Discussion Thread - 100 Word Anon Writing Challenge for December 2014

[Zoe Mackay]

Eek. I'm sorry, farntfar. I got distracted by the theoretical interest, rather than intending any criticism of the frankly exceptional way you've run the challenge.

 

[Kerrybuchanan]

Right, this was hard, really hard.

My shortlist was The Play's The Thing, To Be or Not To Be, Don't Mention the Cat and In Search of Tranquility but my vote went to To Be , or Not To Be.

My guesses are total rubbish, but here goes:

1 - Ashleyne
2 - Chrispy
3 - JL Borstlap
4 - Mosaix
5 - Karn
6 - Remedy
7 - CC
8 - Juliana
9 - Farntfar
10 - willwallace
11 - Springs
12 - Robert Mackay
13 - Victoria
14 - Darkchrome
15 - Ratsy
16 - JohnnyJet
17 - Hex
18 - A. Fare wells
19 - Jastius

 

[farntfar]

Eek. I'm sorry, farntfar. I got distracted by the theoretical interest, rather than intending any criticism of the frankly exceptional way you've run the challenge.

Don't worry Robert. It was actually something I'd thought about myself. My real problem with it last night was that it really came at the eleventh hour and was a bit awkward to throw in.
As it was, I had to use the name of someone whom I had not asked the permission of, because the only people connected at that time were either already in the list or were people who would have stood out too much as inhabitual entrants.
This challenge, being fairly new, and also different from the others is bound to have this sort of question coming up for a few more months yet, I expect.

I was also a bit nervy, because it was past my bedtime.

 

[mosaix]

Well that was hard. I had at least two or three possibles for every story. Anyway here's my attempt:

Forever Ascend - Karn Maeshalanadae
No Words - A. Fare Wells
Fortune’s Fool - Farntfar
Beauty In My Eye - VictoriaSilverwolf
The Play’s The Thing - Robert Mackay
Work’s Wages Won - willwallace
Space Cuckoo - Springs
The Messenger - Darkchrome
In Search Of Tranquillity - Kerrybuchanan
Out Of The Frying Pan - Jastius
Did we really walk on the moon? - Remedy
Band On The Run - J.L.Borstlap
Loving, Labouring…Loosing - Hex
Rise Of A Tyrant - Ashleyne. B. Watts
To Be, or Not To Be - Cat's Cradle
Abiogenesis and The Redemption Of The Lost - Chrispenycate
Choice Words - Juliana
Opposite Worlds Attract - ratsy
Don’t Mention The Cat - johnnyjet

My vote went to The Play's The Thing.

 

[willwallace]

Eek. I'm sorry, farntfar. I got distracted by the theoretical interest, rather than intending any criticism of the frankly exceptional way you've run the challenge.

Same here, didn't mean anything more than trying to analyze the situation, not criticize your most excellent handling of the challenge.

 

[farntfar]

yeah yeah. Enough grovelling, guys. My feelings are not hurt.
It was a perfectly legitimate question, and should be considered properly for the next one.
The extra name seems to be working fine for this one.

If you really want to apologise just vote for my story, if you can work out which one it is.

 

[johnnyjet]

My favorites: Beauty in My Eye, Work's Wages Won, The Play's the Thing, Out of the Frying Pan … and In Search of Tranquility. My vote, after much rumination, went to The Play's the Thing.

My (wild!) guesses:

1. Beauty in My Eye - Ashleyne. B. Watts
2. Band On the Run - Kerrybuchanon
3. Space Cuckoo - Mosaix
4. Loving, Labouring … Losing - Hex
5. Work's Wages Won - Victoria Silverwolf
6. The Play's the Thing - Cat's Cradle
7. To Be, Or Not to Be - Springs
8. Out of the Frying Pan … - ratsy
9. Abiogenesis and the Redemption of the Lost - Chrispenycate
10. Choice Words - Juliana
11. No Words - Farntfar
12. Did We Really Walk on the Moon? - J.L.Borstlap
13. Forever Ascend - Karn Maeshalanadae
14. Opposite Worlds Attract - Remedy
15. The Messenger - Darkchrome
16. Rise of a Tyrant - A. Fare Wells
17. Don't Mention the Cat - Jastius
18. Fortune's Fool - willwallace
19. In Search of Tranquility - Robert Mackay

I started out trying to logically relate styles to writers; however, that quickly deteriorated!

