Discussion -- 300 Word Challenge #5

[Teresa Edgerton]

Some people may also view a contest with a prize of ten GBP worth of book as more "real" than one where the prize is the adulation of your peers.

But don't we all, when all is said and done, crave adulation? (Of a decent, restrained sort, of course. If stalkers and paparazzi were part of the deal, no.) What is more powerful than the approval of our peers? (Why else, I ask myself, would anyone have submitted themselves to the fashions and hairstyles of the eighties?*)

*I, myself, became somewhat confused, and followed the styles of the 1380's, but the principle remains.

 

[AnyaKimlin]

This month isn't looking good I had forgotten I'd posted something lol.

 

[Gary Compton]

I, myself, became somewhat confused, and followed the styles of the 1380's, but the principle remains.

I have a picture of me with a Kevin Keegan curly perm. And I had blond hair

 

[Glitch]

Thanks for the mentions. I'm glad people like the story.

Neither have I.

To the question of why we have more 75 word stories than 300: possibly the idea of not only writing 300 words but polishing them seems like more work to a lot of people.

Then, too, the 75 worder attracts a lot of people to the site who aren't even writers (but who often find out in the process that they are, after all), because what the heck it sounds like fun. The 300 words is probably more daunting. At that length, it seems a little more serious and a little less like a game.

I wasn't originally intending on entering the 300 word competition, for the reasons mentioned by Teresa; but when inspiration stuck I couldn't hold back.

Funny enough I actually spent more time polishing the 75 word than the 300.

 

[hopewrites]

thought i had more time, so i wasnt fussed about not having started yet. now i have no time and my idea is not cooperating.
hand written it was one thing and i had it tamed down within the word count. but when i went to type it up today it completely changed into something like what i have never written before in my life and i suddenly love, but every time i hit word count to see how many i have to wrap my story up in (100? 150?) i'm over!!
prune back, reshape the beginning. prune back and reshape. i've got the start down to a solid 124 but cant tame the middle down enough to fit let alone finish.

going back out to the garden pots to see if i can wrap this story up faster.

 

[TheDustyZebra]

Don't get in a rush -- you still have nine days!

 

[hopewrites]

yes but of those nine this one and the next are the only two i really have.

 

[Karn Maeshalanadae]

Do you plan on being dead for the next week, HW?

 

[David Evil Overlord]

If you are planning to be dead, it's okay. Stories that have no speculative fiction elements, but are written by ghosts or zombies, still count as speculative fiction...don't they?

 

[Aaron Stone]

Funny you should mention that...

 

[hopewrites]

lol no my brother gets into town on wednesday for the "little party" we are throwing for them here. and i'll be the only one in my office for a while since they let my office mate go. and i'll be picking up some extra work on top of doing the work of two people for my office because they downsized another person out of my department, but i dont know what of her duties i will be picking up.
i'm planing to be in stress over load till friday night after the "little party"
then saturday we get people to their planes and trains and things and sunday next i should have some of my life back....
some how i keep saying that and something always seems to come up about three days before i'm supposed to get a life-refund to put me in life-debt again.

 

[Gary Compton]

Hi honey, I'm back.

Yes, this is my first challenge for months. I hope you get my little jibe at a certain search engine.

 

[Warren_Paul]

Is this the point where Google comes along and cries defamation?

 

[hopewrites]

Hi honey, I'm back.

welcome back!! pudding's in the fridge, dont trip over the gnome on your way to the pantry, I left something special for you there.

seriously though, excellent word play, very much enjoyed the tech references.

 

[Phyrebrat]

Hello,

I'd been dancing back and forth with myself over whether or not to get involved in the 300 word challenges. I had an idea for the last one (I think it was the last one - the Nasa-y rocket stand?) but never got it finished.

I find the 75 word one quite enough challenge, thankyouverymuch, but then Ursa had to go and post such a beautiful picture, I ran out of counter-steps in my dance. Halfway through the month I stopped enjoying the process but I'm a bit OCD for finishing things I start (which is a pain when that 'thing' is something like Angels and Demons - I can't tell you how long it took me to read that tedium <yaaaaawn>) so here it is.

These are quarterly, right?

pH

 

[Phoenixthewriter]

I hope no one takes it the wrong way. I just notice those little reviews amiss this month. It's entirely up to the chrons members to choose whether or not to write them or not, but after seeing them month after month.

They were always fun to read, but I also realize the effort is practically an entry in itself, if not moreso. I'm not sure if I could do it justice, but one of these months I may have to try my hand at posting some.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

I'm going to try to get to them; I did the 75 word ones, but it is astonishing how much time they take up. Plus, Perp is so good at them....

