DFTBA Short Story Contest

Greetings Tumblrers! Today’s post comes to you in two rather large parts, so lets get right to it.

Part 1: The Logo Design Contest goes global.

Right there, you can see a map of the vast variety of places where people voted from. I am quite genuinely shocked at our vast geographical spread. I knew Nerdfighteria reached all across the globe, but this is quite something. Add to that the fact that in some cases, most notably the Dominican Republic and Australia, one pin does not mean one vote. The surveying website can only be so accurate, and we got one pin representing seventeen votes in the Australian city of Perth, and there were more voters from the Dominican Republic than there were from the UK!

To give you some perspective on the numbers, here’s the low down on where people are voting from, and how many of them there are.  We had votes from, in alphabetical list form…

Argentina (1 vote), Australia (31 votes), Austria (1 vote), Barbados (1 vote), Belgium (1 vote), Brazil (1 vote), Brunei Darussalam (1 vote), Bulgaria (1 vote), Canada, Chile (1 vote), Colombia (1 vote), Croatia (1 vote), Czech Republic (1 vote), Dominican Republic (24 votes), Ecuador (1 vote), Finland (1 vote), France (4 votes), Germany (1 vote), Greece (1 vote), Iceland (1 vote), India (5 votes), Indonesia (1 vote), Italy (3 votes), Macedonia (1 vote), Malaysia (1 vote), Mexico (3 votes), New Zealand (2 votes), Panama (1 vote), the Philippines (5 votes), Poland (3 votes), Portugal, Singapore (2 votes), Slovakia (1 vote), Spain (5 votes), Sweden (1 vote), Switzerland (1 vote), the US (100 votes) and the UK (21 votes)

So thank you every one! I’m really pleased that this project has gone so far around the world!

But now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for.

Part 2: The Logo Design Contest Winners

Before we announce the winners, with the French Llama of last year overseeing the final results, I will say that every single design got at least one vote, so no one is going home with nothing. So let’s reveal the scores.

Joint 9th place - 1 vote - Design 7 and Design 8

Joint 8th place - 2 votes - Design 1 and Design 9

7th place - 3 votes - Design 3

6th place - 4 votes - Design 4

5th place - 10 votes - Design 2

4th place - 19 votes - Design 6

And so now, we come to the top three…

In third place, with thirty two votes, was design number eleven by Marlene Gutierrez

In second place, with thirty seven votes, was design number ten by Denoel Andre.

Which means that our winner, with a quite whopping 128 votes, was design number five, by Tom Pennington

An excellent piece of design! Thoroughly liked by the community, winning over 50% of the total vote, more than deserving to win! Well done! I shall be contacting Mr Pennington about designing us a front cover over the next few days.

Thank you all for taking part, whether you voted, designed, or if you told any fellow nerdfighters what was going on. After the initial drought of entries, I was very worried nothing would happen, but I think this has been a splendid year’s worth of work, with an excellent final outcome.

I hope you all like the final logo! You’ll be seeing lots more of it from now on! Specifically, as this Tumblr’s new avatar, and on the tickets which will be available soon!

God Bless, Best Wishes, and DFTBA

The logo contest is now officially CLOSED to submissions!

Now, the voting begins.

If you go here you will see you have one vote (unlike last time, as we had cheating then, and also there are fewer entries) to cast for your favourite design. The voting will remain open until midnight GMT on March 4th. When that time’s up, the design with the most votes will win, it’s that simple!

God Bless, Best Wishes, and DFTBA!

Last few hours! You’ve only got a very short while left before the contest closes! The voting page will be going up at midnight GMT which is only just over three hours away! So if you want to be in the design contest, now is the time!

Here is the link to submit, complete with the design brief!

“A clear, fun, bright and bold logo, incorporating the themes of Nerdfighteria (the hand sign, French Llama’s, etc), creative writing, and the specific prompt of this year - applied 21st century research (of any/multiple fields). The words “DFTBA Short Story Contest 2013” must be included.”

All the way up to eleven! Here’s design 11 by Marlene Gutierrez! Lovely work. Another great example of things jumping off the page!

There’s not long now! If you’re wanting to get a design in, you’ve got until midnight tomorrow! So keep your graphics tablets handy! If you’re wanting to run in that final gauntlet, then here is the link and the brief.

“A clear, fun, bright and bold logo, incorporating the themes of Nerdfighteria (the hand sign, French Llama’s, etc), creative writing, and the specific prompt of this year - applied 21st century research (of any/multiple fields). The words “DFTBA Short Story Contest 2013” must be included.”

Logo design ten! We hit double figures! This one is by Denoel Andre, whose tumblr and personal website are linked to. I’m very much liking the use of the banner (something of a running theme we’ve got here) and the elegant and simple use of a colour that looks very similar to tumblr blue.

There’s not long for you now! If you’re wanting to take part in this year’s logo design contest, you’ve got until midnight GMT tomorrow! If you’re up to the challenge, the link and brief are following

Best Wishes, God Bless and DFTBA

“A clear, fun, bright and bold logo, incorporating the themes of Nerdfighteria (the hand sign, French Llama’s, etc), creative writing, and the specific prompt of this year - applied 21st century research (of any/multiple fields). The words “DFTBA Short Story Contest 2013” must be included.”

