Discussion thread -- October 2015 75-word Writing Challenge

[Ursa major]

Many thanks for the (stealth) vote, StilLearning.

 

[Droflet]

Wow, an honorable mention from Kerry just made my day.

 

[Dan Jones]

Thank you TheStealthyZebra, for your vote. Only a few more and I'll be able to create my own Ministry of Language and Linguistics - then you'll see! Then you'll all see! BAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

 

[HareBrain]

Whoo, look at me getting in my vote with hours left to go!

Lots of good entries this month, so my shortlist is longer than usual (but I've still left off many that I enjoyed).

The ones I picked, which encompass a wide range of interesting and quirky ideas, were by:

Ashleyne B Watts
Kerrybuchanan
Hex
DG Jones
Robert Mackay
Phyrebrat
TitaniumTi
StilLearning

It was a tough choice, but in the end I went with Hex's entry, because it's beautifully done and its poignancy didn't diminish over several readings.

While I'm here, thanks hugely to @Robert Mackay, @Mr Orange and stealth-voter @Travis Woodward for voting for mine, and to everyone who listed it.

 

[farntfar]

Great stories again everyone!

Special mentions to
Luiglin, Littlestar,Ashleyne, Cat's, Juliana, Kerry, Mr Orange, Ratsy, Jo, TDZ, The Judge and Ursa.

But my vote goes to DG Jones. The Ministry of Language and Linguistics.
What an appaling fate to suffer, having words stripped away from you one by one. And only for tax.

 

[Dan Jones]

Thank you for the mention, O Harey One, and an even bigger thank you to Farntfar for the vote!

 

[Hex]

woaw. Thanks, HB

 

[A. Fare Wells]

Mentions:
Ashleyne B. Watts' "The Helpful Earthling" -- a charming tale of puppy-love.
Bowler1's "Love at First Smell" -- divine flatulence.
Ratsy's "Fathers will be Fathers" -- there's no doubt of the message when staring into a loaded barrel.
The Judge's "Graffiti Gongorism" -- planetary art gone awry.
holland's "Relativity" -- who needs speech anyway?

Vote:
DG Jones' "Ministry of Language & Linguistics" -- for its stunning revelation at the end.

 

[Dan Jones]

Oh my. Thank you @A. Fare Wells for the vote!

 

[The Judge]

As usual some stories I couldn't understand, but that's language for you -- a tricky thing at times. But there was plenty of evidence of members having bucket loads of sprachgefuhl** which made choosing a short list as hard as ever, and here it is:

DG Jones -- The Ministry of Language and Linguistics
Glen -- Brocas's
Kerrybuchanan -- Vive Quercus robur
Tim James -- Love Found, Fades and Fails
Robert Mackay -- Terminat Hora Diem; Terminat Auctor Opus
StilLearning -- History, redux: Chapter 1
Venusian Broon -- The problem with ...
Victoria -- Love Letters

But despite all the linguistic talent on show, voting was easy as Robert's story stuck with me from the first reading with its Faustian compact for which, fittingly for the friend at least, others pay the initial reckoning -- fittingly twice over, in fact! (NB I've always wondered who had the best bed.)


My story was a piece of nonsense, so a stupendous mile long line of graffiti for the short- and long-listings and honourable mentions from Parson, Hex, Juliana, Titanium, Glen, VB (hoary, c'est moi!), Phyrebrat, Starbeast, Bowler, Grimward, farntfar and AFW, and a splendiferous baroquised gongoristic graffito for the very welcome vote holland. All greatly appreciated.



** Yes, it's a real word. Go look it up.

 

[Dan Jones]

Tremendous, TJ.

 

[Ursa major]

Even though the judging of entries on the subject of Language can't be learnt by rote, it can, in theory, be done right....


Honourable Mentions:

• Fowl Words by Juliana
• The Ministry of Language and Linguistics by DG Jones
• LAUGHTER TRUMPS ALL by Jo Zebedee
• Foolish Things by TheDustyZebra

Runners Up:

• Love Letters by Victoria Silverwolf
• Piece Tort to a Whirled at Wore by LittleStar
• Out Of The Mouths... by mosaix

Winner:

• Graffiti Gongorism by The Judge

(In the above, each category is ordered by time of posting.)

