DISCUSSION -- July 2016 300-word Writing Challenge (#22)

[StilLearning]

Well done Wruter, much deserved too - and also to Cory Swanson for 2nd place.

Finally to StillLearning for tying up 3rd with me. I'm sure you're as made up as I am to have produced something worthy of that many votes this month, it represents a step forward for me and I'm sure you too.

I raise a cyber champagne glass to all three of you!

Well done Wruter! And to Cory and to Fitzchev. I am blown away to have come joint third, I was delighted at two votes! I really enjoyed the stories this month, thank you for all of them

 

[Coast]

Congrats Wruter!

Thanks Victoria and DZara for the reviews again.
And to Vaz and Starbeast for their mentions and johnnyjet for the vote.

 

[Cory Swanson]

Ode to Italo-an origin story

The first thing that came to mind when I saw the picture was Italo Calvino's short The Distance of the Moon. I retread it and fell in love with it again.

Then I went on a camping trip. Mt. Princeton in Colorado. My brother has these binoculars that are incredibly powerful, and the moon has a texture through them that you don't see normally. Images of being able to climb those peaks and touch the moon kept rolling through my head.

When we got back, I imagined being able to hook the moon and climb up. Maybe it came from all the fishing we did.

 

[Moonbat]

Congrats Wruter, very well done.

I'm not sure where my story came from, when first I saw the picture I couldn't help but think of a moon being pooped out of a cosmic anus. I tried to work with this image but it had a kind of cosmic writers constipation, then I was playing guitar and I started writing a song about the dead moon/red moon and it kind of developed from there, I wanted it to seem like a small part of a larger tale.

Thanks to Chrispy, Cathbad, Cory and Coast (hmm all C's) for the votes.

Great stories this month, I particularly loved Cory's tale, very creative.

 

[Shyrka]

I'm not sure where my story came from, when first I saw the picture I couldn't help but think of a moon being pooped out of a cosmic anus.

I can't believe you didn't write this!

Anyway, now that the 300-worder is all wrapped up, don't you think it would be a perfect time for you all to check out the August 100-Word Anonymous Challenge?

Why yes, yes it would be.

 

[Mr Orange]

Congratulations Wruter, a great story and a deserved win.

apologies to all for not writing or voting this challenge (mainly for voting as i was really hoping to) - thought i had time up my sleeve for both. i was wrong.

in my defence i did spend 3 weeks in Spain, get married twice and start sleep training our 6 month old. so i was... busy

i have missed the challenges though so am hoping to squeeze something in for the 75 worder this month

 

[Droflet]

Good going, Wruter.

 

[The Judge]

In case there's anyone who is watching this old 300 thread but hasn't been involved in September's 75 worder and its Discussion thread, here's a (slightly edited) copy of a post made in the latter yesterday. (Apologies for the repetition for those reading both -- you can switch off now.)

CHALLENGE ANNOUNCEMENT!​

The next 300 worder will be starting on Saturday -- though, as ever, entries won't be allowed until the 10th to give time for those early entries to be polished, rather than posted in haste and repented at leisure.

The 300s have always carried a tangible prize of a book of the winner's choice, and we're all very grateful to Brian for funding this as he has done since the beginning. However, the cost and inconvenience of shipping has become a bit of a problem. Brian has also noted the rise in popularity of e-books since the 300 was started back in April 2011, and it appears these can't be gifted in the same way.

Consequently, with effect from October's Challenge there is a new prize for the 300 Word Writing Challenges.

The prize is now a £5/$5 Amazon gift voucher.​

Not only will this make life less complicated for Brian and allow for e-books, but also for the first time it will allow winners to put the money towards a more expensive book that would be outside the previous prize limit, or indeed towards something other than a book if there are those who think they already have enough. (Is that even possible?!)

I'm not sure how the gift voucher system will work, so whoever wins this quarter's Challenge will be acting as guinea pig. Apologies now if there is a delay while we work it through.

In the meantime, I know we'll all want to thank Brian for his continued support of the Challenges, even if we can't lure him back to take part in them.