DISCUSSION THREAD -- October 2022 -- 300 Word Writing Challenge #47

[Parson]

I'm more a malted cow man, myself

This is what comes to mind.

 

[Luiglin]

This is what comes to mind.


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Also known as cow biscuits. Great for dunking.

 

[Peter V]

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Also known as cow biscuits. Great for dunking.

I like the version coated on one side with chocolate.

 

[Dan Jones]

This is what comes to mind.


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Mmmm, custard cows....

 

[Parson]

Mmmm, custard cows....

Actually that's a picture of the "world famous" butter cow. A new one is sculpted for each year's Iowa State Fair. --- Custard sounds yummier.

 

[Parson]

@Talk Anderson ..... Choice .... T. A. tells us a tale of a sage, of sage advice, and a life changing choice.

@Peter V .... Siren .... P. V. writes us a story filled with love, longing, and points to an ending we don't expect to want.

@Astro Pen .... The Launch .... A. P. gives us a story which filled with childlike faith, whimsy, and disappointment.

@Elckerlyc .... They’re Never Gonna Believe This! .... Elckerlyc tells us a story that puts truth to the statement, "Without another witness, all testimony is next to worthless."

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

Parson: The author cleverly conceals a wry commentary on popular culture in the unexpected climax of this science fiction adventure. With great wit, the sting in this story's tail comes as a fine surprise after a hard SF tale that could have come from the pages of Analog.

VRlass: In this classic ghost story we come to understand why tales of spectral visitations have remained consistently popular over the centuries. We feel as if the departed are still with us, and these fictional accounts serve as appropriate metaphors for our emotions.

Dan Jones: Hidden beneath the madcap surface of this hyperspeed farce is a telling comment on the excesses of the ultra-wealthy and their disdain for underlings. Luxuries taken to the point of absurdity reveal decadent hedonists for the fooolish sorts they are.

Luiglin: This wry spoof of the hyperbole oft found in the realty business combines such exaggerated promises with familiar fantasy tropes to result in an amusing dichotomy. The naivety of the sales target adds a droll touch to the darkly comic denouement.

mosaix: The Rabelaisian humor of this tongue-in-cheek encounter does not detract in any way from the loyalty and heroism of the protagonist. In a lighthearted way, the author reminds us to practice such virtues when facing our own challenges.

Talk Anderson: The bewilderment of the main character in this allegorical fable perfectly reflects the theme of having to select a path in life without full information as to the consequences of each possible journey. Who among can say which way the roads we face each day may lead?

Peter V: What most distinguishes this dark and moody fantasy is the fact that it does not turn away from the finality of the central event of the past that haunts its characters. Few authors can so adeptly display both imagination and truthfulness.

Astro Pen: With sensitive feeling for the dreams, joys, and sorrows of the very young, the author creates an emotionally powerful account of great aspirations and bitter disappointments. Surely all of us can recall the very real pain that results when even the smallest of illusions are shattered.

Elckerlyc: The start of this science fiction story creates the sense of wonder provided by the finest examples of the genre. How much more amusing, then, when cosmic awe is brought down to earth by the conclusion.

 

[Parson]

@chuckroc73 .... Untitled .... C. 73 draws into a world of art about a world of which Gallac is no longer a part.

 

[VRlass]

A lot of interesting stories. I tended to favor the lighter ones, but

Oh, Leave Me Hope @Cat's Cradle​

​

got my vote for its Edgar Allen Poe feel. Others that I particularly enjoyed were:

The Man Who Hated Fire @Victoria Silverwolf​

Catching the Scythe @Phyrebrat​

By Dawns Early(ish) Light @Peter V​

All’s Well That Ends Well Part 2, or, It Was A Dark And Stormy Night @M. Robert Gibson​

Darkness. The Devil’s Friend? @mosaix​

Folly @Hugh​

This is 300 discussion

 

[chuckroc73]

I totally do not know what I am doing which should be fairly clear by my terrible formatting.

I read through all the other entrants and like so much of what I read. So much fun and creativity, plus many a deep cut of some emotional gravity. Nothing like what I was expecting to read. I think I fit in well enough to continue to contribute. And I look forward to more of these exercises. We don't actually vote until the poll drops mid November correct?

As a bit of discussion, please tell me if this is inappropriate. @Luiglin 's "Life's a beach.." is so wonderfully DND I am going to borrow your sales goblin for my home game. Is there a thread here for writing for TTRPGs?

 

[Luiglin]

I totally do not know what I am doing which should be fairly clear by my terrible formatting.

I read through all the other entrants and like so much of what I read. So much fun and creativity, plus many a deep cut of some emotional gravity. Nothing like what I was expecting to read. I think I fit in well enough to continue to contribute. And I look forward to more of these exercises. We don't actually vote until the poll drops mid November correct?

