DISCUSSION THREAD -- April 2020 -- 85-Word Writing Challenge

[Mouse]

Voted for Peter V, AMB, and Aber.

 

[Astro Pen]

Went for Menolly, PeterV and Perpetual Man

 

[Abernovo]

Thank you for the lovely review, @Parson.

And, many thanks, @Mouse! A vote!

 

[BT Jones]

Been a while since a vote.

I think it goes like this :
@nixie
@BT Jones
@Peeling

Honourable mentches

Mozaix
M Robert Gibson

Thanks so much for the vote, @TheEndIsNigh! I hadn't realized voting had started already. I better take some time to read and vote! Been busy so haven't really been haunting this site much.

 

[BT Jones]

It just took me 2 hours to go through them all. So many good stories. Also, so many I didn't quite get. Is it just me? Some were beautiful and well written, but I just didn't really understand what they were all about (or I missed something really obvious). Others were excellent, but then felt like they'd had a final line cut off. Still, a very crowded field. Shortlists in bold.

• @Bren G – A beautiful little tale.
• @Mouse – Delightful
• @BigJ – Charming
• @Marvin – Echoes of 2001
• @Cat's Cradle – Beautifully done. Only gripe was it didn't feel like it quite fit the brief, but then I guess that's an 'eye of the beholder' thing to gauge
• @Mr Orange Orange – Vivid
• @Garfunkel - Heartwarming
• @chrispenycate – Magnificent, but again, I didn't feel it quite fit the brief.
• @Luiglin – Brilliant, hilarious.
• @M. Robert Gibson – Whimsical
• @Daysman – I get a wonderful sense of reflective tranquility from this one.
• @Ian Fortytwo – Timely
• @StilLearning – Grin inducing
• @Simbelmynë – Brilliant, evocative, artful.
• @Peeling – Wow, excellent. Took me 3 reads to ‘get’ it (I’m slow).
• @nixie – Beautiful. There have been a fair few ‘coma’ stories, but this one is one of the best.
• @Hugh – Haha, visions of ignorant Englanders abroad
• @johnnyjet – Twisted!
• @Boneman – A dream within a dream
• @elvet – Brilliant fun
• @Parson – Poignant
• @mosaix – Great, love it
• @Vince W – I could hear the voices vividly
• @Culhwch – Another contender for best coma / deathbed story
• @paranoid marvin – Quaint.
• @AMB – I can picture Angelina Jolie or Charlize Theron!
• @Teresa Edgerton – An amusing spin on a classic tale
• @The Judge – Artful and moving
• @Ursa major – Visions of Hitch-Hikers guide
• @jacksimmons – What a brilliant debut

In the end, I voted for @Luiglin, @Peeling and @jacksimmons. Had I only had one vote, it would have been for @jacksimmons.
Oh, and many thanks to @Phyrebrat for the vote!

 

[Bren G]

What a magnificent set of stories! Their diversity and creativity is remarkable! I only wish I had more than 3 votes!!

 

[Simbelmynë]

I could easily have voted for more than three, but my votes went to @Bren G @BT Jones and @Perpetual Man

@Cat's Cradle @Peter V and @johnnyjet each get an honourable mention from me, but there were quite a few this time I felt were very nicely done.

Now, got to try and lose about 150 words from my 300er...

 

[Danny McG]

I didn't submit a story, but am I correct in thinking I can still vote in this challenge?

 

[nixie]

Everyone is welcome to vote, remember you have 3 this month.

 

[Ursa major]

I didn't submit a story, but am I correct in thinking I can still vote in this challenge?

All Chrons members can vote, whether they enter a story or not.

 

[Mouse]

Also, so many I didn't quite get. Is it just me?

Nope, I usually don't understand most of them.

 

[Hugh]

Short list for one reason or another, in no order of preference:
@StilLearning
@Daysman
@Mouse (runner up)
@Marvin
@Astro Pen
@Menolly
@Teresa Edgerton

Votes garnered by
@Parson
@nixie
@Culhwch (and would have had my vote if I was only allowed the one).
These three all touched me in some way, and that distinguished them from several others.

