Some of your favorite stories in the Writing Challenge -- NOT for voting.

[Precise Calibre]

So far, my favourites are:

The Dilemma - Taking what would be such a large event and trivializing it in a comical way - I love it!

The Key - This made me very nostalgic, reminded me of my first experiences with books, thank you...

Tickets Please - The fact that many people can relate to this experience, no matter what sort of travel you do, combined with the execution, makes this a winner.

Ecopoesis - I love the irony. Humans always figure they're the ones who will alter their environment to suit them, rather than the other way 'round.

 

[emilymarie070750]

To be quite frank, I enjoyed all of them. So many different styles - it's refreshing to read them and learn from them as well.

The Seeker
​

The Survivor
DECISIONS, DECISIONS.
I Write Sins Not Tragedies

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

It would've been far better had there not been that word limit.....

The limited word count was the point of the exercise, Karn. We wanted something that had a bit of difficulty, and at the same time stories that were short enough that everyone who wanted to vote could read them all.

We have received so many good stories, and almost everyone is finding it easier than they thought it would be (as in going from thinking it was impossible to whipping something out in a few hours), that I am thinking we probably need to make it a bit harder next time. Probably with a somewhat larger word count, but including some sort of conditions that will keep it challenging.

After all, it is the Writing Challenge.

 

[Karn Maeshalanadae]

True, and I'm not actually complaining, just saying that despite how easy it actually was, I felt I could've done better is all.

 

[The Judge]

I'm up for a challenge! I would have suggested reducing the word count, to keep everyone on their toes - perhaps decreasing on a monthly basis, making it progressively harder. Since we want to keep it prose based, I imagine, that rather excludes rhythm and rhyme as obstacles to overcome. Written in the style of X is a non-starter since we can't guarantee everyone will have read X. Use of imagery? A mandatory opening line? The inclusion of certain key words? No use of the letter "e"?!

 

[Faraway]

Like others here, I find it very enjoying to be able to sample so many different styles and ideas on this theme.

I enjoyed all of them. "Tickets Please" very pleasantly reminded me of something I once read: "a story that ends where it begins is a good story..."

 

[Dang]

Hi. I'm new on here. Thought this thread was a great idea especially after reading:

A Novel Machine - has me chuckling everytime I read it.

I like the variety of writing styles, humour and seeing how different people write. Plenty of stories I wish I could have or possibly think I would have written similar to. Very entertaining. Look forward to reading some more.

 

[Ursa major]

I think I'll reserve my judgement until we're closer to the vote.


Having said that, quite a few of the stories pack a lot of enjoyment into their limited word-count, so even if I had to vote now, it wouldn't be at all easy.

 

[HareBrain]

Probably with a somewhat larger word count

I would have suggested reducing the word count"

I think it's just right.

The inclusion of certain key words?

This idea I like.

 

[Talysia]

It's funny, but since I've been taking part in this thread, I've been neglecting the book I was reading! It's been great to see such a collection of stories here.

Every entry in this contest has something I like, whether it's the style, interpretation, content, ending, etc. and it really is going to be difficult to pick a winner. The very amount of stories that I've whittled down in my current list is proof of that, and the contest hasn't even ended yet!

My current list includes (in no particular order) A Novel Machine, The Dilemma, The Débutante, Midnight Feast and The Key. However, there are a couple of others that could easily change places with those at any time, like Seeking Normality, Tickets Please, and Oh, To Be A Great Explorer.

I'm going to have to be really tough with myself to choose a winner this month. I really am.

 

[chrispenycate]

So, not only am I expected to write a speculative fiction story about "transformation" in seventy five words, two and two thirds percent of them have to be "homogeneity" and "vapid" (actual mileage might vary with conditions). Have I understood right? And, as there are so few words to start off with, the imposed ones will structure all the others.

It's a bit like the game Swiss news readers play when, as the guy is going into the studio, they give him a word he must incorporate into his bulletin somewhere. (This would probably only work here where, as in civilisation in the last century, the journalists write their own texts, and don't just blindly follow a teleprompter).