Design number eight! This one comes to us thanks to the work of one Kim Schilling whose tumblr of amazing is available at the previous link. I’m liking the use of the hand sign flag!

In case you forgot, everyone’s still got until Thursday to submit designs! The place to submit them, and the brief, are forthcoming! And remember, each designer is allowed to submit up to three times!

“A clear, fun, bright and bold logo, incorporating the themes of Nerdfighteria (the hand sign, French Llama’s, etc), creative writing, and the specific prompt of this year - applied 21st century research (of any/multiple fields). The words “DFTBA Short Story Contest 2013” must be included.”

Design number seven! Once again, we see the work here of Ninette whose Behance profile can be seen here. Good use of French the Llama!

Remember, there’s still quite five more days if you want to submit something yourself! The contest is open until the 28th, and anyone who participates can submit up to three times! Here’s the link and brief, once again.

“A clear, fun, bright and bold logo, incorporating the themes of Nerdfighteria (the hand sign, French Llama’s, etc), creative writing, and the specific prompt of this year - applied 21st century research (of any/multiple fields). The words “DFTBA Short Story Contest 2013” must be included.”

Design number six! This one is by one Andrea Zadro whose tumblr and website are linked here. Very much liking the calligraphic style here!

If you’re wanting to try your hand at this part of the contest, submit your designs at the following link! Remember, you’ve got until the 28th and everyone can submit up to three designs!

“A clear, fun, bright and bold logo, incorporating the themes of Nerdfighteria (the hand sign, French Llama’s, etc), creative writing, and the specific prompt of this year - applied 21st century research (of any/multiple fields). The words “DFTBA Short Story Contest 2013” must be included.”

Here’s design number five! This one is by Tom Pennington whose tumblr and behance are linked to previously. Clear, elegant, Nerdfightistic work. Well done!

If you’d like to try your hand at this section of the contest, you can submit your designs to the following link. Remember, you have until February 28th (one week from now) and you can submit a maximum of three designs.

“A clear, fun, bright and bold logo, incorporating the themes of Nerdfighteria (the hand sign, French Llama’s, etc), creative writing, and the specific prompt of this year - applied 21st century research (of any/multiple fields). The words “DFTBA Short Story Contest 2013” must be included.”

Design number four is by Ninette whose Behance profile can be seen here. Very nice work with the French Llama and the Nerdfighter transformer and the book and the words just leaping off the page! Exactly like a good story! Well done!

If you’re up to the challenge that Ninette, myself, and all the other submitters have thrown down, send your entries to the following link. Remember, as per last year, you can enter up to three designs! Happy graphicing! God Bless, Best Wishes and DFTBA.

“A clear, fun, bright and bold logo, incorporating the themes of Nerdfighteria (the hand sign, French Llama’s, etc), creative writing, and the specific prompt of this year - applied 21st century research (of any/multiple fields). The words “DFTBA Short Story Contest 2013” must be included.”

Here’s design number three! This one is by Joseph Marritt whose work can be seen here at his tumblr and also here at his Behance portfolio. Thanks to him for this masterful piece of retro-graphic styled artwork.

Think you’re up to the challenge that Joseph, Rankin and myself have thrown down? Then submit your designs via the form in the upcomming link. Remember, the brief is as follows.

“A clear, fun, bright and bold logo, incorporating the themes of Nerdfighteria (the hand sign, French Llama’s, etc), creative writing, and the specific prompt of this year - applied 21st century research (of any/multiple fields). The words “DFTBA Short Story Contest 2013” must be included.”

God Bless, best wishes, and DFTBA

And here’s our second design, by… well me. Hope you like it. Of course, if you’re up to improving on what I’ve done, see the following link to find out how to submit your own design. The prompt is as follows (and a reminder, as per last year, there is a limit of three designs per participant).

“A clear, fun, bright and bold logo, incorporating the themes of Nerdfighteria (the hand sign, French Llama’s, etc), creative writing, and the specific prompt of this year - applied 21st century research (of any/multiple fields). The words “DFTBA Short Story Contest 2013” must be included.”

We’ve got our first submission! This one comes from Rankin Willard. If you like what he’s done here, at the end of the contest (the 28th) you’ll get a chance to vote on this, and all the other entries which I’m very much looking forward to seeing! If you think you can do as well/better, go and submit your designs at the link that’s forthcoming. The brief is

“A clear, fun, bright and bold logo, incorporating the themes of Nerdfighteria (the hand sign, French Llama’s, etc), creative writing, and the specific prompt of this year - applied 21st century research (of any/multiple fields). The words “DFTBA Short Story Contest 2013” must be included.”

Thank you so much to Rankin Willard.

God bless, Best Wishes and DFTBA!

Also, I’ve emailed Elliott, and she agrees, we’ve extended the deadline. You now have untill 28th February to design us a logo. Once again, here are the details.

