Discussion Thread -- OCTOBER 2020 -- 300 Word Writing Challenge (#39)

[The Judge]

The Challenge thread will be up as soon as someone technically competent comes along to add in the chosen image, meanwhile here's the Discussion thread so you can start talking about the image, which as we know is Tranquillity. (And if anyone's got any spare ideas for a story, throw them over this way!)


Good luck everyone!

 

[Ursa major]

The Challenge thread is up (and will open for entries on the 10th of October)!

 

[wagtail]

With my awareness of boats pretty much limited to Boaty McBoatface, I'm wondering what type of boat this would be called. Is it a cabin cruiser?

 

[JJewel]

Then dont write about a boat, as long as it touches on the theme intended.

 

[Astro Pen]

Call me impulsive
There is probably a sound historical reason but nevertheless I will ask.
Why are these challenges dragged out for ink fading durations? What, for instance is the purpose of the ten day delay?

 

[The Judge]

I've been calling it a yacht, which covers a multitude of types of boat over a certain length, but there's need to get hung up on the actual boat in the image -- you can make it whatever kind you please for your story. Indeed, you don't need a boat in your story at all. The image is there for inspiration purposes only. Personally, I like to see an obvious connection and I tend to mark down stories which to my mind are completely divorced from the image, but that's just me, and I dare say no one else worries.

The only requirement is that the story is SF, fantasy or some kind of speculative fiction, and even that tends to be in the eye of the beholder and/or ignored at times by some entrants and voters!

 

[wagtail]

Thanks @JJewel and @The Judge

*waves goodbye to 'I'll just study up on boating' procrastinating research*

 

[The Judge]

Call me impulsive
There is probably a sound historical reason but nevertheless I will ask.
Why are these challenges dragged out for ink fading durations? What, for instance is the purpose of the ten day delay?

Two reasons.

Firstly, when we started the 300s we weren't sure if it might cause problems for the 75 worder, ie people would be fatigued doing both, so a 10 day gap allowed members to get the 75 worder out of the way before posting in the 300s. In point of fact we'd probably have been OK, but we wanted to err on the side of caution.

Secondly, the Challenges aren't merely bits of fun, they're also learning exercises for those of us who want to take our writing to a professional level. We'd found with the 75s that there were (and still are) a lot of members who post in haste and repent at leisure, and/or post and don't think about the pieces to any great extent, so leaving all kinds of errors in their work. We wanted to impress upon the would-be-professionals that all work needs to be revised and edited if it's to made the best it can be, so those who rush to post are forced to wait and, we hope, they use the time to make such revisions/edits.

 

[-K2-]

Idea chiseled in stone (I'm not sure why they come to me--first blush--like that)...
Now there's that whole pesky execution part.
Can't I just skip to the glory?

K2

 

[Ursa major]

as long as it touches on the theme intended

Except that there is no intended theme, just a picture that may inspire a story (including ones that might have nothing to do with boats or even water).

 

[JJewel]

So by that logic you look at the picture, think of a teddy bear and write a story about a teddy bear and no water or boat. But in your mind their linked?... As an example?

 

[Elckerlyc]

Not at all.
That picture is there to tickle your imagination. If you don't need the image because your imagination is already by itself boundless and pouring out ideas for stories by the minute (like, say, something about teddy bears) so much the better. Ignore the image, especially so as you seem to hate it, and write what you want.

 

[Provincial]

So by that logic you look at the picture, think of a teddy bear and write a story about a teddy bear and no water or boat. But in your mind their linked?... As an example?

Why not? Water flows, time flows, a teddy bear from your childhood perhaps? The connections made in dream analysis by psychoanalysts can be far more tortuous and obscure.

 

[Provincial]

With my awareness of boats pretty much limited to Boaty McBoatface, I'm wondering what type of boat this would be called. Is it a cabin cruiser?

I would like to see a story about Boaty McBoatface.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

So by that logic you look at the picture, think of a teddy bear and write a story about a teddy bear and no water or boat. But in your mind their linked?... As an example?

I’ve written many stories where, if you asked what the link was, it would be just as nebulous as this. for example, maybe a child is left alone in the boat with only their teddy bear, and they survive the ordeal by their (magical) teddy bear’s comfort. I might never mention the boat - but it’s still where my idea would come from.

 

[Ursa major]

But in your mind their linked?

I thought it was already clear that no link is required.

I would like to see a story about Boaty McBoatface.

And the guaranteed way of seeing such a story is for you to write one....

 

[JJewel]

Surely we need some sort of reference to the picture in the story? even if it is just to say, think I'll have a bath?

 

[Ursa major]

Surely we need some sort of reference to the picture in the story?

Again, as has been stated more than once already, no "we" don't (whoever "we" are).

Besides, unless you never ever look at the image, you may not know how or if it has inspired your own story, let alone anyone else's.

 

[JJewel]

Hey okay, we dont need to rile the bear, its all cool.

Message received and stuff like that, but the image has inspired me so nuff said...

I was doing time in the universal mind
I was doing allright ...

*Wanders away happily singing, leaving an angry bear behind*

 

[Parson]

Surely we need some sort of reference to the picture in the story?

Read through a few of the 300 word challenge stories. There are always some that will leave you wondering: "Now how did s/he get that out of that picture."