Discussion -- October 2011 Challenge

[TheDustyZebra]

Re: Discussion October SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

Erm... sorry if anyone has tried to post a story this morning -- for some reason the thread appears to have locked itself. (Spooky!) Now unlocked and open for business again...

Well, at least *somebody* took Perp seriously and tried to stop the reading!

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Re: Discussion October SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

Wow, even the system's listening to you, Perp; is TEiN spreading it further than the local cinema lol

 

[Perpetual Man]

Re: Discussion October SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

I'm starting to worry now... am I going to be in trouble? Gulp!

 

[nixie]

Re: Discussion October SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

Pep is great, front runner for me at moment.

 

[Chel]

Re: Discussion October SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

Perp's idea is brilliant. Why didn't I think of that?
Very enjoyable, I had to show it to my husband who also enjoyed it. The only problem is it started all kinds of "what if"s in my head.

 

[Mouse]

Re: Discussion October SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

I feel awful, I don't get Perp's at all! I really want tooooooo! *wailing* I have my stupid head on. Too many biscuits consumed.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Re: Discussion October SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

That's the problem with this challenge, in a nutshell, Mouse. Some of these, I'm reading, and thinking they're really good, but I'm not getting there, other's, yep, i'm in the moment. Mine, hey next month, I'll be taking this a lot more seriously... learning curve's been good to read!

 

[Hex]

Re: Discussion October SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

alchemist -- I loved it!

 

[Karn Maeshalanadae]

Re: Discussion October SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

I feel awful, I don't get Perp's at all! I really want tooooooo! *wailing* I have my stupid head on. Too many biscuits consumed.

See, Mouse, in Perp's entry, the narrator got sucked into his writing and became the words themselves.

 

[TheEndIsNigh]

Re: Discussion October SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

That's the problem with this challenge, in a nutshell, Mouse. Some of these, I'm reading, and thinking they're really good, but I'm not getting there, other's, yep, i'm in the moment. Mine, hey next month, I'll be taking this a lot more seriously... learning curve's been good to read!

Unfortunately Springs, with comments such as these - the self deprecating type - the learning curve tends to go right round to give you a slap on the head
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SLAP-​

 

[Karn Maeshalanadae]

Re: Discussion October SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

Well yes, TeiN, but it's not usually one of us men doing the slapping....


Come to think of it, we're usually the ones taking the slaps. Well, I am, anyway. Mouse and I, but Mouse isn't a male....

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Re: Discussion October SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

You know by learning curve, I meant it in the most complimentary sense; as a newbie, and I am a total newbie; no forum history, no writing history, it's been really, really enjoyable to read everyone else's also to say eye opening; and challenging, too. I'm not saying I'll be any good, but I'll certainly take a bit longer in future to think about what I want to say, and how to find the words to say it as opposed to posting on my first day on site: which I did this time; and didn't respect the challenge; that was what I meant earlier, but I think it came out all wrong. foot in the mouth syndrome, one day I might get over it...

 

[Karn Maeshalanadae]

Re: Discussion October SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

I think we all seem to evolve as we have our experience across the site; as we exchange ideas and thoughts with one another, compare our opinions about this issue or that, concede to someone who makes a valid point in an opinion contrary to our own, we learn and grow, and the challenges have extremely broadened this aspect of the site. We learn from each another's posts just what can be thought up, we learn about ourselves, surprising ourselves in just what we are capable of when the chips hit the table. I know I have, and I'm sure you will too, Springs. I now can't remember how the challenges started up, but I was a firm supporter in starting them, simply because beyond the entertainment value of participating, I was wanting to learn what the writing styles of others were like, how each individual quirk of their personalities could differently interpret a single theme or genre, and more importantly, see how deeply my own thoughts go, what I am or am not capable of in fields I felt previously weak in. (Humor, for instance; a win came about because of a quirky little twist at the end of one of my entries.)

So just don't consider the challenges as something to overcome so you can boast about it. They are, I believe, a great learning tool in many different effects; they're even good studies of psychological profiles of each entrant, if you can decipher enough out of the entries, especially, it seems, with Halloween month's theme.

