Sekrit 9?

[sinister42]

Anyone want to go for a new Sekrit Story exchange thingy? I'll run this one if such is desired.

 

[Vaz]

I'm down. But I don't know the usual timescale of these tings. Still I'd be up for it!

 

[chrispenycate]

I'd thought that that was already organised for tomorrow, as in:-

Just a quick update for all those who're interested in participating in May's anonymous competition.

I plan on opening the challenge and discussion threads on May 2nd near midnight GMT.

Entries must be sent to me before midnight on the 26th, and I'll allow 3 days for the voting process, meaning that when May ends, voting ends.

I'm so looking forward to hosting

It would be nice to have a theme to start planning round, though, even if I do generally take a while to build my structure.

 

[Vaz]

Isn't that the hundred worded you're referencing, Chris? I think Sinister is interested in doing a new Sekrit Story challenge ...

 

[chrispenycate]

Sorry, you're right, and I very much enjoy being given lots of space for words occasionally - even if it generally means I write three or four of them…

Hmm. Perhaps I should be thinking of a theme, as I don't seem to have any failed ideas kicking around.

We could have had a Sekrit Easter bunny, but now it's too late, everyone with Sekrit Tooth faeries from chocolate overdose.

 

[Danny McG]

Anyone care to enlighten this "Sekrit story" thing?
Some weird Chrons ritual amongst a select few?
What's it all about?

 

[Phyrebrat]

Look up previous sekrit santas (around every 3 months) and you'll get an idea.

It's easier than explaining

I've been in all but one. To be honest I dropped out when the subjects being asked for got ridiculous.

pH

 

[Vaz]

No need to apologise Chris.

That'll be my fault eh, Ph?

 

[Danny McG]

Look up previous sekrit santas (around every 3 months) and you'll get an idea.

It's easier than explaining

I've been in all but one. To be honest I dropped out when the subjects being asked for got ridiculous.

pH

Roger Wilco

Edit: had a quick butchers but not my thing. Mine would be too easily guessed with daft puns in, I can't envisage trying to change that. Also the requests for yarns about magic ducks would get old very quickly.
Am much happier reading through the old submissions just as very good short stories

 

[Ragandar]

I'm in as well, if folks are interested.

 

[Vaz]

What about having an overall Theme and genre so stories don't get silly. Let the host decide both (if they wang to) and assign secret writers and recipients as normal. After all, the usual writing challenges are very diverse despite sharing the same theme.

Just thinking out loud. I'm aware that may be dangerous

v

 

[TheDustyZebra]

What about changing the request format to a specific set of things that can be requested? I'm thinking of some of the flash fiction contests I've entered lately, where they assign each writer a set of things -- one gave genre, a circumstance such as "on safari" or "a delivery", and a character such as "tennis instructor" or "100-year-old woman", and another assigned the title, a line of dialogue, and optional science idea.

If we were to make a list of those sorts of things, and people could request any three, for instance, that might be interesting. Or we could all contribute to an extensive list and the writer could choose any three themselves? We could pirate from the NYC contest lists, for starters, and add whatever else we liked.

 

[Vaz]

Much better than what I said. I approve and endorse this message ^5

 

[hopewrites]

I preferred the personalization of individual requests. Maybe it's my megalomania run amuck but I like knowing (not just believing) that the story I'm delivered was written with me in mind.

I'm not opposed to an over arching theme or what not. But I'd rather not have to make a madlib of my request.

 

[TheDustyZebra]

I wouldn't care for its being just another challenge like the others, with everyone writing the same theme and genre.

However, I didn't mind the crazy requests, either -- heck, I published a story based on hope's wacky request.

 

[sinister42]

Let me crunch some ideas around in my brain box and see if I can come up with something that has the structure of something with a little bit of structure but is free-form enough to be satisfying to those of you who wish to do something more free-form. I'm thinking of maybe creating a pool of prompts, ideas, stuff, things, whatnots, and cheese, and saying like "pick four." Or maybe starting from a "one of three genres" area and let people go from there.

 

[hopewrites]

*mutters to self that picking from prepackaged goods is not like receiving a personal gift, but says nothing more to the point at this time*

 

[sinister42]

alright, to make everyone happy, how about I offer a list of prepackaged ideas, but give you the freedom to ignore it completely?

 

[hopewrites]

I like that, it would also provide rough template for those of us who go in for something specific to ourselves.

If your packages are all formatted the same, we'll know how to ask for what we want.

 

[sinister42]

Oh my package is definitely formatted.