 

[Hex]

I have no idea. I thought I'd guessed a couple and then I got completely confused and random. However, here are my guesses:


1. Beauty in My Eye - Ashleyne. B. Watts
2. Band On the Run - A Farewells
3. Space Cuckoo - DarkChrome
4. Loving, Labouring … Losing - Farntfar
5. Work's Wages Won - Kerry Buchanan
6. The Play's the Thing - Cat's Cradle
7. To Be, Or Not to Be - mosaix
8. Out of the Frying Pan … - springs
9. Abiogenesis and the Redemption of the Lost - Remedy
10. Choice Words - JL Borslap
11. No Words - willwallace
12. Did We Really Walk on the Moon? - Chrispy
13. Forever Ascend -Ratsy
14. Opposite Worlds Attract - johnnyjet
15. The Messenger - Victoria
16. Rise of a Tyrant - Karn Maeshalanadae
17. Don't Mention the Cat - Robert MacKay
18. Fortune's Fool - Jastius
19. In Search of Tranquility - Juliana

I haven't decided between the stories on my short list yet. Among the ones I really liked: Work's Wages Won, To Be, Or Not to Be, Out of the Frying Pan, Space Cuckoo, Don't Mention the Cat and In Search of Tranquility, but there are so many great entries it's hard to decide.

Update: after a savage struggle between Don't Mention the Cat, Space Cuckoo and In Search of Tranquility, my vote went to: In Search of Tranquility. Beautifully done, whoever you are.

 

[Juliana]

I went with Space Cuckoo... Runners-up: To Be, or Not To Be and Don't Mention the Cat


Now for my awful guesses, probably all wrong:

Karn Maeshalanadae – Opposite Worlds Attract

A. Fare Wells - Abiogenesis

Farntfar – Loving, Labouring… Losing

Mosaix – The Messenger

VictoriaSilverwolf – Work’s Wages Won

Robert Mackay - In Search of Tranquility

Willwallace – Forever Ascend

Springs – Space Cuckoo

Darkchrome – No Words

Kerrybuchanon – Out of the Frying Pan

Jastius – Band on the Run

Remedy – The Play’s the Thing

J.L.Borstlap– Choice Words

Hex – To Be, or Not To Be

Ashleyne. B. Watts

Cat's Cradle – Fortune’s Fool

Chrispenycate – Did we really walk on the moon?

Ratsy – Rise of a Tyrant

Johnnyjet – Don’t mention the cat

 

[willwallace]

Total guesswork but here goes-

Karn Maeshalanadae - The Messenger
A. Fare Wells - To Be, or Not To Be
Farntfar - Did We Really Walk On The Moon?
Mosaix - Band On The Run
VictoriaSilverwolf - Works Wages Done
Robert Mackay - Don't Mention The Cat
Springs - Beauty In My Eye
Darkchrome - No Words
Kerrybuchanon - Choice Words
Jastius - Loving, Labouring...Losing
Remedy - Space Cuckoo
J.L.Borstlap - Abiogenisis and the Redemption of The Lost
Hex - Fortune's Fool
Ashleyne. B. Watts - Out Of The Frying Pan
Cat's Cradle - In Search of Tranquility
Chrispenycate - Opposite Worlds Attract
Juliana - The Play's The Thing
ratsy - Rise of a Tyrant
johnnyjet - Forever Ascend

My three favorites are Work's Wages Done, Space Cuckoo, and The Play's The Thing. Have to choose only one, unfortunately, so I decided on Work's Wages Done.

 

[Cat's Cradle]

Wow..I re-read the stories 3 times just now, and finally am ready to list, and vote. Such a good bunch of diverse, interesting stories--well done to all who entered.

