DISCUSSION THREAD -- JUNE 2023 -- 75 Word Writing Challenge

[paranoid marvin]

Thankyou so much to nixie, Starbeast, Parson and Artoriarius for your votes, and also to Wayne Mack and THX1138 for the shortlistings. It's very much appreciated.

 

[Far Stranger]

I really liked…
@genelewis
@JS Wiig
@Phyrebrat
@therapist I love the way you write: so light, precise and brutal

I voted for @Cat's Cradle, whose story stayed with me long after reading.

 

[Cat's Cradle]

Thanks so much for the vote, @Far Stranger! I'm very grateful, CC

 

[Hugh]

I voted for @Bowler1 . No idea why, it just made the synapses sing.

Diverse runners up
@Starbeast
@Phyrebrat

Others that caught my eye for better or worse, in no intelligible order.
@emrosenagel
@Christine Wheelwright
@Peter V
@Parson (I did like this one)
@Paul J. Menzies
@therapist

 

[Parson]

@Hugh glad you liked it.

 

[Christine Wheelwright]

I'm a bit late voting this month, but here we go:

This month, I liked @Astro Pen , @Peter V and @genelewis. But it came down to a close contest between @Daysman and @Cat's Cradle 's harsh dystopian tale. I went for CC by a whisker.

 

[Stable]

I voted for @Christine Wheelwright 's cat tale. I also really liked @Perky 's frog story, which was a fun surprise to find in the thread.

 

[Bowler1]

Thank you Hugh for the vote and I'm always surprised when anyone votes for me, so yay, go me.

I went for Just Another Day because I think it reminded me of The Many. Regardless, it did it for me and now has two votes.

Lots of scattered votes that reflect the various story ideas and original thinking, so it could be anyone's yet.

 

[AnRoinnUltra]

Been offline lately so late voting, but voted for Myths, or self-fulfilling prophecies . . . by @BigJ -not because it was #1 in the list There seemed to be lots to pick from but a (possibly recurring SF) tale putting humanity into perspective seemed nicely done to me. I was reading about transhumanism and the millionaire investors funding the research recently, and in the back of my head a voice kept saying humans need to get over themselves ...which meant the story of a species being 'glassed' like someone at the unfortunate side of a drunken row hit the spot this time round.
Well done all

 

[Phyrebrat]

Hello all,

A lot I liked this month and quite a few I liked the feel of/style but did not understand. This left me with

Victoria

Guttersnipe

CC

Daysman

Still earning

Far stranger

Been G

Sule *

Mosaix

Bowler1

Parson

Luiglin **

Peter v **

Ursa**

My finalists were @Luiglin, @Peter V and @Ursa major, with Ursa taking my vote ( @sule just missed out on my top 3 ).

It’s recently been the anniversary of the Grenfell tragedy here and something about Ursa’s tale really put me in mind of that. I worked with a lot of the kids affected by it on free summer schools etc so it’s close to my heart. I know this wasn’t necessarily Ursa’s intentions but it hit me emotionally and so gets my vote.

 

[Ursa major]

Many, many thanks for the vote Phyrebrat.


I'm not sure whether or not I should apologise for inadvertently hitting you emotionally in that way, though I can see, given your explanation, how and why it did so.

And you're correct: doing so couldn't have been further from my intentions. (Indeed, my inspiration was something entirely different, though, for obvious reasons, I can't say what it was before the voting is over.)

 

[Phyrebrat]

Many, many thanks for the vote Phyrebrat.


I'm not sure whether or not I should apologise for inadvertently hitting you emotionally in that way, though I can see, given your explanation, how and why it did so.

And you're correct: doing so couldn't have been further from my intentions. (Indeed, my inspiration was something entirely different, though, for obvious reasons, I can't say what it was before the voting is over.)

Oh you’ve nothing to apologise for. And I knew I was putting my own overlay on it .

 

[Cat's Cradle]

An interesting set of prompts from johnnyjet inspired an interesting group of stories.

Here are my lists:

Shortlist:
Christine Wheelwright, Daysman, Phyrebrat, Far Stranger, Elckerlyc, Therapist, Luiglin

FInalists:
Perky, Starbeast, Peter V

It was terrible choosing from amongst these three, as I loved them each. In the end I voted for Peter V, though Starbeast nearly broke through for the vote.

Thanks kindly, Phyrebrat for the listing, and huge thanks to Christine Wheelwright for the vote! Best of luck in the voting all, the rest of the way, CC

 

[The Judge]

My muse was on strike again last week, so I'm envious of the ingenious stories on offer for this Challenge, though I confess that there were a good number I didn't understand. Anyway, my shortlist:

BigJ -- Myths, or self-fulfilling prophecies . . . ​

Elckerlyc -- "Vanity of Vanities; All Is Vanity"​

Peter V -- Not Everything Can Be Fixed​

reddishbird -- Birthday​

sule -- Building a New World from the Ashes of the Old​

Ursa major -- Blow It Up and They Will Come​

Victoria Silverwolf -- Heaven Can Wait​

And my vote goes to Peter's tale of trust destroyed, though Victoria's Babylonian Babble tale came a close second and gets a special prize for making me giggle.

