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

[TheDustyZebra]

Which is worse? To write something that is too obvious? To write something so obscure that people are left scratching their heads and thinking, "So what's the point ... if any"? Or something that everyone takes at face value and misses the deeper levels that were, for you, the whole point of the story?

Well, at least if everyone takes it at face value they aren't left with nothing at all. I think the first option is the worst, which is unfortunately what I seem to have achieved. My offering's depths are really on the surface...if that's possible...but it probably led to enough confusion that the rest got missed entirely.

Funny thing, neither of these challenges has brought forth anything from me that resembles my normal writing--I think the 75 word limit gives license to write weirdly. And still, I wish we did this twice a month instead of only once!

 

[mygoditsraining]

"Weigh anchor, Muttley; there's a medal in it for you."

I don't have the slightest idea what that story is, but it made me laugh!

I think the title was the one of the most difficult parts of the challenge for me this month, and I was tempted to leave it without; that it got a laugh makes me feel all the better for having persisted, so thank you! (and thanks to all the others who've namechecked me so far).

On the topic of hidden meaning, I confess I find it tough enough to make my intentions clear at the best of times - I spent ages on what was essentially a very flippant story* because I found myself struggling over things like an alliterative name that would evoke the quintessential essence of Ms Pitstop but also be a little bit overbearing and unsympathetic. Eventually I found myself warming to one of the early discards - Tyretread - because it was so desperately unattractive.

*Although the psychosexual ramifications of Dick Dastardly's constant cycle of self-defeating disappointment and failure aren't really something that we should label as flippant, perhaps?

 

[crystal haven]

I have been reading through all the stories and it is going to be so difficult to decide who to vote for, though I do have a few favourites. It is amazing how varied the stories are, all created from just one word as the starting point. I didn’t enter the last challenge - I didn’t feel brave enough, but I couldn’t resist having a go this time round. Judge, thank you for mentioning my story. I have been struggling with writing anything for a while now and this challenge has helped me start writing again. I am really enjoying reading all the stories. Such a high standard.

 

[Ursa major]

Associated with the monthly picture competition is a thread for entries which the poster deemed not quite up to scratch (or, at least, were not quite as good, in their own opinion, as the images they did finally submit).

This morning I wrote an entry for this month's 75-word story competition. As I mentioned earlier, I've studiously avoided looking at what had already been posted. This turns out to have been a mistake, as I could have saved myself the bother: someone's already-submitted story was too close to mine. (Damn you Quokka! )

I've submitted something else, but don't really want my first candidate for entry to disappear without trace. With that in mind, I'm posting it here. If folk have similar entries, I'm quite prepared to let it be moved, with them, to a "stories that didn't make it" thread.

All Holidays Need a Headland

The perfect holiday. A chance to escape. That’s what the brochure had promised. And so far, everything had gone – he chuckled – swimmingly.

Behind him, nothing but stunning scenery. Before him, a real sandy beach set on a wide sweeping bay. And here, at its very end, a Headland.

Landscapes and seascapes were all very well, but when compared to what was about to begin...?

The VR suit enveloped him.

“Welcome to Headland’s E-scape."

 

[Mouse]

I like that one, Ursa. (I understand it, yay!)

No wait... actually I don't think I do understand it.

 

[Ursa major]

I've achieved pseudo-depth.


Hooray!

 

[The Judge]

"Weigh anchor, Muttley; there's a medal in it for you."

I don't have the slightest idea what that story is, but it made me laugh!

I think the title was the one of the most difficult parts of the challenge for me this month, and I was tempted to leave it without; that it got a laugh makes me feel all the better for having persisted, so thank you!

I loved the title! *Muttley laugh* Though personally I was upset Ms Tyretread wouldn't get the ending she richly deserved.

Re Ursa's:

No wait... actually I don't think I do understand it.

Me, neither. Nor quokka's come to that. I'm assuming it's something technical beyond my ken.

