Discussion Thread -- April 2018 75-word Writing Challenge

[Hugh]

Of course only certain cakes make the grade...

 

[M. Robert Gibson]

If we'd been allowed to Like stories, these are the ones for me.
Culhwch Best Kept Secret
Joshua Jones What's in a Name?
mosaix Who’s Who?
D.A. Xiaolin Spires Manure Magnet
Victoria Silverwolf The Heist
Perpetual Man Dementia
dannymcg Disguise free Superhero
Dan Jones The Ministry of Identitarian Maintenance
Peter V Argentina 62
CTRandall Biometrics
HoopyFrood Thumbs up
s.d. Ervin THE BLUEBIRD
Shyrka And there shall come a king among men...
The Judge Fall from Grace
Teresa Edgerton Family Secret or Sometimes the Apple Does Fall Far From the Tree

Narrowed those down to this long shortlist:
mosaix Who’s Who?
Victoria Silverwolf The Heist
Dan Jones The Ministry of Identitarian Maintenance
Peter V Argentina 62
CTRandall Biometrics
Shyrka And there shall come a king among men...
The Judge Fall from Grace
Teresa Edgerton Family Secret or Sometimes the Apple Does Fall Far From the Tree

More whittling produced this
mosaix Who’s Who?
Dan Jones The Ministry of Identitarian Maintenance
CTRandall Biometrics
The Judge Fall from Grace

Finally had to go with @The Judge because it was a nice story about identity.

Very difficult to choose though. It's taken me about an hour just to decide!

 

[Joshua Jones]

If we'd been allowed to Like stories, these are the ones for me.
Culhwch Best Kept Secret
Joshua Jones What's in a Name?
mosaix Who’s Who?
D.A. Xiaolin Spires Manure Magnet
Victoria Silverwolf The Heist
Perpetual Man Dementia
dannymcg Disguise free Superhero
Dan Jones The Ministry of Identitarian Maintenance
Peter V Argentina 62
CTRandall Biometrics
HoopyFrood Thumbs up
s.d. Ervin THE BLUEBIRD
Shyrka And there shall come a king among men...
The Judge Fall from Grace
Teresa Edgerton Family Secret or Sometimes the Apple Does Fall Far From the Tree

Narrowed those down to this long shortlist:
mosaix Who’s Who?
Victoria Silverwolf The Heist
Dan Jones The Ministry of Identitarian Maintenance
Peter V Argentina 62
CTRandall Biometrics
Shyrka And there shall come a king among men...
The Judge Fall from Grace
Teresa Edgerton Family Secret or Sometimes the Apple Does Fall Far From the Tree

More whittling produced this
mosaix Who’s Who?
Dan Jones The Ministry of Identitarian Maintenance
CTRandall Biometrics
The Judge Fall from Grace

Finally had to go with @The Judge because it was a nice story about identity.

Very difficult to choose though. It's taken me about an hour just to decide!

As the writers here continue to improve their craft, it just gets harder and harder to pick. However, this difficulty is in the best possible sense, as you are experiencing some exceptional SFF as you read. I don't consider my ability to be remotely comparable to the majority of those who publish here regularly, but I have learned so many things from both reading other entries and writing my own.

All this to say, thank you for the encouraging mention!

 

[Parson]

I'm still unsure as to the truth in the rumours that the 1000 post club is a front for the Illuminati.

Now what would a humble country parson be doing among such august company? No front there, just fun.

I don't consider my ability to be remotely comparable to the majority of those who publish here regularly,

Years ago there was a rule that people who bad mouthed their abilities would get a virtual slap. Since I know you've had very respectable stories, and that I am not the only one who has not only mentioned but voted for them, that was nearly worthy of the infamous SLAP! but you couched it in such pleasing compliments @nixie will probably let you get away with it. But remember she also holds whatever control is possible over Wally.

 

[Joshua Jones]

Now what would a humble country parson be doing among such august company? No front there, just fun.



Years ago there was a rule that people who bad mouthed their abilities would get a virtual slap. Since I know you've had very respectable stories, and that I am not the only one who has not only mentioned but voted for them, that was nearly worthy of the infamous SLAP! but you couched it in such pleasing compliments @nixie will probably let you get away with it. But remember she also holds whatever control is possible over Wally.

On the former, that could be part of the conspiracy. Who would suspect a pastor? A perfect cover...

On the latter, ok, fair enough. I suppose such statements could be seen as insulting to those who have voted for and listed my work, so I apologise if this was seen as such. My intention was to communicate that I am a learner among masters, and humbled by favorable responses. So, please, no pixie slaps!

 

[nixie]

I haven't slapped anyone in awhile, maybe it's time too start again.

All entries are unique, the effort and time taking to produce a story in 75 words is phenomenal. You may feel that others are better but remember we all have different opinions. Some months you don't get a mention or a vote but that doesn't mean no one likes it. There are normally over 40 stories each month, I read each one and try for a short a list then realise I've missed someone off my list. My vote goes too the story that speaks to me most.

 

[Phyrebrat]

My vote goes too the story that speaks to me most

@Joshua Jones - This^ is how I vote. I do have criteria that I've kind of set in stone, but if a story speaks to me, then I'll forego it, (if you can forego a thing) and vote for it.

It's so personal that to wonder the hows and whys will just give you gout, so just take the vote and run if you get it. And on that note, even though I usually wait till the end of voting to thank people, it would be rude to quote Nixie and not thank her for her vote.

So: Thank You Nixie!

pH

 

[Cathbad]

This^ is how I vote

I close my eyes and point.

