Discussing the Writing Challenges -- November and December 2010

[digs]

re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- September and October

Woo I cast my vote! I don't know if the story I voted for means what I think it means - but even if it doesn't, it put a great image in my head.

 

[Parson]

re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- September and October

I think that this month's is harder to judge than the others were. There was such a multitudinous variety of takes. Some took the "Deadly" part of the theme as important, others saw the sins as "Desireable." I'm having definite trouble deciding. Here's my short list, but at this point there is no clear front runner.

Mosaix: Monthly meeting of the Chronicles SFF Magazine

Death from Massive: Sloth

Boneman: The Homecoming

J Wo: the Eighth

Mouse: For Your Sins

Mag the Mighty: Flesh & Blood

Hoopy Frood: End

Culwch: Sins

------------

If I could such clever ideas as Mouse, I might be a famous televangelist rather than a country parson.


Or maybe not.

 

[Mouse]

re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- September and October

Thanks, Talysia!

Ok my shortlist:

Talysia: Envying the Stars their Light
Mosaix: (long title)
Chel: All Knowing
StormFeather: Temptation
HareBrain: Magister
Boneman: The Homecoming
Teresa: Every Sin But One
TJ: Statuesque
J Riff
HJ: Through Broken Teeth
Hoopy: End

And that's a lot for me!! This month has been extra good. I've not voted. Need to shorten my list...

edit: ooh yay! Thank you, Parson.

 

[mosaix]

re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- September and October

Well, three mentions so far, praise indeed, - many thanks.

 

[mosaix]

re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- September and October

Okay, I've read through a couple of times and now realise how difficult this is going to be. I'm going to have to have some kind of selection criteria so initially I'm going for those that include all seven.

 

[Deathfrommassive]

re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- September and October

Thank you for the mentions.

I have been away for most of the month so I need to go back and re-read all the entries before I post my list

 

[Ursa major]

re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- September and October

I hope you make more progress with it than you did with your entry, DFM.

 

[Deathfrommassive]

re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- September and October

Here is my list:

paranoid marvin - Just Desserts
mosaix - Monthly Editorial Meeting Of The Cronicles SSF Magazine...
Chel - All-Knowing
chrispenycate - Seven deadly virtues
Vertigo - Last Ruin Cafe
Boneman -The Homecoming
TheEndIsNigh - The lesson
Devil's Advocate - The Road to Hell
Moonbat - One man's Poetry (doesn't rhyme in an alien tongue)
Culhwch - Sins

I hope you make more progress with it than you did with your entry, DFM.

Outch, I really wish I could make a snappy comeback about your story but for the life of me I just don't understand it

 

[TheEndIsNigh]

re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- September and October

OK, so much for bubble sorting - Apples and Orangutans.

So it's come to the short list.

A special mention to DeathFrom - inspired however....

Boneman - all inclusive, nice ending.
Procrastinator - Loved the counter play and the 'your opinion doesn't count' aspect.
J Riff - you can't beat a good rant and that was a good rant.
William1K - a simple description of an every day event and home hitting exposition.
Culwch - Philosophical and entirely factual.

However I read them all through again; when I got to William1K's, I burst out laughing, despite having seen it a few times since it was posted. That pasta's attitude just gets to me every time and your entry should win for that one line alone - Excellent

Sorry Boneman.

Thanks to everyone for the mentions over the month.

 

[Precise Calibre]

re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- September and October

My shortlist was a split among Williamk, Mag and Hoopyfrood.

In the end I had to go with Flesh and Blood.

A lot of entries I mentally disregarded because they were neither SF or fantasy in my eyes - my personal preference.

 

[Boneman]

re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- September and October

However I read them all through again; when I got to William1K's, I burst out laughing, despite having seen it a few times since it was posted. That pasta's attitude just gets to me every time and your entry should win for that one line alone - Excellent

Sorry Boneman.

Thanks to everyone for the mentions over the month.

Don't be: I find exactly the same with your own story!* And I compiled a short list and over 20 were on it!

So...my shortened short list ended up looking like this:

Paranoid Marvin
Mosaix
Deathfrommassive - which was brilliant, one that (I'm pretty sure) we all wish we'd written!
Chel
TheEndIsNigh (see above!)
ctg
Moonbat
William1K
Mouse
Ventanamist

*And in the end, The End Was Nigh-on perfect. Sodom: he got my vote.

Many thanks to all those who have mentioned me...!

 

[Parson]

re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- September and October

Whereas 10% of the final votes will make you a strong contender, and 20% has so far been more than enough to declare the winner; there seems to be a surprising amount of consensus in the short lists. Maybe we all agree more than we realize?

In the end I found that my three pronged attack to picking the story came down to what it usually does.

1. Do I love the story/Does it haunt me?
2. Was it SFF?
3. How close to the theme was the story?

In the end I voted for Mouse as she scored highest for me when all three categories were added together. I thought a lot of the stories didn't pick up on the "Deadly" part of the sins.

 

[chopper]

re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- September and October

right: voted. rather difficult, and i can't draw up a shortlist - too much quality!

 

[nixie]

re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- September and October

I'm still mulling them over

 

[StormFeather]

re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- September and October

A difficult choice, but in the end, my vote went to StormFeather. Her poem just kept drawing me back to it every time I read through the contest thread.

Love you!

I'd had a grotty night with both kids screaming, (and, apparently, a temporarily deaf husband), so wasn't in the best of moods this morning. Found a moment to sneak a peak here before going into work, and this lit up my entire day. Have had to restrain myself from doing little jigs around the office!

And to the other mention from Mouse - you've made my evening.

I have to get my wine homework done over the next day or so, and am therefore saving the proper read through and shortlisting as a treat for afterwards. The calibre of the stories/poems this month, as ever, is going to make it incredibly hard to make a decision.

 

[Mouse]

re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- September and October

In the end I voted for Mouse as she scored highest for me when all three categories were added together. I thought a lot of the stories didn't pick up on the "Deadly" part of the sins.

*hugs Parson* You've saved me from the theme-setting curse!

And to the other mention from Mouse - you've made my evening.

Your last two months' stories have been especially awesome. I was insanely jealous of your Time one.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- September and October

With sixteen votes in, the votes are really spread out! I would say that was a testament to how strong the entries were this month.

 

[TheEndIsNigh]

re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- September and October

Boneman - You have made my day. Thanks.

On another note and I'm as guilty of this as the rest, but how many of us that complain about site members not taking an interest, swan along to vote in the photography challenges.

I know I voted once a long time ago. However, the old "do as you would be done to" springs to mind.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- September and October

The pictures that people take for the Photo Challenge are incredible! I started voting there several months ago in the spirit of reciprocity, and now I can't wait to see what our talented photographers come up with each month.

 

[StormFeather]

re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- September and October

Your last two months' stories have been especially awesome. I was insanely jealous of your Time one.

Mouse, you've made my month!