BattleCorps - Iron Writer

Iron Writer (IWB) contests for BattleCorps were held in 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009. Participating writers had to produce a BattleTech short story from a vague outline or keyword in a very tight timeframe of circa one hour. BattleCorps subscribers would then be presented with the stories and could vote on a winner. It was not revealed which author wrote which individual story until the voting was closed.

All Iron Writer stories were expressly declared non-canonical for the BattleTech universe because they were not fact-checked in any way, and they were published only as part of the IWB contest (and not as regular BattleTech fiction).

Iron Writer 2006

• An Old Sergeant's Motives (Troy Garner)
• Weekend Warriors (Andreas Zuber)
• KP Duty (Jason Hardy) - ranked #4
• In the Dark (Phaedra Weldon)
• The Intersection of Time (Ben Rome)
• KP Duty (Kevin Killiany)
• KP Duty (Ethan Pasternack)
• Someone's in the Kitchen (Loren Coleman) - ranked #2
• Kelley (Steven Mohan Jr.) - ranked #1
• Dishes (Christian Grainger) - ranked #5
• Rinds (Jason Schmetzer) - ranked #3
• Twilight Interlude (Adam Sherwood)
• What You Wish For (Charles Borner)

Iron Writer 2007

• Feather (Ben Rome)
• Where Everybody Knows Your Game (Brian Foster)
• Raven (Harvey Roberts)
• Ghost Raven (Herbert A. Beas II)
• Darkness (Randall Bills)
• The Raven (Jason Hardy) - tied for 3rd place
• The Raven (John Mynyk)
• The Raven (Ken Horner) - ranked #2
• Raven Watch (Kevin Killiany)
• Flight of the Raven (Oystein Tvedten) - tied for 3rd place
• Corvidae (Phaedra M. Weldon)
• Raven (Jason Schmetzer) - ranked #1
• Lost (Steven Mohan Jr.)
• Papa's Rules (Tami Elder)
• Raven (Troy Stansel-Garner)

Iron Writer 2008

In a place of solemn silence (a game hall) amongst the august presence of their peers (and hecklers) sixteen writers took the Iron Writer BattleTech Challenge: fashion a Classic BattleTech story that ends with the words “Thank Monkey.” You decide which is best! Cast your vote in the Forums!

• A Stroll Through the Zoo (Andreas Zuber)
• Patient Simians (Brian Foster) - ranked #3
• Untitled - Sergeant Major (Brian Huss)
• Untitled - Solaris (Charles Borner)
• Faith (Steven Mohan Jr.) - ranked #1
• Untitled - Assassin (Geoff Swift)
• The Emercity of Space (Jason Hardy)
• When All Else Fails (John Mynyk) - ranked #2
• Untitled - WoB (Ken Horner)
• The Emercity of Monkey (Kevin Killiany)
• In the Middle (Loren Coleman)
• Untitled - Kids (Max Prohaska)
• Untitled - Irian (Adam Sherwood)
• The Strength of Patience (Randall Bills)
• Untitled - Arigato (Tami Elder)
• Snipe Hunt (Troy Garner)

Iron Writer 2009

At Gen Con Indy 2009 a number of writers, gathered in the gaming hall, sat and wrote a timed story based on or using a common word: betrayal. Each writer had one hour (fire drill notwithstanding) to complete their story, and they are presented below without edit or polish, for you to judge. Once you've read each story, please return to the forums and vote for the best story! The winner will be offered a contract and published on BattleCorps in the fall of 2009, although their story (whichever wins) will remain outside of canon.

• One Love
• A Matter of Parliaments
• Double Betrayal
• Paranoia
• Two Roads Diverged and Nobody Cared
• Betrayal
• The Emercity of Betrayal
• Betrayal
• Bullet with a Name
• McGovern's Legacy
• I, Kerensky
• The Check is in the Mail

External links

• BattleCorps website