 

[Culhwch]

Re: Discussion October SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

I think we all seem to evolve as we have our experience across the site; as we exchange ideas and thoughts with one another, compare our opinions about this issue or that, concede to someone who makes a valid point in an opinion contrary to our own, we learn and grow, and the challenges have extremely broadened this aspect of the site. We learn from each another's posts just what can be thought up, we learn about ourselves, surprising ourselves in just what we are capable of when the chips hit the table. I know I have, and I'm sure you will too, Springs. I now can't remember how the challenges started up, but I was a firm supporter in starting them, simply because beyond the entertainment value of participating, I was wanting to learn what the writing styles of others were like, how each individual quirk of their personalities could differently interpret a single theme or genre, and more importantly, see how deeply my own thoughts go, what I am or am not capable of in fields I felt previously weak in. (Humor, for instance; a win came about because of a quirky little twist at the end of one of my entries.)

So just don't consider the challenges as something to overcome so you can boast about it. They are, I believe, a great learning tool in many different effects; they're even good studies of psychological profiles of each entrant, if you can decipher enough out of the entries, especially, it seems, with Halloween month's theme.

I dunno whut all dis is about, I jus' fink dey're fun....

 

[Karn Maeshalanadae]

Re: Discussion October SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

You see? Prime example of psychological profiling....

 

[Culhwch]

Re: Discussion October SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

As to the question of how they started, I believe originally the idea was Teresa's. I do think they're an excellent exercise in creativity, and it is amazing to see not only the breadth of the stories we recieve, but also the depth often acheived in only seventy-five words.

Mostly, though, I just like being able to say I finish at least one story a month. Some months, I even finish two.

 

[hopewrites]

Re: Discussion October SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

You know by learning curve, I meant it in the most complimentary sense; as a newbie, and I am a total newbie; no forum history, no writing history, it's been really, really enjoyable to read everyone else's also to say eye opening; and challenging, too. I'm not saying I'll be any good, but I'll certainly take a bit longer in future to think about what I want to say, and how to find the words to say it as opposed to posting on my first day on site: which I did this time; and didn't respect the challenge; that was what I meant earlier, but I think it came out all wrong. foot in the mouth syndrome, one day I might get over it...

I'm in your boat. I have no idea how i could have done it differently, but i really feel like i shouldn't have tossed my rough draft up there just as it fell out of my head.
I love the challenges for lots of reasons. A) I like the challenge of writing something for a predetermined end. B) I like the new awareness it forces me to have about my writing, word-count being a new concept to me, helping me to be more concise with what I'm creating. C) best of all i get to see what others create out of the same inspiration and how vastly different the end results are.
there are more reasons but i feel like i'm rambling so i'll stop.

 

[Quokka]

Re: Discussion October SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

Plenty of us still say 'next month, I'll wait longer, edit more' then the next contest starts, inspiration strikes and well next month...

That's one of the great things about the challanges imo, with the stories themselves, discussion thread, voting and peoples short lists and the critique thread (for after voting closes) there's heaps of opportunity to get feedback on your story or just discuss writing them in general or you can whip one up in 5 minutes and post away, I tend to do a bit of both.

Like Cul says they're fun though .

As well as feeling good to finish something and move on I also like how the changing genre/themes gives a great excuse to try writing in a style that you might not normally try.

 

[TheEndIsNigh]

Re: Discussion October SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

Well yes, TeiN, but it's not usually one of us men doing the slapping....


Come to think of it, we're usually the ones taking the slaps. Well, I am, anyway. Mouse and I, but Mouse isn't a male....

Why should T and TJ get all the fun?

You know by learning curve, I meant it in the most complimentary sense; as a newbie, and I am a total newbie; no forum history, no writing history, it's been really, really enjoyable to read everyone else's also to say eye opening; and challenging, too. I'm not saying I'll be any good, but I'll certainly take a bit longer in future to think about what I want to say, and how to find the words to say it as opposed to posting on my first day on site: which I did this time; and didn't respect the challenge; that was what I meant earlier, but I think it came out all wrong. foot in the mouth syndrome, one day I might get over it...

One of the most interesting aspects of the challenges is that we are all on that same curve.

As the song says -

They'll be time enough for self flagellation, when the votin's done.

I suspect there may be a few 'past winners' who thought exactly the same as you before the 23rd of their particular month.

You see? Prime example of psychological profiling....

So we're being profiled you say?

Well I have nothing to be concerned about.

Obviously I will come across as a happy go lucky, optimistic, glass half full type. Someone who brings happiness and sunshine into the world, his eyes constantly looking over the horizon: always looking toward a very bright future.

 

[Ursa major]

Re: Discussion October SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

Obviously I will come across as a happy go lucky, optimistic, glass half full type. Someone who brings happiness and sunshine into the world, his eyes constantly looking over the horizon: always looking toward a very bright future.

You "will come across as...," will you? You mean you will in the little time we all have left? Will that be long enough?

You really must be an optimist.