Discussion -- 300 Word Challenge #1

[Arkose]

Re: DISCUSSION, 300 Word Challenge, April

I wasn't sure if I would be able to submit a story this quarter, I am glade I found time though. There are some really good stories already submitted, I can't wait for the next 8-9 days as stories come rushing in.

Voting will be hard.

 

[Chel]

Re: DISCUSSION, 300 Word Challenge, April

After three false starts I finally woke up with a new idea this morning, and this one worked out. Writing it was hard work though, with the text jumping up to over 320 words a couple of times.

With the 75-word challenges I've been glancing through all previous entries for the month before writing my idea down, to check that my story isn't too close to someone else's.

This time I didn't, I just wrote it and then checked, and found that Paranoid Marvin is thinking along similar lines as I am. Hopefully I see it that way because I am so close to my own work and the political goings-on in the little world I created for my story.

...got to be crazy to imagine up a whole world for a 300-word story...

 

[GreenKidx]

Re: DISCUSSION, 300 Word Challenge, April

This time I didn't, I just wrote it and then checked, and found that Paranoid Marvin is thinking along similar lines as I am. Hopefully I see it that way because I am so close to my own work and the political goings-on in the little world I created for my story.

...got to be crazy to imagine up a whole world for a 300-word story...

A) I don't think that yours and Paranoid M's tales are as close as you believe. If you didn't point it out I most likely would have never made a connection between the two.

B) Not crazy at all building a whole world for this 300 word tale. Im sure many people here do the same to some extent. It gives the world a sense of breadth and depth.. I think.

 

[The Judge]

Re: DISCUSSION, 300 Word Challenge, April

I don't think you need worry, Chel, there's room for both stories. And lovely to see one written as a letter -- we were only talking of this the other day on the 75 word discussion thread. The start of a new trend!

After finally getting rid of my 75 worder this afternoon, I felt sufficiently liberated to try my hand at the 300 worder. First draft came in at 352, so not too bad. Now the pruning starts...

 

[Chel]

Re: DISCUSSION, 300 Word Challenge, April

Thanks, GreenKidx and TJ.

I seem to have missed the letter discussions, and didn't even plan to write it like that, it just came out that way. Seems I am very much in tune with the Chronites right at this moment, maybe the stars are aligned some weird way or something. I should consult that clock!


Good luck with the 300-word story, TJ, I'm looking forward to reading yours and everyone else's properly - no doubt it will be very difficult to vote in this challenge as well.


Edit: I had to check, and yes, of course, the letter-discussion started with Teresa posting her first ever 75-word assignment (which was superb as always). Maybe my subconscious remembered it for me!

 

[slack]

Re: DISCUSSION, 300 Word Challenge, April

Interesting how many have opted to include a physical clock tower in their stories.

 

[The Judge]

Re: DISCUSSION, 300 Word Challenge, April

That's strange, I was thinking how interesting it was that so many people hadn't! Apart from anything else, I imagine there's a natural caution when the brief is as wide as this, (ie simply to write a story "inspired" by the picture) to ensure that one's piece can't be faulted for being too far removed from the image itself. It may be as the Challenge progresses over the year we'll get fewer stories which are so literal.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

Re: DISCUSSION, 300 Word Challenge, April

In this case, the clock itself is visually so powerful. Most of my story ideas involved physical characteristics of the clock in various combinations. The dial made a big impression on me, although in the end I didn't use it.

Then, too, we'd already done "Time" as a theme for the 75 Word Challenge and I realized I wasn't interested in revisiting any of the ideas I'd had then. Of course not everyone participated in that Challenge, and some who did might have been glad to use ideas that had been simmering in their subconscious minds all of that time.

 

[The Judge]

Re: DISCUSSION, 300 Word Challenge, April

We're up to 28 entries now, but that still leaves us a long way short of the 58 in the 75 word Challenge. Less than a week to go now, people -- get those stories written!

 

[MstrTal]

Re: DISCUSSION, 300 Word Challenge, April

I really enjoyed my first attempts at these challenges. Both this inaugural 300 and this months 75 word challenge. I feel I have learned quite a bit both from the process and reading the other entries. I think next quarter I will be a little less literal and allow the chosen picture to sway me in a more metaphysical manner. If that makes any sense?

 

[Chel]

Re: DISCUSSION, 300 Word Challenge, April

Makes a lot of sense, MstrTal. If you'll be able to actually do it depends a lot on the picture of course.

