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Janette posted an update 1 year, 6 months ago
Good to see so many taking part in the Winter comp. I’ve been wrestling with two ideas though one appears to have risen above the other. I was ready to post it … but late corrections reminded me to be a little less hasty and allow some thinking time, when I’ll probably change my mind again.
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Seagreen started the topic Monthly competition- November 2024 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 6 months ago
Find an item of news – online, in the local paper, or on TV – and, in no more than 500 words, write the background story.
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Seagreen replied to the topic Monthly Comp – October 2024 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 6 months ago
Thanks, Knicky, for the challenge and for seeing something in my effort I wasn’t sure was there.
Thanks also to Terrie, Libby and Alex. I would have been more than happy to say I’d written any one of yours ☺️
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Knicks replied to the topic Monthly Comp – October 2024 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 6 months ago
Heya lovelies,
Apologies for the day-late decision making. I’ve been oout and aboout with my egg, enjoying our midterm break from work and school, and foolishly saved the reading until the final day of the month because I wanted to take in each piece at the same time, rather than read as submitted, and also to give everyone who could, a chance to…[Read more]
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Athelstone replied to the topic Monthly Comp – October 2024 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 6 months ago
Darn it! Missed it! A fab selection though.
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Seagreen replied to the topic Monthly Comp – October 2024 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 7 months ago
Fiercely reaching yet afraid of letting go. (756 words)
He wakes. Slowly. Reluctantly. To a feeling of being underground. Air heavy and thick with dust. Throat dry and aching. Eyes full of grit.
He is pinned, lying sideways on a surface, twisted and unforgiving, one arm beneath his hip and the other across his chest. He cannot feel his feet,…[Read more]
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Athelstone replied to the topic Chit Chat in the forum
A Different Time 1 year, 7 months agoPlease don’t feel you have to emphasise the differentness. It was a throw-away comment about making me happy. The following remark that making me happy is not a condition of entry to the challenge was intended to say that. What should probably have put is that emphasis on difference will be great, but not emphasising it will also be…[Read more]
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Daedalus replied to the topic Chit Chat in the forum
A Different Time 1 year, 7 months agoRe absence of choices and surprises. I’m not sure really. Sometimes they’ve helped me push myself to do something dramatically different, or have at least significantly shaped what I’ve written. Other times they just made slight complications to writing the story I would have written anyway. Generally it’s the overall theme I have the biggest…[Read more]
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Gosh, I had to read that last sentence twice! I’m astounded that only one of your excellent challenge stories has been accepted. Really sorry to hear that.
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Thanks Thea. In part I’m sure it’s my own fault for not being persistent enough. That said, I can’t help worrying that there’s something indefinably dated or just offputting in my writing. I should add that since I wrote the above, another story based on one of the Den challenge pieces was accepted for an anthology, but for various reasons that…[Read more]
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Congratulations on having another story accepted. You say the anthology might be “up in the air”, so I really hope it all goes through alright.
I honestly don’t think there’s anything “dated” or “off-putting” in your stories. I’ve read several in the challenges over the years and they have all been excellent. I’m sure that if you look back at the…[Read more]
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Athelstone replied to the topic Chit Chat in the forum
A Different Time 1 year, 7 months agoHow many words would it be? That said, it isn’t against the rules, and this is a challenge to produce a short story in any way you see fit as long as it fits with the theme.
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Seagreen replied to the topic Monthly competition, September 2024 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 7 months ago
Congratulations, Knicky, a most excellent story!
Thank you, Sandra, for the comp, and for allowing me to imagine another Piety/Freedom Jones episode.
And thanks to all the entrants for being amazing writers and keeping me inspired 🙂
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Athelstone replied to the topic Chit Chat in the forum
A Different Time 1 year, 7 months agoI’m interested in how people feel about the different approach this year, i.e. the absence of choices and surprises. It was something suggested to me by a group member and I thought I’d give it a go.
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I have always loved the choices and surprises – they’ve taken me out of my comfort zone and challenged me in ways I didn’t expect. It was always fun in the run up to the reveal and, ultimately, to see who made what of the same (or similar) choices. Last year, however, I didn’t enter the comp because one of the elements completely threw me (can’t…[Read more]
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Athelstone replied to the topic Monthly competition, September 2024 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 7 months ago
Fabulous competition! Hooray for all of us, especially Knicks. Thank you Sandra.
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Athelstone replied to the topic Chit Chat in the forum
A Different Time 1 year, 7 months agoAll sounds promising so far.
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Knicks started the topic Monthly Comp – October 2024 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 7 months ago
In the tides of life rage fuels resolution, and patterns emerge from paradoxes, only for all to dissolve into their eternal ebb and flow.
Whatever these words might mean to you, whatever emotions, memories, dreams or ideals they call forth, share it with us in no more than 800 words.
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Knicks replied to the topic Monthly competition, September 2024 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 7 months ago
🙂 It has been a while, yes. Thank you for your flattering words, Sandra, and for trusting me with the monthly comp baton this turn around. Thank you Richard for the congrats. Well done to all! I thoroughly enjoyed each entry, lots of lovely lines and all the proper, not to mention yummy, writing I’ve missed reading around these here parts…[Read more]
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Daedalus replied to the topic Chit Chat in the forum
A Different Time 1 year, 7 months agoHope so!!
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Jules replied to the topic Chit Chat in the forum
A Different Time 1 year, 7 months agoAsper usual, I have no ideas at all yet. Knowing me, it’ll be something weird though ????
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Seagreen replied to the topic Monthly competition, September 2024 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 7 months ago
UNTITLED (600 WORDS)
‘Seriously, Dom, you’re going to want to know about this.’
Virgil’s words tumbled out with enough agitation to stir, not only my curiosity, but something in the darker recesses of my mind.
‘Piety’s back.’
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Piety – Prototype 1: Experimental Transcendent Interface. An engineered being of such incredible power, I had…[Read more]
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I’ve been struggling to come up with anything, because my initial idea seems beyond my ability. I’m going to try something simpler.