Writing Challenge Discussion -- FEBRUARY 2011

[nixie]

Cul.. if you don't post. Wally shall pay you a visit.

 

[Challah Rajni]

The resident lurker brings the entry count up to 48.

Thanks again to this forum for helping me drag one of many of my little darlings kicking and screaming into the open so that I can then hack it to tiny bits. Couldn't ask for a more invigorating experience.

As usual, the competition looks stiff. Judge's entry was lovely. Hoopyfrood got a good laugh out of me. Upon reading "Subject Twelve, Experiment Nine" I've concluded that Karn is evil...

Since we're so very close to another multiple-of-10-milestone, anyone care to join me in a some excessive optimism for reaching a slightly more interesting milestones?

55?

Maybe, dare I dream it, 60?

 

[J Riff]

Karn evil? Nein! Isn't that an ELP tune?

 

[chrispenycate]

Which of our usual contributors haven't posted a story so far this month?

Of our unreservedly reliables there are only Cul and Chel I can see.

Recently reliables? Mag the Mighty and R M Tobias spring to view, with a couple of names like Dozmonic or Dubrech who showed promise but haven't yet proved their addiction. Followed by the 'once reliable's like Leish and Seph, Devil's Advocate or deathfrommassive, ventanamist and RSliwinski, who we can no longer count on, but we can always hope…
Plus a comfortable mass of occasionals and several new arrivals who seem to have got the idea somehow, after having been welcomed by Her Honour or myself, that submitting something here was some kind of initiation ceremony (I can't imagine how that came about, but it is a remarkably good way of meeting people, wouldn't you say?)

Now, if only all of these would vote when the time comes round…

I assumed that the moderators voted or you had some sort of panel arranged.

I'm a frayed knot. Now you have submitted you are now morally obliged to read them all attentively and choose which one is best. Then you must declare your decision, although anonymously if you so desire. But it's not only those who have written who are allowed to do this; any site member can do the same (and I suppose there is no actual mechanism, as the poll is external, to prevent outsiders from doing so; but for the admiration of your peers and the right to choose the next subject nobody here would resort to getting family or friends to vote for them, would they? that would be like voting for yourself; it's your own pride, not any checking system, that stops it, and I'm willing to bet not a single autovote has been cast since the challenge began.) but only those who have joined in have the same pressure ( apparently insufficient, looking at voting statistics) to vote.

 

[The Judge]

Thank you, Challah. Unsually, for once, I wasn't utterly confounded by yours, just slightly confounded at first... Not that I mind. The way that you write your pieces, and the language you use, is so beautiful I just allow myself to get swept along. It's like listening to someone speak Italian, very softly -- who cares what it means?!

 

[Evelinn]

I love Les moulins de mon core

I envisioned myself sitting in a spacecraft listening to the rythem of the universe.

 

[chrispenycate]

I love Les moulins de mon core

I envisioned myself sitting in a spacecraft listening to the rythem of the universe.

Why, thank you very much. Do you know the original (windmills of your mind)?

I was extremely frustrated at not being able to fit the two remaining strophes needed to bring the chord sequence round into the word limit.

But it's only the solar system. Had I had the space for another verse, I might have attempted our local cluster, spiral arm or perhaps the entire galaxy; but seventy- five words was uni-verse, not multi-verse.

 

[Evelinn]

Well, I’m quite the daydreamer and in my mind that verse made me travel far. Much further then the words.

 

[goldenapples]

It's like listening to someone speak Italian, very softly -- who cares what it means?!

Indeed. Who cares? I spent a year learning Italian and discovered that all the silky talk was just about 'la machina', the motorbike, 'ho fami' and 'mango' ie eating and being hungry, and 'la casa sta sera', or plans for the evening. Worth every penny though.

 

[Parson]

Challah that was a dark, dark vision. But a beautiful entry.

 

[Heck Tate]

If they make a habit of belittling themselves and their talents they get slapped.

HAHA, duly noted.

 

[Challah Rajni]

Thanks Judge and Parsons. That Judge isn't completely befuddled by my piece this time around is something; I'll take that as some form of progress on my part. Although, forsaking my struggles English for struggles with Italian sounds like a tempting proposition now that it's been brought to my attention

 

[Culhwch]

I honestly don't know if I'm going to get one in this month. An onslaught at work has left me both physically and mentally drained. I've got the start of a story that I'm not keen on, and no real desire to finish it. We'll see if the elusive muse visits me at the eleventh hour this month. Otherwise...

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

An onslaught at work has left me both physically and mentally drained.

Did I ever mention that in November I wrote a story while I was recovering from surgery? That I practically had to drag myself from my hospital bed, while still in an opiate haze, with my severed arm clutched to my chest, and ...

Oh, I did mention that before? Are you sure?

I could have sworn that I bore it all in stoic silence.



Don't worry about it, Cul. If inspiration strikes, good. If not, we'll look forward to something from you next month.

 

[TheEndIsNigh]

Did I ever mention that in November I wrote a story while I was recovering from surgery? That I practically had to drag myself from my hospital bed, while still in an opiate haze, with my severed arm clutched to my chest, and ...

Oh, I did mention that before? Are you sure?

I could have sworn that I bore it all in stoic silence.



Don't worry about it, Cul. If inspiration strikes, good. If not, we'll look forward to something from you next month.

Opiat haze! So that's the source eh?

Come on Cul. You can do it.

It doesn't have to be Shakespeare. It's the taking part that counts. Why spoil a 100% record. Think Lennon and McCartney if they could do it....

 

[Allanon]

Yeah Cul, you know you got the stuff in you!! Even a bad one from you is worth reading as it's better than nothing from you, and probably better than all of mine!


And Chris was saying about the voting and how nobody would be devious enough to get family members to vote for you. He's right, I don't believe anyone here would do that. However, I keep trying to get my Dad to enter as he is into SFF too, he put me onto it as a kid, as I'm now doing with my 7 year old. I have him reading Pratchett and he doesn't struggle!!! But a couple of months ago he read all of the stories in the thread, think it may have been October-ish, and my story didn't even make his shortlist. So even if he did vote I wouldn't recieve his vote!! Dammit!! LOL!!

 

[Ursa major]

Come on, Cul. Post something untouched by a muse, just like some of us have to....

 

[TheEndIsNigh]

Right on Ursa; it doesn't need to be funny or a muse-ing

 

[J Riff]

Well, it would stop me voting for Culhwch for the 3rd straight month.
Probably can't beat the stories this month though, too good.

 

[nixie]

*Wally sharpens teeth* Sorry Cul I've managed to make him agree to not bite above the knee but.............