Discussion -- 300 Word Challenge #1

[Perpetual Man]

Re: DISCUSSION, 300 Word Challenge, April

Thanks crys, I think it is going to be the only time I do my comments. The time it takes is a lot more than the 75 word challenge, and I have been feeling a bit of pressure doing it. I think doing this for the first time is worth it, but that'll be it.

I'll still be doing by comments on the 75 worder, and will be taking part in both. I enjoy that bit far too much

 

[Anne Martin]

Re: DISCUSSION, 300 Word Challenge, April

I was just looking at the deadline. Since we are in BST now, isn't 11:59 GMT/UTC on 30/4 actually 12:59 AM BST on 1/5?

Sometimes I can be cruelly literal.

 

[MstrTal]

Re: DISCUSSION, 300 Word Challenge, April

Thank you, MstrTal. That was a lovely thing to say. Just don't desert us come the Winter, that's all.

Oh do believe that there is no need to fear this! Not in the figurative, the literal or the metaphysical. I currently dwell in the mid-western state of Iowa and as anyone who has ever visited or dwelled here can tell you come winter unless you like the cold and snow there is no reason to go out of doors.

I abhor the cold and snow therefore I will be spending much more time online in those days.

 

[The Judge]

Re: DISCUSSION, 300 Word Challenge, April

I was just looking at the deadline. Since we are in BST now, isn't 11:59 GMT/UTC on 30/4 actually 12:59 AM BST on 1/5?

Yes.

I think. I always have problems with springing forward and falling back, and my car clock is currently two hours out because I put it the wrong way last autumn...

Anyhow, leaving aside my temporal disarray, we use GMT on the basis that although this is a UK site, not everyone who comes here is from the UK, and it would be a bit much to expect them to have to work out BST when some of our best minds (ie me) are flummoxed, whereas the GMT time is noted at the bottom of the main forums page** eg for us a few mins ago

All times are GMT +1. The time now is 05:54 PM.

.

** I'm assuming this is standard and alters for the individual's time zone.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

Re: DISCUSSION, 300 Word Challenge, April

I was just looking at the deadline. Since we are in BST now, isn't 11:59 GMT/UTC on 30/4 actually 12:59 AM BST on 1/5?

Sometimes I can be cruelly literal.

No, as with the 75 Word Challenge, we decided not to change the deadlines every time that Daylight Savings Time comes and goes. Since there are people here from all over the world, just when midnight falls is a moot point anyway, and everyone everywhere can calculate the difference between their own time zone and GMT just by looking at the bottom of the page to see how many hours + or - they are.

 

[Anne Martin]

Re: DISCUSSION, 300 Word Challenge, April

Thanks, I was just curious. Although after midnight is my best writing time, I usually tackle challenges early or not at all. If the muse doesn't beat me to a pulp right away, it probably won't.

 

[The Judge]

Re: DISCUSSION, 300 Word Challenge, April

While we're waiting for a few stragglers to finish their story and post, we've some news on the voting front.

First of all -- everyone is getting THREE votes. *sounds of excited squealing from Boneman*

Or rather, everyone may vote for up to three stories -- we're pretty sure the forum software doesn't allow for voting for the same story twice or three times, but doubtless one of you clever people could find a way... So, don't even try. No matter how good a story is, you can't vote for it twice, or more. And in case anyone has forgotten pyan's tale of woe from December, make sure you vote for all three** at the same time. If you log off half-way through to have a think about the runner(s)-up, the software won't allow you back again and you'll have lost your chance.

**Of course, you don't have to use all three if you don't want. You just can't vote four or more times.

Now for a difficult matter.

All our regulars are well aware that we're not allowed to vote for our own stories -- indeed, although the main point of the Challenges is to challenge oneself to write a story within the limits of word count, theme and genre, important aspects are to show appreciation for other members' work and receive some kind of feedback on one's own piece, which voting for oneself would negate. However, we have discovered that, due to ignorance of the rules, in the last two months people have in fact voted for themselves. While these occasions were clearly mistakes, and while we have every confidence in our regulars who wouldn't dream of doing this, the higher profile of the 300 Word Challenge with the prospect of a real prize, must bring with it the risk of someone deliberately voting for him/herself in order to seek advantage. This is something all the mods feel would be a disaster for the Challenge.