 

[GreenKidx]

Re: DISCUSSION, 300 Word Challenge, April

We're up to 28 entries now, but that still leaves us a long way short of the 58 in the 75 word Challenge. Less than a week to go now, people -- get those stories written!

Well Mrs. The Judge, my story is at least fully written and edited. Its the best that I can make it. I'm just hesitant to post. I feel that while I like it, it wont really stand out among the other entries. My hope is that I will have a sudden shock of inspiration for another(third) absolutely brilliant entry! My Muse is sure taking her sweet time...

 

[The Judge]

Re: DISCUSSION, 300 Word Challenge, April

As long as you don't forget to post this one if the Muse doesn't strike! (And I'm sure it is fine, really, and as good as any, but I think we all go through those doubts when we see the quality of everyone else's work.)

Well, with GK's and mine (still in the painful editing stage, and oscillating between 299 and 307 words) that makes 30 entries. Plenty of Challenge regulars out there who need to get their acts together, though.

 

[TheDustyZebra]

Re: DISCUSSION, 300 Word Challenge, April

I have a finished story, at last, after starting at least two different stories every time I sat down to work on one, but unfortunately it is still at 380 words. A work in progress!

 

[MstrTal]

Re: DISCUSSION, 300 Word Challenge, April

I understand your fear GreenKidx! I posted my own story and being a 1st time challenge entrant in both categories I feel I fell prey to many little mistakes. In regards to the muse not a week after posting my own paltry effort, as I have already related here, I was struck with what to my mind is a much better bit of scriptory. That said I did at least enter because if nothing else it is a learning experience.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

Re: DISCUSSION, 300 Word Challenge, April

Although many of us are old hands at the 75 Word Challenge, MstrTal, don't forget that we are all newcomers to this one, and we're all still learning. By the time we've participated two or three more times we'll all be doing a lot better.

Even after a year, I think many of us who were in the other challenge from the beginning still fall prey to thoughts of "I could have done it better, why didn't I wait to post it?!" I certainly do. Nearly every month. And even the months when I think that I did the best that I was capable of doing with the idea that I had, I always feel that there were better stories than mine -- better ideas, better writing. (Invariably the voters agree.)

But from the inception of the 75 Word Challenge, the idea was that each should challenge him- or herself. So the important thing is that you participated.

 

[TheDustyZebra]

Re: DISCUSSION, 300 Word Challenge, April

I'm definitely finding the 300 more of a challenge! The stories I'm used to writing tend to work out to around 1500 words, and of course I just go until they're done. Then came the 75-word challenge, and that is so restrictive that it comes down to a wrestling match over each word choice. 300 is wild freedom by comparison to that, but not enough to give free rein in the storytelling. So I have started more than a dozen different versions of 4 or 5 stories now, only to discover problems with each one. I did finally get a whole story written, indeed written 4 or 5 times today, but it's acting more like a 75-worder at this point and I'm wrestling with word choices again!

 

[The Judge]

Re: DISCUSSION, 300 Word Challenge, April

I'm definitely finding the 300 more of a challenge! ... I did finally get a whole story written... but it's acting more like a 75-worder at this point and I'm wrestling with word choices again!

Yes, it's really odd, isn't it! With the 75, ruthlessness is ingrained and non-important words get the immediate chop, so mid-edit I often have a piece that is less story and more old-fashioned telegram -- and I have to hope people will read between the words to work out what is going on. With my 300, I've a bucket-load of seemingly non-important words, but I'm agonising just as much over cutting even one of them!

And I echo Teresa's comments, MstrTal -- I usually wait several days before posting my pieces, simply because I know I will have second (third... fourth... fifth...) thoughts. Even then I usually have an idea how to improve the piece a day or so later. But perhaps this is a necessary lesson to learn. I recall reading that engineers are taught that making a structure perfect isn't the aim, it's making it the best you can within the constraints (time/budget/space) you're given. I imagine for professional authors it's the same -- the book can never be perfect, it just has to be the best you can make before you move on to the next one.

And, yes, the real Challenge is to take part. (Mind you, winning is pretty darn nice, too! )

 

[TheEndIsNigh]

Re: DISCUSSION, 300 Word Challenge, April

TDZ: I agree that 300 is like drowning in a Thesaurus compared to the 75 word-er.

And yet, by the end of the last paragraph, you find yourself kicking words in a desperate attempt to stay afloat.

 

[Ursa major]

Re: DISCUSSION, 300 Word Challenge, April

Wait days before posting? What if one's entry is still poised delicately between no and zero words and there are very few days to go?


Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!






(Okay, I have a title, but it's one of those doesn't-help-with-the-plot ones.)