 

[Ursa major]

Note: just because I've voted that doesn't mean the poll is closed. It isn't and will stay open for almost another hour and a half.

 

[Ashleyne]

I haven't forgotten. I was just procrastinating, umming and ahhing until the final hours. My shortlist:

Muted by HazelRah
Fowl Words by Juliana
Vive Quercus robur by Kerrybuchanan
Gernusian Octopoids Only Get Limited, Error-ridden Translation by Mr Orange
Separating the Voices by johnnyjet
Graffiti Gongorism by The Judge
Relativity by holland

My vote goes to Love at First Smell by Bowler1

A massive thanks to Hex, Droflet, Juliana, Cat's Cradle, Starbeast, HazelRah, Grimward, HareBrain, farntfar and A. Fair Wells for the mentions and listing. As always, a ginormous thanks to Victoria and Tim James for your magnificent sets of reviews. And last but not least, a gargantuan thanks to Glen and Saharren for the votes.

 

[johnnyjet]

Thanks, Ashleyne, for the short listing!

 

[Ursa major]

The poll is now closed and we have a winner.

Congratulations, DG Jones!​

​

 

[Venusian Broon]

Big congrats Dan, you're definitely starting to pile up the victories in the 75 worder - possibly is a bit too easy for you methinks

 

[Juliana]

Congrats DG! Well done.

And thanks to all those who gave my story mentions and shortlistings.

 

[Cat's Cradle]

Congratulations, DG!! It's a wonderful story! Looking forward to your November choices!

And thank you very much to the folks who listed my story!! CC

 

[Starbeast]

Congratulations DG Jones​

Many thanks for the mention, Beasty.

Many welcomes to you Drof.

Big thanks for the mention, Beastoid

And a big welcome to you DG Jones. And congrats my friend.

Thank you Starbeast for the vote much appreciated. I wasn't sure how the toilet humour would go down.
The mentions I've received too are much appreciated.

My vote was decided when I kept laughing EVERY time I read your story, Bowler1. You really blew me away, with an unexpected blast of comedy. Pardon me, while I open a window.

thanks a lot for the mention @Cat's Cradle and the shortlistings @Venusian Broon and @Starbeast.

Absolutely Mr Orange. Keep em' flying.

Thank you for mentions and listings, Victoria, Hex, Droflet, Juliana, Cat's Cradle, Starbeast, Johnnyjet and HazelRah.

You're very welcome TitaniumTi.

Thanks to:- Glen, johnnyjet, Starbeast and willwallace, for the mentions; I hadn't been expecting that much for what is frankly catterel (like doggerel but less faithful)

You're welcome Chrispenycate. Bravo sir.

One of the reasons I have not voted (yet) is that I felt the quality this month was absolutely outstanding and there were any number of stories that I felt I could have voted for.

In the end I think I am going to go with a different tack, for the subject of language one person wrote in, what to me is, one of the most beautiful, musical languages of all; on the surface it was what we would expect from him, a good fun story, but there is a lot of hidden depth there that should not be overlooked.

So the vote goes to Starbeast.

(stunned and speechless for about 20 minutes) Thank you TIM for the vote, and that wonderful comment. You're very awesome yourself.

My hat's off to all of you with entries.

Winner
Starbeast - Couldn't find a Lakota word counter to keep you honest*grins*, but as I read the story before the title, I truly didn't see that one coming. Great job!

Thank you for the vote, and shiny (Firefly) comment Grimward. I agree with you, there are tons of great authors here, including yourself.

Thanks for the listings from Venusian Broon, Starbeast & Grimward (and the special award!) and thanks for the fascinating commentaries by Victoria & Tim (still haven't gotten around to translating it, but it sounds good).

You're mighty welcome Johnnyjet. Heh heh. Yes, I too wonder what on Earth did Tim James say about us.