What's your motivation for entering or not entering?

[Vaz]

I've entered ever since joining, the challenges are amazingly fun, productive and it really makes me feel like part of the community.
They have also helped tremendously with my own writing, making it better and tighter overall which is a massive plus

And getting votes/mentions is nice, getting to a tiebreaker with a Dragon story which was totally out of my Genre/Theme (Think it was childhood in the 100-worder) was a great surprise and encouragement as I didn't think I could write something with those themes successfully.

Plus, I am addicted to the challenges I hate having to wait to enter the 300 worder!!! as I always enter the other challenges as soon as I see the them & Genre!

 

[chrispenycate]

Don't know, really. I'm so long winded that I can't write an introduction thread in seventy-five words - totally unthinkable to squeeze in a story.

It's a really good way of testing out strange writing techniques - how else would I get anybody to read my weird verse?

So I've done all of them so far - even if one was disqualified for excess verbiage.

 

[Kerrybuchanan]

I've done all but one since I joined, including the unofficial 100 word anon. The exception was my first 300. I had it written in plenty of time for the 10th and then dropped my ipad, which broke. Of course, I hadn't backed it up. By the time the thing was repaired I'd missed my deadline.

I'm of the "got to keep my 100% record" variety. However hard the theme is, I feel I have to enter. That said, it is a great way to learn how to cut out unnecessary words from your writing. The challenges have helped me tighten up many a story.

 

[Cat's Cradle]

Community...addiction...the adrenaline of creation...the spirit-arousing thrill of competition (surely there’s a twelve-step program that could help such a needy vagabond as I).
When I was young I wondered if I could be a writer; a lack of confidence just ravaged any dreams or aspirations. So now, once a month...four times a year...I am a writer. And I even get votes now and then. The challenges are a wonderful bonus to an already wonderful site. And it’s a great way to get to know the lovely people here.

This is a terrific thread, pH...and I've enjoyed every answer so far.

 

[Mad Alice]

Thanks, but I'm not sure they'd be entirely convincing with your current avatar ...

Hex could fluffy you to death.

 

[Alex The G and T]

The frequency of my entries has a lot to do with time of year. When I've entered, has been during the dark dreary months when the weather out-of-doors is too dismal to distract from idle indoor pursuits.

I have no aspirations to write anything of publishable length. When I write, it is for my own entertainment; usually about some negative real-life event that calls for some comic relief. The 75 worded is a joy, to me. I really enjoy tweaking our twisted English language, word by word.

When I have entered; I am so thrilled to get any notice at all. I write for a chuckle. If I can give anyone else, at all, a tickle of a smirk; it makes my day.

 

[The Judge]

I am happy to make death threats, HB, if it means you writing 75 worders again.

Thanks, but I'm not sure they'd be entirely convincing with your current avatar ...

How about with mine?

 

[HareBrain]

How about with mine?

Yes. Yes, that works.

(Sad that everyone seems to think death threats are a better motivator than a massive cash prize, though. What have we become?)

 

[Venusian Broon]

Yes. Yes, that works.

(Sad that everyone seems to think death threats are a better motivator than a massive cash prize, though. What have we become?)

What if we did death by massive cash prize? A few tonnes of notes dropped directly on top of you? That combines both motivators.

 

[TitaniumTi]

I regard the challenges as both challenge and apprenticeship. Votes, listings, mentions -- and the lack of them -- provide prompt feedback on what works and what doesn't. I also really appreciate the time and effort that Victoria, Tim J and others donate via their reviews, which are always wonderfully generous but still work as a mirror for my words. How do my intentions stack up against the readers' interpretations?

Forget the above; it's all true but, most importantly in terms of motivation, the challenges are great fun.

 

[Dan Jones]

Is there any point to existence? Or, indeed, to pants?

The point of pants is suppression, compartmentalisation and rigidity. Away with them! Free the Chronicles Two! Free the Chronicles Two!

Um, to answer the question, I started to enter to win, because I thought I was all that. After a couple of months this was revealed to be unequivocally Not True as everyone else was so brilliant. So I decided to use the challenges to get better, improve, and make pals. If I got a vote, then great. I mean, really great - after all, every writer wants their work to be ratified and valued by someone who's Not Their Mum.

After about six months I decided to just write things that satisfied me and which I could be pleased with, for I realised that one can rarely write something that's to all tastes. After about a year I feel this is the best approach: I was really pleased with my last 300-worder and quietly expected it to bag a couple of votes - it got none; whereas last month's 75-worder pleased me, but I assumed wouldn't be a votewinner, and it promptly bagged three lovely, unexpected votes. One can't get too hung up on the winning and losing. If you can meet with triumph and disaster etc etc etc.

