Discussion -- August 2011 Challenge

[slack]

Re: Discussion AUGUST 75 Word Writing Challenge

Many good stories already.

 

[Hex]

Re: Discussion AUGUST 75 Word Writing Challenge

Yes, TSP's is a creepy one... look behhhhiiiind yoooou...

 

[Mouse]

Re: Discussion AUGUST 75 Word Writing Challenge

Yes. Sorry about that, Mouse.

Now see, I was trying to not think of it being a mouse!

 

[TheDustyZebra]

Re: Discussion AUGUST 75 Word Writing Challenge

I read it as a bird, because my cat eats hummingbirds. Does that help, Mouse?

 

[Hex]

Re: Discussion AUGUST 75 Word Writing Challenge

It could be a frog too, they really do scream.

 

[Oskari]

Re: Discussion AUGUST 75 Word Writing Challenge

Thanks for the positive feedback.

Yesterday I was in the forest collecting wood and the idea popped into my head, as it does ...

I'm glad I've left enough out to give the reader something to do, to ponder.

It has often been said that the less words you have to work with the harder it is to get it right (or something along those lines).

Anyway, it was very enjoyable and can't wait for the next one!

 

[GreenKidx]

Re: Discussion AUGUST 75 Word Writing Challenge

I decided to dive in a bit earlier this month despitemy doubts...

 

[Karn Maeshalanadae]

Re: Discussion AUGUST 75 Word Writing Challenge

I haven't even tried to start coming up with anything on this. I'm not a playwright and I haven't written anything in horror since the fourth grade. I also have not been feeling well lately, either....

 

[Ursa major]

Re: Discussion AUGUST 75 Word Writing Challenge

Your story doesn't have to have anything to do with plays in the theatrical sense of that word, Karn.


If the worst come to the worst (i.e. no inspiration even at the eleventh hour), I'm going resort to play as in play on words. (I'll try anything once....)

 

[Bob Senior]

Re: Discussion AUGUST 75 Word Writing Challenge

Howdy,
Been doing (or trying to do) other things lately, and lost touch. I have a story rolling around in my head, nothing on paper yet. I "write" a sentence then count the words. I don't know how I ever wrote a 75 word story in the past. I think a 75 word story should be OK anywhere between 75 and 150 words, then I wouldn't have to pull my hair out trying to cut a perfectly good 150 word story in half. It seems that when I take out all the nouns, verbs and adjectives, my story loses something.

 

[Culhwch]

Re: Discussion AUGUST 75 Word Writing Challenge

Your story doesn't have to have anything to do with plays in the theatrical sense of that word, Karn.

It's funny, that particular meaning never even came close to occuring to me, but it seems to have been the first thing that jumped into the heads of many of the contributors so far...

 

[TheDustyZebra]

Re: Discussion AUGUST 75 Word Writing Challenge

Well, it was the second thing that came to me -- the first, of course, was play as in playing, children and all that good stuff. Then I thought of theatrical plays as an interpretation that might be less common, and then the stories started coming in and dashed that idea on the rocks. Maybe everybody thought the same thing.

Ursa, I am shocked. You really might resort to word play? That's ... "inconceivable".

Bob, if you can write a story without any nouns, verbs or adjectives, that ought to qualify as word play in itself!

 

[Moonbat]

Re: Discussion AUGUST 75 Word Writing Challenge

Someone mentioned there were 60 odd definitions of the word play, so looked them up on Dictionary.com and found an interesting one I didn't know of, I think it was definition 42.

To keep a fish on a line for a prolonged period of time to tire it out, or something to that effect. Which did give me some inspiration, but then again so did the riots in Tottenham, and the film Lake Mungo. It seems when I'm waiting for inspiration to hit, it comes from all angles.
Now I have to write the thing.

 

[Perpetual Man]

Re: Discussion AUGUST 75 Word Writing Challenge

Ever since the theme was announced I've been unable to get Ming the Merciless out of my mind, from the start of the 80's Flash Gordon.

"I like to PLAY with things awhile, before annihilation."

