Discussion -- March 2015 75-word Writing Challenge

[Bowler1]

No ideas yet, not a bean. When in doubt and in need of inspiration I always like to head down the shooting range and blast away with my very large selection of RAY GUNS. Could be very useful this month, so if anyone is stuck for ideas, come join me, I'll even let you borrow a RAY GUN (and I do mean borrow. Don't ask to keep it, don't even dream of it....).

 

[Alex The G and T]

I very cleverly took a screen grab of Holland's story, opened it in photoshop and flipped it horizontally.

It doesn't help. Maybe a good old fashioned mirror?

 

[Juliana]

Maybe a good old fashioned mirror?

Nope! Tried that...

 

[ratsy]

I'm in! That was unexpected...I guess there was an urgency to it

 

[Perpetual Man]

I'mell I'm up. Now to decide what to do for the rest of the month. Not posted this early in a long time. Comments perhaps.

 

[Culhwch]

I very cleverly took a screen grab of Holland's story, opened it in photoshop and flipped it horizontally.

It doesn't help. Maybe a good old fashioned mirror?

I thought writing the story was supposed to be the challenge, not reading it!!

 

[Perpetual Man]

I very cleverly took a screen grab of Holland's story, opened it in photoshop and flipped it horizontally.

It doesn't help. Maybe a good old fashioned mirror?

Does it help at all if I said I just read it?

 

[Cat's Cradle]

I'mell I'm up. Now to decide what to do for the rest of the month.

Perp, what about joining us at the 100 word challenge, in the Workshop? We'd love to have you! (Forgive me, all, for the shameless plugging of that event!)

 

[ratsy]

yeah Perp, say yes here...then I will highlight you for the next submission so I can have a shot at guessing someone accurately!

 

[Perpetual Man]

Well.. I might consider it, but I was thinking about taking a swing at the A Story in a Teacup thingy, also in the workshop.

Thinks..

Unless I combine the two.*

*Of course that would give the game away.

 

[High Eight]

Comedic space opera? Blimey, there goes the comeback......

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

Ashleyne. B. Watts -- With great imagination, the author takes an ordinary part of human life and makes it seem strange and new.

holland -- The unusual structure of this story reflects (so to speak) its clever plot.

Luiglin -- A vivid writing style adds to the amusement provided by this tale's punchline.

springs -- Concepts from hard SF combine with a touch of the bawdy to make a unique whole.

Juliana -- With dark humor, the author reminds out that the universe is a dangerous place.

willwallace -- This story points how that's it often the simple things that make life worth living.

ratsy -- The author makes use of an apocalyptic vision to show us the difficulties that arise in human relationships.

Perpetual Man -- Through a parody of popular culture, this satiric tales reveals the foolishness of hasty decisions.

 

[Droflet]

I knew there was a herd of comedians waiting to step out of the Chrons closet. Springs, you're bad (in a good way). Still waiting on my story to be approved (or disapproved) by the mods. Yeah, it's one of those stories.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

I knew there was a herd of comedians waiting to step out of the Chrons closet. Springs, you're bad (in a good way). Still waiting on my story to be approved (or disapproved) by the mods. Yeah, it's one of those stories.

Shuffles along the naughty step and shares the popcorn

And thank you lovely Victoria.

 

[Dan Jones]

@Ashleyne. B. Watts - Spaceborn - A kinda comically sinister start to the month's entries; the Midwife is a great invention, in my head it's a sort of cross between Cthulhu and Miranda Hart. I hope Hollywood is reading because I'd like to see it on the screen. I wonder how many babies it can deliver at once?

@holland - In Reverse - Fiendish and flummoxing. I think it works doubly well on a second read through (the first is spent decoding the crafty language) when you try and visualise the events running backwards. Smart, but also manages to squeeze in lots of drama and even pathos into a teeny weeny space.

@Luiglin - Not On Time? It's On Us! - A kind of tragicomic guilty pleasure as we're invited to laugh at the poor Dark Lord's continuing frustrations with the everyday problems of being the Universe's principal antagonist. And who doesn't like the sound of astral anchovies?

 

[Dan Jones]

Telford, I've changed my mind from yesterday. Great category. Every entry so far has been a belter. I fear mine will struggle to maintain such exalted standards but I'll be casting my hat in the ring later.

@springs - Damn Marketing - if there's one thing that translates well wherever you are in the universe, it's a good willy joke, and this one's a sniggering schoolboy's delight. Many's the time I've been caught short on the M4 and wished for something similar in my Mazda...

@Juliana - Haste Makes Waste - This gave me the first real ripsnorter of a laugh. Linus's (Peanuts reference, methinks?) dopey wish to see the world makes for good comedy, but it's the decidedly Blackadderish name of Slaggerfartle the Third and his brilliant quip that seals the deal for me. Yummy!

@willwallace - Needful Things - A cautionary tale for anyone attempting a manned mission to Mars, but the principle remains sound even if you're doing a day trip to Bognor. Funniest line is the penultimate one, showing the foolishness and naivety of the Captain, but the last line shows just how important good planning can be.

@Victoria Silverwolf - The Plague From Earth - delicious, really clever satire. As I was reading through I fully expected Cloyn to be holding an iphone or something, but the Chess payoff is much subtler and subverts our opinion of our own culture. And it's funny!

@ratsy - Dump Me? You're Fired! - classic ex-infighting in a classic space opera setting. This is one sensitive boyfriend you definitely want to leave on good terms with. And did anyone think the act of firing upon the planet with a big gun was a tad, er, phallic? No? Just me, then?

 

[Dan Jones]

@Perpetual Man - Where No Man Wanted To Go Before - the first what I feel will be many excellent Star Trek parodies. Given the corpulent Captain and supersized science engineer, is it any wonder that a few crumbs get sprayed onto the nav equipment? Very Spaceballs

@Tywin - The Hero - Another tale that give me painful memories of the M4 (see my review of Springs, above). I love the idea of the dim pilot, easily bought with a few sugary drinks. Best bit? The names. Commander Zipzod conjured up images of Terence Stamp dressed up in S&M gear for some reason.

@farntfar - Urgency is Changeless (Or How I Learned To Relax And Love The Stereotypes) - ok, first up: GREAT title. The last line was killer, and the, er, whatever it is clearly is about to subject Earth to a fate worse than death. Nicely satirical, too - Earth as an alternative to the public Megaloo (again, great)? Not too far a stretch!

@HareBrain - Undelivered Male - A mind-bending tale that will ring true with husbands and wives everywhere. Excellent last lines, and the considerable cosmic carnage racked up by our henpecked hero (the robot fighting chickens' church picnic? Genius!) is forehead-slappingly funny.

 

[Dan Jones]

OK, I'm in.

 

[Glen]

Ahem, may I please take a moment of your time.

A picture paints a thousand words, and if you're struggling with this 75word limit, you might like to take a break, and gather your thoughts, while participating in this month's Photography competition.

You can find this if you blow the dust of these book-ish writing threads, close them down for a moment, and head on down the forum to the spanking new, neon-lit, Technology threads.

 

[Juliana]

A big thank you to Victoria and DG for the lovely reviews.