Improving our 75 Word Stories -- READ FIRST POST

[paranoid marvin]

For me, there are 4 golden rules with the 75 Word Challenge :

Write in the correct genre

Write with the correct theme

Make sure it's a story and not just descriptive text

Correct use of grammar and spelling


All of these will affect whether others will vote for your story or not. At one time or another, I think that many of us will have fallen foul of at least one of the above. Sometimes through error, sometimes by being too subtle.

 

[Phyrebrat]

For me, there are 4 golden rules with the 75 Word Challenge :

Write in the correct genre

Write with the correct theme

Make sure it's a story and not just descriptive text

Correct use of grammar and spelling


All of these will affect whether others will vote for your story or not. At one time or another, I think that many of us will have fallen foul of at least one of the above. Sometimes through error, sometimes by being too subtle.

And here’s another rule for readers: don’t point out errors in those stories before voting ends

 

[Elckerlyc]

Plus a rule suggestion for writers: don’t point out errors in your story before voting ends

 

[Swank]

If one's writing for one's self, this is of course, completely unnecessary masochism...

Yeah, I don't write to win. Just feel bad every time I'm told the story works, but somehow fails some technicality that ALL the stories fail. "Legend" isn't a modern genre, unless we count re-writing old ones.

 

[Phyrebrat]

I think it bears mentioning also that the community here is — ahem — somewhat older and many have fixed views on literature and their own predilections.

There’s an awful lot of ‘rule adherence’ in Chrons — a lot of armchair experts … since starting the podcast publishers and writers have made it clear to us the wisdom that’s lauded as gospel for authors is utter nonsense. It comes from lack of belief in one’s own style.

There are golden rules of course. But one thing you @Swank have that is sorely rare is true originality and a very hard science or reality swerve to your sf.

If a writer can keep to genre and not have typos their entry is fine.

 

[Swank]

That's really kind. Thank you Phyrebrat.

 

[paranoid marvin]

I've not posted for a while here. Any feedback on last month's entry would be greatly appreciated.



Wild Flower Power

Today whilst at the County Show
I saw an orchid grow and grow
Growing out its flowerpot
It grew and grew and didn't stop

Grew straight up the parson's nose
Down his tummy, out his toes
Coiled and crushed the judge's hat
Worst in show? How'd she like that?

Being chased around the hall
By angry stewards, one and all
It burst out through the marquee's doors
And where it went to, no one knows

 

[Astro Pen]

It was fine, and the kind of 'Dahly' thing that is great fun to read to children up to age 70.
Obviously it has potential to be written two or three times longer, freed from the 75 word limit. And would be better for it.
The only glitches for me were that "doors" and "knows" don't rhyme in any accent I can muster.
Also "Being chased around the hall" is a syllable or two short of the rhythm.

 

[Hugh]

I enjoyed this.

I thought line 3 particularly, and 9 to a lesser extent, didn't work. Something in the rhythm. Otherwise perfect.

 

[paranoid marvin]

Tjanks guys. For 'doors and knows' read 'daws and gnaws'

Yes, the rhythm suffered due to word count, and I would have piked introduce a couple characters, but again word count got in the way.

 

[Parson]

I had a hard time concentrating on the meaning of poem because I couldn't shake the opinion that the @The Judge and I were somehow the punch line of a joke. But I couldn't quite discern the joke. So, I had just enough doubt of that to leave me in a quandary as to how to understand the poem.

 

[paranoid marvin]

I had a hard time concentrating on the meaning of poem because I couldn't shake the opinion that the @The Judge and I were somehow the punch line of a joke. But I couldn't quite discern the joke. So, I had just enough doubt of that to leave me in a quandary as to how to understand the poem.

It was only after writing that I thought of both you and TJ. I was going to have a vicar, but the 'Parson's nose' just sat so well with the rhythm (and has a double meaning), and I needed a judge for the plant to have a reason for going wild.

As a county fair, I imagined the customary line-up of suspects such as the local parson, or vicar, the posh aristocratic lady who would be a judge and her gardner, the village bobby etc.

But in all honesty it was a silly little thing that developed from a single line which was going to be 'Today whilst at the flower show' which (I think quite wisely) altered to 'County Show'. It grew from there.

 

[Parson]

but the 'Parson's nose' just sat so well with the rhythm (and has a double meaning)

Well, I've learned something. I had no idea that a "Parson's nose" was an idiom for the north end of a chicken headed south.