DISCUSSION THREAD -- July 2021 -- 300 Word Writing Challenge #42

[Jo Zebedee]

Lots to love here! My shortlist was long:

@Ursa major for a great last line
@farntfar for some great empathy from frazzled mother me
@Rafellin for lovely imagery
@Astro Pen for a sweet story
@WhitneyW12 for a story I really loved
@Peter V for one very, very nearly on the shortlist.
@Abernovo for a lovely balanced story

On the shortlist

@therapist for clever sci fi
@Cat's Cradle for a really, really clever and well delivered story
@Luighlin for making me laugh and
@The Judge for a very good feminist take

And, I'm still musing because I liked them all so much but I think the votes are going to Cats, The Judge and Luighlin.

Can't I have 4 votes, please? Please?

And, also, thanks for the votes, Mosaix, Ian and Whitney. Genuinely thought I was in it for the dignity of not missing, so it was lovely to get a couple. And, also, to those who shortlisted it.

 

[Ian Fortytwo]

Only seven have no votes. I must do better.

 

[Ursa major]

Many, many thanks for the stealth vote, Peter V.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Only seven have no votes. I must do better.

I liked yours, it was close to my shortlist - I think the standard is just very high this month.

 

[Peter V]

Many, many thanks for the stealth vote, Peter V.

Stealth-ish. It was shortlisted.
Had to be a seriously good entry because the competition was immense.

 

[Cat's Cradle]

Honored, Jo, thanks so much.

Only seven have no votes. I must do better.

It's really hard to not receive votes, Ian, I know. Everyone who's entered the 300 Word Challenges almost certainly has had a number of months with zero votes*. And it's hard.

I just re-read your story and it's very sweet/bittersweet and effective. It has a very good last line. I think Jo is right that the competition is just so tough this month. Just keep writing, and don't lose heart, okay?

* with the exception of someone who's just entered their first 300 worder, and received votes. We have a least one of those this month.

edit - and there's still time! Maybe that vote will come through for you, or the others.

 

[farntfar]

Thank you very much, Jo and Cat's. Your shortlisting means a great deal to me.

 

[Abernovo]

Thanks for the listing, Jo!

I'm trying to decide who to vote for at the minute.

 

[Daysman]

A lively catch, this time around, recursive tales of loss and duty, inheritance and myth, families and portals, and everywhere the ocean… and comedy too, here and there and back again…

My faves and votes*

@Rafellin
@Astro Pen
@PigMonkey *
@Guttersnipe
@Peter V
@mosaix *
@Perpetual Man *
@Jo Zebedee

Thanks @chrispenycate and @paranoid marvin for your votes, @Peter V for your listing and @Parson and @Victoria Silverwolf for your kind comments.

Have a great Sunday!

 

[elle telle]

Thank you so much for the vote @G.T. and the mention @Parson!!! This is the first time a story I've entered on any challenge has received a vote and I was cheesing all day.

And @BT Jones you are very welcome for the stealth vote! I actually did not originally intend these to be stealth votes I just knew I had a very busy two weeks so prioritized getting my votes in and figured I'd come back the next day and write a post with my votes and shortlist and... that obviously just did not happen hah. So, very belatedly, here they are:

Short list:
@Abernovo
@Luiglin
@Victoria Silverwolf

Votes:
@therapist
@BT Jones
@Peter V

Reading all these stories was so much fun, there were so many interesting ideas and tales - cutting down to only three votes was tough.

 

[Abernovo]

Thank you to elle telle for the shortlisting. I'm not putting up a longlist, as it would be too long.

My shortlist is bad enough.

@AltLifeAStory - quite beautiful prose, and a lovely story;
@BT Jones - a bleakly humorous look at the universal planning ministry;
@Phyrebrat - a heartbreakingly poignant tale of love, loss, and also hope (I want an extra vote);
@therapist - very bleak, very well-written, with a Gulliver's Travels riff to boot;
@Jo Zebedee - darkness and possible horror, tinged with glorious hope;
@Ursa major - made me laugh, and remember uni.

