Halloween Story Challenge Discussion Thread

[ratsy]

I am just wondering if anyone would be interested in doing a fun Halloween story challenge since it is that time of year? We could just do it for fun or for votes if everyone wanted to. I suppose the 75 word format would be a simple way to do it.

Thoughts? We only have 5 days until Halloween so what do you think?

 

[The Holy Drunk]

I was thinking the same thing - could be fun.

 

[stormcrow]

Ratsy - that's a seasonally splendid idea - but could it be sorted out in time?

I'd play...with or without voting.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Maybe stick it as a workshop thread?

 

[Bowler1]

I'd be interested. The idea is out of my comfort zone, but hey, isn't that the point - a challenge.

 

[ratsy]

Upon Springs suggestion. I posted a thread in the Workshop. Please submit your story there and we can use this thread as a discussion. Sorry, i dont have much experiece with opening threads.

 

[Juliana]

That sounds fun! I'd be up for it!!
<gets thinking cap on>

 

[Perpetual Man]

Sounds like a bit of fun. I did not think I'd enter, but have just had an idea.

Just got to make it fit into 75 words...

 

[Abernovo]

Definitely interested. I got this sudden flash of The Simpsons' Halloween Special, then of a certain team of teenaged crimefighters with their canine companion.

*Calls the hound, who comes running*
*'What are we gonna write, Dasha Doo?'*
*'Ahdunno.'*
*Gets in the van and drives off towards the deserted castle, in search of snacks*

 

[Jo Zebedee]

I am going away and must pack... So i wont get one ready, but i will enjoy reading them all when i get back.

 

[stormcrow]

Pulled a thought together & have posted.

Lovely opener Crystal!!

Good idea, ratsy!

 

[ratsy]

Well i am really glad some of us took to the idea! I have posted one.

Thanks for playing along. We should add these on the side for major holidays. Christmas up next?

 

[Juliana]

Mine's in. I scribbled it down last night but it took me ages to cut out the extra words!! So it might have come out a little dry in the end. Ah well.

Some great ideas coming in!

ratsy, I love the idea of the extra seasonal challenges. Should we do a Christmas or New Year's one next? Both could be good themes...

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Managed to come up wih something, but no editing time! Good luck all!

 

[Juliana]

Gah, just reading through all the entries and realized I've missed the mark completely!

I was thinking along the lines of generically spooky/scary and of course my story ended up having nothing to do with Halloween itself!!! Ah well, I'll have to try harder at Christmas...

 

[Bowler1]

I've come up with something and it's a bit odd even by my standards. I blame the car radio for this one, I could almost feel the electric current from the light bulb that suddenly appeared - not to self, get a convertable.

 

[Culhwch]

Thanks for playing along. We should add these on the side for major holidays. Christmas up next?

While we're happy for this to run as a workshop-style exercise, a recurring challenge isn't something that we'd be encouraging in the future. We'd also rather that this exercise didn't go to a voting stage, either.

We have the two standing formal and officially moderated writing challenges (and let me assure you that a good deal of time is spent in moderating them), and we don't want to see emphasis taken away from those. Even the introduction of the 300 word challenge was considered carefully, largely because we were hesitant as to what impact it would have on the 75 word challenge. Fortunately it has been going well, but the last thing we want is for more and more challenges introduced that only serve to dilute those that already exist.

To my mind this is exactly the reason that the workshop exists, and I can't see any reason why this and any future exercise in the same vein can't just run simply as that - a writing exercise to hone our skills.

 

[The Holy Drunk]

snip

That's understandable. After all the point should be a fun challenge, not loading the mods with more policing duties.

Which reminds me, we should organise a Christmas Ghost story for December - just an open form challenge to get in a spooky tale/poem of any size before the 25th in the old British tradition of haunted Yuletide fun.

 

[Culhwch]

I've also moved this thread into the Workshop forum, as it isn't an official challenge and is likely just to cause confusion where it is. It was suggested that it be merged with the story thread, but on this occasion we will leave them separate; in the future, however, like any other Workshop exercise there should be simply one thread for both discussion and stories/exercises.

 

[ratsy]

I've also moved this thread into the Workshop forum, as it isn't an official challenge and is likely just to cause confusion where it is. It was suggested that it be merged with the story thread, but on this occasion we will leave them separate; in the future, however, like any other Workshop exercise there should be simply one thread for both discussion and stories/exercises.

Fair enough. I dont want to take anything away from the other challenges.