Discussion -- October 2011 Challenge

[The Judge]

Re: Discussion October SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

You, too, Hoopy?

Thanks for the would-have-been-short-listed Karn, and for the actual short-listing, Mouse. (Hmmm. Obviously not enough sex this time...)

 

[Karn Maeshalanadae]

Re: Discussion October SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

Hehe.


I hate lists. They mark either one of two things: Indecision or poor memory.


I like to know what I'm going to get and I get in and get it. And I know what I like and I go for it.



And I am SHOCKED at you, Hoopy, truly shocked! Blaming your upbringing for how you are today! What cheek!

 

[Culhwch]

Re: Discussion October SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

Many thanks for the votes, Hex, Taly and Mouse! Very pleasant surprise to find this morning!

And out of those I voted for Cul's tragic loveliness. He is a romantic, I think.

Maybe just a tiny bit. Though I don't think you'd want to be a lover in one of my stories - it all but guarantees things won't end well for you...

 

[alchemist]

Re: Discussion October SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

Many thanks to springs1971 and High Eight - I'm very, very happy with that.

My own deliberations, in seasonal fashion...


A bag of peanuts to:
AnyaKimlin, Mith, Parson, Bob S Sr, Perpetual Man, mosaix


Big juicy apples to:
Pyan
High Eight


And a car-sized pumpkin to:
Harebrain

 

[mosaix]

Re: Discussion October SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

Thanks Chris, Alchemist.

 

[High Eight]

Re: Discussion October SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

Many thanks to springs1971 and High Eight - I'm very, very happy with that.

My own deliberations, in seasonal fashion...


A bag of peanuts to:
AnyaKimlin, Mith, Parson, Bob S Sr, Perpetual Man, mosaix


Big juicy apples to:
Pyan
High Eight


And a car-sized pumpkin to:
Harebrain

I liked your story because of it's cynical humour and also because it reminded me of a short story by singer/songwriter Richard Thompson about God and the Archangel Gabriel discussing the state of the world while playing tennis (It's on the inner sleeve of his first album Henry the Human Fly).

Oh, and thanks for the shortlisting!

 

[anhalo]

Re: Discussion October SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

Some really great entries everyone! Finding it hard deciding who to vote for.

anhalo – the world of this entry seemed to come across as cold and sterile, clinical in the extreme, a nightmarish society that was controlled and listless in the extreme. Dehumanised, identity erased so that even name’s become numbers. And the final twist that something bad happens when the person is no longer useful. Just looking in on the world is bad enough. I would not want to live there.

Glad to see someone got the environment I was trying to create

I was reflecting on the cruel and unusual coldness that can come out of innocent socialist dreams of a better and more equitable life for all in society (and how we need to be careful about what we wish for).

Although I know my entry sucked this month (due to the strange writing style I unsuccessfully attempted).

Maybe next month I'll attempt more of a crowd pleaser (would those zombies be too late? XD)

EDIT: Just voted for Perp, although it was between him and AnyaKimlin for me (I liked both their concepts, although Perp edged in front with his delivery)

 

[Parson]

Re: Discussion October SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

Alchemist -- Thanks for the mention.

 

[Bob Senior]

Re: Discussion October SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

Alchemist and Taly, thanks for the mentions. I feel like a winner just being on the lists with such talented writers.
Bob

 

[Quokka]

Re: Discussion October SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

My shortlist: Culhwch, Harebrain, Bob S Sr, Perpetual Man, Alchemist and Stormfeather.

My vote went to High Eight. It was really well written if kind of familiar until I read the last word, that completely changed the feel for me and sent me straight back to the begining to reread it.

 

[Droflet]

Re: Discussion October SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

Firstly, my humble thanks to Varangian for the vote and to Mouse for the shortlist. Unexpected and gratefully accepted.

With the high level of writing shown here the only way I could pry the enties apart was to fall back on story and content. In other words what worked for me within the narrative. All were good but a few stood out.

Honorable mentions to Talysia, Harebrain and Devils Advocate for some terrific storytelling.

