Discussion -- September 2011 Challenge

[AnyaKimlin]

Re: Discussion September 2011 Writing Challenge

Thanks for that - I've trundled off to vote.

 

[Parson]

Re: Discussion September 2011 Writing Challenge

Thanks for the shorter list mention Boneman. It is a highlight of a day already too filled with preparation for Sunday. I'm looking at maybe a 12 hour day here, not the best preparation to be on top of your game for the day when the Word is broken.

 

[Highlander]

Re: Discussion September 2011 Writing Challenge

Highlander

This made me laugh. It has both an element of accuracy and a lovely sense of the inflated importance of the lowest underling.

Thanks Percival for the positive comments - it made me chuckle too writing it!

Now I'd better get back to reading them all again and pick my choice...

June 2011 – 4 new faces, one stayed - wonder who that is? Hmmm... (Thanks for noticing Chris - I will try and write an actual story next time)

 

[nixie]

Re: Discussion September 2011 Writing Challenge

For ages this month Pep's was the front runner, then The Dusty Zebra, The End is Nigh, Stormfeather, The Judge and Teresa posted some crackers now I'm torn on who to vote for. Might have to resort to eeny meany miny mo

 

[Perpetual Man]

Re: Discussion September 2011 Writing Challenge

Thanks for the listing Boneman.

And Nixie, wow! Being front runner for most of the month is an honour in itself, thank you, especially when you consider how good the entries have been this month, especially some of those last few!

 

[Mith]

Re: Discussion September 2011 Writing Challenge

Mith - Oooh, I liked this one a lot. A tale told from the point of view of a murder (fratricide) weapon. It give a real different flavour to the piece, and it could be told as a simple anthropomorphic tale, or maybe an actually sentient weapon. Great stuff.

Big thanks for this After a pretty bad and stressful day at work your comments there really brightened things up for me, cheers

I think I shall be definitely be entering this competition again

 

[alchemist]

Re: Discussion September 2011 Writing Challenge

alchemist

Could easily be a taut scene from a larger work. Deft and coherent. I based my own attempt on this style (though I didn't match the execution).

Wow, thanks for the compliment, Percival. And many thanks to Anne for the vote. I've been going through a rough patch in the 75 word challenges lately, so these really help future motivation.

For my own voting, special mentions to The Spurring Platty, Paranoid Marvin, telford, Ursa Major, The Dusty Zebra, TEiN, and The Judge.

The shortlist...

Anne Martin
reiver33
Boneman

And the votegetter is...

reiver33 for a perfect Science Fiction story.


Edit: having looked at the votes now, I see we're heading for a 51-entrant tiebreaker.

 

[mosaix]

Re: Discussion September 2011 Writing Challenge

At the moment there are ten votes in, each for a different story. I don't remember ever seeing that before, usually by now one or two have started to nose their way ahead.

Edit: Woops, make that eleven.

 

[Abernovo]

Re: Discussion September 2011 Writing Challenge

Well, I've voted now. It almost came down to sticking a pin in a piece of paper with the names on. There are some Honourable Mentions.

The Spurring Platty: Technology versus Magic
Grizzgreen 711: not just behind the scenes, but under the very skin - I liked that interpretation
Perpetual Man: an omnipotent and invisible Macchiavelli figure
chrispenycate: a poetic discourse on our being the pawns of goblins (at least that was what I took from it)
The Dusty Zebra; the exploits of a filthy unicorn - that one's going to stay witn me for a long time
Hex: woodworm, so small, so dangerous - it's always the little things that get you
The Judge; Asimovian not just in title, but in wit - there is not much higher praise

In the end, I voted for Sid Hawkins, but it was a close run thing.

To those not mentioned, please forgive me. There were many more good entries. Too many to list them all.

 

[High Eight]

Re: Discussion September 2011 Writing Challenge

I had a Long list of nearly everybody and a short list of...um...nearly everybody.... minus one or two .....(maybe).

In the end I voted for TheEndisNigh. I just have that sort of sense of humour.

Awaiting the lightning.

 

[Flugel Meister]

Re: Discussion September 2011 Writing Challenge

Vote cast.

Good luck to all.

I thought that for next months writing challenge we could tell a story of the inner workings of the toe nail, as seen from the perspective of a matchstick, whilst upside-down, under a bridge. But in eighteen different perspectives and in 75 words.

'Is it time for my medication?'

 

[TheDustyZebra]

Re: Discussion September 2011 Writing Challenge

Well, it was about to be 14 single votes, but I stopped to make my shortlist first and got beat out by the first second vote! Or something like that.

