Discussing the Writing Challenges -- November and December 2010

[Culhwch]

Maybe it's just me, but it seems as though the stories are coming in more slowly than usual this month. I hope we can at least reach 40.

I'll deliver something, though I have no clue what that will be as of yet. Four days is plenty of time...

 

[Karn Maeshalanadae]

Yeah, Alchemist's is a contender for my vote right now. But Mouse is still high on my list as well. They're the funny stories so far I've read right now, and I've been feeling like I need a bit of humor right now.


I think there's about three or four I need a look at yet though. I still blame the Christmas season for the low amount of entries this month though.

 

[paranoid marvin]

If there aren't more crackers to come this month I'll heat my (paper) hat.

 

[The Judge]

Just a reminder to everyone to check word count carefully and manually before posting -- I've had to remove a good story from a new entrant since it ran to 79 words.

What I imagine happened is that his computer-doodah counted the piece as 75 only since some words were effectively joined by unspaced ellipses: ie "bread...and...butter" will count as one word only on some computers, but since we use finger power it comes in as three, as it would on the computer if it were "bread... and... butter". Conversely "bread ... and ... butter" might well come in as five on computers but is still three to us.

So watch this -- or that -- space.

 

[R M Tobias]

I can't beleive its not (bread and) butter

 

[Ursa major]

But would you bet on it?









(Which would be an example of spread betting.)

 

[RoninJedi84]

Yes that's exactly what happened. I had to leave for work and didnt see the message until it was too late. Oh, well. There's always next month.

 

[Karn Maeshalanadae]

There's still a few days left, Ronin. You could still submit something under the gun.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

I just noticed that Karn's dates for the last day of regular voting and the last day for the tiebreaker (if necessary) are off, due to the fact that December has 31 days. The deadline for submissions is always the 23rd to avoid confusion, though when the month is a long one we get the extra day for voting.*

But then, on the verge of correcting it, it occurred to me: If there is a tiebreaker, how many people would bother to vote on New Year's Eve? Perhaps we should leave the dates as they are this month.

Opinions?




*We still have to figure out what to do about February. Originally, we didn't know if there would be a February Challenge -- would we still be writing 75 word stories into the New Year? Now the decision looms.

****

Karn, in the past we haven't let people resubmit. I don't think we can start doing that now. It wouldn't be fair.

 

[Culhwch]

I'm happy to leave the dates as is, though I for one will most definitely be available to vote on New Year's Eve if it comes down to it. I've got a good feeling about this month, though. I don't think we'll need the tiebreaker.

Teresa is right, Karn - the standing rule is one submission only, and if an entry is disqualified for any reason there's no chance to re-submit. January is not far off in any case!

 

[Karn Maeshalanadae]

I just noticed that Karn's dates for the last day of regular voting and the last day for the tiebreaker (if necessary) are off, due to the fact that December has 31 days. The deadline for submissions is always the 23rd to avoid confusion, though when the month is a long one we get the extra day for voting.*

But then, on the verge of correcting it, it occurred to me: If there is a tiebreaker, how many people would bother to vote on New Year's Eve? Perhaps we should leave the dates as they are this month.

Opinions?




*We still have to figure out what to do about February. Originally, we didn't know if there would be a February Challenge -- would we still be writing 75 word stories into the New Year? Now the decision looms.

****

Karn, in the past we haven't let people resubmit. I don't think we can start doing that now. It wouldn't be fair.

We should try to keep the challenge up through 2011. It's fun to do.

And perhaps resubmissions really aren't nice. I'm not completely all here at the moment, I'm sorry to say. I didn't sleep well last night.


Why not keep things up on NYE?

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

I'm happy to leave the dates as is, though I for one will most definitely be available to vote on New Year's Eve if it comes down to it.

I knew you would stay away from the spiritous liquors on New Year's Eve, but I wasn't so certain about the rest of this unruly crowd.

I've got a good feeling about this month, though.

So do I. I think it will be an extraordinary month.

 

[Karn Maeshalanadae]

I knew you would stay away from the spiritous liquors on New Year's Eve, but I wasn't so certain about the rest of this unruly crowd.

Now that's just libel, good lady. I don't drink anymore.


Can't risk my sense of balance. But in all seriousness, I should more than likely be available for a vote myself come NYE, pending any unforeseen circumstances.

 

[Moonbat]

I'll be away from home over the Christmas period, and I'm not planning on taking a laptop with me. So I'll be away from the 23rd to the 27th, which means I wont get a chance to vote until the 27th. I think that is still in time, but I expect other people will have similar problems. We might get a low voting month this month.
But we shall see.

 

[Allanon]

Question?

On average, how long does it take all of you to write your stories for the month?

 

[Ursa major]

Do you mean from first getting the idea or from first wondering what the idea might be?


Or some other starting point?

 

[paranoid marvin]

Question?

On average, how long does it take all of you to write your stories for the month?

Me? Once I've come up with an idea, about 30 minutes. But seeing as I've only ever received 1 vote , I may have to rethink my approach.

 

[Allanon]

I mean from reading what the Theme for the month is. It's never taken me more than half an hour including editing, which normally takes longer than writing.

Hence I have never had a vote, but am generally happy with my Stories.

 

[Ursa major]

You can work it out for some people, at least: the time from when they post, in this thread, something like "That's an interesting topic" to the posting time in that month's challenge thread.

(You could even take into account the "I've got three possible entries, but can't decide which" and "I've got an entry ready, but I'll wait to see if I think of something better" posts.)

 

[nixie]

Question?

On average, how long does it take all of you to write your stories for the month?

Normally 10-15 minutes, although Mouse set a challenge that took me about an hour.