Also, an honourable mention to @mosaix - I really want to know what happened next.

In the end, my votes went to:
@Cat's Cradle - a just sublime story;
@Luiglin - a brilliant, darkly funny twist on the first contact alien story;
@elle telle - a wonderful standalone vignette which creates a whole world, and left me wanting more;

 

[mosaix]

Well, nothing for a fortnight then a vote and a mention. Thanks @Daysman and @Abernovo.

 

[atsouthorn]

First time writing in the challenge. So much talent here, and here I was thinking I'd be in with a shot haha.

My votes:

@Cat's Cradle - Tommy in Time
@Peter V - Worlds Apart
@Ursa major - Clever Clogs

 

[Peter V]

Don't forget to put your votes into the poll atsouthorn - right now it will give us a leader going into the home straight

 

[Phyrebrat]

Say it every quarter; I'll say it this time: Need four votes.

Shortlist
Astro pen
AltLifeStory
BT Jones
CC
Mon0zer0
PeterV
Dan Jones
Mosaix
The Judge
Perp
Jo-Z
Ursa

Favourites
CC
Mon0zer0
Dan Jones
The Judge
Perp

Votes
@Cat's Cradle
@The Judge
@Dan Jones

Thank you to those who have mentioned me, and my eternal indebtedness to Cat's Cradle, Dan, Astro Pen, Lawrence Twiddy and Mon0zer0 for using a vote on my swansong.

 

[The Judge]

Some cracking stories this month, though (as always) one or two I couldn't follow.

I don't usually do a longlist, but my original shortlist was on the long side and I had to prune it ruthlessly, so a brief mention to Astro Pen, AltLifeAStory, Lawrence Twiddy, Dan Jones and elle telle who just missed out.

The shortlist itself:

Cat's Cradle -- Tommy in Time -- a tragic, bittersweet story​

Elckerlyc -- Like Father, the Son -- a sweet tale of continuing life​

farntar -- Cross? -- Mother's warning that's stupidly ignored​

Jo Zebedee -- FROM THE DEEPEST DARK -- courage and desperation wrapped in a song​

Peter V -- Worlds Apart -- a loving tale of family​

Phyrebrat -- The Reedy Shoals of Havisham -- just perfect​

Rafellin -- The Forest Ring -- lovely prose​

sule -- The Magic Mirror -- a wonderful take on an old story​

Victoria Silverwolf -- Eclipse -- magic and magical​

​

My first two votes were easy -- Phyrebrat's wonderfully lyrical story of cygnine loss and hope would get my vote if I had only one, and CC's tale of a mother giving up life and son for the greater good comes a close second. The third vote took a lot longer to decide, but in the end I plumped for sule's brilliant update of a certain fairy tale


I'm blown away by the attention my story has received! So dimpled smile thanks for the lovely mentions and shortlistings BTJ, paranoid m, Mon0Zer0, Wayne, Dan, johnnyjet, MRG and Chris p. And mystic-sigil-ring thanks for the stupendous votes Rafellin, Ian, JSW, therapist, sule, Peter, CC, Jo and Phyrebrat! Oh, and stealth votes from nixie and mosaix! Thank you!

 

[Astro Pen]

Thank you, good people, for the many shortlists and mentions and the votes from @Perpetual Man @Luiglin @Victoria Silverwolf @farntfar @Dan Jones and @Elckerlyc
I posted early but was followed by Victoria Silverwolf's excellent story and knew I was in trouble.
As others have noted the standard in this challenge was indeed exceptional so I am doubly humbled my votes.
Astro

 

[Ursa major]

​

The poll has now closed and we have a winner:

Congratulations, Cat's Cradle!​

​

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

Many congratulations on a hard-fought victory!

 

[Ian Fortytwo]

Congratulations @Cat's Cradle .