Discussion Thread - SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE March 2013

[Bob Senior]

Hey Parson,
I know the feeling well, but we know it was not our fault, as if that helps.
Bob

 

[TheDustyZebra]

Thanks, mosaix, and also to reiver33, for the votes! I'm in shock that my frantic last-minute silliness is meriting any mentions, much less votes!

I'm glad I didn't put off posting it till today, because I couldn't get on the site from the tournament location -- the school's wifi wouldn't allow me to access Chrons with the iPad, and my phone didn't get enough signal to change pages and kept timing out. It was a tragedy of epic proportions.

Of course, I thought of two better titles this morning, but it was too late.

After all the tournament-ing today, I need at least one and possibly two drinks before I attempt to read all the stories and vote. Did anyone send me a brandy rook this month?

 

[Starbeast]

Thank YOU! It's very nice to know that people appreciate it. One of my favourite things about this contest is reading the comments about my writing, so I figured if I really enjoyed it, then chances are others do too.

Makes sense to me. That's why I began to review too.

Perpetual Man, Alcubierre Warp, Victoria Silverwolf and Starbeast.

Thanks so much for taking the time to comment on my story! And everyone elses too for that matter - I enjoy reading all your pleasing insights. Your (super)powers of perception are being put to good use!

You are very welcomed AJB. I like reading the others comments too.

Grr! When did Chrons come back up! I've had my story ready for 3 days but I couldn't log on. I think I'm going to go somewhere and sulk.

Oh no! I was wondering what happened to you, I thought you were on vacation or something. You were missed my friend.



Anne Martin - Some very heavy drama you have created, very intense and powerful story of a relationship. Yes, love can be beautiful, beastly, and sometimes both. Very nice work.

TheDustyZebra - I really liked how you wrote your tale using a teenage dialect, I coulld picture this youngster in my mind. Like, she was, all freaky cool, and I was like, you go girl.

Hopewrites - Excellent ballad, I sang it like Nat King Cole would sing his immortal song, Unforgetable. You definately made me smile while I sang it, then it was stuck in my head today.

Ursa Major - Whoa. This was a nice surprise, an advertisement for rat extermination. I like your characters Meg and Lily, I wouldn't mind reading about them in another story.

The Judge - Quite a unique tale you've written, with a very nice touch at the last line. The people may live their lives believing in Janus, but people will still choose what to do with their lives.

Bob Senior - Great superhero story, gritty and superbly humorous! I chuckled at the last line, I enjoyed that zinger! I'm so glad you got your story in on time, it's Marvel-ously cool.

 

[Glen]

There seems to be a lot of commonality in the approach to this month’s theme, including my own story: ambiguity about the hero and villain.

I felt like some of the stories didn’t nail the genre. That’s a big call for me because I probably wouldn’t know a contemporary fantasy novel if I tripped over one. (I imagine you could trip over one, I don’t imagine they’d be pocket sized books).

My favourites were:

• Luiglin – great 75 word story, a lot happening…while not much happens.
• Victoria Silverwolf – great language. Who is she?
• BigJ – I liked this exchange, even if I didn’t fully understand it.
• Springs – ah, the evocation of the cause’y. The peace and fascination of that natural bowl the brentre, the camel, the giant’s organ, fishing for mackerel off the rocks of the honeycomb, climbing through the summer sun along the wildflowers and grass of the red braze, the chimney-pots, looking out over the Atlantic not knowing then that these were going to be some of the most powerful memories of my life. I remember going back and not being able to get in without walking through a hideous National Trust gift-shop. Argh! Pah!
• Glisterspeck – Punchy, clear writing.
  David Evil Overlord – Not certain I like this one (geddit?). Haha. Heisenberg as hero.
• Chrispenycate – perfect evocation of theme I thought, a cop grumbling about demi-gods. [got my vote]
• Reiver33 – excellent characters for just 75 words.
• AJB – never ending story

PS – thanks Glisterspeck for the vote!

 

[Abernovo]

Thanks for the vote, Victoria, and those kind words,

Off to start reading them all again.

 

[hopewrites]

headache is back so I cant read tonight.

Thanks for the kind words, *stifles an evil laugh that people are singing her inspiration according to plan* I'm glad that my melody has come off so well.

 

[Luiglin]

[*]Luiglin – great 75 word story, a lot happening…while not much happens.

Thanks for the mention ... that perfectly sums up the life of a cat.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Thanks for the shortlist, Glen.
I went for Lenny's, which made me smile, and had Starbeast as a close runner up! I thought it was a hard month/ combination and everyone dd really well!

 

[Hex]

My short list:

kromanjon
springs
glitterspeck
DEO
Dead Seed
Stormcrow


My super-short list:


Barlennan

Reiver

Brev


I struggled with this. I loved those three stories (and I loved the rest, too), but in the end it was Brev's great writing and clever take on the hero/ villain theme that got my vote.

