Discussing the Writing Challenges -- November and December 2010

[Karn Maeshalanadae]

re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- August & September

I always wince at my entry, but I will keep entering helps keep numbers up

You've had better entries than some of mine, Nix.



Which begs the question, who's winning, and what will they decide for the next theme....?

Hmm....

 

[Loaded]

re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- August & September

What are the nature and rules of this game, if I may be so impudent as to ask?

 

[nixie]

re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- August & September

It is a challenge to write a story in 75 words or less on the theme and genre choosen by last months winner. Everyone is welcome to enter and even you don't wish to enter you can still vote. Check it out here http://www.sffchronicles.co.uk/forum/528370-august-writing-challenge-vote-read-last-post.html

Karn, currently tied in 2nd place with 5 votes are:

Moebius, or, how to avoid an Extinction Level Event for the (n=n+1)th time - chopper

Time Vampire - chrispenycate

Too much time - crystal haven

and in the lead with 6 votes is

Death by Mouse, by Mouse

 

[Karn Maeshalanadae]

re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- August & September

Each month, members of the site post stories of 75 words or less in relation to a theme that is picked by the winner of the previous month. Thus far, poetry has also been accepted, as well as prose. It's also up to the theme decider on whether or not to say the stories should be sci fi/fantasy, or if mainstream is okay.


Near the end of each month, members of the site can also vote for their favorite entry, but voting for oneself is against the rules.




And Mouse is in the lead, hm? Well maybe this month my pick will actually win.

 

[Loaded]

re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- August & September

Thanks for the last two posts. I shall look forward to entering the next competition. When will it be?

 

[The Procrastinator]

re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- August & September

Rather shortly I believe. Voting for August is still on, and then the next comp will begin 1 Sept or thereabouts. Good to see another eager beaver! (Or chipmunk, is it?)

 

[Loaded]

re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- August & September

Ferret, sir, a ferret.

 

[The Judge]

re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- August & September

Well, I've finally come up with a short list. That was difficult enough. Just missing out on the list were Challah Rajni, Culhwch, mgir, No One and Parson and just behind them another lot of very good stories.

Axiom - Don't be promiscuous... -- a good take on the Lamia legends
chopper - Moebius... -- I love all-dialogue scenes and time loops
crystal haven - Too much time -- laugh-out-loud-able!
HareBrain - CHRONO$ -- clever idea and social commentary
J-WO - On the dangers of Timegates... -- a timely warning of the perils of not looking before time-leaping
Leisha - Evolution -- a clever, upsetting final line
Moonbat - Go to your room... -- that's what I call passing judgement!
mosaix - Eternity -- I loved the idea of the wizard manipulating time to worsen the punishment
reiver33 - Bosworth -- for witty use of song lyrics (and for allowing a good king to continue his reign!)
Vertigo - The Experiment -- another all-dialogue scene (I understood the scientific allusions!)

It's taken all afternoon to get this far, so no decision yet on which wins the judicial vote. I've got plenty of time...

A special prize goes to Mouse and Death by Mouse for inventiveness and daring. Also Honourable Mentions to Deathfrommassive for Delmore Schwartz and TheDustyZebra for The Measure of a Man -- I loved both of them and they would have been in my top five, except to me they didn't come within the SFF genre. Apologies, both, if it's my stupidity which has missed something obvious there.

And while talking of missing something obvious, I have finally seen the anagrams in Precise Calibre's! (Better late than never, I suppose.) Though shouldn't the final victim have been Rhou in that case? However, I remained as baffled as ever with StormFeather's and Hoopy's despite all the clues. (I know too few vampires and too much Shakespeare is my excuse...)

When I went back to re-read the clues Hoopy gave in this thread, I realised that I had never thanked PC for saying he enjoyed my story, nor did I thank Mouse for saying it was one of her faves (which means I passed the Mouse Test again!). Belated but heartfelt thanks, and thanks to everyone else who has name-checked me in the shortlists for voting.

 

[No One]

re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- August & September

Challa Rajni - thank you so much for the high praise. Just what I needed after what's proved to be an excruciatingly frustrating weekend.

Thanks also to Judge for the mention.

And I'll risk Hoopy's fury by spilling the beans, seeing as she's still awol. I can't recall the precise connotations just now with regard to Shakespeare, but the story involves reversed aging, as indicated by the last letter of each sentence, which taken together spells 'backwards'. Not that I would have ever spotted that myself.

 

[The Judge]

re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- August & September

Bu**er. I looked at the last letters, but didn't bother to write them down when they made no apparent sense going forward! And double bu**er, I thought it had to be The Seven Ages of Man, but didn't see how it fitted with the tomb line. OK. Hoopy now qualifies for 11th place in my short list. (This isn't helping my decision, y'know!)

 

[Ursa major]

re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- August & September

Better than that, No One: backwards is spelt backwards.


And I too am having a difficult time choosing a winner.

 

[Loaded]

re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- August & September

I can't wait until September's competition; I'm all a sizzle waiting to publish my art.

 

[chrispenycate]

re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- August & September

I should really thank all the people who liked my piece enough to mention it, and even vote for it (being TheEndIsNigh, Chel, nixie, Kayleigh and one other for the latter, and Talysia, Boneman, crystal haven, Moonbat, No One, StormFeather and very nearly Challah Rajni for the former); whenever I look at mine they seem crude, crafted rather than the works of art elsewhere.
I cheerfully own up to targeting my stories to their potential readership; as I'm incapable of squeezing a complete idea into so few words (without resorting to poetry, which my sister has firmly suggested I avoid) I make sure my audience already has a large percentage of the knowledge, so I only need to ornament.

 

[Karn Maeshalanadae]

re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- August & September

Ferret, sir, a ferret.

Um....I believe The Procrastinator is a miss, not a sir.....

 

[Loaded]

re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- August & September

Um....I believe The Procrastinator is a miss, not a sir.....

Then the virtuous lady has my deepest apology to her hurt gender.

 

[Mouse]

re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- August & September

Is it “Death” by Mouse or “Death by Mouse” by Mouse; or is that the whole point and I’m so slow that I finally just got it?

It's 'Death by Mouse' but works as 'Death' by Mouse too. Just me trying to be a smart-arse really.

Thanks everyone for votes and mentions. I can't stand the suspense of these challenges! Gah!

Judge, a special prize? Yay! Is it cake?

 

[nixie]

re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- August & September

Mouse, it was a piece of genius exactly what we have come to expect from you.

 

[Mouse]

re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- August & September

*hugs nixie*

 

[Karn Maeshalanadae]

re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- August & September

Mouse, it was a piece of genius exactly what we have come to expect from you.

Which is why you got my vote this month.


I'm still shuddering about mine. Looking back....hehehe. Honestly, I really don't know how Piers Anthony was able to come up with Bearing An Hourglass.


But in other considerations, I'm still wondering what next month's theme will be, and whether or not I'll be able to snag a member's loyalty this time again.

 

[Mouse]

re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- August & September

I don't think you should be so embarrassed about yours, Karn. Anybody who is brave enough to name a character in a story only 75 words long is pretty damn clever, in my opinion!