DISCUSSION THREAD - AUGUST 2021 75 Word Writing Challenge

[M. Robert Gibson]

Well done everyone

Shortlist
Home the Hero - @TheEndIsNigh
Bronk the Hunter - @Elckerlyc
Unwelcome Company - @paranoid marvin
When the [Medieval] Legend Becomes [Time Travel] Fact ... - @The Judge

Vote goes to
A Legend… in Time. - @Bren G

Special mentions go to
Good old days - @Luiglin - for bringing back memories of my scouting days
Hell for Leather - @Ursa major - for having the audacity to use that leg endary pun

 

[Parson]

Picture of Parson doing his happy dance.

A Top 5 from @JS Wiig

And a precious vote from @Valtharius

Thanks so much to both of you!

 

[Parson]

I have an hour before dinner. Maybe I can get the voting done in that time?

Ready set go!

Short Listed:
The Coward Lord by @Chris 1978 ... because I loved the poetry and the way one person was able to change.
Home the Hero by @TheEndIsNigh ... because it gives the insight that the heroic and the criminal are not that far separated.
A Legend in Time by @Bren G ... because it gives us the insight that in time wrongs can be seen as right.
The Legend of the Oracle by @Wayne Mack ... because it made me chuckle.
Heroes Great and Small by @Peter V ... because I'm a sucker for stories of selfless sacrifice.
The Peculiar Tale of Pyrite Pete, the Pie Throwing Pirate by @Starbeast ... because, well because, who doesn't like a grandpla getting pied by his grandkids.
When the [Medieval] Legend Becomes [Time Travel] Fact ... by @The Judge ... because I so want the legend of Robin Hood to have some basis in reality.

Vote to: Heroes Great and Small by @Peter V. I often vote for the story that will stay with me the longest and this month Peter's story is that story.

(Parson smiles: 5:12, made it.)

 

[TheEndIsNigh]

Whoa - I haven't read the stories yet, but there's a pie thowing adventure?

This'll be interesting - will I be biased I ask myself?

Thanks for the mention @M. Robert Gibson, @Parson

 

[Abernovo]

Thank you for the reviews from Parson and Victoria.

And, a grateful thank you to @Valtharius for the listing.

 

[BT Jones]

Interesting pattern of votes currently. The first 4 all have one then a vast plain of 0's with only two votes in the remaining 43.
A statistically unlikely distribution, possibly reflecting a 'primacy effect'?

Interesting point, at @Astro Pen. It could also be said that the early entries perhaps represent inspired ideas that came to the writer very quickly. Or maybe they were rushed? Conversely, the ones posted near the end of any given challenge might be the ones that aged and brewed and evolved to the be the perfect story. Alternatively, perhaps they were desperation to get any kind of entry in for want of any better idea. From my perspective, quality speaks, and the best stories will always stand out.

 

[Chris 1978]

Thanks @Parson and @BT Jones wow made my day!

 

[paranoid marvin]

Thanks for the shortlistings Valtharius and M.Robert Gibson

 

[AnRoinnUltra]

I was part of the top of the poll vote bias. It was the result of a not very scientific judging process -I read the stories, and gave it a bit of time so I could select the entry that stayed in my skull the longest. That ended up being @gracefully.falling 's Monsters and Men. There was something about the idea of the human instinct to burn and destroy evil, and it played out as ironic for me to imagine the people doing the burning and seeing a monster, while the poor dude getting toasted sees a human face (peace, or at least insight into his human condition). I might have misread it, but in any case it brought about a moment of profound reflection on a Monday morning tea break, so fair play. Thanks to everyone for sharing the stories, I enjoyed reading them.

Edited to correct the author's name.

 

[paranoid marvin]

A longer shortlist from me this month to reflect the goodly number of entries yet still consistently high quality.

Mon0Zer0 - a very well written entry

TEIN - a great twist in your story

mosaix - a poignant tale

atsouthorn - hilarious!

AnRoinnUltra - a peculiar yet captivating entry

Astro Pen - a great idea for a story, well executed

The winner though is Starbeast with a colourful, funny (yet delicious!) story. Slapstick comedy perfected in print.

 

[nixie]

Favourites, @TheEndIsNigh, @Luiglin, @Peter V, @Ursa major.

Vote @mosaix.

 

[elle telle]

Well, I didn't get it together to write one this month, but I sure enjoyed reading them. Congrats to all on some great stories!

My vote went to @Bren G - I thought this was just beautifully written and a nice little twist on how time can distort perceptions of history

And my shortlist was @paranoid marvin, @Peter V, and @Cat's Cradle !

 

[atsouthorn]

Heroes, Great and Small - @Peter V got my vote

But it was tough to pick between Peter and @mosaix, @paranoid marvin, @Parson, and @Victoria Silverwolf

 

[Betok_Haney]

This was such a fun thing to jump into - wow there are some creative heavy-hitters on this forum! Love it!

I voted for @mosaix - such an incredible impact; but laughed the most at @atsouthorn , I could just feel the tone and it tickled my funnybone

 

[johnnyjet]

Excellent entries. Well done everyone! My Long List, Short List, and *** Favorite ***:

Consolation Prize - Victoria Silverwolf
*** In and Around Storage Locker C-2775 - Cat's Cradle ***
Through Other Eyes… - mosaix
Why Children Should Be Seen And Heard – nixie
The Legend of The Oracle - Wayne Mack
To Asimov – Guanazee
Bronk the Hunter – Eickerlyc
Heroes, Great and Small - Peter V
Klimt the Conqueror – atsouthorn
Dragonslayer – DanielOwen
The Peculiar Tale of Pyrite Pete, the Pie Throwing Pirate – Starbeast
Why the professor rejected her thesis – therapist
When the [Medieval] Legend Becomes [Time Travel] Fact ... - The Judge
Memories of Childhood Myth – Abernovo

 

[mosaix]

I voted for @Daysman. In my opinion a perfect example of how to write a 75. Every word in just the right place and there are at least another dozen implied words in there that the reader’s mind just fills in as the story unfolds. Perfectly done.

 

[Phyrebrat]

I had quite a few more than I normally do on my shortlist. I could have given the one vote to three people but...

Shortlist
gracefully.falling
Mon0zer0
CC
Chris 1978
Wayne Mack
Elckerlyc
AnRoinnUltra
Johnnyjet
M Rorbet Gibson
TJ
Aber
Moonbat

Favourites
Chris 1978
Wayne Mack
Johnnyjet Black Hole
M RObet Gibson
TJ
Aber

Vote
Chris1978


Re the reviews, I think they're hit and miss and I know of two members who have used them to help them vote. I've had some pretty off-subject 'reviews' over the years and would suggest they happen after voting.

 

[M. Robert Gibson]

M Rorbet Gibson

M RObet Gibson

Maybe I should change my username to something simpler: Robot Gibson perhaps, then I can be a character in an Asimov tale

 

[Phyrebrat]

Woopsy, sorry . Maybe M Rorschach Gibson?

 

[AnRoinnUltra]

Re the reviews, I think they're hit and miss and I know of two members who have used them to help them vote. I've had some pretty off-subject 'reviews' over the years and would suggest they happen after voting.

Apologies, the above comment about Monsters and Men def wasn't intended as a review but them keys shoulda been left untapped till the vote closed