Discussing the Writing Challenges -- November and December 2010

[sloweye]

Re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- September and October

It's the first time i have really been brave enough to try something like this, the only thing i have writen before now (for public viewing) were a couple of short articals on the elements for a pagan web site. I think the guy that ran the site used them in his wiccan teaching course. It is very hard keeping within the 75 word limit, but then i supose thats the whole point.

 

[Ursa major]

Re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- September and October

If one ignores the problem of finding the inspiration for a particular challenge topic (which requires a lot of ignoring in my case, to be fair), it gets easier to put one's words in the public eye as the months go by.



(Who knows? A few years of challenges and even I may be persuaded to put something up for critiquing. )

 

[sloweye]

Re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- September and October

I'll have to get the spell check working on this laptop before i do that.

 

[itstito]

Re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- September and October

Writing something down in 75 words made me realize something: how much excess, unneeded stuff I tend to add to my stories when I write, unconsciously, even when I'm desperately trying to make every word count! I feel like returning to my stories now and seeing what happens when I put them through this rigorous a treatment!

 

[itstito]

Re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- September and October

Voting for the best one does seem pretty daunting a task I must say. But it was incredibly fun reading through all of them. Its amazing what ideas you can cram in 75 words! And how!

 

[The Procrastinator]

Re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- September and October

And how frustrating it is when you finally have to admit to yourself that you just can't shoehorn your brilliant idea into 75 words; that the 85-word poetry-in-prose is in fact the 75-word incomprehensible blather of doom; that you will have to come up with another brilliant idea.

 

[digs]

Re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- September and October

Oh, is coming up with another idea an option? I just post the incomprehensible blather and hope for the best!

 

[TheEndIsNigh]

Re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- September and October

And how frustrating it is when you finally have to admit to yourself that you just can't shoehorn your brilliant idea into 75 words; that the 85-word poetry-in-prose is in fact the 75-word incomprehensible blather of doom; that you will have to come up with another brilliant idea.

Never forget the power of the ; and : to remove those oft over used "and thens", and "soon afters" etc.

 

[chrispenycate]

Re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- September and October

Oh, is coming up with another idea an option? I just post the incomprehensible blather and hope for the best!

I had two other ideas for this subject, one SF, one part of my series (not demon kittens, no.) But then, I have been accused (by jealous rivals, no doubt) of generalised incomprehensibility, so I try to keep my base ideas very, very simple.

 

[The Procrastinator]

Re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- September and October

Never forget the power of the ; and : to remove those oft over used "and thens", and "soon afters" etc.

I forget many things; but I never forget semi-colons.

(Digs, I usually do that too, but I have to confess with a certain amount of modest pride that This Time I Came Up with a Second Idea. Yes: I had Two! And just as well, because my first idea could not be contorted into 75 words and remain comprehensible in any way. My stories always need a certain incomprehensibility level, after all I have a reputation to maintain, but even I couldn't understand this one, so after much shoe-horning and perspiration I had to give it up. And then without even thinking, the second one popped up! I do love the power of the subconscious.)

 

[digs]

Re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- September and October

I don't know what's worse: writing something that makes sense to you but no one else, or writing something that makes sense neither to you nor anyone else. If it makes sense only to you, there's always the chance you're a secret and misunderstood genius - or you could just be highly delusional. I always go with genius, myself (delusional? Who, me?)

And then without even thinking, the second one popped up! I do love the power of the subconscious.

Like a seesaw with two fat little ideas on it, and when you kick one off the other pops up! That was probably an unnecessary explanation, but I felt like sharing that image.

 

[chrispenycate]

Re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- September and October

But you don't need fat ideas, but skinny, hungry ones. So when the one you can reach on the ground has been sliced down to the point that it's proved it can no longer survive, the other end comes crashing down into the range of your carving knife?

So, if I simply lift up whatever is the first idea that comes to me there's a fair chance that, on the other end of the plank, there's a smaller, lighter concept clinging terrified?

 

[Ursa major]

Re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- September and October

I forget many things; but I never forget semi-colons.

All hail the semicolon.

...my first idea could not be contorted into 75 words and remain comprehensible in any way. My stories always need a certain incomprehensibility level, after all I have a reputation to maintain, but even I couldn't understand this one, so after much shoe-horning and perspiration I had to give it up. And then without even thinking, the second one popped up! I do love the power of the subconscious.)

After the competition is over, perhaps you could post this almost-entry and let us work out what it's about. (After all, we have Parson giving us sentences made up of words most of us don't know, so this would be the next level up.)

And as I've admitted to you elsewhere on the Chrons, I've posted puns that I didn't even notice, let alone understand.

 

[Boneman]

Re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- September and October

Well, I posted mine... spent ages trying to think of something around 'treating' someone ie medically, but couldn't work a trick into it... unless you count all the taxes you pay into the NHS, and get naff-all back when you need it...oooh, ooh, could have had a political satire on a witch going to A&E at halloween, having been knocked off her broomstick... Oh well.

 

[Parson]

Re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- September and October

(After all, we have Parson giving us sentences made up of words most of us don't know, so this would be the next level up.)

Isn't English a tricky language, but a treat none the less. Wait! a story idea, and I've already posted!


By the way Boneman. Nice story I didn't see that ending coming in the least.

 

[Boneman]

Re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- September and October

Isn't English a tricky language, but a treat none the less. Wait! a story idea, and I've already posted!


By the way Boneman. Nice story I didn't see that ending coming in the least.

Thanks, Parson. It only went that way when I was almost finished, was going to leave it at the Jupiter bit, but I had 8 words left...

 

[Mouse]

Re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- September and October

I love it when you realise you're under budget. Like when Ursa messed with my mind and I was writing my stories to 70 words. When I realised I had five more to play with it was the best thing ever. Five more words?! I can turn this into an epic!!

Or not.

Nice story, Boneman! Me likey.

 

[Ursa major]

Re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- September and October

Next time, perhaps you ought to be aiming for 80 words....


Mwhahahahahahhahahahahaha!

 

[J Riff]

Re: eloquent... exotic... esoteric... (please provide definitions)

What is it- 46, 47 stories w/ two days to go? Moughty impressive. This is the hardest choice yet.

 

[HareBrain]

Re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- September and October

Thanks to RSliwinski for teaching me all kinds of brand names for American confectionary I never suspected existed. A clever and funny entry.