However, I'm mightily impressed with Ursa's posted entry -- the depths might not be hidden but the pun is! Well done.

 

[mygoditsraining]

I've achieved pseudo-depth. Hooray!

When I read that, I imagined you standing ankle-deep in an inflatable paddling pool, arms aloft in triumph.

I quite like the story, although I must admit my mind immediately tacked on the additional line of dialogue - "Quaid! Get to Mars! Start the reactor!"

That said, I think that's just a natural response I have to any VR-based scenario, a consequence of the terrifying number of times I've seen Total Recall.

Unlike yourself, I don't think I'm quite brave enough to put up what preceded my actual attempt. I believe the shame of their existence is actually burning out parts of my hard drive as I type.

 

[Quokka]

Me, neither. Nor quokka's come to that. I'm assuming it's something technical beyond my ken.

Never meant the story to be as much of a pun as it reads like, although I can see it now, bit of a lesson for me that the reader knowing the inspiration changes the way it's read .

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

I've achieved pseudo-depth.


Hooray!

I liked the reverse on the story by Poe. It was nice to see something serious from you -- if the story did not plumb new depths at least you revealed new depths in yourself.

Of course you couldn't resist the pun in the title. My eyes tend to slide right past the titles without seeing them, and go straight to the stories. Then I go back and read the titles. In the case of your story I winced at that point -- but it was an affectionate wince.

I, too, have thought about a thread for the stories we wrote but decided against in favor of something else. But we have three current threads already, and people are confusing them. Yet a My Other Story thread would showcase more of our members' creativity, and that would be a good thing. It could also include the stories that we thought of too late.

I could shut down the Questions and Comments thread since we've pretty much hashed all of the questions out, and this one is catching some of the comments anyway. Then we could have a new thread for the other stories without so much confusion. What do other people think?

 

[Mouse]

I'd like to see a 'my other story' thread. I haven't written more than the two I've posted (last month's and this) but would happily share my other attempts if I did write more. Plus it'd be cool to see other people's.

I also need a 'my story explained for Mouse' thread.

 

[Ursa major]

I also need a 'my story explained for Mouse' thread.

But only after the voting has closed (to allow the authors to take formal ownership of all the things others have seen in their stories, but which were not in there before the readers saw them).

 

[Mouse]

Ah yeah, of course!

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

I also need a 'my story explained for Mouse' thread.

It could be the same thread. In fact, we could replace this thread, too, by making the new thread also about the stories people didn't vote for but wanted to say they liked.

"The Writing Challenge: Everything We Didn't Say in (Month)"

It could encompass the stories we didn't enter, questions about the ones we didn't understand, guesses about what stories really meant, and the stories we loved though we couldn't vote for them.

 

[Karn Maeshalanadae]

And on such a note, TE, it'll be yet another hard decision on what to vote for this month.....

 

[The Procrastinator]

No kidding, so many good stories! So far though, I think the one that's tickled my fancy the most is Fairy Tale Ending by Mouse. In my present mood that is. There are several other hot contenders as well...

 

[Faraway]

I think the title was the one of the most difficult parts of the challenge for me this month,

I actually meant to say the whole story made me laugh, although I didn't get it at all.
Staunch believer of negative capability here. I like being in a state of confusion.

 

[Mouse]

That sounds good to me, Teresa.

TP, thanks!

 

[TheEndIsNigh]

Harebrain: Favourite so far.

Chris:

I must say I was quite impressed by the optimistic and joyful tone this subject has instilled in my fellow chronies.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

The story I didn't post had a slightly happier ending. But yes, the theme does seem to have brought about a lot of dire thoughts.

We could start a Suicide Club for those of us who were inspired to write about that idea, and a Hellfire Club for those of you who chose to write about that.

On a cheerier note, I notice that we now appear to have forty-one stories, only one less than last month. With several days left, is is possible we might tie or set a new record?