DISCUSSION -- April 2016 300-word Writing Challenge (#21)

[Victoria Silverwolf]

Cascade -- The outstanding aspect of this story is the way in which it perfectly captures the voice of its narrator. Without the need for irrelevant exposition, we can vividly see and hear the protagonist in detail. The unexpected and ironic conclusion of the story is perfectly in character, and thus is completely effective.

 

[Starbeast]

I thunk it up, a few days ago. Wrote it today, and dumped it here.

That was another tough one for me.

Now I can check out the 75 and 300 stories.

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

Starbeast -- In this rollicking comedy the author combines several comic elements to result in an amusing whole. The reader finds slapstick, parody, and wordplay blended together seamlessly. The final result is sure to raise a smile.

 

[Phyrebrat]

I followed JD's advice and posted the first one. I was spending far too much time worrying altogether on which story, and need to get on with SG.

pH

 

[Starbeast]

Starbeast -- In this rollicking comedy the author combines several comic elements to result in an amusing whole. The reader finds slapstick, parody, and wordplay blended together seamlessly. The final result is sure to raise a smile.

Thank Lady Victoria, for another marvelous review. Much like your stories, you always go right for the throat (in a good way).

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

Phyrebrat -- The situation depicted in this sardonic tale seems all too familiar from recent scandals. By making use of the way in which the modern media pursue such incidents, the author makes the story as real as a news broadcast. Add a dash of dark comedy and you have a creepy delight.

 

[Starbeast]

Victoria Silverwolf - "Fossils"

Since you do such an awesome job of reviewing, and you are thee only reviewer for the 300 Challenge. I thought I would honor you with a review of your entry. I found it delightfully written with a zesty, colorful style. I enjoyed picturing in my mind the prehistoric creatures running amok in the streets of a big city, whilst, a New York couple try to figure out how this strange event came about. Then WHAM-MO. You fling a surprise ending of infidelity. A very outstanding story that made me feel as though I were reading a romance novel, dealing with forbidden love. Whoa. Hang on a minute, while I open a window. It's getting warm in here. Well done, Lady Victoria. Your tale is superb and spicy. Heh heh. Amber wasn't bringing home the bacon, she was going out for steak.

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

Wruter -- By using a restrained, calm mood to relate extraordinary events, the author creates a very high level of verisimilitude. The resulting story manages to be plausible science fiction, a bittersweet love story, and even quiet horror, all at the same time. Add a touch of poetic imagery and you have a memorable tale indeed.

 

[Wruter]

Wruter -- By using a restrained, calm mood to relate extraordinary events, the author creates a very high level of verisimilitude. The resulting story manages to be plausible science fiction, a bittersweet love story, and even quiet horror, all at the same time. Add a touch of poetic imagery and you have a memorable tale indeed.

Thanks.

By the way I was reading some of the previous challenges and was mighty impressed by the airship battle one you did. That's how I wish I could write.

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

LittleStar -- This fable of freedom and dependence treats its fantastic content with a matter-of-fact tone. By creating a work of magic realism, the author enables the reader to see what is remarkable in ordinary circumstances. A resolution with a powerful emotional impact adds to the strength of the story.

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

J5V -- This dark and moody ballad makes use of the sounds of words and strong images to convey its message. By the frequent use of near rhymes, it avoids being overly rhythmic, and instead creates a sense of tension in the reader. Contrasting with some elevated language, the ending makes use of short, powerful words.

 

[Dan Jones]

Well I'm finally in. The idea's been stewing since day 1, but it's only now I've been able to turn it into something that's, ah, erm, well, you know, kinda... well, you'll see.

 

[Venusian Broon]

I like it @DG Jones! (although I had to look up half the words you were using... )

For me it took a little while to boil off the 400 or so extra words over the limit that somehow appeared in my first draft. Somehow I feel I haven't lost anything - I must really pad my writing. A lesson learnt (again)

 

[HazelRah]

I was certain I'd have to miss this month's challenge... But I found a silver-lining which granted me some spare time. So... It's not been given the attention I would normally, but dagnabbit, I'm in and that's good enough for now

 

[Starbeast]

@HazelRah That's the spirit. So glad you could join the Pool Party.

It's getting close to the end of the month, one day left. I hope more people will enter I feel the tension.


Argh.


Oooo...


Nah. It's just gas.

 

[TitaniumTi]

I couldn't resist.

I've been focusing on my major writing project since Christmas and trying not to look at Chrons because, when I do, I can't resist writing just one little post, followed by another and another and... before I know it, the week has gone and my book's word-count is no larger.

But here I am. I saw the picture, and I couldn't resist temptation.

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

DG Jones -- Through the use of a deliberately affected tone and unusual vocabulary the author creates an intriguing narrator who leads us into unexpected places. Through this technique we are drawn into a unique variation on the theme of the Weird Little Shop which has served so well in many tales of fantasy. In addition, this story can be read as a psychological and moral fable.

Venusian Broon -- The narrator of this deceptively quiet story provides the reader with an objective view of distressing events. The style of hard science fiction is used to make the nature of the disaster plausible, and therefore for affecting. The identity of the narrator provides a final unexpected twist at the end.

mosaix -- Throughout this spine-tingling tale of terror the author is careful to keep the most horrifying events offstage. This allows the reader's imagination to provide chills which mere words could never match. By making the protagonist a flawed but not entirely unsympathetic character, his implied fate is made even more frightening.

reiver33 -- Clarke's famous dictum that any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic was never more aptly demonstrated than in this imaginative story. A touch of the Gothic is added a cyberpunk setting to result in a tasty mixture. In addition, a subtle use of a change in point of view leads to the tale's unexpected conclusion.

HazelRah -- The distinguishing characteristic of this charming tale is its seamless integration of the ordinary with the fantastic. Like the characters, we are led from an everyday setting to the realm of the magical with effortless grace. Perhaps the lesson to be learned is to appreciate things we take for granted.

Moonbat -- With madcap energy this surreal comedy offers us one strange new wonder after another. Breathlessly we await what brand of weirdness awaits us next. The use of witty dialogue and wordplay makes it all even more fun.

TitaniumTi -- In this sardonic story the author manages the difficult task of balancing a light tone with dark plot elements. By observing humanity from another point of view the reader comes to learn that we are merely one among many different species. What fate may have in store for us is revealed in the mordant conclusion.

 

[Starbeast]

I couldn't resist.

I've been focusing on my major writing project since Christmas and trying not to look at Chrons because, when I do, I can't resist writing just one little post, followed by another and another and... before I know it, the week has gone and my book's word-count is no larger.

But here I am. I saw the picture, and I couldn't resist temptation.

Heh heh. Nice to see you here TitaniumTi. I get that "writing bug" too when I know there are challenges lurking about.

Plus it's great to see Moonbat too, as well as many regulars (and you know who you are).

 

[TitaniumTi]

Thanks Victoria. I've really missed your reviews.

 

[Ursa major]

We are, for obvious reasons, not allowed to provide explanations for our 75- and 300-word stories... not, that is, until the voting is finally over. And I'm not going to explain my latest 300-worder here. (I'm hoping that it needs little if any explanation, but one never knows....)

However, I want to head off any thoughts in readers' minds that the story has no connection at all with the image. It does, in the sense that one particular (two-fold) aspect of the image caught my (perhaps atypical) imagination and provided the "inspiration" -- let's not haggle about how far the definition of this word might be being stretched here -- for the tale. I won't say what this aspect was, but there's a (different) two-fold use of the very same thing in the story.


If the above confuses you, then I may have done a reasonable job in avoiding any explanation of my story....