DISCUSSION -- October 2014 300-word Writing Challenge (#15)

[Ursa major]

The 300-worder is up. As always with the longer form, entries can be posted from the 10th of October, but that doesn't mean no-one can talk about the challenge.

And as ever, the image is only there to provide inspiration; your story does not have to reference it, even indirectly.

 

[mosaix]

Wow! That's going to take some thought.

 

[Karn Maeshalanadae]

Actually, this is the very thing I like. A wonderful medieval fantasy feel and I expect a good array of quality stories from this one.

No chicken-ducks allowed.

 

[The Judge]

Some of you may recognise the style if not the image itself, since ratsy had a link to his sister-in-law's website in the art forum the other month. I'd like to thank ratsy for acting as my go-between with Laura so we could get her permission to use her wonderful artwork.

By the way, some of us in the Staff Room were a little concerned that this is such a fairy tale/fantasy image we would have nothing but fairy tale/fantasy stories, which is great for those of us who love writing and reading them, but perhaps a bit more constraining for those who prefer SF. So remember that the artwork, as Ursa has said, is for inspiration -- you don't have to attempt to explain the image. And, indeed, it may well be those who can go off at an angle may attract more interest when it comes to voting.

Good luck everyone!

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Well I've already had a couple of sci fi ideas from it, and a few fantasy. Not sure which I'll go for, but both are there, I think.

Lovely picture; talented sister!

 

[Juliana]

Beautiful pic, I absolutely love it. My kids had fun at breakfast coming up with ideas...

 

[Cat's Cradle]

It is indeed a beautiful picture! Ratsy, Laura is really gifted!

I have a thought, and it takes this in a really unusual direction, so that has to be good, I think!

 

[ratsy]

This will be a fun month I think. There truly are a lot of way you can go with a picture like this and I have a few ideas brewing already. I wish I could take credit for any of Laura's skills but I unfortunately cannot. I suppose I do have to write an extra good story this month since I'm hoping she will read the entries.

Best of luck everyone!

 

[Juliana]

I've got a rough draft of something, appropriately Octoberish. Not sure if I'll use it though. If the sun's shining tomorrow I might write something a bit more cheerful!

 

[Bowler1]

Great picture and already fits an idea I've had so I will be in this time. Making my old idea fit 300 words may well be a different matter!

Why can't we have a picture of a RAY GUN?

 

[The Judge]

Take us a photo of your RAY GUN and we'll see what we can do. (Shades of a Daily Mirror entrapment operation here...)

 

[Bowler1]

Footsteps run innocently into the distance, with happy giggles and laughter. 'But I have millions to choose from,' says Bowler1, all breathless and eager. 'How long do I have to pick one picture?'

http://3oneseven.com/ray-guns/

These were to hand (there's always at least one to hand, but say no more!).

 

[alchemist]

And #300wordchallenge is back on Twitter...

(tried to embed the tweet but failed )

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Are the mods aware the picture can't be seen unless someone is signed in? It's just, it's not likely to pull new people into the site if we go all hooded claw about these things? Just a thought.

 

[Karn Maeshalanadae]

That is one thing. That picture was absolutely awesome.


It's definitely good enough to inspire something within my fantasy-trained brain, but, fleshing it out will indeed probably take the full 1.5 weeks of down time. Basic idea is already in...

 

[TheDustyZebra]

Are the mods aware the picture can't be seen unless someone is signed in? It's just, it's not likely to pull new people into the site if we go all hooded claw about these things? Just a thought.

Err, probably not, because we're generally logged in? Speaking for myself, of course.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

Same here; I'm almost always logged in. I don't think anyone did anything to make the picture invisible to people who aren't signed in. Perhaps it's something with the new software and applies to all pictures and attachments. Maybe someone could check the Photo Challenge and see if the pictures show up when not logged in.

 

[Starbeast]

Quite a striking picture. Like something out of a fairy tale book. This is going to require the use of my gasoline powered thinking cap. It's a 1970's pull-start model.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

It seems in my entirely unscientific explorations of the photo thread thst it depends how the image was linked. If done internally eg from the chrons image gallery you need to b signed in to view, if externally eg through photobucket or image upload it can be viewed externally.

 

[Ursa major]

The images in other challenges are also not being shown to those not logged in, which is not what used to happen with the old software. (Yes, I logged out to check! ) The exception is Challenge#14, where the picture was linked in a different way, not using the Image function (which is accessed by clicking on the button immediately to the right of the Smiley button).

While we can fix this month's image easily enough, I'd rather the issue itself was sorted out properly than having to go back through all those previous challenges (not to mention all the other images posted here using the Image function) fixing them one by one.


EDIT: The image should now be visible to all. (Someone else will have to check: I'm not going to log out twice in one day...!)