Discussion thread -- August 2016 75-word Writing Challenge

[chrispenycate]

Oh, I have voted. My short list was:- Ashleyne. B. Watts, DG Jones, Mad Alice, Robert Mackay, sinister42, and my vote went to StilLearning.

The last day, having spent a lot of the writing time researching the genre I was running a fever - almost hallucinating - not a suitable state to write poetry - but possibly not that bad for weird.

 

[Calliopenjo]

Mr. Benevolent They Call Me got my vote. I could see it when I read it.

A Trip to the Linear was an interesting piece. Sort of a fun way to tell a story I think.

Good job one and all.

 

[Ursa major]

Many, many thanks for the stealth vote, Luiglin.

 

[Phyrebrat]

<brief thread hijack>

Just adding bandwidth: in the workshop forum we're now taking orders and participants for the 8th instalment of the Secret Santa challenge/exercise where you write a story requested by other participants.

Go here for unlimited fun and writing practice.

<end hijack>

pH

 

[Ashleyne]

My shortlist:

Wruter - Ohm

DG Jones - The War on Terrier

Bowler1 - Hungry and Homeless

Phyrebrat - Homo Supinas

The Big Peat - A Furry Friend

My vote goes to Moonbat - A Piston of Existance

 

[Bowler1]

Thank you AJB for the mention and spot on feedback/reply, you got what I was aiming for and it's always nice when written words connect.

My mentions to Still Leaning, DG Jones, Phyrebrat, Moonbat and lastly Jo. My vote to Jo for what can only be described as a Jo classic, well done girl.

There was a great spread of stories being reflected in the spread of votes, this one can still go to anyone. Good luck everyone.

 

[The Judge]

As ever I've been tough in compiling my shortlist, disregarding stories which didn't meet theme and genre as I understood them. I didn't fully understand New Weird, but I was looking for stories that weren't "ordinary" SF or fantasy, which preferably had a feeling of the present or near future, especially in an urban landscape, and which were weird. On top of that, I had to understand them. Simple...

So my list:

AJB -- The Gingerbread Man
Luiglin -- Mr Benevolent they call me
Phyrebrat -- Homo Supinus
Robert Mackay -- Employment of Choice
sinister42 -- Volant
Shyrka -- Spare the Rod
Victoria -- Promote the General Welfare
Wruter -- Ohm

This was one of those months when couldn't make up my mind, and I nearly threw my hands up and went to look at cat videos instead. After a lot of umming and ahhing, not to mention to-ing and fro-ing, I finally went for Phyrebrat and his lovelyly-legalistic advert, which was most definitely weird...

Not for the first time, I had a job coming up with a story -- benevolence is difficult! -- so I'm delighted it attracted some attention. Signal traffic light matchmaking thanks for the mentions, long- and short-listings Parson (how right you are!!), TDZ, CC (thank you for the lovely words!), nixie, Wruter, TBP, Droflet, Moonbat and HazelRah, and wholly benevolent reddest of red light thanks for the stealth vote Cascade!

 

[sinister42]

Thanks to all of you who shortlisted my little tale, and many thanks to Victoria for the vote. I just got off a cruise ship yesterday so I'm still catching up on stuff. I'll try to have my picks & vote up shortly.

 

[sinister42]

Short list:

Ashlyne

Ajid

Shyrka

Wruter

Culhwch


Runner up: Victoria

Vote: Ursa Major. A China Mieville pun. Yes. That wins. That wins everything.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

I went for Stil Learming because it made me smile. I also liked Coast's and Robert McKay's. And two votes! Mega thanks. although you worry me, Bowler, if this is classic me. I kind of wish I'd gone with my first title, though. (We like-a just the same.)

 

[Shyrka]

Shortlist:

Spider Lady, @Ashleyne. B. Watts
Promote the General Welfare, @Victoria Silverwolf
Untitled, @Glen
Complete Integration, @ThomasG
Works Both Ways, @Culhwch
Hungry and Homeless, @Bowler1
Well, somebody has to arrange the matches, @The Judge

So close!

Ohm, @Wruter - Perfectly brutal.
A Piston of Existence, @Moonbat - Beautifully sad.
An Old Secret, @StilLearning - Delightfully warm.

We have a winner!

The Ginger Bread Man, @AJB - Heart-rending, pure and simple.

 

[Mad Alice]

Shortlist
Vaz
Coast
CorrySwanson
Johnny jet
Ihe
Stillearning
Dulahan
The judge
Hazelrah
Jozebedee

Second place
Ajb
Astrozone
Moonbat

Vote
Bowler1

 

[Ursa major]

Many, many thanks for the vote, sinister42.

 

[Ursa major]

I suppose I ought to be benevolent this month but, with only one vote to bestow, there seems little point (other than providing my list of runners up and honourable mentions). And with that in mind, here it is:

Honourable Mentions:

• Mr Benevolent they call me by Luiglin
• An old secret... by StilLearning
• The Iron Lands by Cascade
• Hungry and Homeless by Bowler1

Runners Up:

• Promote the General Welfare by Victoria Silverwolf
• A Piston of Existence by Moonbat
• Well, somebody has to arrange the matches by The Judge

Winner:

• Just The Two Of Us... by mosaix

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

 

[Ursa major]

The poll has now closed and we have a winner:

Congratulations, StilLearning!​

​

 

[Cathbad]

Congratulations,@StilLearning !
​

 

[johnnyjet]

Just missed the voting by mere minutes. Oh well. Thanks to those who mentioned me and thanks to Phyrebrat for the vote. Just back from a vacation and getting my feet back into the Chrons.

And congratulations @StilLearning! I guess perhaps you're no longer still learning any more!

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

Congratulations to StilLearning on a very hard-fought victory! (For a while there I thought we were going to have a four way tie.) The silver and bronze medals are going to have to be cut up into tiny pieces, it seems.

 

[Phyrebrat]

Congrats StilLearning!

pH

 

[Calliopenjo]

Yay for StilLearning!

Thank you, everyone, for reading my story and for your patience.

I'd make a promise to do better but I haven't had very good luck lately. I will promise to do better and to always submit a story.