 

[Peter V]

Hi Peter, just seen this post. I think we all go through stages in writing when things don't come easily, or don't come at all. Which I think is why we need to make the most of it when it does. There's lots of influences on our lives; the last few years I think are ones that few will look back on with any fondness, so you're definitely not alone (if that's any consolation). For some people it brings out their best (I'm thinking of the war poets) for the rest of us it makes writing at times enjoyable, at others challenging.

Fwiw I think your entries are always enjoyable to read, and some like this month are exceptional (which is why I voted for yours, and was in the category of 'I wish I had written that'), and I'm very glad that you did enter your story.

And sorry, the post of Marvin is already taken.

Thanks for your kind words and a vote too PM, a very welcome bonus Now I have the weekend out of the way (and quite honestly I enjoyed it and was most definitely spoiled), I am in a slightly more positive frame of mind and although work is manic at the moment, to be honest that is a good thing in the current climate, even if it does not help my overall tiredness.

 

[Peter V]

Near as dammit exactly how I've been over the last year now. Apart from stuff on here, which from my perspective, has been poor, I've not written anything in anger. I've even given up my local writing group.

I made an effort to tweak an entry for the Bridport Prize. Then found out it couldn't be used as I'd already submitted a longer version for this forum. Sod's Law eh?

I enjoy writing my comedy. Even if no one thinks it's funny (and I've been told that on here). I find it therapeutic. So, I'm going to bulldoze this self built brick wall and try again - aha Pink Floyd.

Just thought I'd tell you @Peter V that you're not the only one. Maybe it will help, maybe not, but there's one here who understands.

I have one less cat though, one of which has only 3 legs. So maybe, 1 and ¼ less

Thanks Luiglin, fellow cat servant. I like the vast majority of your entries and when you go for funny, it frequently hits the spot. My problem recently has been a habit of voting but only occasionally listing, and that obviously does not let someone know you appreciate what they have put forward. Generally it is because if I list, I like to try and say why but if I cannot come up with anything coherent for even one of my listings, I don't do it at all. I think this is something I really should work on.

 

[Luiglin]

Top three for me...

• @Daysman - $6million dollar president
• @genelewis - ants, always an antenna for a good view
• @Starbeast - who me?

And a click of the radio button goes to @Starbeast, I could just see the scene.

 

[Peter V]

I voted for @ Starbeast it had a great balance of amusement and sentimentality which appealed to me and the title was a perfect fit for the tale.

Oh so close were @ emrosenagel for a funny and ultimately clever take on Mary's book. The reanimated work of the good Doctor continuing his conversation where he left off was brilliant. Also the entry from @ Yozh was definitely in with a shout and maybe only missed out because I was in more of a frame of mind for something more light hearted than horror (unlucky really because usually lean towards the darker offerings) and if @ Phyrebrat could somehow have levered Depeche Mode in amongst his musical musings, he would have been a shoehorn

I enjoyed @ Victoria Silverwolf amusing take on history / mythology. Also catching my eye was @ Daysman for his political tale which may, or may not be a true story and @ Christine Wheelwright, not because it was feline based but that particular feline - I have written short stories around the box and its content myself and I'm pretty sure one of my 75's way back was. @ paranoid marvin because I like an open ending. I know which button was pressed but will remain tight lipped.

and I cannot NOT mention @ Luiglin for I know exactly where he is coming from and so so nearly...

Quite a few others could easily be listed, some that I thought were beautifully written but I did not quite get. That's on me, not the author(s).


Thank you for kindly voting for me @ paranoid marvin, @ Yozh, @ Christine Wheelwright, @ Cat's Cradle and @ The Judge

and thank you for kindly listing, shortlisting my entry @ johnnyjet, @Hugh, and @ Phyrebrat,

I am truly humbled.

Usually I try and build my tale around a character. Development in 75 words is a huge challenge but my entries I tend to be more proud of are usually in the head of a protagonist / antagonist. This fable type of entry is definitely not my usual style - although I might have to look back over past entries to see if I am just fooling myself.

 

[Daysman]

This post was constructed from my previous replies to the 75.

My fave five, inc. vote:
@BigJ
@Victoria Silverwolf
@johnnyjet
@Starbeast (vote)
@mosaix

Many thanks to @johnnyjet, @Christine Wheelwright, @Phyrebrat, @Cat's Cradle, @Luiglin and @Peter V for your mentions, and as always @Parson and @Victoria Silverwolf for your reviews.

D

 

[Starbeast]

• @mosaix
• @Luiglin
• @Peter V
• @M. Robert Gibson
• @Daysman

YOW! Thank you all for your votes. I'm stunned and amazed!

Also, a huge THANKS to everyone who mentioned my story.

I need to sit down...