I need to mention also @chrispenycate for his Gilbert&Sullivan pastiche. (Of course it may have been Led Zeppelin....).

And the award for most creative psychic link-up goes to @Peeling and @Teresa Edgerton

AND many thanks for the vote @AMB , a wonderful surprise.

 

[Bren G]

I could easily have voted for more than three, but my votes went to @Bren G @BT Jones and @Perpetual Man

@Cat's Cradle @Peter V and @johnnyjet each get an honourable mention from me, but there were quite a few this time I felt were very nicely done.

Now, got to try and lose about 150 words from my 300er...

Thank you so much for your kind vote Simbelmynë!

Good luck on your 300 submission!

BG

 

[Parson]

@Hugh Thanks for the vote! Made my morning.

 

[Bren G]

Here were my picks. Too many in my honourable mention list so I'll leave it at that. Here they are in no particular order :

Marvin - Missing Link - great premise, it reminded me a bit of Pretender by Piers Anthony. Clean writing and dialogue which was easy to read and understand. Very clever ending that's both plausible and hilarious!!

Teresa Edgerton - Planet of Exile - Like Marvin's another amazing premise that uses clean writing style to convey the message. Tensions builds in the opening line, and releases it and builds it again before a very clever ending!!

Mr Orange : Picture Perfect - What a roller coaster ride of emotion from the very opening line where a vivid scene is painted, only to have it torn away from you. Good use of dialogue and very clever premise!

Well done!

 

[Parson]

As always there were a lot of interesting stories. I wouldn't have taken a genius to detect a hint of death worry in our stories. Many of them had to do with death and/or an after life. If we compare these to the original 75 word challenge 10 years ago, I think we would see a very different assortment of stories.

Shortlist:

Escape by @Mouse for a story which turns a phrase in favor of mice
Plain Jane by @Victoria Silverwolf for a story which shows the best part of imagining new worlds.
Excursion @Peeling for for a story which puts a totally new twist on Adam and Eve.
Observation: Great Plague, London. Mission Ref 209-B. 08-15-1665 by @Peter V for a story of a journey where scientific observation gets real.
Planet of Exile by @Teresa Edgerton for a story which turns a fairy tale into humorous S.F.
Ganymede by @jacksimmons for a story which has a whimsical literary beauty.
Greener Grass by @TheDustyZebra for a story which really reveals how we must learn to appreciate what we have.

Votes to
@Victoria Silverwolf and @Teresa Edgerton and @TheDustyZebra

 

[jacksimmons]

In the end, I voted for @Luiglin, @Peeling and @jacksimmons. Had I only had one vote, it would have been for @jacksimmons.
Oh, and many thanks to @Phyrebrat for the vote!

Thanks so much for the vote! Incredibly flattered.

 

[Marvin]

Honourable mention for:
@mosaix
@Mouse
@StilLearning
@paranoid marvin

Votes go to:
@Cat's Cradle - very moving
@Hugh - amusing
@Teresa Edgerton - clever

What a feast of storytelling. Superb from all. Glad of the extra votes this month!
Lots of other worlds coming from the mind not the physical. Or like @Parson said the next world we may visit after this one. Surely down to whats going on right now.
I tried to steer clear of that path.
Keep safe.

 

[Daysman]

Broad selection this month, something for everyone…

My top 10 — including votes:
@Marvin
@Victoria Silverwolf
@Luiglin
@BT Jones
@Simbelmynë
@Peeling
@Parson
@Vince W
@Culhwch
@Abernovo

As always, my thanks to @Parson and @Victoria Silverwolf for your kindly commentaries.

Thanks to @Hugh for the shortlisting.

@BT Jones — great overview!

 

[Abernovo]

Oh, and a mention. Thanks, @Daysman!