Discussion -- 300 Word Challenge #3

[Perpetual Man]

Re: Discussion thread -- Three Hundred Word Writing Challenge #3

Perp thanks a Lot, for the review. As always, excellent comments on our pieces. It's one of the things I most look forward to in the challenges, receiving your bon mots. The story of Lot was very dark, and I felt that by telling it from the Angel's pov (wanting to reward Lot for his kindness), I could skim over some of the more disturbing issues that ran through it. I did try to get it in, in my first draft, but 300 words restricted me nicely, so I thought 'Sodom.'

Many thanks for that Boneman, shall endeavour to keep the comments coming, although much as I enjoy doing them there might be a little break around April next year for a month or two

And that last line there...

 

[mosaix]

Re: Discussion thread -- Three Hundred Word Writing Challenge #3

Ashcroft, thanks for the vote.

It's too late now, but for future reference you are allowed three votes in the 300 word challenge, you seem to have used only one.

 

[Ursa major]

Re: Discussion thread -- Three Hundred Word Writing Challenge #3

...and they must be cast at the same time. You can't add those missed votes later.

 

[Ashcroft]

Re: Discussion thread -- Three Hundred Word Writing Challenge #3

Ashcroft, thanks for the vote.

It's too late now, but for future reference you are allowed three votes in the 300 word challenge, you seem to have used only one.

All good, loved the revenge fantasy concept; I really like fantasy when it lets me live out some kind of frustration in a satisfying way.

I know I'm allowed three votes, but, frankly, it's hard enough choosing one winner, let alone trying to figure out another two! The entries are all just too good.

 

[Talysia]

Re: Discussion thread -- Three Hundred Word Writing Challenge #3

Great stories, one and all. I loved reading through them as they came in, and after a thorough reread I've just cast my votes. My top three are The Spurring Platty, Parson, and Mosaix, with Mosaix narrowly taking the top place.

Well done everyone!

 

[mosaix]

Re: Discussion thread -- Three Hundred Word Writing Challenge #3

Great stories, one and all. I loved reading through them as they came in, and after a thorough reread I've just cast my votes. My top three are The Spurring Platty, Parson, and Mosaix, with Mosaix narrowly taking the top place.

Well done everyone!

Thanks for the vote, Talysia and top place!

 

[mosaix]

Re: Discussion thread -- Three Hundred Word Writing Challenge #3

As is usual with the Three Hundred Word challenge the variety of interpretations and quality is staggering.

My top three for this month are Hex, Moonbat and Boneman and it would be wrong of me to put them in any order - all excellent.

 

[Perpetual Man]

Re: Discussion thread -- Three Hundred Word Writing Challenge #3

My last two comment, whipped out at the end of a chaotic day, with no voice reignition software in sight, so any mistakes are down to the old axiom haste makes waste!

A quick thanks to Phoenixthewriter for a vote, I am very touched. This one was experimental for me, and I expected nothing more than a few kind comments if I was lucky. So a vote has me flying with the angels. Thank you.

And so:


Cul – Ironically I was catching up with a bit of TV last night and watched the first episode of the Walking Dead, so this story came with some readymade images. Probably a little gorier than the story remotely implied. I found some of the passages (as I have found in many of the stories this month) to be almost beautiful in the way they are constructed. There is a delicious nature to the ay the scene is set, an oasis of peace in a world gone crazy. I don’t know if it was just me, but the payoff, when it came seemed ... I don’t know almost peaceful, an almost gentle certainty to the fate that would fall her brother. Perhaps that is the secret of this one, that although she must go and end her brother, she is bringing peace and rest not eradication.

Ursa – This one was one of the few that actually put a shiver down my spine. Perhaps because I walk through a graveyard virtually every day it hit home a little harder, especially now the nights are getting darker... I really liked the threat the creatures/angels posed throughout the story. It was almost a palpable presence that grew stronger as the story went on. They could have been presented as monsters and the tale would have worked, but Ursa took a slightly different tact and slightly, mysteriously even, humanised one of his creatures, thus deepening the story and in some strange way making the creatures a little more monstrous, because if one decided to save a potential victim but we do not know why, a moment of compassion becomes alien and less understandable even in the moment it happens.

