ago!!!
Miss Gryffindor came out of the woodwork on 2007.04.05 - 11:54AM to say:
So I guess the Challenge is still on.
lecook4 came out of the woodwork on 2007.04.05 - 12:37PM to say:
You betcha. We already have one submission on the Most Recent page that is quite good. Get that quill and parchment out. This is going to be a good one.
Spenser Hemmingway came out of the woodwork on 2007.04.05 - 10:04PM to say:
One point that we should really stress concerns those parchments. Do not try to to feed them into a fax machine; even the best will jam.
Sovran came out of the woodwork on 2007.04.05 - 11:23PM to say:
That's okay. I've got a set of wine glasses that toast. Anyone want breakfast?
whimsy came out of the woodwork on 2007.04.06 - 02:07AM to say:
For those prospective writers who are still considering which city to use, I recommend. Bucharest where the absurd is the norm (I did an internship there). For example, in one encounter I ended up demanding that the police be called to arrest me. Also, during the period that the Harry Potter novels occur, Romania was widely considered to be the most corrupt country in Europe outside the former Soviet Union. OTOH, choosing a city like Brussels which oozes Muggleness might be an interesting backdrop. I apologize if I offend any Belgians, but I don't think it accidental that so many bureaucracies are located there.
GinnyMarie came out of the woodwork on 2007.04.06 - 12:26PM to say:
question: Does Arthur and the Muggle Studies professor have to be the ones that come up with the trip? Can someone, say Dumbledore, come up with it?
GinnyMarie came out of the woodwork on 2007.04.06 - 12:28PM to say:
another question, but first, sorry for the Double Post... Can this be a three or four day weekend? And can they spend more than just an overnight at the muggle hotel? like, can they stay two or three nights there?
Ravenclaw came out of the woodwork on 2007.04.06 - 02:04PM to say:
GinnyMarie It doesn't say that Mr. Weasley actually goes on the trip. It states that he liked the security measures and encouraged Ron and Ginny to go on the trip themselves.
Alanius came out of the woodwork on 2007.04.06 - 02:54PM to say:
How far is it possible to deviate from the rules? For example, is it allowed to go camping near a famous capital city, instead of going with the "over night stay at a hotel" rule? If I write such a story anyway, will it be accepted by the judges?
Sir Ollivander came out of the woodwork on 2007.04.06 - 03:49PM to say:
Rules for the weekend trip
The Hogwarts' Muggle Studies instructor proposed a trip for a weekend. This interpretation leaves that the final plan can be longer than a weekend.
Rule #2 says the field trip will include an overnight stay in a Muggle hotel. You could have more than one night, and you could sleep on a boat or train, for that matter.
Can you break any of these rules. Of course you can! Will the judges read the story? Yes, unless they are over 10,000 words or R rated. They don't have to read those. However, your rule-breaking story will be judged against all the other stories and can be judged how well you followed the rules. Now, if your rule-breaking story is utterly fantastic, Pulitzer-prize, #1 best seller, top of the New York Times list, terrific, the judges may think it is better than the others and award you their vote. That is the judge's prerogative. Minor rule breaking I can see. It's happened before. I would rather not see a story where it appears the author forgot half the rules were there for a reason. Don't forget, this is a Challenge. The idea is that you write an original story based on the set of conditions you are given.
GinnyMarie came out of the woodwork on 2007.04.06 - 04:19PM to say:
Alrighty! But I can work with that...it doesnt say that it was the current Muggle Studies Professor...it couldve been one from way back! MWHAHAHAHA sorry...ehem...and i didnt laugh maniacly when I figured out a way to do that...nope...not me...and my father did not look at me strangely when i did not laugh maniacly, no siree!
Alanius came out of the woodwork on 2007.04.06 - 04:39PM to say:
Thanks, Sir O. That really answered my question. Unfortunately, I can't decide on whether or not to enter ... Between finishing HP& Dark of the Lord, I Love You Always and Dear Tom, homework and sports, I'm not sure if I have enough time left. I think I'll let this bunny jump around in my head for a while ... then, if the plot I've got is too good to skip, I might enter. Good luck to everyone who decides to enter!
Spenser Hemmingway came out of the woodwork on 2007.04.06 - 11:59PM to say:
Okay, will someone please send Arthur Weasley a kids' book about airplanes (and what holds them in the air). I think that one of the fun parts of this Challenge will be how everyone presents those various cities. Since I am not permitted to compete in this one, I am actually considering a bending of the rules and visiting the wonderful counrty of Freedonia; The Land of the Spree and the Home of the Knave! Ah no...sigh. I need to set the example still I suppose. Is New Jersey in Europe? Eric B.
Ravenclaw came out of the woodwork on 2007.04.07 - 04:45PM to say:
Oh no.... lol Can't wait to read it, Eric =P
GinnyMarie came out of the woodwork on 2007.04.08 - 02:41AM to say:
3. Describe at least three Muggle situations that they will encounter, will have trouble understanding, but may come to enjoy. 4. Describe at least three Muggle objects/structures/individuals, the purpose of which will be misinterpreted by teacher and students alike. Those two rules sound very similar. Is it possible to perhaps combine at least one of the situations? or whatever?
Spenser Hemmingway came out of the woodwork on 2007.04.08 - 10:48AM to say:
The first rule/condition may be something such as their first encounter with a hamburger, rap music, or bikini-clad girls on roller skates. The second might be someone describing an electric toothbrush improperly as a Muggle earwax remover, a computer as being a jukebox (then trying to put a coin in it), or an automatic-drip coffeemaker as a potion sieve--actual, in a way that one is almost true. The first rule/condition involves our Magical friends' awe and wonder at discovering something new. The second involves fun confusion and misunderstanding about something. They are very similar, but they approach the Muggle world in slightly different directions with different results. The idea was meant as both a fish-out-or-water experience, and the opportunity for Harry’s Wizarding friends to enjoy the same wonderment he did went he first entered the world of magic. Eric B.
GinnyMarie came out of the woodwork on 2007.04.08 - 03:50PM to say:
Ahhhh...Thanks Eric! I'll have to look over the notes I made about it last night now, and see if they are congruent to what you said. THANKS!
QwayMelqnu came out of the woodwork on 2007.04.10 - 06:36PM to say:
I got nuthin' (at the moment anyways). But I look forward to reading everyone else's. :)
Miss Radcliffe came out of the woodwork on 2007.04.29 - 09:02AM to say:
One question: is the due date tonight before midnight or tomorrow? I always get confused with this sort of thing.
Spenser Hemmingway came out of the woodwork on 2007.04.04 - 06:00PM to say:
Everyone-- I came up with this outlandish idea (while mostly-sober), and I intended it to be an opportunity to create something unique involving our Wizard/Witch friends and our own world (apologies to actual Magics at the site). The basis that I intended was "What would happen" under the conditions described. All manner of things can and will occur, and not just the humorous examples. Picture your own trip overseas for example, or the day that Tom Cruise stepped up and translated Hungarian for you at the Budapest McDonalds. Picture the day that you tried to utilize a Japanese public toilet. We will have fun, and we will set the standard! Eric B.