 

[Warren_Paul]

I hope no one takes it the wrong way. I just notice those little reviews amiss this month. It's entirely up to the chrons members to choose whether or not to write them or not, but after seeing them month after month.

They were always fun to read, but I also realize the effort is practically an entry in itself, if not moreso. I'm not sure if I could do it justice, but one of these months I may have to try my hand at posting some.

Perpetual Man put a lot of time and effort into them month after month, but right now he is too busy to write them so it falls on others to do so, and as Springs has said; she is getting to them. It's times like this where we really see just how much effort PM made for the sake of our enjoyment. Now where is that appreciation thread again; I think it needs a bump.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Okayy.. and then I noticed the amount of entries already. eeek. With sincere apologies to Perp:

LUIGHLIN; a complicated relationship of a nemesis, who seems slightly mad, and his vicitm, and maybe the possibility that age has mellowed things.

CRYSTAL HAVEN: There's child discipline, and then there's effective child discipline... an original take, well written.

SPRINGS: all her mother wants to know is if she will ever write a nice little story for Ireland's own....

WP: a really nice first poem with a hauntingly evocative first and last line

REIVER 33: A chilling polemic, which is all the more chilling because of its real undertones. A shiver from this one.

MOUSE: A bit of spare time one afternoon... gaggh. Skyman should be syndicated, beautifully written, one to stay with you.

KARN: I like a nice, serious entry. This is one for the Chrons hall of fame, go the sandwich man. (I'm still waiting for mine in the 1000th post club, btw....)

LILMIZFLASHYTHANG: Oh, poor Jake. And Mason. Sometimes we just need to let things lie....

ARKOSE: I liked that this wasn't about a stature, and showed how far an image can reach. The mythology that ran through it was evocative.

SOURTHORN SWORD: A little taste of horror, really well described, and another warning of not going to too close to that we don't know.

DEO: Oh, no, what a moment. very original, as ever, and evocative.

ANYA: I got a moral tale of choice which may or may not be ultimately ours, very nice.

SCOTT: A great last line, with lovely description, and a truly eerie tale.

R. J. DANDO: The next one better not.... Very eerie, I liked this one.

JOHNNY JET: There was something both sweet and unsettling about this - a number with a human heart and needs.

STIL LEARNING: 80 springs, eh, I could be doing with those, right now.... A very original tale on the theme that will stay with me.

ALL MY WIRES: this started off very Tolkien-esque and then turned to a quiet horror. And then a double ow. Excellent.

GLEN: The voice is captured so well, the era too. I like this one; I've said it twice now.

PERP: lovely description and then the very sad moment when we realise the parent's promise has failed

STARBEAST: I want the series! so original, vivid and funny; fabulously good fun

HEX: Well, really. No one does this sort of thing better, I wanted another 50 words, and a fab. last line.

VERTIGO: An excellent take on temporal time travel, very original, and those axes have got to hurt....

RJM CORBETT: The first paragraph is beautifully described, and a brilliant action scene.

AARON STONE: Next time, he needs to get a WII. A great original take, well told

TACTICAL LOCO: Sometomes it's not what you know, but what you do with it. this raised a smile.

CHOCCOWEEBLE: A timeless chase, beautifully captured for just one moment.

ABERNOVO: What a little knowledge can do. Wonderfully evocative, and we know he won't let him down...

PHOENIX THE WRITER: Are we in the movie or reality? Both are fabulously visual, and really well written.

GLITCH: eerie, stays with me this one, with a lot of layers.

ALCHEMIST: Where's my rubber suit I've been waiting all month for that, but live in hope for the improving thread. Very clever, this, I had to read it twice - and I only do that if intrigued - and still went oh no at the end...

PARANOID MARVIN: A lovely cadence and rhythm around a beautifully evocative story

HOPEWRITES: A story within a story, capturing a moment of innocence and love

GARY: So sue him! A lovely ironic take, very original, and made me smile

PHYREBAT: I loved the Anthoney gormley ref - I wondered if someone would get it in smoothly - and the last line is fab.

TSP: A modern fantasy, wonderfully original, and then oh dear, garggh. We've all been there. Brill.

Sorry they're so short....

 

[Lilmizflashythang]

Okayy.. and then I noticed the amount of entries already. eeek. With sincere apologies to Perp:

...LILMIZFLASHYTHANG: Oh, poor Jake. And Mason. Sometimes we just need to let things lie....

...Sorry they're so short....

Not a problem, I think you summed them up well.

I agree, we just need to let some things lie. Maybe Jake should of said no in the first place. At least he wouldn't be stuck.

Here's hoping the dad in your story finds his child before things get really deadly for his jumps.