 

[chrispenycate]

Re: Discussion AUGUST 75 Word Writing Challenge

Bit samey, but I have posted. The horror musical instrument really didn't want to shrink down (didn't have enough play in it?), and I'm sleeping a lot more than usual.

 

[Perpetual Man]

Re: Discussion AUGUST 75 Word Writing Challenge

The Spurring Platty – A really great tale that is creepy and clever at the same time. I also really loved the idea of justice creeping i, not from an outside entity, but from the very thing that was stolen. An excellent entry.

Reiver33 – A clever story that has a grim undercurrent and a little humour thrown in for good measure. I really liked the casual nature of the line with the heqad flying through the air, added something too it. Yet another solid entry.

TEIN – Kids eh? Who knows what they are up to when they are left on their own? And they can have a sense of humour even if it is darkly manipulative, there is more than one way to get mum to come running.

PM – Kids eh? A rather interesting take on just what it is to be a teacher in the modern age, and all things considered this might have been a little too tame It was really good, different idea that only really made sense once you got to the end. It took me back to my school days, and now I know why the teachers vanished at play time.

Slack – Kids eh? Showing a nuclear blast through the eyes of a mother is terribly effective. Getting an emotional connection in 75 words is really quite hard and yet by taking this approach Slack achieves it. There is a gut wrenching emotion, first from the mother trying to let them play before the inevitable, and then the scream for mummy in the actual blast. Wow.

Highlander – Burke and Hare, did not see that one coming, but a great idea, well (ahem) executed. Perhaps the most infamous of grave robbers who took things just a little too far, show that no matter what they had to do it might just have been a game...

Greenkidx – Very interesting. Quite a big story for so few words. This is one of those that I can see working as an expanded piece, even though it works nearly perfectly here. It says so much with so little, it is close to a masterwork or short writing. I trust I never here the cello playing anywhere soon.

Aun Doorback – I think this is one of those great stories that is really open to the interpretation of the reader. I could feel a world of normality that has somehow slipped out of its groove, death and destruction everywhere, while survivors try to keep things as normal as possible, no matter how far away normal has become.

 

[LittleMissy]

Re: Discussion AUGUST 75 Word Writing Challenge

I've been reading what's been posted so far and I'm thoroughly impressed! I don't know quite how you all manage to create so much imagery with so few words but you do!

I've one or two ideas running through my little brain but so far I haven't been able to get them within the 75-word limit I don't know how you do it!?!?!?

Not 100% sure yet if either story will shrink enough to be allowed, or, even be any good... but, I'm getting a feeling that I may enter this one

Okay, I know I said in my introduction that I probably wouldn't enter the writing challenges... but, it seems I may have to eat those words! Well, at least I will if I can shrink one of my stories enough LOL

 

[The Judge]

Re: Discussion AUGUST 75 Word Writing Challenge

Good to see you here, LittleMissy, and even better to hear that you're starting to think you may enter!

I imagine most of us had problems with the 75 word limit at first -- some of us still do! After a while, though, it becomes easier -- this time next year you'll be amazed at how much you can pack in. We all have different techniques for pruning down to 75 -- for one of the most radical, have a look at the Hall of Fame and see Chris p's winning entry the other month.

If by any chance you don't enter this month because you can't get the word count down, then it might be an idea (after voting has started on everyone else's entry) to put your proposed story in the Challenge improvement thread. We might be able to make suggestions as to pruning which will help you for next month.

 

[LittleMissy]

Re: Discussion AUGUST 75 Word Writing Challenge

Thank you Judge. So far I've got one of them down to 83 words but am having trouble getting it any lower than that.

The other is still at 112 Not quite there yet.

I did a few drafts for last month's challenge, though, obviously, didn't enter. I just couldn't get anything within 75 words limit that was actually coherent as a story

I'll definitely have a look at some of the past entries and see if that helps me

 

[GreenKidx]

Re: Discussion AUGUST 75 Word Writing Challenge

Greenkidx – Very interesting. Quite a big story for so few words. This is one of those that I can see working as an expanded piece, even though it works nearly perfectly here. It says so much with so little, it is close to a masterwork or short writing. I trust I never here the cello playing anywhere soon.

Wow! Just wow. I am humbled. THANK YOU PERPETUAL.