Discussing the Writing Challenges -- November and December 2010

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re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- August & September

Right, well, talk about a bolt from the blue...

Everything just got sledged aside by Croaker and Seph's for me...

At least it's only 50/50 for me this month.
 
re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- August & September

All these last minute entries are so good, it does rather throw out one's previous calculations.

(Leisha, I think this is your best story yet. Anyway, the one I like best. And in twenty minutes. It's amazing what one can do when the creativity is already flowing.)

As for a locked sticky thread listing the winners, this could be done easily enough. However, I should point out that if anyone wants to use winning the Challenge on their CV, it would be a good idea if we could include their real names — or the pseudonyms they use for their book or story submissions elsewhere — because otherwise posting their user names would be meaningless outside of the Chronicles or any other sites where they post. Of course this would not be a requirement.
 
re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- August & September

Teresa Edgerton said:
However, I should point out that if anyone wants to use winning the Challenge on their CV
Click to expand...

Nice though this idea is, would it be taken seriously on someone's CV? Everything I've read about agents etc suggests not (though the buckets of blood sweated over trying to cram two words into one bear coagulating witness to how serious it truly is).
 
re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- August & September

HareBrain said:
... (though the buckets of blood sweated over trying to cram two words into one bear coagulating witness to how serious it truly is).
Click to expand...
Why are we stuffing two words into Ursa?! And what two words?? :eek:
 
re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- August & September

It certainly wouldn't matter to agents or print publishers, but it might look good to some of the webzines that some of our aspiring writers submit stories to. Those who have been published in those venues would know better than I. The general impression I get from previous conversations is that when you are submitting to small 'zines anything you can put on your CV is good. This may be wishful thinking on their part, but it may also be based on experience.

The main thing would be that such a thread would record the winners' glory for future generations of Chronicles members to see.
 
re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- August & September

Mine's in, finally. :)

I just couldn't get my original idea down properly, alas. Instead, I've thrown together a little something in the past few minutes.
 
re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- August & September

So many stories: it's an L-shaped boom....
 
re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- August & September

The Judge said:
Woo-hoo! We have hit 50!
Click to expand...

51!

And what a nail-biter it was to see if Cul would actually get a story in on ... er, on time.

This month I've only read the stories once, as they came in. Two stood out, but now I need to give everything a serious reading to find out if there are others as deserving.

And then the agony.
 
re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- August & September

Voting is now open!!

The rules for voting are as follows:


Any member of the Chrons may cast a vote,
even if they did not enter a story for the challenge


Please do not vote for yourself
You may only cast one vote
The poll will end at 11:59 pm on Sunday, August 29th 2010 (GMT)


The winner will decide the challenge theme for September!


Good Luck Everyone!!!

To read the stories, visit this thread: http://www.sffchronicles.co.uk/forum/528370-august-writing-challenge-vote-read-last-post.html


To vote, follow this link: August Writing Challenge - TIME - Poll | Polldaddy.com (poll 3656603)​
 
re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- August & September

Well, yes, as the last twenty minutes began ticking away, I did have my doubts. Something distracting might have come up. These things happen when things are put off until practically the last minute.

A meteor might have fallen on you!

Of course we would have missed seeing you around here, but think what it would have meant to the Challenge.
 
re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- August & September

In fact, I was (and still am, sadly) at my desk at work, and with ten lengthy minutes remaining, and me still deciding between the three stories I had, I realised I'd forgotten a promise I made to have something else done by midnight GMT (ten a.m. local) two floors below me. I had to quickly post and run, so I hope I picked the right story in my haste. Although I do believe the pressing need to make a decision lends some clarity, so with luck I've posted the best one...
 
re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- August & September

A few hours later, a more careful reading of all the stories, and as I feared my short list has grown much, much longer.

Too many good stories and I don't have a clear favorite yet.
 
re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- August & September

For once I found voting relatively easy, as one story just clicked for me and while there were plenty of brilliant stories, none of the others clicked in quite the same way. All the same I whittled out a short list of those that almost tempted me away:

Mouse - Death by Mouse (clever sticks award goes to this one!)
Ronanida - Wrong Turn
mosaix - Eternity
Stormfeather - Timeless
HareBrain - Chrono$
Crystal Haven - Too Much Time
J-Wo - On the dangers of Timegates etc
Croaker - Old Soldier
Leisha - Evolution

But my vote went to Parson, for Time in a Bottle. Marvellous!

While those above called to me personally, I have to say what a great standard of stories are pouring forth from the Chronics. Fabulous job one and all!
 
re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- August & September

OK I have my surprising short list of three.

I had to be brutal though.

So for me it's one of the following

Chris, Mosaix, J-WO

Chris: I liked the concept of the wholesale time wasters and it goes to explain a lot.

Mosaix: We've all been in that prison. I'm in it now with a tooth ache. Every throb of my heart is a drip drip drip.

J-WO: the 'classic' look before you leap.

OK. Sorry to the others but on reflection Chris has it.
 
re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- August & September

I've dreaded this moment since the first 10-15 stories were posted.

I've read all of them apart from the last three, and there are some I liked very, very much. I'm afraid those I like very, very much will have somehow multiplied by now (what do 75-word stories do when no one is reading their thread? Mingle happily, exchange tricks and secrets, or sharpen their blades, growl menacingly at eachother and sculk around the corners?)

...I'm stalling. Best get to work and re-read them all!
 
re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- August & September

My list expanded from 2 to 10, then down to 6, and now it's at 4 ... maybe. There are some stories I'm thinking about putting back on the list. A very difficult month.
 
re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- August & September

I've got 10 stories picked out as favourites for now.
And I'm starting to think Chris' spreadsheet would come in handy!



Some thinking later, I've narrowed it down to five.

I feel I need to mention the other five at this stage though.

Mosaix - chilling!
The Judge: Loved the word-play, and the story itself was very good.
Chopper: Oops! :D Makes me want to know more. Maybe a slightly longer short story?
Kayleigh: Beautiful and so very sad.
Lenny: Thought-provoking and inspiring.
 
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