“A clear, fun, bright and bold logo, incorporating the themes of Nerdfighteria (the hand sign, French Llama’s, etc), creative writing, and the specific prompt of this year - applied 21st century research (of any/multiple fields). The words “DFTBA Short Story Contest 2013” must be included.”

Greetings tumblrers, today’s post comes to you in three parts!

Part One - Update about the contest

Okay, so the logo design contest has now been going for quite a while. Specifically, it’s been almost two weeks since the prompt was released, and thus the substance of the contest was first mentioned, and it’s been almost one week since DesignersOfTumblr launched their submission page and we could get people’s designs coming in. And so far we have received… zero submissions.

I have to admit, I’m a little confused on this point. Last year, by this stage, we had almost a dozen submissions, but this year we have none? What gives? I have some ideas, mainly surrounding the fact that it’s possible I promised more prominence for the logo designer than was actually given (we said we’d design a website around it until we realised just how complicated that would be), so people don’t trust my enthusing. So to clarify a number of points, here is a few questions about the logo design contest that you might have asked, and might be why people aren’t submitting.

“Do you have to pay to submit?”

No. This is a little pre-emptive, but I can imagine that people might get confused, as you have to pay to enter the story contest, and this is a competition on top of the contest, but to be clear, no. You DO NOT have to pay to submit a design into the logo competition. That part is free. As is voting on the logos.

“Do I have to be a really skilled designer/have design qualifications?”

No. You can be self taught, a hobbyist, or just like mucking around randomly in photoshop/coraldraw etc. Whether or not your design will win is based on the vote we have at the end. There is no quality standard you have to reach before your logo will be considered. All logo designs are welcome.

“How do I draw ‘Applied 21st century research’? What does that look like?”

Just think about things that modern scientists/historians/doctors/archaeologists/sociologists etc might use/have invented and then draw them. Imagine test tubes, clipboards, textbooks, computers, microscopes, centrifuges, airship hybrids, mobile phones, hybrid cars, microfilm scanners… the list could go on. Maybe imagine the French Llama using some of these, or the nerdfighter handsign astride a history textbook with a microscope in the background. Maybe you want to riff-off of the sci-show or crash course logos. Just some thoughts.

“How widely will this logo be used? What credit do I get for it?”

The logo will be used in all of the following places

- On the Eventbrite page for the Story Contest itself

- On the Tickets that will be emailed out

- As the avatar of this Tumblr

- On almost every post made on this tumblr as part of the contest

- In the anthology itself

And I will be asking you to use elements of the logo you create to design a front cover for the final anthology. You will be credited as the cover design artist, and your tumblr/other website will be linked to from this page and regularly promoted.

“Havn’t we only got untill the 18th? That isn’t very long”

We’re talking to the people at DesignersOfTumblr and we’re going to extend the deadline if things continue to be so very quiet. So don’t worry, we’re not going to be sticklers here!

“Why are you asking for our name on the submission page”

So that we can credit you when the time comes to do so. That’s the same reason we need your e-mail etc. We promise not to flood you with Spam or anything like that! However, if enough people dislike the name requirement, we’ll change that policy, and just ask for your email so we can sort out your name later.

I hope that’s cleared up some issues some of you may have had. If I’ve just patronised some of you who already knew all of this, I apologise. I just really wanted to lay some more details down, to encourage people to take part in the contest. A reminder, you can submit your logo designs here and the brief is as follows

“A clear, fun, bright and bold logo, incorporating the themes of Nerdfighteria (the hand sign, French Llama’s, etc), creative writing, and the specific prompt of this year - applied 21st century research (of any/multiple fields). The words “DFTBA Short Story Contest 2013” must be included.”

I’m really looking forward to seeing what you guys come up with!

Part 2 - Judges

We’ve got some information on some of the new judges that will be looking over your stories in this 2013 season. Here are their names and some of their credentials

Becky Havens - A student from the Metropolitan State University of Denver, who’s getting her degree in English Writing with a minor in philosophy. You can find her tumblr here

Lies Lanckman - Whose name you may recognise as being credited on the last anthology as being the assistant editor, so she’s got a very keen eye for grammar. She’s a post graduate student from the University of Kent, looking into Gender Studies in 1930s film.

Marcy Collier - A judge who took part in our debut contest, last year. A professional critic for the Western Pennsylvania branch of the Society of Children’s Books Writers and Illustrators as well as being the editor of the Golden Penn newsletter (a blog she regularly contributes to can be found here and her twitter is here).

We have one other judge who’s participation is somewhat conditional, based on the number of entries we receive, so I won’t be revealing their details just yet. Although these three are all great, we still need more! Anyone interested, please email

DFTBA[DOT]Short{DOT}Story(DOT)Contest<AT>inbox[DOT]Com

We look forward to your messages!

Part Three: Numbers

A short note to say “welcome!” to some of our more recent followers, and to say that this tumblr now has almost 500 followers! Wowzer! Thank you everyone for being on board. I’m really looking forward to seeing the fruits of this anthology!

God Bless, Best Wishes and DFTBA!