Discussion Thread - 300-word Writing Challenge #53 (April 2024)

[Swank]

1. Science fiction story for a science fiction genre contest - check.

2. A clear and unambiguous connection between the inspirational image and the story details and theme - check.

3. Spelling checked with spell-check checker - check.

 

[mosaix]

Well I'm in. A bit rushed because I thought it was a 31 day month! Mrs Mosaix asked me this morning if I'd done my 300 entry. I told her I had another day. Not so! Panic!

Fairly happy with the entry except that just after the edit time elapsed I thought of a much, much better title.

 

[Ursa major]

It isn't even midnight BST, let alone GMT, and I seem to have posted an entry.

Give or take setting up the poll, I'll be twiddling my thumbs rather than scratching my head and wondering what to write. Most unusual.

 

[Ursa major]

​

The challenge is now closed to new entries and the voting is now open.

To cast your THREE votes, use the link below.

Please vote for your top THREE choices; note that all three votes must be cast AT THE SAME TIME to count.​

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

mosaix: An ironic tale of unconsidered possibilities.

Teresa Edgerton: A dark fairy tale of crime and consequences.

Starbeast: A madcap mélange of weirdness and pop culture.

The Judge: A moving story of loyalty and sacrifice.

Swank: An imaginative science fiction yarn of communication and otherness.

Ursa major: A wry fantasy proving that vice is its own punishment.

Bren G: An evocative combination of mysticism and technology.

_________________________________________________________________________


There was an unusually high level of quality to the entries this time. Voting was quite difficult, but choices must be made.



Peter V

Christine Wheelwright

johnnyjet

 

[Swank]

Thoroughly enjoyed product from Victoria, Phyrebrat, Chistine, Paul J. and Mosaix.

Voted for Phyre, Paul and Mosaix due to the patriarchy.

 

[THX1138]

Voted for:
@Daysman
@Christine Wheelwright
@Elckerlyc

Liked:
@Troyzan787
@AnRoinnUltra
@Starbeast - fun as always!

 

[Rafellin]

Hmmm. Difficult decisions this time round. In the end, it ended up as -

Top o' the stack: @Phyrebrat
Second: @Christine Wheelwright
Third: @Troyzan787 (would have been higher but for the typo.)

With an honourable mention to @mosaix for making me chuckle. I even heard the words in that accent.

 

[Parson]

@Elckerlyc .... One Step Too Far .... A story which is filled with humor and reminds of something Dr. Who might do.

@chrispenycate .... I am Knot .... An epic story of love and longing for what can not come to be.

@mosaix .... There’s No Answer To That… .... A story that hit me between the eyes with its ending.

@Teresa Edgerton .... Untitled .... A story that opens up to a world of magic and lessons learned, or unlearned.

@Starbeast .... Woven Commemoration .... A story about a much wilder west than I want to visit.

@The Judge .... Dream Weaver .... A story with an ending so unexpected and sweet it makes an enduring memory.

@Swank .... Algorithm .... A story about truth being woven into a life.

@Ursa major .... SAGE .... A story which weaves music and magic in an unpredictable way.

@Bren G .... First Contact: A Colonization Story .... A story which weaves prophecy, luck, and science fiction memorably.

----------

No story from me this month. I had too many granddaughter soccer games and track meets to find the time and when I tried to work on a story it was like my muse was away playing with all the boys and telling me to go take a hike.

 

[Swank]

No story from me this month. I had too many granddaughter soccer games and track meets to find the time and when I tried to work on a story it was like my muse was away playing with all the boys and telling me to go take a hike.

Instead of drinking Chablis from your Stanley coffee mug during the soccer games, you could have been writing!

 

[johnnyjet]

My long list was way too long. There were lots of excellent, highly creative stories. Here then is my Short List and *** Top Three ***:

The Wool Spiders - Astro Pen
*** The Spider Queen - Victoria Silverwolf ***
A Question of Obsolescence – Guttersnipe
*** The Embedding – Daysman ***
The Osmosis of Ova – Phyrebrat
*** Exit Through the Gift Shop - Christine Wheelwright ***
Fashion Victim - M. Robert Gibson
There’s No Answer To That… - mosaix
Dream Weaver - The Judge

 

[Astro Pen]

In the end went for
@Elckerlyc
@Rafellin
@Luiglin

 

[mosaix]

I have a stealth vote from @Bren G. Many thanks.

 

[Bren G]

Here are my picks for this month:

@Astro Pen - Wool Spiders
@AnRoinnUltra - The tale of a Spaceman called Blardan
@mosaix - There’s No Answer To That…

Well done all!

 

[Christine Wheelwright]

I enjoyed all the stories this month.

Runners up:
@Astro Pen
@Daysman
@AnRoinnUltra
@mosaix

Votes to:
@Cat's Cradle (Dystopias that don't seem so far removed from our present reality are most disturbing. And well written, as usual.)
@Victoria Silverwolf (Turned me on a little.)
@johnnyjet (Imaginative and well visualized)

 

[Cat's Cradle]

Thank you, Christine, for the kind words on my story, and for the vote.

 

[reebee]

My votes:
@Christine Wheelwright - such a full story (and strong characterization) in just 300 words--it feels longer!
@Elckerlyc - gives me that nostalgic feeling of watching a Doctor Who episode. I love a story that will make me nervous about a mundane household object for the next two weeks.
@Teresa Edgerton - vivid prose, and that oh-so-satisfying "SNIP"! Love to see a king get his due.

Honorable mention to @Cat's Cradle, whose detailed worldbuilding in the small word count really impressed me!

 

[Cat's Cradle]

Thank you, @reebee!

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

Thank you, reebee!

 

[AnRoinnUltra]

Half thoughts and notions, plus three favourites -thanks all for all the stories (and as always to the consistent reviewers).

Stored Away by @Cat's Cradle -Never have anything worth robbing and nobody'll rob ya.

The Wool Spiders by @Astro Pen -The Memory Trap

The Storyteller by @THX1138 -Learning to Fly

The Spider Queen by @Victoria Silverwolf -There was something arachnid in the way she walked.

Respect by @Rafellin -Granny was a good teacher Vote

Decisions by @Troyzan787 -The value of keeping records

A question of Obsolescence by @Guttersnipe -Does not compute

Unbreakable Connection by @Peter V -You look familiar

The Embedding by @Daysman -Machine learning

The Osmosis of Ova by @Phyrebrat -Top class opening line

Exit Through the Gift Shop by @Christine Wheelwright -A sales pitch ya can't ignore Vote

Without Reservation by @Paul J. Menzies -She seemed genuine

mercede, n.payment, reward, punishment by @reebee -The real first lady

Lost for words by @Luiglin -The thing about storytelling Vote (also very inspiring, thanks)

Conquering the Most Beautiful by @johnnyjet -Great stuff, I reckon it could suit a longer tale too.

Fashion Victim by @M. Robert Gibson -'A coat that keeps you.' 'You mean keeps you warm?', 'No, just keeps you.'

One Step Too Far by @Elckerlyc -SMS messages from the great beyond, great story.

I am Knot by @chrispenycate -Fun to read out loud

There's No Answer To That... by @mosaix -Poor old Erich (was thinking the same thing though

@Teresa Edgerton -There's no teaching some

Woven Commemoration by @Starbeast -Mumble weed says he'll most likely to do the opposite what was agreed, though he's smart enough to do something else...

Dream Weaver by @The Judge -Knew full well what he was doing.

Algorithm by @Swank -The way home

Sage by @Ursa major -Keep the noise down

First Contact: A Colonization Story by @Bren G The importance of a towel