So, partly for that reason, partly because of certain technical problems associated with having the three votes on an in-house poll, we have decided that the polling itself will be public. That is, everyone will be able to see exactly who voted for whom.

We know that not everyone comes into the Discussion thread to announce their shortlists and their voting habits, and that some people may feel a little uncomfortable with this public poll. Unfortunately, at present we can't see a way around it. We sincerely hope it won't deter too many voters. Whether we shall adopt the public voting for the 75-worder, we don't yet know. A lot will depend on how it pans out here. So if you have comments, let's hear them -- but for this quarter in this Challenge the polling will be open and that is non-negotiable.

Obviously if we discover any irregularities, it will result in votes being discounted and it may result in stories being disqualified -- something we certainly don't want to happen. What we also don't want is any kind of public witchhunt, so if someone notices an apparent irregularity, bring it up in a PM to a mod, please, not here on the thread, so there's a chance of resolving it quietly and with the minimum of embarrassment for all concerned.

Sorry this is a bit long but we thought it important that we explain the rationale behind the change.

Now let's get the last stories in!

 

[Boneman]

Re: DISCUSSION, 300 Word Challenge, April

while we're waiting for a few stragglers to finish their story and post, we've some news on the voting front.

First of all -- everyone is getting three votes. *sounds of excited squealing from boneman*

squeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaallllllll!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Ursa major]

Re: DISCUSSION, 300 Word Challenge, April

* Wonders whether that's the sound of the mods bring home the bacon? *

As someone who usually (and, probably, always, but I can't be bothered to check) announces their vote and those that almost received it, I have no problem with the public nature of the vote. But even if I did have a problem, I think the 300-word challenge vote is one of those occasions where things need to be seen to be above board.

By the way, I can see how mistakes are made. I often click on "User CP" when I'd intended to select "View First Unread" - I've done it in the last ten minutes o) - and those two selections are rarely that close together.


Now I'd better be off to write my 300 words. I know it's the last day, but today, unlike yesterday and previously, I have an idea. I just hope that I can knock it into shape in the time available.

 

[Talysia]

Re: DISCUSSION, 300 Word Challenge, April

I have to say, I like the changes to the contest. The prospect of a prize is exciting, and the generosity of those involved is wonderful. I don't mind the changes to the voting, either - I think it definitely works out better in a situation like this, and I love the idea of three votes.

And before I forget: thanks for the summary, Perpetual Man! I can't believe I hadn't replied in this thread until now.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

Re: DISCUSSION, 300 Word Challenge, April

It should be said that the generosity is Brian's. The moderators discussed all sorts of ways and means of rewarding the winners, then Brian surprised us by volunteering to offer a book as a prize.

 

[Talysia]

Re: DISCUSSION, 300 Word Challenge, April

In that case, my thanks to Brian - I really appreciate the things he does for us here at the Chronicles, and I'm grateful to the moderators involved, too - for taking the time to put it all together. These challenges have really rekindled my interest in writing again.

 

[Ursa major]

Re: DISCUSSION, 300 Word Challenge, April

I didn't stay on the site long to see what it was about, just noticed it was linked with Amazon. And no idea why it's randomly appeared in my story, and only at certain times! Very strange.

Apart from the product placement aspect of this, I noticed another, possibly serious, side effect.

I'd copied some foreign names from Wiki into my story, some of them made up of a couple of words. While I was careful not to copy links, but only plain text, the copying process did recognise that they could be links. However, Word did not show them as such. It was only when I copied the text into the Chrons that the linking became apparent: the words and groups of words were underlined. This was soon fixed.

Now when I was counting the words (by Word Count in Word, by Word's grammar checker and by hand, using a pen and printout), the grammar checker's total did not match the others'. Only when I reapplied the Normal style to the text (thus breaking the links) did the totals tally.

So if you rely only on Word's grammar checker for your word counting, be aware that it counts two words making a single web link as only one word.

