Discussion -- 300 Word Challenge #3

[HareBrain]

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

Really quick question, on a different subject; are you allowed to use what you've put into the challenges elsewhere - there's a competition where if i expanded mine I could use it; but is that allowed, or is there a time limit? Thanks Springs

You can use them or alter them anywhere and anyhow you like.

From the 300-word challenge thread:

All stories Copyright 2011 by their respective authors, who grant the Chronicles Network the non-exclusive right to publish them here

The key phrase is non-exclusive.

(But you can't condense a 300-word story to use in a Chrons 75-worder, I believe.)


Edit: I guess also it would be frowned upon to expand (or do anything that would "explain" an entry) anywhere it might easily be seen by voters, but I don't remember this ever being ruled on. For that reason, I don't think you could post it in your Chrons blog except in its original form, until the voting finishes.

On reflection, I probably should have left this for a mod to answer!

 

[Jo Zebedee]

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

Thanks Hare, I think I'll wait for a mod just in case - don't want to be dis barred! The results of the comp aren't until well after voting closes, and the subject just seemed to fit. Possibly being lazy, and should just write something else, but thought this one might be nice to expand on a little.

 

[Parson]

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

I never got into WordPerfect. I once had to lead a migration for a company's whole setup from WP to Office. Arrgh! I grew to loathe WP long before it was done.

I understand this. As I look at it, WP was developed with an ease for each user to write their own macros and set up their word processor as it suited them. For years I've had keyboard macros that make sense to me, and not so much to anyone else. Word on the other hand (and I have to have a copy on my computer so that I can open everyone's attachments! Isn't that what pdf's are for???!!!--- Easy Parson, quite ranting) has one standard way of doing everything so almost any Joe Blow can go to almost any computer using Word and can be word processing almost immediately. Thus any firm with even a couple of dozen users would be dumb to let people individualize their processor.

But your problem likely came in the early days of Windows. Word Perfect was slow to adopt Windows, and then it looked to the Power users of WP (and believe me I'm so far from a power user it is unbelievable, but I'm taking this from conversations with them) that certain pieces of info were kept from WP developers so that WP would from time to time lock up on Windows 95. That was the beginning of the end for WP, today it is just barely hanging on.

 

[Perpetual Man]

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

Well, that's it. I can do no more.

I hope that it is in within the word count, I'm pretty sure it is now, but some counter still put it over, but I've counted it so many times and by hand I make it just under.

Of course, it does not matter I was attempting to try something different (for me) and this was my answer.

I'm happy with it - and am not really expecting much, but that was not the point this time round.

 

[Abernovo]

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

I'm happy with it - and am not really expecting much, but that was not the point this time round.

Well I'm impressed. There's a certain beauty to it.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

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

Perp, so worth waiting for, really lovely, Springs

 

[Karn Maeshalanadae]

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

It held, I feel, Perp, almost the same sort of sad beauty mine did, but yours reached out beyond just the selfish need mine seemed to have wound up at. Also, I feel, that such a poem as yours should stay away from evangelical hands.

 

[Perpetual Man]

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

Abernovo, springs and Karn, thank you so very much for your comments, I was so unsure about it, just pleased that it was something different.

 

[TheDustyZebra]

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

But your problem likely came in the early days of Windows. Word Perfect was slow to adopt Windows, and then it looked to the Power users of WP (and believe me I'm so far from a power user it is unbelievable, but I'm taking this from conversations with them) that certain pieces of info were kept from WP developers so that WP would from time to time lock up on Windows 95. That was the beginning of the end for WP, today it is just barely hanging on.

Yes, it was early days -- would have been 97-98, so not even into Win98 yet! Fortunately I've blocked it all out, so I don't remember the specifics.

Springs, if you go to the Rules for the Writing Challenges thread, there is indeed a ruling involving using your own challenge works in other challenges:

***
Since one of the demanding aspects of the 75-word Challenge is to create a story which is readily comprehensible in so few words, entries for those Challenges may not re-use a story which has previously appeared in a 300-word Challenge. Entries for the 300-word Challenges may re-use stories wherever first appearing, but only when voting in any previous Challenge has finished.
***

 

[Phoenixthewriter]

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

Nice work Perpetual Man. It's amazing how different everyone's imaginations run with nothing more than a picture and a limit on length. I can't imagine the difficulty of condensing an 800 word poem to 300 words. I used to do poetry a while back and the story would never have fit if I dropped its length.

You somehow managed to pull it off. It flows well.

 

[The Judge]

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

Really quick question, on a different subject; are you allowed to use what you've put into the challenges elsewhere - there's a competition where if i expanded mine I could use it; but is that allowed, or is there a time limit? Thanks Springs

Springs, if you want to use the current 300 worder in another site/contest altogether, then yes, that's fine -- the story is yours. But if you could wait until after voting has finished on this one before posting it elsewhere it would be even better, so as not to influence anything here.

Basically, once voting is over, do with it as you want (save turning it into a later 75 worder...). While the Challenge is still open, please be discreet -- so no posting on your blog or other thread here, and no linking to the other contest/site.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

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

Thanks, Judge.