 

[reiver33]

I don't usually comment on the challenges but felt TDZ was worthy of special mention!

My tale came out of an old Chrons thread regarding superheros with naff powers - in Diamanti's case he has the ability to see through solid glass. For this challenge I thought who better to be his arch nemesis than the proverbial evil twin, with a faux Prussian persona (shaven head, dueling scar, monocle, unconvincing German accent).

I think the Chrons characters on show could easily rival the 'Mystery Men'!

 

[Boneman]

Grr! When did Chrons come back up! I've had my story ready for 3 days but I couldn't log on. I think I'm going to go somewhere and sulk.

Dang! I missed it too, but entirely my own fault... kept thinking 'I've got a week/5days/3days/tomorrow' and then got totally wrapped up trying to finish an edit, only realised today... doh!

Note to self: remember to vote.

 

[Juliana]

Voting time already! Where on earth has time gone?? And lots of lovely new entries I haven't read yet... *puts on reading specs and prepares to get busy*

Boneman and Parson But do post your entries somewhere else so we can see?

 

[Talysia]

Loads of great entries this month, which made voting very difficult! After going through all of the entries, I've narrowed my list down to these:

Luiglin
Hex
ratsy
mosaix
Perpetual Man
TacticalLoco
Ursa

And my top three were Cul, Lenny and TDZ, with my vote going to Lenny. Well done everyone!

 

[Lenny]

Wow. This is an unexpectedly nice surprise to wake up to. I'm not still asleep, am I?

Thank you very much for the votes, springs and Talysia!

If you'll excuse me, I'm going to skip around the house as I hoover, then come back and cast my vote.

 

[Azzagorn]

Giltch - Reflection, good idea how many of us have stood inthe mirror and done something like that. (Be honest.)
Juliana - Thin Line, I really liked the idea of the kidstrying to get out of trouble.
Paranoid Marvin- Hero at Large, Brilliant poem liked theending very much.
Nixie – Different Perspectives, Short and sweet, I liked theidea and it kind of reminded of GoT.
Culwch – Light and Dark, Nice ending that made me want more.
TDZ- Impossible Relationships, Hahaha! Brilliant!
Bob Senior – A Few Bucks More, Showing us that not allheroes have cast iron morals.

Top 3

Nixie – Different Perspectives
TDZ – Impossible Relationships
Bob Senior – A Few Bucks More


Winner and Vote getter:
TDZ for Impossible Relationships
Great entries this month guys and girls really enjoyed all of the stories.

 

[Christopher Lee]

The stories this month were top notch, guys. It was difficult to pick just one, but I believe I've done it. My list of top picks:

David Evil Overlord
hopewrites
Ursa Major
Victoria Silverwolf
Lenny
Paranoid Marvin

It came down to Paranoid Marvin and hopewrites. The two poems just stole the show for me this month. But ultimately, I had to go with hopewrites.

 

[TacticalLoco]

Not only are all these entries worth a vote, many other ones are as well.
But this month I tried to go for stories that either expressed both hero and villain equally or were genuinely funny.
Humor is the hardest thing to write in my world.

Short list favs:
Luiglin - I loved the voice. A wonderful story two opponents and their unusual duel.
Gilitch - A nice 'reflection' on the two sides everyone conceals. The last line adds a whole new dimension.
Juliana - You show us how all heroes are created out of necessity.
David Evil Overlord - Absolutely wonderful plays on words. Loved it from first to last.
reiver33 - Cain and Abel, the oldest hero/villain combo in the world. A classic, told excellently. The last line, perfect.
Brev - The chaos just soaks thru this one. Was the driver mad? A reality saving paladin? Cthulhu would proud. (Or dead. )
J Riff - Hilarious! Even with superpowers she still has to deal with the realities of ordinary life. Literally LOL.
TheDustyZebra - OMG! This so totally what would happen if you showed up with her lost shoe today. LOL repeat!
The Judge - We are on the same page here. Great job balancing human nature.


This was really tough. Really tough. In the end I'm going with David Evil Overlord because it was an actual,
extremely well written story with character development and a plot arc. Not to mention humor as well.

Thanks and congrats to everyone on chrons for another superb month of reading and thinking.

 

[nixie]

Thank you Azzagorn

 

[AJB]

I really enjoyed reading all the stories. Here was my shorter short list:

Kromanjon
BigJ
Brev
TheDustyZebra
The Judge

Brev received my vote. I thought this story really captured the shock and action of the scene very effectively and vividly, while leaving the reader pondering on the often instinctive villainous nature of humankind.

P.s. thanks for the short listing Glen!

 

[Brev]

I've been at work all day in the cold. There's no snow where I am, but that winter wind! It cuts through you like a claymore wielding berserker. By the time I got home my extremities were a frozen memory.
I had to use my elbows to log into the Crons, because I couldn't feel my fingers...and lo, two votes!! And some lovely words from TL.
Well, I'm all warm and fluffy now. Thanks.