Is there going to be one this year?
Sekrit Santa 2024
- Thread starter Provincial
- Start date
I hope so.
If no-one else is interested, should we write stories for each other? Time's getting a bit short.
Well, let's jar @Phyrebrat a bit and see if he is up to is. Maybe check with @Victoria Silverwolf too.
If nothing else, we can host and manage it and see how many takers we get. If no takers, then sure! Stories for each other.
If nothing else, we can host and manage it and see how many takers we get. If no takers, then sure! Stories for each other.
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Victoria Silverwolf
Vegetarian Werewolf
You'll get responses, I believe, as soon as somebody officially hosts it.
How does that happen?
Victoria Silverwolf
Vegetarian Werewolf
Somebody volunteers to accept and distribute the stories. That person starts a thread for requests. That person also has the responsibility to keep track of who asked for what, and has to distribute the requests, so every request has an anonymous writer. After a while, the stories are sent to the requesters. Excerpts are posted here, and folks guess who wrote what.
@Victoria Silverwolf:
Anybody can volunteer? You see, I've only taken part a few times, but it seems to me that this particular job is regarded as particularly difficult. I assume that is something to do with the timing mostly - you know, Xmas, when everyone is frantically pursuing the impossible dream as well as trying to do their day job. But it does seem to be a job for someone with experience in Chrons admin.
Anybody can volunteer? You see, I've only taken part a few times, but it seems to me that this particular job is regarded as particularly difficult. I assume that is something to do with the timing mostly - you know, Xmas, when everyone is frantically pursuing the impossible dream as well as trying to do their day job. But it does seem to be a job for someone with experience in Chrons admin.
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I don't do the Sekrit Santa things, but just to confirm that from a Mod's perspective there's no need for experience in Chrons admin -- it's not even like the 100 Word Anonymous Challenge in Workshop which has to be timed carefully to avoid the 300 Word Challenges.
The only difficulty, I imagine, is keeping a record of who wants what, whose requests are sent to whom etc, and thereafter chivvying people along to get the stories written.
The only difficulty, I imagine, is keeping a record of who wants what, whose requests are sent to whom etc, and thereafter chivvying people along to get the stories written.
Hi all, missed this as I’m on holiday. Altho back today
I think the posts above have answered the queries above.
Just a reminder tho, it’s a rather thankless task to run because we’ve typically had soft deadlines for submissions of stories. This means some people never get their stories, others get part of a story; and once I had someone sending me their efforts in bits and pieces as if I was an editor!!
I’m not going to be involved this time, but I’d recommend this time whoever runs it puts in a more solid deadline. My thinking is we manage deadlines easy enough for the challenges so the SS should be no trouble in that regard.
I think the posts above have answered the queries above.
Just a reminder tho, it’s a rather thankless task to run because we’ve typically had soft deadlines for submissions of stories. This means some people never get their stories, others get part of a story; and once I had someone sending me their efforts in bits and pieces as if I was an editor!!
I’m not going to be involved this time, but I’d recommend this time whoever runs it puts in a more solid deadline. My thinking is we manage deadlines easy enough for the challenges so the SS should be no trouble in that regard.
Ok then, I volunteer, based in the principle that you need to live the change you want to see.
I propose to post an invite on the comments pages of the 75 word challenge, the 300 word challenge and the monthly photo challenge, with links to the names of everyone currently taking part in those challenges in order to draw it to their attention - or is that too much like spam?
I also intend to phrase it as an opportunity to practise time management skills, something that most writers will have struggled with at one time or another. I will invite people to share the techniques they use to keep themselves motivated, and will Google a few from the internet just to get people going.
Is this acceptable?
@The Judge
@Victoria Silverwolf
@Phyrebrat
@THX1138
I propose to post an invite on the comments pages of the 75 word challenge, the 300 word challenge and the monthly photo challenge, with links to the names of everyone currently taking part in those challenges in order to draw it to their attention - or is that too much like spam?
