Discussion -- March 2015 75-word Writing Challenge

[TheDustyZebra]

Juliana -- Haste Makes Waste
willwallace -- Needful Things
ratsy -- Dump Me? You're Fired!
Perp -- Where No Man Wanted to Go Before
HB -- Undelivered Male
CC -- First Contact -- Why You Laughter?
Mr Orange -- Fate of the ESS Vortludo
Boneman -- Annoying Hal-ucination
alchemist -- The Penultimate Countdown
KerryBuchanan -- Sparrowhawk Down
Remedy -- Making the Best of a Bad Job
martin321 -- Staying Alive After a Rush Job?
mosaix -- Set Phasers to Stunning
*Phyrebrat -- Don't Save the Cat*
Cul -- Never Get Caught...

 

[Cat's Cradle]

You're welcome, telford! I really dug your story.
Thank you!!! for the listing, Dusty. How nice!
And Sancho, a vote! It is greatly appreciated, and is such a wonderful way to offset the disappointment of a miserably rainy, windy and cold Saturday morning. Thank you! CC

 

[Ashleyne]

My two runners up were Haste Makes Waste by Juliana and First Contact--Why You Laughter? by CC

I voted for Moon Jumping -by Serendipity

 

[Cat's Cradle]

Thanks for the listing, Ashleyne!

 

[Anne Martin]

Well, after discounting all the toilet humor and fanfiction, that left me with Pluton Thong 2 – Green Girl’s Revenge -- WinterLight as my winner. After getting smacked down for confirming someone's guess on an insignificant external reference, I was disappointed to see how many stories got through using Star Trek, Star Wars, and others (however thinly veiled) to provide instant backstory. Use your own characters, folks!

 

[Perpetual Man]

Thanks for the shortlistings Sancho and TDZ!

 

[Hex]

Hey Anne, sorry you felt smacked down. We don't remove references lightly, but we were applying the rules of the 75 word challenge.

If it's clear from the story (as the entertaining pastiches of things like Star Trek were) and contained within the 75 words, then that's all good. What we discourage is people explaining their own stories in the discussion thread. I'm sure you can see why -- there's no word limit here.

I know when one sees speculation about one's story on the thread it is difficult not to respond! Of course, as soon as voting is finished, you're free to explain as fully as you like.

Hope that clarifies things.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Well, after discounting all the toilet humor and fanfiction, that left me with Pluton Thong 2 – Green Girl’s Revenge -- WinterLight as my winner. After getting smacked down for confirming someone's guess on an insignificant external reference, I was disappointed to see how many stories got through using Star Trek, Star Wars, and others (however thinly veiled) to provide instant backstory. Use your own characters, folks!

Eh? It's a sff forum - references to genre are used throughout the genre, especially in spoofs (Spaceballs, anyone.) In fact, in-jokes are part of the genre of comedy space opera. I could argue anyone who didn't choose to send up the genre missed the theme...

And I've been nudged before for saying a little too much. It's easy to do, but it does take away from the challenge of getting our whole story into 75 words. It can be tempting when someone likes our entry, to want to share more - but now is the time to do it, and it would be interesting to know more.

 

[Hex]

It can be tempting when someone likes our entry, to want to share more - but now is the time to do it, and it would be interesting to know more.

*cough* voting *cough* *cough*

 

[Jo Zebedee]

*cough* voting *cough* *cough*

Ooops. that's what happens when you're a backrunner and forget there's still something to play for.

 

[Hex]

Quite. I really fancy my chances this month.

 

[Boneman]

I did vote! The story grabbed me, and I'm not sure why... but I kept thinking about it afterwards, so it was worthy of the vote! Thanks for all the mentions of my scatological output...(!)

 

[martin321]

Here's my longlist, shortlist and *vote*:

springs - DAMN MARKETING
Juliana - Haste Makes Waste
Mr Orange - Fate of the ESS Vortludo
alchemist - The Penultimate Countdown
Grimward - Trystest
johnnyjet - The Epic Adventures of Art and Cal
*mosaix* - Set Phasers To Stunning
David Doherty-Jebb - The Next Window

 

[jastius]

(Had the flu for two days..). but anyways..

I voted..... I had a list.. People were on it. They did good..

(Goes back to having the flu)

 

[ratsy]

Thanks for the mention TDZ

I voted for CC's funny take on the challenge!

Shout out to Alc, Boneman, Perp, and Telford for making me laugh a little more than the rest

 

[Cat's Cradle]

Wow, thank you ratsy, that's amazing!

 

[Grimward]

Honored that mine's on your list, Martin; thank you!

And thank you also to whomever voted for mine (can't tell from the backreads, even though I read them twice...sorry if I'm being an Obliviot!) ; you just made my day!

 

[crystal haven]

My favourites this month are:
In Reverse – Holland
Haste Makes Waste – Juliana
First Contact – Why You Laughter? - Cat's Cradle
Never Get Caught in a Monologue You Could Have Avoided – Culhwch
But one story kept making me laugh, even after reading it lots of times. My vote goes to:
The Penultimate Countdown – Alchemist

 

[Anne Martin]

My point was that while I confirmed a guess on a very obscure reference that had no bearing on the story, others "pastiche" the existing sci-fi canon at will, and that provides a load of backstory and characterization not otherwise possible in a 75-word entry. And Hex, forgive me, but that wasn't strictly in the posted rules, as Boneman kindly agreed when I replied to his message. I checked the rules before I provided that confirmation. He said that he would make sure it was added, but last time I looked, it hadn't been. In the past, when I've seen speculation or misinterpretation of my entries, I remained silent, but this was about as trivial as it comes.

I will continue to vote for only those stories that use their own characters (unless the theme suggests otherwise, like at Christmas), and as I have said before, I will vote for the entries that best reflect the theme and genre (not just my favorite story). Otherwise, why specify the theme and genre in the first place?

Hey Anne, sorry you felt smacked down. We don't remove references lightly, but we were applying the rules of the 75 word challenge.

If it's clear from the story (as the entertaining pastiches of things like Star Trek were) and contained within the 75 words, then that's all good. What we discourage is people explaining their own stories in the discussion thread. I'm sure you can see why -- there's no word limit here.

I know when one sees speculation about one's story on the thread it is difficult not to respond! Of course, as soon as voting is finished, you're free to explain as fully as you like.

Hope that clarifies things.

 

[willwallace]

Thanks for the mention, TheDustyZebra.