 

[Hex]

Re: Discussion thread -- Three Hundred Word Writing Challenge #3

My top three for this month are Hex, Moonbat and Boneman and it would be wrong of me to put them in any order - all excellent.

Wow, thanks for the vote, mosaix

 

[Ursa major]

Re: Discussion thread -- Three Hundred Word Writing Challenge #3

Thanks for that, Perp. A shiver down the spine, eh? I was hoping for that, but with little expectation of success.


By the way, they're not just any old creatures, but ones whose collective name is very well known. I didn't put this collective name in the story, but their major characteristics** are in there. Oh, and there are punning (and non-punning) references to the identities of these three individuals.



** - Which don't traditionally include the eating of live flesh. (That was there to help induce those shivers.)

 

[Parson]

Re: Discussion thread -- Three Hundred Word Writing Challenge #3

Great stories, one and all. I loved reading through them as they came in, and after a thorough reread I've just cast my votes. My top three are The Spurring Platty, Parson, and Mosaix, with Mosaix narrowly taking the top place.

Well done everyone!

Hooray! thanks for the vote. Much appreciated.

 

[Culhwch]

Re: Discussion thread -- Three Hundred Word Writing Challenge #3

Thanks for the kind words, Perp. For some reason I always seem to be squeezing these three-hundred worders out at the last minute. I honestly didn't think I'd get anything this month - I had the first par in mind but nothing beyond that - so I was pretty happy with what I managed to get down in a fit of writing at ten o'clock at night on the 31st...

And just checking I see I've garnered a vote! Many thanks, Glen!

 

[Mith]

Re: Discussion thread -- Three Hundred Word Writing Challenge #3

My vote is cast, a difficult choice, even with 3 votes to use. Eventually I went with Culhwch, Alchemist and TheDustyZebra. But both Perpetual Man and Hex were in the running right until the end.

 

[Culhwch]

Re: Discussion thread -- Three Hundred Word Writing Challenge #3

Thanks for the vote, Mith!

 

[alchemist]

Re: Discussion thread -- Three Hundred Word Writing Challenge #3

Thanks for the votes, mith and Karn. They're much appreciated.

 

[Hex]

Re: Discussion thread -- Three Hundred Word Writing Challenge #3

Thanks for the shortlisting, Mith. Illustrious company!

 

[Perpetual Man]

Re: Discussion thread -- Three Hundred Word Writing Challenge #3

Thanks for the mention Mith!

Much to my surprise I've just been through the stories on my first pass and ended up with my three choices. As always there was quite a short list - which was hard enough in itself considering the quality, but by the end there were two that I was definitely going to vote for, and a third that stuck with me since I read it, and it just kept coming back to me so I've got: Teresa, Mith and Ashcroft.

(With Talysia, Spurring Platy, Southron Sword, Quokka, Parson and an oh so close Boneman on the short list)

 

[Ashcroft]

Re: Discussion thread -- Three Hundred Word Writing Challenge #3

Wow, thank you very much! I'm pretty honoured to be voted for on my first entry (and first short story - I normally just write much longer pieces).

Thanks again!

 

[Boneman]

Re: Discussion thread -- Three Hundred Word Writing Challenge #3

Was having a really 'down' day due to circumstances beyond my control, and popped in here to find Mosaix and Phoenixthewriter have had the astounding temerity to vote for my story. Thank you both so much, a) for voting for it, and b) for turning my whole day around. Now, anybody know a good welder...? (Stupid car...)

 

[Talysia]

Re: Discussion thread -- Three Hundred Word Writing Challenge #3

Many thanks to Phoenix and Quokka for the votes, and to PM for the honourable mention.