I also intend to phrase it as an opportunity to practise time management skills, something that most writers will have struggled with at one time or another. I will invite people to share the techniques they use to keep themselves motivated, and will Google a few from the internet just to get people going.
Is this acceptable?
@The Judge
@Victoria Silverwolf
@Phyrebrat
@THX1138
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Yep. Posting in the Challenge Discussion threads isn't a problem, but linking to everyone involved is going a bit too far.
I don't think the Photo Challenge thread would be particularly helpful -- writers who are there would have likely seen the thread anyway, and non-writers aren't going to be bothered -- but going into the last 100 Word Anonymous thread would be a good idea.
I don't see a problem with that, but you might be pushing too much work and importance into what is surely just a piece of fun.
As an outsider looking in, I'd suggest that you think about the kinds of requests you think are appropriate-- I don't imagine anyone has ever asked for something offensive or distressing, but you might want to suggest that no one piles in a lot of outrageously weird/preposterous stipulations in their requests.
And here's a link to Phyrebrat's opening post for 2023's Sekrit Santa which might help as to format/rules etc It's back! Sekrit Santa 20.
While you're musing all that, I'll move this thread over to Workshop, which is where it fits best as it's a writing matter.
Just woke up, long night with our family member in need.
I can help out too @Provincial in any way needed, like keeping track, receiving and distributing stories.
I can help out too @Provincial in any way needed, like keeping track, receiving and distributing stories.
Hi @Provincial
Just wanted to let you know I’m just a participant in the SS challenges so it’s not like you need to run things past me
As TJ says it’s meant to be informal and fun — it just lately became a bit too lackadaisical in terms of commitments. It’s mostly when someone makes the effort to write a story for someone who has said they’ll compete but doesn’t. The last one @chrispenycate had to step in and do multiple stories to make up for missing ones.
Just wanted to let you know I’m just a participant in the SS challenges so it’s not like you need to run things past me
As TJ says it’s meant to be informal and fun — it just lately became a bit too lackadaisical in terms of commitments. It’s mostly when someone makes the effort to write a story for someone who has said they’ll compete but doesn’t. The last one @chrispenycate had to step in and do multiple stories to make up for missing ones.
What I should have said is, I volunteer along with @Provincial.
I think the two of us together can pull it off. Plus, I have hosted a few threads, including in the Photo Challenge and 100 worder and such, so I'm up for it.
I think the two of us together can pull it off. Plus, I have hosted a few threads, including in the Photo Challenge and 100 worder and such, so I'm up for it.
Definitely need your expertise! This is great!
I have noticed this, which is why I want to add in the element of time management. In the real world I have seen how crushing it can be when someone is part of a Secret Santa exchange but doesn't receive a gift - the manager in an office where I worked did this to people time and again, signing up for SS but then not bothering to buy a present. It's one of the most bizarre abuses of power I have ever seen in the working environment, and surprisingly cruel - grown adults publicly reduced to tears, despite the fact that they knew how trivial the offence was in the grand scheme of things.
I think when we post the rules that we'll follow. Timelines are good.
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Fair play @THX1138 and @Provincial -I can match up your two stories to keep the element of surprise (even if ye have a 50% chance of guessing it right
Probably a minority opinion but that was the fun of it last year for me -from memory the request was for something that had to have the musician Chopin's still beating heart inside the drawer of a Welsh dresser at the bottom of a specific river in Poland ...trying to fairly credibly arrive at the destination was a head scratcher of an evening
One of my favourite stories came out out of a sekrit santa challenge.
I have a frantic schedule so can't really help organise this year. But I think the way to tackle it is to break the job up into 'bite size pieces' and do it in strict sequential steps as each section (hopefully) completes. I imagine PM pointy stick prods will be needed for some
I have a frantic schedule so can't really help organise this year. But I think the way to tackle it is to break the job up into 'bite size pieces' and do it in strict sequential steps as each section (hopefully) completes. I imagine PM pointy stick prods will be needed for some
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