 

[TheDustyZebra]

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

Oh, sorry, I misunderstood the question entirely. Fat lot of help I am!

 

[Jo Zebedee]

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

Don't worry, Zebra, I confused myself, sorry to open a can of worms!

 

[Perpetual Man]

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

Hex - something a little different, in many ways this felt like a story of two parts, although this does not indicate a conflict because they came together so well it was still one story. The first half felt like a youngster dealing with loss, in particular the loss of a parent, and the rebellion that can sometimes spring from that. I was pretty much convinced that was the way the story was going, there seem to be a genuine connection between the girl’s thoughts on the statute loomed over her, while she told the story of kicking off against her mum and rebelling in fully believable terms. Of course we then have the switcheroo and we see things from the statutes perspective and everything gets turned on its head, here of course the Angel is not a tool of benevolent observer or guardian, here it is an aggressive powerful force, that feeds on those foolish enough to get too close. (Hex, I hope you realise I have to walk home through a graveyard every night. I might have to take the long way round tonight

Harebrain - this one reminded me of a classic horror movie in the mode of The Omen or something similar. Obviously the themes are nothing like that was the general atmosphere that really got to me, but feel that there is something going on, something sinister. That was an awful lot going on here so much of it and so different, swinging from horror to suspense even an excellent piece of humour; but at least, I found the stone angel trying to fly and failing amusing (not sure whether I was meant to). The atmosphere of the opening segment was superb I can almost see the crypt as the characters descended. Yet another excellent piece.

Perp -I can't really go on about this one any more, I'm sure it's something I've rambled about far too much already! All I will say it's the least, it is something incredibly experimental and am quite happy with the way it turned out despite the brutal cutting. Once the voting is over I'll find somewhere to display the original, even though it has not had half the care and attention this version is heard.

Starbeast - a very action packed blockbuster type piece, which took the image and really ran with it. There was so much to like about it, from the pseudo Western setting, through to the monsters and even the characters themselves. Everything just seemed to work, from the hard bitten, the notorious outlaw turned into a coward by the fear of what he has seen, through to the tough Sheriff who obviously wasn't quite as good as he thought he was. The monsters themselves were well defined and executed, and the idea of a simple description of the sky turning green was used brilliantly toward the end when the characters notice a storm coming in. Another great story.

 

[nixie]

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

Mines up, some brilliant entries as usual.

 

[Highlander]

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

Yes Nixie, lots of terrific entries - and my effort now joins them!

 

[Quokka]

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

Well that's my 2 cents added... and at that price you're paying overs . I try not to read the stories until after I've submitted my own so that I don't inadvertently steal an idea or phrase and so it's always a relief to read back through them and confirm that I haven't written anything too identical to a previous story.

As always some great entries but I want to reread them all a little more carefully before commenting too much.

 

[Perpetual Man]

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

Nixie - although the story is great in its own right, what I really like about it was the opening two thirds. There was a wonderful melancholy feel it, something that just felt real. There was a wistful memory of bygone days of children seeking adventure, and the mystery of the strange things that are left behind. That one of the friends will always go back to clean the statue until she could no longer do it just added a level of emotion to the story that made it just work. Although it needed some former fantastical element to fit in with the competition. I could have just kept reading following the adventures of the children and what they got up to the sorry loss of one of their number. I think the best compliment I can give the story is that to me it ended too soon.

Highlander - what started off as a seemingly excellent science fiction piece, ended in pure fantasy, plus one actually had a very strong emotional core. The image at the end of the newborn sun being nestled in the arms of an angel was absolutely magnificent one and as a whole I felt that the entire story was well constructed, a great idea and very entertaining. To be honest I worked out what was going to happen before we reach the end of the story, but then when everything has to tie in with the picture, it's quite easy to realise that angel has to appear at some time. I did think for a minute that the debris was going to be angels, but the actual conclusion was much stronger.

Percival - a simple and short poem put forward here, but that does not make it a weak entry. In fact I felt the rhyming was superlative, bringing some magnificent images of an old church are slowly being reclaimed by nature perhaps. It seemed so real, and perhaps sad little angel left all alone in the centre of the cemetery, untouched by human hands to such a long time and yet caressed by nature a season moved in. There is the slightest hint that there might be something more to her story and cleverly that gives it more depth than a mass of extra words would have.

Quokka - some wonderful ideas and images in this, giving a feel of a larger world beyond the 300 words. Although it is complete in its own right it could so easily be part of a larger work, in itself a private snapshot of a fantasy world that I would be more than happy to read about in any fantasy novel. The feeling I get from it is that an apprentice stonemason sees more in the stone in any of his contemporaries and feels that in one certain piece is something that needs to be released, even though in carving what he feels he will be condemned by the master and the punishment will not be a good one. But his artistic soul will at least be happy having achieved perfection at his hands so long to complete.

 

[nixie]

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

Thanks Pep, you made me feel better about my entry yet again.
I think I might have to avoid the challenges for awhile, as a very scary thought has entered my head and am tempted to post in critiques, I blame the challenges. Me posting in critiques would cost Chrispy a fortune in red ink.