#LoveLeap

“February is the month of love, and this year also happens to be a leap year. So let’s dive into the extraordinary world of leap years where time takes a unique twist, setting the stage for a love story like no other.

Craft a compelling tale of romance set in a leap year, where the rare extra day becomes a catalyst for unexpected twists and turns. How does the leap year influence the characters, their decisions, and the overall trajectory of their love story?

Unleash your creativity and transport us all into a realm where the magic of love intertwines seamlessly with the magic of time. Let the leap year be more than just a calendar quirk. Let it shape the destiny of your characters and their journey towards love.”

Prompt credit: Lalitha Ramanathan

• Weave a tale based on the prompt given. (Head on to the thread of this post on our FB Group for an enlightening discussion, if any.)
• Send in your entries to penmagica@gmail.com as an attachment in a word document (.doc/.docx) along with a 2-3 line bio (not required if previously sent) and a cover picture for your story (optional).
• The subject of your mail should be “Entry for #LoveLeap″ (compulsory).
• Along with your entry please send a suggested cover for your story (LANDSCAPE ONLY, as direct attachment, and no watermark, please). Use pixabay.com, pexels.com or unsplash.com to source lovely covers. In case your story is unaccompanied by a cover or is of poor quality, it will delay the publishing process.

Rules:

1. The submitted story must be between 2500-4500 words (each). Entries lower than or exceeding the word limit will stand disqualified for the event. (Penmancy Tip: Use https://wordcounter.io/ to check your word count.)
2. There is no limit to the number of entries you may submit- though only the first one of them will be eligible for the contest.
3. Previously published or plagiarised works will not be considered for contention. The writer of such content stands to be disqualified for the next Penmancy event.
4. AI generated content stands invalid for the contest.
5. Stories found to have been shared on another writing platform or blog before the declaration of results stand disqualified from the event. Kindly check the Terms of Use for details.
   In case a story is received after the submission deadline, it shall be considered as a guest entry and shall not qualify for the contest.

Winning criteria:

1. The winner will be chosen on the basis of the judges’ scores (out of 10)
   • plot/story/creativity (15 points)
   • language/grammar (10 points)
   • narrative voice & content (9 points)
   • emotional impact, (8 points)
   • characterisation (8 points)
2. The entries adjudged by a panel of judges and event organisers shall be binding. Judges’ scores to be deemed final and may not be contested or sought from the Penmancy team.
3. All writers are required to read and comment on 5 stories other than their own and encourage their fellow writers with valuable and constructive inputs. Comments like ‘nice’, ‘good work’, ‘brilliant piece’, etc., do not provide the necessary critique and are not helpful to anyone.
4. Only stories that garnered and average score/rating of 7.5 and above, as aggregated on judges’ scores, shall be eligible for winning.
5. Contest Duration
   The submission for the contest is open from February 1 to February 29, 2024
   Results for the event shall be shared on March 7, 2024, at 8:00 pm

Top three winners will receive a copy of the book “Quest of a Lost Soul“ by Roohi Bhargava.