The General Contest has come to a close!
And I have had to make some impossibly difficult choices. Still, after much consideration and tallying of votes (why was first place a 4-way tie?!) I've come to only one plausible conclusion.
We're getting two first-place winners!
The most expensive option, but honestly, these stories deserve it.
But before I dive into who won, let me highlight some other stories that did fantastically well! Not to say that I'm not proud of all the participants...
Actually, a bit on that before I move on. I'm genuinely amazed and a little humbled by the sheer potential I saw over the course of this contest. So many of my readers, as it turns out, have fantastic amounts of skill. Some of it needs nurturing. I left notes for all of those writers on things they can work on. But what really took me off guard were the number of unique and powerful voices and styles I saw. Some were rough, sure, but it felt like I discovered two dozen really strong writers who just need a bit more practice and time to refine themselves into... competition? Wait, maybe I shouldn't be encouraging you guys after all... hmm.
Anywho~ Let's highlight some stories that came very close!
Tarnished Honor, by the WackyWombat is... genuinely gripping, fast, well-told, and might very well have taken this entire contest if I wasn't cheating and metagaming as a judge. This story deserves your attention. Wombat has been writing SCS stuff for a while, but this story really highlights how much they've grown as an author. It's just good.
The Antithesis Caused My Mid-Life Crisis, by DoomToaster struck a chord with me too. Maybe not as polished, but just brimming with potential. It's worth giving it a try as well.
If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.
A few others that came close... Undercity Ronin, Most (Un)Manly, and CyroGhost. All super cool and unique takes!
But, we're here for the winner(s), so, without further ado...
The General Category Winners for the 2024 Stray Cat Strut Fanfiction Contest are...
Libitina, by NiameScrawls, and HAVOC, by Kenny Celican!
Woo~ Claps all around!
Libitina is... genuinely the best start to an SCS fanfic I've yet seen. Masterful tone setting, lots of dystopian vibes, a main character with issues... god, so many issues, so much drama, so much or a broken mess of a person. It's delicious to watch, written at a high professional standard, and leaves you wanting so much more!
HAVOC made me cry. I'm not even kidding. I had to put it down, give Molly some walkies, and then return to it. Kenny is a good writer, one who's been improving slowly but surely with lots of dedicated practice. Their technical skills are a smidge lower than NiameScrawl's, which almost cost them the contest, but their emotional skills are... just so good! Any story that can leave you feeling distressed and angry and hopeful is worth the time it took to read, and HAVOC hits all of those notes!
So yes! I'll be posting the two winner's stories here as new chapters momentarily. Please give them a read, I swear they'll be worthy of your time!
And to everyone else, thank you! You make a silly birb proud!
Keep warm; stay cool,
-RavensDagger