DISCUSSION -- June 2015 75-word Writing Challenge

[Parson]

I had to look at the calendar. It is only June 2, right? Can so many people fire off a story that's got potential in that short a time? I'm totally bemused. These early stories have really set the bar high.

Chris... That poem is really, really good. ---- I'm suddenly worried. I must be missing something if I think I understand one of Chrispy's poems.

 

[chrispenycate]

Why thank you reverend. I don't make them complicated deliberately - just that I'm a somewhat wordy person and can't write anything in seventy-five words (or fewer). I was amazed when this one came in at less than eighty on the first try, on the first day. The moment I got to seventy five I posted immediately, before I changed my mind and decided to tinker…

But I'm no poet (before somebody decides I need a slap, I do know what a poet is - my sister's one), I'm just working on writing filk songs so I'm thinking in rhythm patterns as I walk, which means I just about have to write these challenges in verse, even if it generally takes me longer.

 

[Bowler1]

Very good point Bowler, there's me leaping to conclusions. Of course I could argue that from what I read there is enough evidence to suggest that it was an alien but a/I might have missed something b/I didn't write it and c/I'm very scared of that large RAYGUN you carry around.

I left it vague mate, it could be either/or.

Bowler1 does a quick draw of a RAY GUN, just to see what affect it has on Perp.

 

[Perpetual Man]

I left it vague mate, it could be either/or.

Bowler1 does a quick draw of a RAY GUN, just to see what affect it has on Perp.

Perp takes one look at the RAY GUN, goes pale and then is gone, quicker than Speedy Gonzales on speed.

 

[Bowler1]

Feeling the accusing eyes of world on my back, I carefully put my RAY GUN away. 'It's ok, I'm sure he'll be back for more reviews,' I say, voice a little shaky and unsure.

ahem... as I slink away.

 

[Starbeast]

Elo,elo and howdy, howdy.

I'm back in the saddle again.

 

[Dan Jones]

Good lad, Beast.

Although when were you ever out of the saddle???

 

[Perpetual Man]

Alc. – In the beginning one small step for man may well turn out to be a greater beginning than originally conceived, for not only is a new universe discovered but a god as well.

SB – The words to half remembered song inexplicably start whirling through my head, as a galactic hero rides into town, with unexpected and possibly embarrassing results.

Hope – You can never trust things to go right when travelling, worse still when you are dropped off in the middle of nowhere, certainly not where you wanted to be. Oh well, there’s always hitchhiking.

 

[Dan Jones]

Afternoon all,

Well I'm in, and upon submission have realised that my attempt is remarkably thematically similar to a couple of entries already in the mixer...

Honest Guv, I weren't copying yer notes!

 

[Perpetual Man]

Be honest now DG, you waited until I had just posted my comments before putting your entry up.

 

[Luiglin]

You should change your name to Perpetual Paranoid Man

 

[Cat's Cradle]

(I'm confident that no one will be desirous of duplicating the theme of my story this month; nor is it likely to happen unintentionally. )

 

[chrispenycate]

It's not to 'get in first' that I posted my entry early - it's to stop me fiddling with it. Verse has a very high potential fiddle factor. Anyone else chooses the same theme as me, fine; I have absolute confidence that mine will remain recogniseable. Mayhap even memorable.

This is, after all, a writing challenge, not a conceptual one. And for some time now, what I have been challenging has been me, not the other writers.

Do you realise that, if we didn't get the regular calm middle period we could, at this rate, end up with a hundred and twenty something submissions. I think of the voting and tremble.

 

[Cat's Cradle]

...at this rate, end up with a hundred and twenty something submissions. I think of the voting and tremble.

I think of poor TJ creating the poll, and tremble! They are not easy or quick to create...I've been meaning, for the longest time, to voice a public "Thank you!" to the moderators--often Ursa, TDZ, TJ & HB--who take the time to work on these challenges each month. I imagine it can be a very time-consuming commitment.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

I have a plan. Hopefully I'll find time to write it!

 

[ratsy]

My mind has been utterly blank on this one. I had a couple of ideas that quickly departed the tiny spot of my brain I use for creativity. I think it's getting smaller...

 

[Perpetual Man]

I've just jotted something down, a vague idea out of nowhere that has morphed into something far to clever for its own good and it's only 60 odd words. Bet it never sees the light of day.

 

[Luiglin]

This is, after all, a writing challenge, not a conceptual one. And for some time now, what I have been challenging has been me, not the other writers.

I feel a need to type "Amen brother... or sister"

 

[chrispenycate]

I think of poor TJ creating the poll, and tremble!

Actually, I'm not sure the poll would accept it. When we changed software it turned out that there was an upper limit on poll entries, and Brian changed the maximum - but not, I suspect, any higher than a hundred.

Not that I suspect the standard tail off will not occur this time.

 

[The Judge]

I think of poor TJ creating the poll, and tremble! They are not easy or quick to create...

Particularly when the wretched things wipe themselves before they can be saved so all the titles and names are lost, which is what happened last month -- just when I got to a certain member's We Crash Soft, Ware... Which it obviously did.


By the way, speaking of the polls, there is a character limit for each line of the poll, and twice now I've been faced with inputting an entry's full title but without the entrant's name, or abbreviating the title and keeping the name, as there wasn't room for both in full. I've chosen the latter course each time, but one of these days I might just get grumpy enough to do it the other way. So if you like long titles, be warned.