Writing Challenge Discussion -- January 2011

[StormFeather]

After much deliberation, and wandering off to think about it, I've finally voted.

since coming up with the short list, I have had the imagery created by one of the stories stay with me, pretty much since I first read it, and most definitely this afternoon.

So, digs, you get my vote - a beautifully poignant story, that just sends shivers down my spine. And, I think Boneman clinched it when he quoted

'We collect absences: of water, crops, of Natalie now she's gone'

That has haunted me since. . .

 

[No One]

I'd lost my internet connection for a large part of today and was starting to get worried there!

Anyhoo, I've decided against a short-list this month, because I've got 33 - yes 33! - of the stories marked down. My second-phase short-list was still 21 stories long. Suffice to say, this was an extremely strong month.

So, my final, fantastic, five were:

Perpetual Man - What Goes Around Comes Around
Digs – Back Country
Teresa – Regi-cide
TJ - You Lose – Revolutionary Tales
J-wo - no/it/u/loveR

And looking at the previous posts, it's a hat-trick of votes for Digs! Awesome story. Truly.

If it's any consolation to Perpetual Man, you were a very close second.

Oh, and thanks for the mentions TDZ, Stormfeather, and Digs. Also, to the blessed soul that gave me a second vote!

 

[sloweye]

Just like to say thanks for all the mentions, for me they are as fulfilling as votes

 

[The Judge]

Oof. I'm leaving this later and later. But it doesn't get any easier.

Short short-list:

digs -- Back Country -- haunting
Greenkidx -- The First Wife -- she always gets the blame...
Hilarious Joke -- The One That Got Away -- for its optimism
J-WO -- no/it/u/loveR -- very real
Perpetual Man -- What Goes Around Comes Around -- beautifully written
Wannabewriter -- Went up a hill -- I loved the use of internal rhyme, like a nursery song

My vote goes to digs for the sparse perfection of his story.

My medicine chest goes to HareBrain.

A special mention to Sleepy Dormouse -- not quite enough of a story to make my short list, but the image stayed with me.

As a cat lover I hereby sentence fitzchivalry to the nethermost depths of a rat's insides. And as for TDZ, well, I shall be watching with interest the many court actions brought for injury to legal feelings...



Eek. Nearly forgot -- thanks, all, for the long and short list mentions!

 

[No One]

Just like to say thanks for all the mentions, for me they are as fulfilling as votes

In that case, you'll be pleased to know you were on my shortlist. Granted, so were more than half the entries, but the standard was just so high.

And I see Digs makes it four votes in a row!

 

[Ursa major]

Back to the joys of having just the one vote (and deciding which amongst dozens of contenders should receive it)....

As usual, the stories are ordered by date of posting within category.



Honourable Mentions:

• 
  [*]Hyperion to a Satyrby Oxman
• The One that Got Away by Hilarious Joke
• Assassin by mirinda
• The Girl at the Bus Stop by Mouse
• Object Lessons by Culhwch

Runners Up:

• ...is Revolution by No One
• What Goes Around Comes Around by Perpetual Man
• no/it/u/loveR by J-WO

Winner:

• Back Country by digs (which I found both moving and evocative of the struggle that humans have faced since forever).

 

[GreenKidx]

Well thanks to those that mentioned me on any list! I'm very pleased with that. I know we had alot of very high quality entries and I entered on day one with an off the cuff story. And my pick is The Judge.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

For me, it was very close between Perpetual Man and HareBrain, but in the end I voted for Perp, because his story stuck in my mind from the first time I read it.

 

[Culhwch]

We have a tie - PM and digs!

Tiebreaker poll: http://www.sffchronicles.co.uk/forum/530392-january-writing-challenge-tiebreaker-poll.html

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

They are both wonderful stories. I'm so pleased to see both of them in the "finals."

But it's disappointing how few people voted compared to the number of stories.

 

[sloweye]

Maybe an 'enterants must also vote clause' in the rules?

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

There would be no way to enforce it, because, among other reasons, we have no way of knowing who voted and who didn't.

Anyway, while I have no problem with guilting people into voting, nagging people into voting (as many will have already observed), I definitely wouldn't like forcing them to do it. Then, too, some might have very good reasons.

Although I will point out that in October and November I voted with a broken arm. Just in case anyone has forgotten. In case I never mentioned it before. With a broken arm, I voted.

 

[Culhwch]

I neglected earlier to thank everyone for the mentions, and a special thanks for whoever cast a vote for my little story! Unexpected, as always, but welcome nevertheless.

 

[mosaix]

Although I will point out that in October and November I voted with a broken arm. Just in case anyone has forgotten. In case I never mentioned it before. With a broken arm, I voted.

And just how many arms does one need to vote T.E?

Now two broken arms and that would be impressive.

 

[Ursa major]

Even then, mosaix, I'm sure Teresa would ... er ... cast her vote.









(Though some of us mere mortals might believe themselves too plastered to do so in the same circumstances.)

 

[chrispenycate]

I done voted, and tie broke.

Now, at almost two on saturday morning, posting alternative tale, and turning in.

What to? Remains, to be seen.

Committee of Elfin Safety​

“Evilution means change, as bad as the word suggests.”

Various supernatural faces watching had suffered enough change in lifetimes spanning millennia.

“While revolution brings you back where you started, merely with different beings in charge. Who here thinks they couldn’t do a better job than their superior ?”

Nobeing has ever answered ‘me’ to that question. The truthspell burnt steady. I had merely avoided specifying who would be on top.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

A very nice story, chris. I'm not sure which I like best, this one or the one you posted in the Challenge. They're both good.

I don't have an extra story this month. It's been all I could do to come up with one story each of the last few months. I'm pretty sure that I broke one of the supports that shore up my creativity, at the same time that I broke a certain limb. I only hope that new beam I ordered arrives soon.

And speaking of soon ... let's all hope that digs and Perp are already thinking up themes so that we can start on time in February, regardless of the final result. (And that they'll remember to put their heads together and come up with a theme they both like, in the event that the tie-breaker ends in another tie.)

 

[TheDustyZebra]

I definitely like the one you posted better, Chrispy. I think it was a really unique idea, where this one doesn't have that spark of originality to me. Unless I just don't understand it, in which case it might be brilliant and I don't even know it!

 

[Culhwch]

I had two stories this month, and the seed of a third - I really wanted to write a story about the Rolling Stones hiring Yoko Ono to sabotage the Beatles, but it just didn't come together. No pun intended. But this is the other story I did write (and wrote first, in fact):

Untitled
The tyrant had gone too far. Crushed beneath his bootheel, the populace languished. Whispers of dissent earned beatings. When braver souls spoke too loudly, they died on their knees. But a breaking point was reached, and one man stood up. Bold, untiring, charismatic. Smallfolk flocked to him, fought for him. The king was overthrown, the people’s champion crowned. Peace reigned for a time. But absolute power corrupts, and soon the tyrant had gone too far…

 

[J Riff]

Wonderfully negative depressing stuff Cul, that's why I voted for you, again, by a whisker over TDZ's lovely tale of mass extermination.