 

[Joshua Jones]

Thank you everyone for elaborating on your voting methods, random (looking at you, @Cathbad) or otherwise. While I enjoy receiving votes as much as the next, and it is somewhat concerning that I have been shut out over the last few challenges, I am honestly less concerned about vote tally as I am in my learning something from each story. For me, it is a good practice to remind myself that I am still a learner, so that I don't get an inflated ego. But, that is something I can do in my own home without the audience.

That being said, I would like to add...*throws smokebomb and disappears before the pixie attacks*

 

[mosaix]

I see I have a stealth vote. Thank you Gilleson.

 

[unbusy thing]

Thank you for the reviews, @Parson and @Victoria Silverwolf!

I very much enjoyed this. Shout outs to:

@Culhwch for a sleek, sinister twist on a trope.

@Phyrebrat for atmospheric tension; shades of MR James and Lovecraftian dread.

@Cathbad reminded me of Magritte's Not to be Reproduced, and that deeply creepy mirror scene in Dolores Claiborne. I'm a sucker for intertextuality.

@Victoria Silverwolf: futuristic cybercrime with a killer last paragraph that deserves to be the opening of something longer.

@Heijan Xavier: ok, so what would happen if a tyrannical moron got put in charge...?

@HoopyFrood: for making me snort my Fortisip* out my nostrils with this zeitgeisty snark.

@Teresa Edgerton: how ideals and duty skip generations.

But @Phyrebrat clinched it for me with this snippet of creeping dread. I found it immediate and immersive

So many to choose from - good job all around!!

*manky medical supplement

 

[Cat's Cradle]

Hello again, unbusy thing! To all concerned, I've sent unbusy thing a PM with a link to the voting thread, so that her/his vote for Phyrebrat can be registered, CC

 

[Phyrebrat]

Oh... I wonder if @unbusy thing is mistakenly referring to my 300 and not my 75. I say that because of the James reference.

pH

 

[Peter V]

My personal favourites:
Culhwch – Best Kept Secret
Joshua Jones – What’s in a Name?
Hugh – Matters of the Heart
mosaix – Who’s Who?
M. Robert Gibson – Crisis
dannymcg – Disguise free Superhero
HoopyFrood – Thumbs up
s.d. Ervin – The Bluebird
Moonbat – On-line Identity

Shortlist:
Dan Jones - The Ministry of Identitarian Maintenance
Surreal and disturbing.

Parson – Company Man
A poignant loss of self

SPoots – Fit the Job
Very original and amusing

unbusy thing – Them and Us
Very clever! J

The Judge – Fall from Grace
Nice twist


Oh so nearly…
Teresa Edgerton - Family Secret or Sometimes the Apple Does Fall Far From the Tree
Excellent father / son dynamic with a great closing line.


Vote:
TheDustyZebra – Skin Deep
Well written and topical allegory

As ever a lot of quality and many more deserving of a mention.

Peter

 

[Peter V]

Thank you for the Long shortlisting M. Robert Gibson and for the vote Hugh

I was hoping the last line might make my protagonist obvious but I suspect as ever I have tried to be a bit too clever. Or people simply despise the protagonist too much to consider anything written about him worthy of consideration. I probably agree with them to be honest

 

[Cat's Cradle]

Oh... I wonder if @unbusy thing is mistakenly referring to my 300 and not my 75. I say that because of the James reference.

Not sure. About half of the authors @unbusy thing listed here haven't entered 300 Worders yet, so that kind of suggests not. But hopefully unbusy thing will return shortly to clear things up, CC

 

[johnnyjet]

Well done everyone! After much deliberation, my Long List, Short List, and **** Favorite ****:

What's in a Name? - Joshua Jones
Your Place or Mine? – Phyrebrat
I Think … But Am I? – Cathbad
Who's Who? – mosaix
The Heist - Victoria Silverwolf
Crisis - M. Robert Gibson
Disguise Free Superhero – dannymcq
The Ministry of Identitarian Maintenance - Dan Jones
Argentina 62 - Peter V
**** Biometrics – CTRandall ****
Thumbs Up – HoopyFrood
THE BLUEBIRD - s.d. Ervin
Company Man – Parson
Remembering Edgar – Starbeast
Skin Deep – TheDustyZebra
Skin Deep – LittleStar
Fall from Grace - The Judge
The Superhuman in All of Us - Ursa major
Family Secret or Sometimes the Apple Does Fall Far From the Tree - Teresa Edgerton

 

[johnnyjet]

Thanks for the listing, Hugh, and especially for the vote (!), Graymalkin, as well as the nice comments by Victoria and Parson. Always nice to get mentions and votes when the competition is so fierce. Well done, Chrons!

 

[Parson]

Voting: I have found that voting has become easier after I have reviewed all the pieces. Basically my vote goes this way: 1) Did the story use the specified genre (if specified) 2) Did the story clearly relate to the theme? 3) Did I feel the entry was a story. Sometimes what we have is snippet of some kind and the story does not have a beginning, middle, and ending 4) Did the story ring an emotional bell? --- The first 3 are used to boot a story from consideration, and the third determines short list and vote. ---- I also know that wrong punctuation is a bootable offense for some voters. -- Not me. ---

Thank you for the Mention
@johnnyjet

Thank you for the Short List
@Peter V
@Joshua Jones
@Victoria Silverwolf

Now off to contemplate and vote. I'll be back.

 

[Danny McG]

All members notice..

Having trouble choosing a story in the April 75 word challenge?

An easy solution is to scroll rapidly down the list to, oh I don't know, say story number 18 for arguments sake, click on it and you're sorted.

Try it, you'll feel so much better