As a bit of discussion, please tell me if this is inappropriate. @Luiglin 's "Life's a beach.." is so wonderfully DND I am going to borrow your sales goblin for my home game. Is there a thread here for writing for TTRPGs?

By all means, borrow away.

 

[Cat's Cradle]

Greetings, @chuckroc73! The voting for this 300 Word Challenge will begin on November 1st (there will be a new Poll thread with instructions; you receive three votes for the 300 worder), and be open till midnight GMT (is that right, GMT?) on November 15th. There will be a new 75 Word Challenge beginning November 1st, as well, so I hope you'll write an entry for that one, too.
I'd think you could ask for advice about formatting here in the discussion thread. Did something go wrong when you copied then pasted your entry? You can edit your story in the story posting thread before you publish it, and you have one hour after posting your work to make edits, as well. I wanted to mention that should you choose to add a title to your next story, it does not count against word count, and a good title can add quite a bit to a story's impact. Welcome to the site, CC

 

[Parson]

I am not a gamer myself but if I read the code right TTRPG refers to "something, something, Role Player Games." We do have a gaming section. You can find it here: Game Discussions

 

[BigJ]

I am not a gamer myself but if I read the code right TTRPG refers to "something, something, Role Player Games." We do have a gaming section. You can find it here: Game Discussions

TT is table top. They mentioned DnD, or Dungeons and Dragons, which I've never played but as I understand is a group of people sitting around a table with dice and rulebooks and stat sheets and other things depending on the game and who's running it.

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

chuckroc73: Combining the intensity of cyberpunk with the vast imagination of space opera, this blend of dystopian and utopian futures draws the reader into its distant world. One can perceive the lesson that humanity will go on, despite disaster.

 

[Stable]

Made it! Writing time feels almost impossible to make at the moment, so I'm glad I got this in.

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

Stable: The raging emotions of adolescence are perfectly captured in this bittersweet tale of growing up. Adulthood changes so much, and yet we are always drawn back ceaselessly into the past.

 

[chuckroc73]

TT is table top. They mentioned DnD, or Dungeons and Dragons, which I've never played but as I understand is a group of people sitting around a table with dice and rulebooks and stat sheets and other things depending on the game and who's running it.

That's fair for a cursory explanation in the most analytical way possible.

Fundamentally it is collective story telling where players take the role of a protagonist and the DM takes the role of narrator. The DM role can be much larger and sometimes smaller, but that's the gist.

I like to think of it as a round of LETS PRETEND that you played as a child. Sometimes you pretend to be a space pilot, a princess, an archeologist, or even a space piloting archeologist who happens to also be a princess. The "game" gives you believable laws to push against. Like THE FORCE in that space opera we are all familiar with. And the DM helps everyone stick to those mutually agreed upon laws.

I also like to think that RPGs are like campfire tales where everyone gets to add to the story and no one but the host can give a resolution.

There are varied levels of complexity in game and I prefer playing ones that are the least complex as I am more interested in coming up with cool stories and less about rolling dice.


Speaking of dice is anyone familiar with RORY's STORY CUBES?

 

[Wayne Mack]

A lot of interesting stories. I tended to favor the lighter ones, but

Oh, Leave Me Hope @Cat's Cradle​

​

got my vote for its Edgar Allen Poe feel. Others that I particularly enjoyed were:

The Man Who Hated Fire @Victoria Silverwolf​

Catching the Scythe @Phyrebrat​

By Dawns Early(ish) Light @Peter V​

All’s Well That Ends Well Part 2, or, It Was A Dark And Stormy Night @M. Robert Gibson​

Darkness. The Devil’s Friend? @mosaix​

Folly @Hugh​

I clicked on the wrong thread. Could an admin more this to the 75 word challenge discussion?

 

[Luiglin]

That's fair for a cursory explanation in the most analytical way possible.

Fundamentally it is collective story telling where players take the role of a protagonist and the DM takes the role of narrator. The DM role can be much larger and sometimes smaller, but that's the gist.

I like to think of it as a round of LETS PRETEND that you played as a child. Sometimes you pretend to be a space pilot, a princess, an archeologist, or even a space piloting archeologist who happens to also be a princess. The "game" gives you believable laws to push against. Like THE FORCE in that space opera we are all familiar with. And the DM helps everyone stick to those mutually agreed upon laws.

I also like to think that RPGs are like campfire tales where everyone gets to add to the story and no one but the host can give a resolution.

There are varied levels of complexity in game and I prefer playing ones that are the least complex as I am more interested in coming up with cool stories and less about rolling dice.


Speaking of dice is anyone familiar with RORY's STORY CUBES?

I've been a long time RPGer both player and DM (think early 80s). Written many of my own campaigns and even got to the final of an official Games Workshop scenario writing competition once.

Too many characters and non-player characters created over the years to list. But, there's not one that I've not had fun playing.

That's why I'm happy for you to borrow the goblin estate agent