 

[HareBrain]

Re: DISCUSSION, 300 Word Challenge, April

Impressed with Ursa's, even though I didn't quite "solve" it. At least, I don't think I did, though I got further than usual. Maybe there should be an additional prize for a full explanation of Ursa's entry?

 

[TheEndIsNigh]

Re: DISCUSSION, 300 Word Challenge, April

Judge:

I have a possible solution to people not wishing their voting patterns exposed.

Since we all trust the Mods implicitly; could it be arranged that anyone not wanting to see their votes made public, could ask a Mod to proxy vote for them.

I've no problem with who knows who I vote for as, like Ursa, I usually make it known anyway.

Just a thought.

HB: I think Ursa is saying that text copied from another site brings with it hidden baggage. I believe there's a system that browsers have to prevent people using copyright material on another site, without attribution.

It's a real pain when you are copying words that have difficult/unusual spellings but it's there and Word may see the hidden text and count them.

Word might also count words that have been deleted/altered, if you use it's 'change tracking' feature. I haven't checked this but it wouldn't surprise me if they were there hiding in the woodwork.

 

[Ursa major]

Re: DISCUSSION, 300 Word Challenge, April

You'd be right, TEIN, if my manual count wasn't equal highest. It's true that Encarta, for instance, would add copyright statements, but I was borrowing public domain names (ones in Czech that have been in use for centuries) from Wiki, which doesn't, as far as I know, add such things.


And HB: Wiki may be your friend, although I suspect it's the sentences I've written that may be baffling you, not the individual words.

 

[StormFeather]

Re: DISCUSSION, 300 Word Challenge, April

Sorry. My entry is very weak, but is the best I could do at a push, and I really wanted to get an entry in. So I wrote something based on the only idea i've had, mixed with recent experience, with a dose of something extra (not experienced in hospital!)

Am looking forward to properly reading through all the entries - have only skimmed through briefly to make sure I wasn't copying someone else's title or obviously going down the same route idea-wise. It's going to have to wait a bit though as am out tonight, but I'm really glad we have a much longer period to vote, and I love the changes that have been made to the challenge recently - Thank you Mods and Brian!

 

[TheDustyZebra]

Re: DISCUSSION, 300 Word Challenge, April

I think it's a great idea, making the voting visible, and it would be good in the 75, as well. I'm at a loss, trying to think of some reason that someone would not want anyone to know whom they voted for. Which is not to say that there might not be a perfectly good reason, it's just that it escapes me. I know when we first started, I didn't post any announcements for the first few months, but it wasn't a matter of keeping my vote secret -- I just wasn't comfortable posting lists for a while. As you can see, I got over it. But having it visible is not the same thing as actually having to come in here and say it. In short, "it'll be good for us."

And three votes, yay! Boneman, squeal for me, too, wouldya? I'm not very good at that.

 

[The Judge]

Re: DISCUSSION, 300 Word Challenge, April

Judge:

I have a possible solution to people not wishing their voting patterns exposed.

Since we all trust the Mods implicitly; could it be arranged that anyone not wanting to see their votes made public, could ask a Mod to proxy vote for them.

The idea of voting by PM, to avoid having an open/public poll, is one we actually considered, TEiN, so good thinking! However, we'd really prefer not to go down that route if we don't have to, particularly with an otherwise open poll. Quite apart from the issues of trust -- and thank you for your comments -- mistakes can be made in carrying out the instructions, or a PM might be sent to a mod who is away and doesn't get the PM in time to vote, and, of course, a newbie without sufficient post count couldn't PM us to vote anyway.

But the trust issue is a biggie. If, say, I was asked to vote for three people one of whom was me, to someone who looked at the open polling it would appear I'd voted for myself. Or if I'd voted for one story for someone else and then voted for three on my own account, it might seem I'd taken four votes. While I would hope everyone who knows me here would know I would never cheat, it might give rise to suspicions in a newcomer's mind, which we obviously don't want.

So, we'll keep thinking. Meanwhile, thanks for the support, everyone. I think I speak for all the mods in saying how much it's appreciated.

 

[slack]

Re: DISCUSSION, 300 Word Challenge, April

I like the idea of having three votes. Wouldn't it also make sense to give the 75-word challenge three votes, considering the amount of entries?