Oh, I have no fear the different stories will resemble each other too much; if there is one thing we're not short of here, it's diversity.

And, oh yes, I do see the use of an exercise to reduce my word output, even if it's more normally from ten thousand down to five.

 

[TheEndIsNigh]

So far Great Explorer has it for me.


Mouse: I suspect that's the one that gives you the shivers

Chris:

... even if it's more normally from ten thousand down to five

In the beginning

< Insert any random ten thousand words >

The End.

Now just delete the bit in the quote - simple

 

[Ursa major]

You've missed out the Prologue, TEIN.









And the glossary and map(s).

 

[Mouse]

So far Great Explorer has it for me.
Mouse: I suspect that's the one that gives you the shivers

Heh heh! It did make me go

 

[Quokka]

As others have said it's been great to see so many people enter and so many different ways you can spend 75 words.

As for the word count it might be nice to vary it a little each month (both up and down) just for variety but with so many entries I think Teresa Edgerton got it pretty spot on with the first one. Speaking of which a big virtual Hurrah! for TE for getting this going in the first place .

Will be going back to re-read them all but so far The Dilemma, Peter Graham's, Foraging Party and Decisions Decisions for me.

But I think the other big success has been this thread, hopefully they'll be an accompanying one for each challenge.

 

[BookStop]

Everyone did such a fantastic job ont he stories. This challenge is such an excellent idea, and obviously successful. I'm off to vote if only I can narrow my favs down just a bit more (my first list of favs was 15 stories long, lol). Here are my top 6, but even getting down to this few was difficult

Chopper's Ecopoesis, or, sometimes the best defence is a damned good offence. ( made me smile)

Leisha's Seeking Normality (this is the story with the most feeling)

Chris's The Key (most awesome interpretation of the theme)

Ursa's Dwarf World (very, very clever)

Mosaix's Now Look What You've Done ( that is so me in a museum - well I do have some self control, unlike Timmy)

Chel's Epitaph (good interpretation, surprised me)

In the end, I voted for Dwarf World, although this was the most difficult narrowing of any challenge ever!

 

[Boneman]

So, I voted, but it was daaaaamnnnn hard to chose just one... Maybe we should revise the voting? I admit I was one who voted for one vote (I love being able to break so many writing 'rules' just saying that!), but I found myself desperately wanting to vote for so many.

Would it be incredibly difficult to have a poll that allowed us to put a 3rd, 2nd, 1st in our list? If it is unworkable, maybe (to get round HBs accountancy nightmare) we should consider revising the amount of votes we cast. And with so many entries, and not a bad piece of writing amongst them, it will be quite sad to see some good stories not get a single vote. Yes, I know this is the nature of the beast, and it's only a fun thing, but so much positivism has come out of it, that I'd like to reward more people...

ps: I've got three votes in the upcoming General Election (proxy votes from family members who can't be there on the day), so if it can happen in real life, then fantasy could/should reflect this??

pps: and it occurs to me that this will rule out any (totally unintentional) bias that could creep in to the voting in future competitions. Of course we'll all choose the story we like, but when an excellent writer (the one I voted for) keeps winning, it will be difficult to keep voting for them, because we'll want to see another 'Oscar' winner. Also the winner of the competition could have a casting vote if there were a tie????

 

[chopper]

is it wrong to wish the week away?

(and i say that as someone itching to try the next challenge....)

 

[Ursa major]

I've got as far as producing my long list: 15 stories, just like Bookstop (and thanks, Bookstop, by the way).


Getting these down to a handful is going to take a while, I suspect.

 

[Wybren]

S.. Maybe we should revise the voting? I admit I was one who voted for one vote (I love being able to break so many writing 'rules' just saying that!), but I found myself desperately wanting to vote for so many.

Maybe instead of voting for an entry, we vote each month for the theme of the challenge. That way we can just say, yeah I liked xyz and r and also h and we dont have the problem of voting for just one entry? Just a thought...