PS It is nice to have won one, though

 

[Juliana]

After about six months I decided to just write things that satisfied me and which I could be pleased with, for I realised that one can rarely write something that's to all tastes

Yes, that's one of the top lessons the challenges have taught me: you'll never please everyone, and also sometimes the stories you do write that everyone likes are the ones you least expect.

 

[The Judge]

I was really pleased with my last 300-worder and quietly expected it to bag a couple of votes - it got none; whereas last month's 75-worder pleased me, but I assumed wouldn't be a votewinner, and it promptly bagged three lovely, unexpected votes.

I think we've all experienced this, and I can't explain it, save to say sometimes because we know what our story is about we fill in the gaps between the lines, but when others arrive cold at the piece they might find the plot not immediately obvious and then not spend any time time looking for it. Also, I've found there are a lot of people here who have very odd taste in stories...


As for July's 300 worder, don't forget the Improving our 300 Word Stories thread if you'd like feedback and see why perhaps it didn't get the votes you expected.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

I think we've all experienced this, and I can't explain it, save to say sometimes because we know what our story is about we fill in the gaps between the lines, but when others arrive cold at the piece they might find the plot not immediately obvious and then not spend any time time looking for it. Also, I've found there are a lot of people here who have very odd taste in stories...


As for July's 300 worder, don't forget the Improving our 300 Word Stories thread if you'd like feedback and see why perhaps it didn't get the votes you expected.

yep, there are ones I think will do well that bomb and vice versa. The only one I was reasonably sure might do okay was my shrinky-frizzling mad man.

Anyway, to be more erudite that last post (which got me many likes ) I use them to get ideas. So far I've had three books and numerous shorts come out of them. I also learned a lot of editing skills.

 

[Droflet]

I've got to the point where I'm hesitant to vote. When I spot a story and think yay, that's a winner, and vote for it, generally it is a death sentence to the story. I can think of only two stories that I voted for that went on to win. Ah, sorry about that guys.

 

[Glen]

I enter for the fun and the challenge. It's a bit like taking the stairs when you could use the elevator. Climbing is going to be better for my health than standing, and writing in the comp is going to be better for my writing than not. I think taking part in this regularly has made a difference to my writing. I am able to find ways of getting to the point quicker, or hinting at mood with fewer words.

It is fun. I've made myself laugh with some of my stories (I know you shouldn't laugh at your own jokes) and even enjoyed bring the same character (Captain Fantastic) back in a few times occasion. Its hard to know what makes me sometimes head for comedy and sometimes for drama. I remember at one point I figured the most popular stories were those with a twist/murder at the end, but that was never something I was very keen on.

The different themes and genres make me think of stories I might not otherwise. I think that's good to shake up your thinking a bit.

I'm not really fanatical about it, and I'm sure I've missed a few. It's probably the only thing I take part in now on the chrons, oh, apart from the photo comp, and blogs. It is always nice to get a like, and a vote here and there.

75 words - there's the key. Why wouldn't I have time to write 75 words a month?

 

[Phyrebrat]

...writing in the comp is going to be better for my writing than not. I think taking part in this regularly has made a difference to my writing. I am able to find ways of getting to the point quicker, or hinting at mood with fewer words.

...

75 words - there's the key. Why wouldn't I have time to write 75 words a month?

Perfect reply! I couldn't agree more.

pH

 

[johnnyjet]

I agree. What Glen said.

 

[Parson]

I am at best a marginal writer. I have no illusions about writing fiction or the like. I entered the first 75 word challenge because it sounded like something I could do. It frankly wasn't very good and that got my attention. I hate being bad at anything! So I then really, really, worked at improving my stories. They got better, perhaps not good, but better. But the real reason that I enter the contests is because (1) I like being a part of this community. (2) I am thrilled when I actually get a vote. (3) I can see how this exercise has helped me in the writing I do as a I part of my profession. (4) I am rather pleased with myself when I can write a story that fits the theme and the genre.

(I have entered every 75 save 2, once I lost my internet connection for 2 days (I posted my already completed story, but it was well past the time); and once I lost track of the date of the closure of the challenge.

 

[kythe]

I hadn't paid attention at all to the writing challenges until the last few months, because I come here to discuss reading books. In years past I have thought of writing more, but life got away from me. Here there are professional writers, and many of you have much more practice due to participating in these challenges so much. So if I posted something, it would probably be really cliché or an overdone story.