Drumroll, please... Our profile team was simply blown away by the level of craft that the participating writers brought to this stage of the Kessel Run! Worldbuilding stands shoulder to shoulder with the importance of excellent characterization when it comes to providing a great platform for readers.

BEST IN BATCH (to a stunning trio of stories)!!!

Wilderness by Snowleopardcheetah

The Stranger by 00Argentsilver000

The Stockcade by darthwitty

A very sad, but fond farewell to Avalira, who made a tremendous effort to keep up with the pack. See ya back in the cantina. First round is on us!

Stay tuned, spacers!!! The next leg of the Kessel Run: A Star Wars Smackdown - Knockout Round #3 will be coming to a starport near you this weekend. May the Force be with you!

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World-building is the core of any good setting for a story and marks the great divide between emerging writers and master crafters who work, research, and seek to perfect their storytelling. Just as Skywalker, Solo, and Organa have become iconic names in a galaxy far, far away, so too are the names of certain planets or moons: Yavin IV, Dagobah, Hoth, Tatooine, Dathomir.

KNOCKOUT ROUND #2

In this Knockout Round, your world-building skills will be put to the test. Using up to 3,000 words, write a piece of Star Wars fanfiction from the prompt given below. The stakes remain high because one of you will be dropped from the Run.

Prompt:

Create and name your own planet and set a scene there - where the characteristics of the world are as vitally important as the traits of the characters who live and work there. Keep in mind topography, geography, indigenous and non-indigenous sentient life, as well as flora and fauna.

Rules of Engagement

Recommended Word Count: 3,000

Deadline: Friday, July 16th at Midnight, Galactic Standard Time (EDT). The deadline is final. Any stories submitted beyond the deadline will not  be considered eligible for judging.

How to Enter: Upload the story to your Wattpad profile as normal, either as a standalone one-shot or as part of an existing collection, and submit the direct link via this FORM.

Feel free to share that link in the comments' section below, allowing your fellow SmackDown Participants to check out your work—and allowing you to check out the competition! Only those stories submitted via the FORM will be considered for judging in the contest.

Entries must be in English. Sadly, no one on the team speaks Ewok—yet.

May the Force be with you, and let the SmackDown commence!


FAQs

Does my story have to adhere to the word count?

No, the recommended word count is exactly what it says; recommended. You won't be penalized for writing a story a little above or below that number of words. Judges may not read over the recommended word count, so keep this in mind. Do remember your entry must be a finished story.

How much time will be given between rounds?

The time will vary from a week to a month and everywhere in between, based on the recommended word count.

Do I need to write a single chapter only?

Adding more than one chapter is welcome, if the story is self-contained as a book. Please keep in mind the whole book must meet our recommended word limit.

What about Mature stories?

Mature stories are permitted, but please remember that it must meet Wattpad's Content Guidelines in order to be accepted.

Are LGBTQ+ characters allowed?

This galaxy may be far, far away, but it is LGBTQIA+ friendly for characters, stories, and themes!

How will our stories get judged?

A team of Wookiee Ambassadors and protocol droids will use a simple and basic scoring rubric. Stories are judged on various factors, such as spelling, punctuation, grammar, originality, and creative relation to our prompt. The top three writers for the grand finale will be chosen through the Smackdown's total accumulation of points.

During the Knockout Rounds, writers with the lowest-accumulated scores will be eliminated from the contest. The number of eliminations per round depends entirely upon the number of contestants.

Can I still enter if I did not participate in previous rounds?

Of course you can! But when the Knockout Rounds begin, only those writers in the running can advance to future rounds. Advancement is based on points earned from the judges in each previous round.

How do I submit my story for this contest?

Just complete this FORM and that's it!

Disclaimer:

Please note, the following contest and its rules are the creation of a team of hard-working Ambassadors and is in no way affiliated with Wattpad or its staff. Judging of said contest is entirely run by its creators and is not the responsibility of Wattpad or its staff.