For so many reasons, not the least of which was the unique perspective, my vote had to go to Perpetual Man. I've had nightmares about writing but never, thankfully, like that. Outstanding effort PM.

 

[Phoenixthewriter]

Re: Discussion October SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

Cast my vote today. Can't say it was entirely easy necessarily, as I honestly felt some of them deserved a vote regardless of my limit of one to cast, however there was that stuck out pretty hard.

Paranoid Marvin's pretty early on of an entry, but the sorrow of one who has lost their father, I'd rather not imagine. I've had nightmares about losing my dad, and waking in tears only to finally snap back to reality that he's alive.

In this case, your back to reality is that he's gone. That hurts more than any nightmarish images could muster. So, you get my vote.

Honorable mentions go to Mouse and Perpetual Man. Mouse because it had me thinking in at least 5 dimensions, and Perpetual Man just because I liked it. Almost got my vote, both of you, but I chose what I chose.

 

[Perpetual Man]

Re: Discussion October SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

Chris, Alchemist, Quokka and Phoenixthewriter many, many thanks for the honourable mentions (and the bag of peanuts, ready salted or dry roasted?), Chris the 'and of course perp's' made it extra special; and phoenix to be ranked alongside mouse is an honour in itself.

anhalo and telford, what can I say but thank you so very much for the votes. All this has made my morning.

 

[Pyan]

Re: Discussion October SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

What a choice! Very difficult this month, but in the end it came down to that last sentence of High Eight's entry.

 

[Perpetual Man]

Re: Discussion October SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

22!!! Crimeny! I've just done a first run through and jotted down every story that appealed to me and putting aside the obvious that they all do on some level, I was really strict and ended up with 22 entries. on. my. short. list.

What a nightmare!

 

[Varangian]

Re: Discussion October SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

Telford,

I enjoyed the story mate, I thought it was clever how you dragged the character from a nice cosy, warm dream back to reality (which was the real nightmare). Good stuff!

 

[Perpetual Man]

Re: Discussion October SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

Of the 50 stories submitted this month everyone deserves a back on the pat; their were superbly different takes on the theme, with some beautiful language, great ideas, and superlative delivery. So all the fabulous 50 deserve to take a bow.

As stated above I narrowed it down to 22 (!) I've wondered about listing the 22 or wait until I've got it whittled down a little more, but as I was a-whittling I thought it did not seem right not to mention those that I'm dropping at this point.

So these are my final 22, no better or worse than any of the others, just the ones that really appealed to me:

Hex, Cul, PM, Reiver33, Parson, Hope, Talysia, Nixie, TEiN, Bob, Glen, The SpurringPlatty, Percival, Quokka, Alchemist, High Eight, Stormfeather, Rsliwinski, Anhalo, mosaix, Ursa and TJ

I think it has been one of those months when I have been through the stories as I'm writing my comments, and been back through them again and again as I try to whittle them down, and realise once more just what a wealth of talent everyone has. It hurts so much to whittle them down to even the broad 22.

One winner - ha, everyone is a winner!

 

[Bob Senior]

Re: Discussion October SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

It's cold, windy, raining, thunder, dark as midnight, I don't even want to stick my nose outside today, then I see that I got even more mentions. What a beautiful day, I think I'll head out and get a cup of coffee, can't waste such a nice day!

 

[Pyan]

Re: Discussion October SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

Well, I'm glad you stuck your head outside long enough to vote, Bob! Thank you!

 

[Starbeast]

Re: Discussion October SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

It was tough to choose a winner, so many talented authors.


Contest List (short version)
___________________________________________________

Aun Doorback
Anyakimlin
Culhwch
Southron Sword
Mouse
Springs1971
Flugel Meister
Chel
Highlander
Parson
Nixie
Boneman
TheEndIsNigh
Bob S. Sr.
Chrispenycate
The Spurring Platty
Telford
Devil's Advocate
Perpetual Man
Quokka
Alchemist
Mojaix