Discussing the Writing Challenges -- November and December 2010

[Culhwch]

Re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- September and October

Many thanks, nixie! I truly didn't expect any votes - this entry was the very definition of last minute, thrown down on the page after the briefest of gestation periods. But I really wanted to keep my entry streak going - I'm very glad it not only checked that box, but came across as presentable to boot!

 

[The Procrastinator]

Re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- September and October

Very tricky this month too. In fact I had to viciously prune my short list to get it down to a manageable size.
Honourable Mentions to:

Nixie
Mag the Mighty
SynOfMan
Bookstop
Teresa
Mosaix
Mouse
alchemist
MGIR
itstito

Just getting that list down made me sweat. But my vote this month goes to:

HareBrain!

 

[No One]

Re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- September and October

I think my tendency to shortlist stories as they come in is why I end up with looong shortlists (well, that and the fact that there are a lot of good ones), so here are all the authors I picked this month - no less than 18 as it turns out:

Harebrain
Sephiroth
Mag the Mighty
Synofman
Precise Calibre
Teresa E
Mosaix
BaileyD
TEIN
Parson
Allanon
Chrispenycate
Mouse
Ursa
The Judge
J-Riff
Hilarious Joke
Culhwch

(with an honourable mention to Karn for his commitment to female demons )

And when I leave here I'll be off to vote for... Harebrain! His story made it's mark early on and I couldn't shake it. Great piece.

On a side-note, shame on Hoopy for not entering this month! Especially as I think if she'd built a story around her recently used line of, "By October's dying day, they'll be here to stay..." she'd have had a good chance of being the first person to win back-to-back comps.

 

[Talysia]

Re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- September and October

A tough choice again this month, and I had to whittle my shortlist down to the following not-so-short list

Paranoid Marvin - In the Detail
Sephiroth - Trickster's Treaty
nixie - Halloween
SynOfMan - Old Man
Teresa Edgerton - November Eve
mosaix - Harry Whittaker Turns His Back On His Chance Of Fame…
Chrispenycate - Pork Oddity
Moonbat - Three sides to every coin
Boneman - The Gods Look Up
Culhwch - The Witching Hour

My top three would be Seph, Chris and Cul, and my vote this month went to Cul.

 

[Deathfrommassive]

Re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- September and October

My vote went to Parson. I still get a chill every time I read it

 

[Mouse]

Re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- September and October

This is going to sound bad, but the only ones I could remember this month were Parson's and Nixie's. And a lot of the others went right over my head!

Anyway, just looked through again and my short list is:

Parson, Nixie, Digs, Boneman and RM Tobias.

In the end my vote went to Parson.

Thank you to whichever crazy person voted for my story! Mentalness! Also, thanks for the mentions.

 

[TheDustyZebra]

Re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- September and October

I have managed to compile a (huge) shortlist, my longest ever, and a fairly reasonable short-short list, as follows:

Harebrain
Synofman
Precise Calibre
Mosaix
Karn Maeshalanadae
TheEndIsNigh
Digs
No One
Grimorian
Mouse
J-Wo
Moonbat
Devil's Advocate
Lenny
Alchemist
MyGodItsRaining
Stormfeather
JRiff
RSliwinski

What I may do with this information is still a matter of conjecture.

 

[alchemist]

Re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- September and October

In the end, it was between Harebrain, mosaix, and moonbat for me. And I gave my vote to.....mosaix. It made me laugh. Two of my top three were lighthearted, so maybe the light stood out from the darkness.
This is the first competition I've seen, so I'm interested to see how people vote for the very different styles of writing.

 

[mosaix]

Re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- September and October

Wow, lots of shortlists and some votes! Many thanks.

My vote goes to StormFeather this month.

 

[Karn Maeshalanadae]

Re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- September and October

Wow, that's a big honor, TDZ. Didn't expect to make anyone's first list, much less a cut list.

 

[Parson]

Re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- September and October

Once again this took a little sorting. To say that we had a lot of ghoulish entries would be to understate it by half. But.... Trick or Treat, October, All Hallows Eve all joined up to take us in this way.

My short list

Vertigo
Moonbat
Ursa
JRiff
Boneman
Culwich

With a special shout out to R Sliwinski for a real "tasty" treat.

After all was said and done, I voted for Boneman, I loved the absolute on genre story, with the delicious twist at the end.

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

Humble thanks to DeathfromMassive (Your response gives me chills.) and Mouse for their votes, also to the others who voted for me. Also thanks for the mentions and the discussion.

Mouse: I'm pretty sure that a lot of the entries went over my head as well.

 

[Pyan]

Re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- September and October

My vote went to Parson. I still get a chill every time I read it

Ditto, ditto...

 

[Moonbat]

Re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- September and October

Thank you all for your mentions, it pleases me.

My first shortlist

Harebrain – Gift
R M Tobias – Hook
Nixie – Halloween
SynOfMan – Old Man
Bookstop – The flaming bag of dog poo classic prank
Precise Calibre – The Herald
Mosaix – Harry whittaker turns his back on his chance of fame
The End Is Nigh – a Deal is a deal
No One – Twice the trick thrice the treat
Lenny – Halloween isn’t just a child’s game
Alchemist – The Prototype
Ursa Major – The Future’s biological
Oxman – One man’s trick
J Riff – The spirit of Halloween
Culhwch – The witching hour


Still not sure which I'll be voting for. HB's was an outstanding start to the comp and Culhwch a great finish. Loved No one's (evil cake) and Bookstop's (anything with poo in the title is a triumph in my eyes). But so many great entries this month, it's a treat to read them all, but picking a winner is proving tricky.

 

[Boneman]

Re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- September and October

Well, I had such a long shortlist, it's not worth mentioning because a definite majority of entries are on it! The levels of writing just get higher and higher.

But, right from the start Parson's story grabbed my attention, and held it, against some very strong opposition, so my vote went there. It's been the easiest choice for me since the competition began - and I still want more votes!!!!

And thanks Parson for your vote, and all the mentions from the others - considering how difficult I found this month, to come up with a story, it is high praise indeed.

 

[Parson]

Re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- September and October

Pyan what can I say but

Parson said:

Humble thanks to DeathfromMassive (Your response gives me chills.)

Ditto!

Boneman, Thanks for your vote and the high praise,

But, right from the start Parson's story grabbed my attention, and held it, against some very strong opposition, so my vote went there. It's been the easiest choice for me since the competition began

 

[StormFeather]

Re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- September and October

Wow! Chuffed and delighted at getting mentions on shortlists, and especial thanks to Karn & Mosaix for the votes - very unexpected but gratefully received.

I have an exam on Wednesday morning, and am meant to be revising right now. Won't be able to do a proper read through until after that, but it's a treat that I'm really looking forward to.

 

[nixie]

Re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- September and October

I can't believe I've had so many mentions this month. Thank you

 

[chrispenycate]

Re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- September and October

"And, with what must be half the votes in and counted," voice thin, tinny and exited over roar of cheering crowd" Parson holds a comfortable lead over Mosaix of - one vote! Yes, it could still go several ways, but there is a definite trend – leave me alone, I'm trying to build some excitement here – this is shaping up a treat."

 

[Parson]

Re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- September and October

Chris,

Maybe you should embed the audio here. Maybe simultaneous French/English rendition?

 

[chrispenycate]

Re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- September and October

Chris,

Maybe you should embed the audio here. Maybe simultaneous French/English rendition?

No problem for me recording it, and I've got the sound effects of screaming crowds; but no way of uploading it either. Shortage of YouShout, the audio-only streaming.