Anyway, the shortlist, the shorter list, and the *vote*, as follows:

Harebrain -- Puppeteer
paranoid marvin -- The Making of Bill
Phyrebrat -- Dustmen
Bob S. Sr -- Attitude Adjustment
chrispenycate -- Backstage eminence
telford -- And Now For Something Completely Different
*mosaix -- Everyone Deserves a Holiday*
Boneman -- The Returnee
Hex -- Wood Worm
TheEndIsNigh -- Gratuities not Included
The Judge -- I, Robert
Culhwch -- An Uncharted Island...
Chel -- Honourable Knight


Thanks for the vote, Mouse, and mentions, Boneman, nixie, alchemist and Abernovo!

 

[Starbeast]

Re: Discussion September 2011 Writing Challenge

Contest List by Author (Shortened Version)
_________________________________

Alchemist
mtzGr
High Eight
Ann Doorback
Bob S. Sr
Highlander
Chrispenycate
Parson
TheDustyZebra

 

[Bob Senior]

Re: Discussion September 2011 Writing Challenge

Howdy,
Thanks for the mentions, Dusty and Starbeast.
Voting is going to be harder than writing the challenge story this month. So many great stories this month, how do they do it? Where I a list maker, I think my short list would be at about 25 right now

 

[Droflet]

Re: Discussion September 2011 Writing Challenge

Wow! Thanks for the vote Southron Sword. Go ahead, you've made my day.

Not a bad story to be seen this month. One gets the win with too many close ones to call. In the end one story kept drawing me back.

Well done to Perpetual Man. And to everyone else.

 

[Droflet]

Re: Discussion September 2011 Writing Challenge

Sorry about the second post. I just remembered where I left my manners.
Thanks to TDZ and Alchemist for the mentions. Ta muchly.

 

[Starbeast]

Re: Discussion September 2011 Writing Challenge

Wow! Thanks for the vote Southron Sword. Go ahead, you've made my day.

I know that feeling, just one vote can make a person all toasty inside.

Voting is going to be harder than writing the challenge story this month. So many great stories this month, how do they do it? Where I a list maker, I think my short list would be at about 25 right now

This is a tough month to choose one winner out of a ton of great stories.

Way to go everyone!

 

[Boneman]

Re: Discussion September 2011 Writing Challenge

And a big thank you for the mentions, and shortlisting by Alchemist and TDZ - made a good sunday even better.

I have a feeling the votes are going to be spread widely, which is great because it recognises the talents we perceive, but maybe difficult to separate a winner -maybe a ten-way tie would be interesting for the mods to sort out...?

 

[Highlander]

Re: Discussion September 2011 Writing Challenge

Thanks for the honourable mention Starbeast - even though I did get in ahead of you with my Star Wars tale!

I am finding it really difficult this month to even whittle down the entries, there are so many good ones. Here is my short list (still rather long though)

Chel (Loved the idea of written characters talking back)
High Eight (Great take on time travels experiences - I started one story on this theme as well but not in the 75 words section)
Decosta1228 (Reverse terraforming - great idea)
Reiver33 (Loved the idea of a feminine replacement for a masculine historic character)
Chrispenycate (Great idea of a goblins fantasy being about humans)
Starbeast (Great take on the aliens themselves keeping UFO's secret)
TDZ (Unicorns and virgins eh - Loved the last line, full of menace)
Devil's Advocate (A different take on LOTR - loved it)
AnyaKimlin (Vision of male fairies dancing in bikinis on an icy stage... weird but a wonderful idea!)
Stormfeather (Great take on angels and demons)
Teresa Edgerton (Loved the menace in the cursed necklace which isn't destroyed)
Culhwch (Great tale on King Kong being too realistically scary!)

Whew! Now to try and whittle them down to one!

 

[Perpetual Man]

Re: Discussion September 2011 Writing Challenge

Sigh. I knew this was going to happen.

I've been back through the entries, made a list of honourable mentions, and somehow the one that was so clear in my head as my choice sudddenly not only has a challenger, but there are two. Maybe three.

I'm going to have think about this a bit more.

It's been mentioned before, but I'm going to have to say it again, the spread of the voting this month is incredible - 17 votes over fifteen entries. It really is an example of how good everyone is getting. Even newcomers seem to raise themselves up to incredible levels.

And a big thank you to Abernovo for the mention, and a slightly bigger one to telford for the vote, one of the best ways to start the morning - a shortlisting and a vote!