Do We Want to Have Another Sekrit Story Exchange for August 2015?

Victoria Silverwolf

Victoria Silverwolf

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I just happened to notice that the last Sekrit Story exchange was several months ago. I was wondering if this would be a good time to start thinking about another one. I realize that it's a good thing to avoid having it come at the same time as the 300 word writing challenge (next ones coming up in July and October, I believe.) I also realize that it should avoid National Novel Writing Month (November.)

Would this be a good time to start planning the next one?

Just as a place to start, should we request that all requests for stories be sent in by August 1, and all stories submitted by October 1?

That's just tentative, and I am welcome to suggestions.

Unless somebody else is eager to be the one who sends out assignments and sends out stories, I would be willing to do it again.

All comments welcome.
 
I've not done one before - I was too late to the party at Christmas - but it sounds like fun, and would be up for doing one in August, and should have the time to do so - although shouldn't it be called Sekrit Summer?
 
I volunteer as tribute!

Uh. Wait. I mean I'm up for this - I enjoyed it last time.
 
I'll be around - I've still got a couple of stories kicking around from last time, should anyone choose a similar theme (though I probably won't use them - I'm enjoying this writing stuff). Just need to flick through the collection of ideas I've not had the time, or determination to write myself, and choose one to be requested elsewhere… (not that I'll gain any time - I invariably prepare several reserve stories).
 
Everyone who wants to take part posts what kind of story they'd like, then the organiser assigns recipients to givers (secretly!) and the giver writes a story, sends it to the organiser, who sends it on to the recipient.

Excerpts are then posted to a guessing thread, and we fail miserably at guessing who wrote what. Some people then share their full stories, but it's up to them.
 
There's no limit on words, giving you leave to stretch out, unlike the challenges - oh, not a hundred thousand words, or anything silly, ten thousand would be over the top, but space enough, and you choose how to use it. And it's interesting writing for one specific person, rather than general document. Different from all the other challenges, that's for certain.
 
Hi Victoria, I think it's a good idea to run another one as the SS is so different from the 75 and 300.

I'm a tentative yes, but - okay, miserable phyrebrat time - if the story requests are absurd, then I'm afraid I'll drop out. I ran the last one and was pleased not to be participating due to some of the requests.

For those who are new and are interested, Chrispencate & I made a few tentative guidelines last time as follows;

  • There is a sign-up thread for interested parties, with a deadline .
  • You request a story that you would like to receive. This can be as general as 'I'd like a space opera' or as obscure as 'I'd like a story featuring herbs, particularly hemlock and lemon verbena, an MC who lost his or her little finger in the Boer War, and is trying to move a stone circle from Ireland to Africa...'
  • The Admin of the challenge will then allocate your request to another entrant who will write it anonymously.
  • You then have until the deadline (normally around 6-8 weeks from close of sign-up) to write for your recipient.
  • There is no word limit as such, but aiming for 1k-10k words would seem reasonable.
  • Whilst the pieces do not appear in their entirety on the forum, and so writing standards are a little more relaxed it is polite to assure that at least an excerpt worth be family friendly, with no determined pornography, excessive delectation in torture or unacceptable language. If the full length version is to be attached, this holds for the submission as a whole

  • When you've finished your story, you send it to the admin (in this case Victoria) and they will pass it on to your recipient so they do not know who wrote it.
  • When all stories have been submitted, the Admin will post excerpts in a guessing thread and we will try and guess who wrote which one - it is a fun exercise identifying chron members' voices in their writing.
  • After a week or so of guessing, Admin reveals who wrote which story.
  • After the revelation of the authors, there can be a decision by the persons involved - (s)he by whom and (s)he for whom the piece has been written (I believe passive is tolerable here) and the full length text can be attached.
  • Jo then pays to take us to Barbados for a week in the sun to recover.
  • We recover.


AOB:
Since it's pretty well certain somebody's going to be running late if any of the themes inspires you, write a spare piece, after having submitted your requested one. Certainly, this could result in someone getting two interpretations, but this is more pleasant than none at all.

However early you write even if you start as soon as the subjects are requested, before they are handed out, Jo is going to get in first. This doesn't seem to be a rule of the game, just a law of nature. I think there is a sort of committee meeting deciding whose job it is to run really late (with excuses) and drive the admin nutser (must already be nutsish, or wouldn't have volunteered)

pH (with material by Chrispy)
 
I won't be able to write one in August more than likely. My current SCMA module is like torture...I mean if hell doesn't have formulas for interdependent standard deviation of Lead time with demand and length calculations I think I would almost rather be there...(knock on wood...this is not really true *** :devilish:) But I will keep an eye on this thread just in case I change my mind...which I probably may or won't do. ***see that? Probably may or won't do???? What does that mean :ninja:

but if you are new and eager, do this! @marmalade The very first Sekrit Santa had me write my very first Short Story ever and now I am blessed to have written a lot of them and even have sold a handful of them!:eek:
 
Phyrebrat fails to mention, for some odd reason, that when you write something that cries out to be published, the ninja chicken will either hand it off to our resident publisher and get it into an anthology or hound you till your dying day to finish it, if it happens to be an unfinished book. His memory seems to be slipping, perhaps because of all the cudgeling about the head.
 
narf7.jpg


(and ssshhhhhh - I owe Springs a completed story - luckily she's left Chrons ;) )
 
Chrispy is still around, but fortunately he doesn't remind me of the one I owe him from the last one I participated in. Whew!
 
And I never finished my story for Victoria last time...hhhmmmm there is a trend. At least I'm not the only one!
 
There are always folks who are unable to participate due to situations in real life. That's not a problem. As long as the intent is there, it's all good. Excerpts of a work in progress are fine, too.

There seems to be more or less of a consensus that August and September are good months for writing, so I'll go with that.

I'll start another thread for requests.
 
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