Discussion -- October 2011 Challenge

[Parson]

Re: Discussion October SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

Parson-this is one of the stories that I was waiting to read after so many comments have been made about it. I had a vague idea that something similar but would not dreamed of writing it after seeing this one. The nail is firmly hit on the head and Parson really catches that uncomfortable, and quench need when you just cannot wait any longer. The payoff itself is uncomfortable, true to life and somehow amusing at the same time probably because it is so real.

Thanks Perp. I hope the story is good enough to stay a head of the pack.

 

[Chel]

Re: Discussion October SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

Thanks Perp! You made my story sound a lot more scary than I thought it was.

 

[J-WO]

Re: Discussion October SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

Just put a story up. I'd be an abject liar if I didn't admit that the structure is influenced (ie- nicked) from one of my favourite JG Ballard favourites- 'Answers on a questionaire'; a great example of an alternative narrative strategy if ever there was one.

 

[Varangian]

Re: Discussion October SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

Thanks for the brief review Perp Man!

 

[The Judge]

Re: Discussion October SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

Just a reminder everyone. COUNT YOUR WORDS BY HAND. This is yet another month when we've had to remove a good story which went over word count. For those who are numerically challenged, or simply unsure when it comes to hyphens and the like, contact a mod and get a second opinion before posting.

 

[Boneman]

Re: Discussion October SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

Phew! Rushes to the thread to see if it's me who's transgressed... no... Like a condemned man in a cell, I've been reprieved. I am a bit obsessive about counting to make sure, but a seed of doubt was sewn. Sorry for whomever it was... so easily done, I'm afraid. Still, there's always next month.

 

[chrispenycate]

Re: Discussion October SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

Yes, I've posted, so now I can concentrate on the three hundred words.

The theme is simplistic, somebody else has already used it; but after the work I'd put into scansion I wasn't going to dump it.

And the modified (changed by a mod) rhythm of the last line was for closure, not because I ran out of words to have enough syllables to do it right, honest.

 

[J-WO]

Re: Discussion October SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

Phew! Rushes to the thread to see if it's me who's transgressed... no... Like a condemned man in a cell, I've been reprieved. I am a bit obsessive about counting to make sure, but a seed of doubt was sewn. Sorry for whomever it was... so easily done, I'm afraid. Still, there's always next month.

Look out of your cell, Boney me old pal, and you will see me- squatting in a tumbril of my own gibbering idiocy. Then I compounded it by going to bed, whilst Harebrain and Judge waved their arms frantically for my attention. But t'was not to be. Shame. Thought I might have been in with a chance with this one.

Anyway, I've tried to make the best of a bad job and stuck it on my blog. Good luck everyone. I'll be voting, you can be sure of it.

 

[Boneman]

Re: Discussion October SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

So sorry, J-WO - that was a really good'un, too! So original, and it would have stood out terrifically. (Although I did hear Phil Lynott's voice from Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds - "The Voice of the Turtle is heard in our lands! {sings} Listen, do you hear them drawing near, in their search for the sinners....?)

 

[TheDustyZebra]

Re: Discussion October SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

Commiserations, J-WO! I didn't get to see that story when it was up, so I just went and read it now -- most excellent, but my count comes up as 18 words over (!) and I'm not entirely sure how biblical verse citations might be counted. You've set a new record for the longest 75-word story ever!

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Re: Discussion October SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

I wondered what happened when you went over, and it anyone checked? Thought your story was really good J-Wo, a warning for all us newbies, maybe?

 

[The Judge]

Re: Discussion October SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

Oh, we check, springs -- not that we always catch every one, but usually some kind soul will point us in the right direction if we miss...

If it's within the time for editing you can make whatever changes you want to the piece, so if it's over word count and you prune it in time, that's fine. If you miss the deadline for editing (which we're pretty sure is one hour, but best not to rely on that) then once someone notices, it gets removed. No second chances in the same month, either.

 

[Pyan]

Re: Discussion October SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

I wondered what happened when you went over, and it anyone checked? Thought your story was really good J-Wo, a warning for all us newbies, maybe?

Oh yes. One word over is enough, so to reiterate, COUNT BY HAND, DON'T USE A WORD-COUNTING PROGRAMME! Check with a mod if you're unsure, especially with hyphenated words, numbers, footnotes (don't!) etc.

The main mods to check with are Culhwch, Teresa Egerton, The Judge, nixie or myself (pyan). Other mods will help, but may have to refer the query to one of us, so it may take a little longer.

We have to be strict to be fair. I've had two stories disqualified myself, proving that there's no exceptions to the rules...

 

[Karn Maeshalanadae]

Re: Discussion October SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

And the same also goes for the three hundred challenge. I had my first one disqualified for going over even though I was sure I had counted no more than three hundred, but there it goes.

 

[TheEndIsNigh]

Re: Discussion October SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

Oh, we check, springs -- not that we always catch every one, but usually some kind soul will point us in the right direction if we miss...

If it's within the time for editing you can make whatever changes you want to the piece, so if it's over word count and you prune it in time, that's fine. If you miss the deadline for editing (which we're pretty sure is one hour, but best not to rely on that) then once someone notices, it gets removed. No second chances in the same month, either.

I'm sure sometimes its less.

30 Minutes is pushing it IMO.

No matter what the real story is, the site could go maintenance mode or your server could get upset.

 

[Ursa major]

Re: Discussion October SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

The good news is that you usually have up to 552 hours (33,120 minutes) to edit and count the words - by a number of different ways, if you want - of your 75-word story on your computer before posting it here.


I'm sure there's a writing equivalent to the old saw: Measure twice, cut once. Whatever that equivalent is, it'll be appropriate here.


.

 

[Pyan]

Re: Discussion October SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

I'd say Count Thrice, Post Once and Quickly Count It Again just in case.

Better still, remember that 75 words is a maximum, not a target. If the story can be got over in 70 or 71 words, so much the better from a peace-of-mind point of view. Same goes for the 300-worder - better a certain 293-er than a dubious 300 words that might be actually 301.

 

[TheDustyZebra]

Re: Discussion October SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

Yes, one of my friends at work (although he's only posted once so far) calls it the "73-word challenge" so that he doesn't go over, even in his mind.

 

[Culhwch]

Re: Discussion October SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

I'd say Count Thrice, Post Once and Quickly Count It Again just in case.

I'd agree, althoguh I count a lot more than thrice...

 

[Karn Maeshalanadae]

Re: Discussion October SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

I'd say Count Thrice, Post Once and Quickly Count It Again

That sounds like a bad Sesame Street educational song. I could just imagine the Count singing this with a group of three or four kids while in the background numbers start to descend....