Shortlist:
To Be, or Not To Be
Forever Ascend
Don't Mention the Cat

Finalists:
Work's Wage's Won...loved the sensory details here...so easy to imagine I was experiencing this sculpture's power. Love the use of language.

The Play's the Thing...very touching, truly effective; the story elicits an amazing amount of emotional response in 100 words.

I honestly could not decide! I asked my wife to help, and I read her the two stories; we discussed, and decided they were both tremendously effective. I think we both decided that--by the narrowest margin--The Play's the Thing should receive my vote, mainly because we both would want to hear more of this story, and of this world.

I'll be back with my guesses soon! I've taken notes, and am about 1/3 of the way ready to put up my list.

 

[TheDustyZebra]

Err...I had assumed that midnight on the 15th of December meant midnight at the end of the 15th, not midnight at the start of the 15th, so I have now missed the first Challenge ever (not counting SSes, of course). I am ashamed. I shall go and stand in the corner.

 

[ratsy]

I feel overwhelmed at trying to guess...is that strange? I read them and have no idea...I can hardly recognize my own

Dusty! you missed out? that's what you get for being a last-day-poster (is that one word)?

 

[Cat's Cradle]

Guesses (wild guesses):

Beauty In.. Remedy
BAND ON.. farntfar
SPACE CUCKOO.. willwallace
Loving, Labouring.. ratsy
Work's Wage's.. springs
The Play's.. Victoria
To Be.. Kerry
OUT OF.. Karn
Abiogenesis and.. mosaix
Choice Words.. juliana
No Words.. jastius
Did we.. Chrispenycate
Forever Ascend.. darkchrome
Opposite Worlds.. Ashleyne
The Messenger.. A. Fare Well
Rise of.. J.L. Borstlap
Don't Mention.. Hex
Fortune's Fool.. johnnyjet
In Search.. Robert Mackay

One of these stories I would have sworn was by Dusty (but I know she wasn't able to enter; miss Dusty!).

 

[Juliana]

Err...I had assumed that midnight on the 15th of December meant midnight at the end of the 15th, not midnight at the start of the 15th, so I have now missed the first Challenge ever (not counting SSes, of course). I am ashamed. I shall go and stand in the corner.

Naughty Zebra...

And, like CC, there was one I could have sworn was yours!

 

[farntfar]

Err...I had assumed that midnight on the 15th of December meant midnight at the end of the 15th, not midnight at the start of the 15th, so I have now missed the first Challenge ever (not counting SSes, of course). I am ashamed. I shall go and stand in the corner.

Dusty. I do apologise. You're quite right that my post at the beginning of the challenge was not very clear on that point. Was it midnight at the beginning or the end of the 15th?
In my defence, I think I made a number of comments in this thread which cleared that up, including four days of countdown, but it wasn't clear from the start.
Just assume that if you'd been allowed to enter you would have certainly won.

 

[TheDustyZebra]

Just assume that if you'd been allowed to enter you would have certainly won.

Well, of course. I just thought I'd give someone else a chance, you know, someone like, say, Robert, who doesn't win much....

No worries -- it'll (maybe) teach me not to wait till the last second!

 

[farntfar]

Dusty. Just to make sure you understand:
When I opened the thread i said

Entries must be PMed to me before 24:00 (GMT) on the 15th of December to be entered.

This clearly meant the midnight that began the 15th.

I also said

The poll will then be created for voting, which will close at 24:00(GMT)on the 19th.

And again, quite obviously this is the midnight that ends the 19th.

The wording is entirely diff... erm the same, do you see?

 

[Karn Maeshalanadae]

I have to read through them and then make guesses. I think I'll do that tomorrow, though, time depending. After all, The Hobbit is out tomorrow...

 

[Kerrybuchanan]

Loving this challenge - all our guesses are so different. Not saying if I have any votes or mentions but every time a new post appears I look forward to seeing which story has been linked to my name.

Well done Farntfar. You're doing a great job stepping into the pointy - toed shoes of Springs and Mosaix.