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eamonn86's picture
eamonn86
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Shorty's Writing Challenge Re-Incarnate

Myself and Buttercup have been talking recently about reincarnating Shorty's Writing Challenge. As Shorty has not been around of late and the writing challenge idea was liked by a lot of people we have decided to give it another try.

Like last time, writing should be posted in the 'other' section of either poetry or fiction depending on the nature of your piece. As previously discussed the closing time will be at 6pm on the date that is given when the title is released. Entries should be titled 'SWC & the closing date' example; 'SWC 18th October'

There will also be a change to the rating system, what I am suggesting is that in the comments section the piece can be rated out of 10, and the person with the highest average rating will decide on the next topic. I would like to encourage all members of w4all to read, comment and rate as many 'SWC' pieces as possible.

I also plan to list all entrants on this forum after the closing date, and will wait twenty-four hours after the closing date before calculating the victor, to give everybody ample time to read and rate the pieces. You are not allowed to rate your own piece(obviously),the adjudicator's(me) decision is final and you are NOT disqualified from entering the competition if it is your own topic.

I will wait a couple of day's before posting the title for the next piece, I cannot encourage as many people as possible to get involved as this will not work without your help!!

Any queries please do not hesitate to ask!!

Good Luck, Eamonn

Maritmax's picture
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Eamonn, this is just too funny. lol lol
I was just thinking how I was missing the challenge and dare I post something that will get people into it? I'm so glad you and Buttercup have taken the plunge. Ready to rock and roll here.

Have at it!

Maritmax

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Buttercup
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I'm ready to rock and roll with Maritmax.lol

emerging angel's picture
emerging angel
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Excellent! I look forward to it! Thank you for taking the lead,
Aislingsmile

Aine's picture
Aine
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Raring to go, guys... lol

Aine
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eamonn86's picture
eamonn86
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Ok so I see that I have a few interested parties, so the next topic's title is:

The Alchemist's Touch

The closing date for enteries is Monday 27th September at 6pm, the winner of the challenge will be anounced the next day. Please encourage as many people as you can to get involved, don't forget to read, rate and review as many enteries as you can.

Goodluck and Godspeed,

Eamonn

Aine's picture
Aine
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Thanks Eamonn - off to the 'word mine', don't want to be late this time!

Aine
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Maritmax's picture
Maritmax
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Yahoo. Here we go!!

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Ed Coyle
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I've read lots of these posts, I submitted two stories a while ago into here, I did it as much as an exercise as much as anything, I invited comments and got a few. One of the stories came out 'as is' almost at one sitting, the second took a bit longer. One of them has got 50 reads, that' s good enough for me really and I hope most of those 50 readers liked it.

Personally I don't come in here specifically to read other people's written work but here and there I might review something I've read in here. I see a story about a graveyard and I'll copy and paste it and (hopefully) review it and I've read that story about the onion sandwich, I may review it and deliver a critique of it. I have a the bones of story written around a family funeral--a great source of writing I find. But I wouldn't feel obliged to review other peoples work, and anyway if I've to do a review of a bad piece by someone I know, how do I do that? By the way I wouldn't do as other folk have been claimed to do is do a virtual 'spam' and fill up the site with my work(s). If I was so proficient as that I'd meet a printer and self-publish the work.
There is and are sites where you are actively encouraged to submit work and review other people's work; I'm not going to advertise them here; people can go and locate them themselves.

Maritmax I think I know you and (without giving too much away) commiserations to you on those unfortunate events of just two weeks ago.

Maritmax's picture
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Hey thanks Ed. And no problem. A bummer for sure but a blessing in disguise too. It was a long commute from Connemara to Athlone. Speaking of which you know of anyone seeking a journalist/writer/editor/administrative/ombudsman type of positions? blush

Do you mean you posted in Shorty's challenge above, Ed? Wasn't sure. if so I don't believe I've read it. Where might you have filed it? Some were filed in several different places because I know some that I read were not in the Poetry, other section. So I'd be glad to read even now if you're up to it.

Hope the writing's going well.

Mari

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susanna Dunne
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Im In too! lol smile

Ed Coyle's picture
Ed Coyle
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M.
Hello, thanks for reply. Jobs/work thin in he ground and is it going to get far worse before it gets better? I'd be basically looking at a career change; again! Did you see last Saturday's TV news? Examiner staff told their pensions almost gone (!) and wiped out and, and they've to take another pay cut.

I didn't take up that writing challenge, I wouldn't like setting off to review someone's piece where I already knew them. As I mentioned up above, there are websites where people can do this. Although I've a short short review of a contributor ready to post here online and I've another story read ready to review.

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Howdy folks. Sincere apologies to everyone for my absence. I have had dire interweb issues for the last while and haven't been online as much as I would have liked. Fair play to Buttercup and Eamonn for keeping things on the boil. I found it a bit hard to figure out the rating system so I'm not even sure who "won" the first challenge.

I'm busy working with Spanish Inquisition et al on "The Infection" so it will be a while before I can get back to entering the challenges. But anyways, best of luck to everyone who enters the challenges. I will try to read and rate everything now that my interweb is back.

Thanks again folks

Andrew

Maritmax's picture
Maritmax
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Nothing's popping. Anyone having any luck with this one?

sad

Maritmax

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Hi Maritmax. I was saying to Aine on another thread earlier that I am working on something but really not sure about it so don't know if I'll actually put it up. Then we sort of agreed a verbal pact that if she put hers up, I'll put mine up! lol Alchemy is not really my "bag" so to speak. But I suppose if I want to write I'll have take up challenges even if they're difficult. sad So whatdya say. Want to join the pact? wink

Shorty's picture
Shorty
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I'm with you ladies on this one. I've actually been thinking along these lines but I'm finding it tough to come up with something. I will keep trying though as I have the afternoon free. Its no reflection on Eamonn's choice of title at all.

I think its very challenging and different title. Just for some it is hard to work on. But perhaps thats just what we all need as writers? What I would say to you Buttercup is to post whatever you write, even if you don't think its all that good. If you are anything like me, then you are your own worst critic when it comes to writing.

I have a new topic to post for the next challenge, provided nobody else has one but lets see how this one goes first.

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Hi Andrew,
Yes, Buttercup and I had a quick 'chat' earlier in the week and decided to put up whatever we had no matter what we thought of it.

I now have something ready but don't want to post it yet until my last bit of fiction disappears from the page as I don't want to 'multi-post'. Or, just thinking about it as I write here - I could put it into poetry.

I think that it is a great challenge to have to write about something we wouldn't normally chose. I look forward to reading your next idea.

Aine
x

Buttercup's picture
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Hi Shorty,

Yes I agree that the title is a challenge and fair play to Eamonn for putting it up. I'm just a bit out of my comfort zone with it I suppose, which is also not at bad thing as it helps to stretch the creative imagination. However I shall do my best and post up the finished product, even if I'm not 100% happy with it.blushsmile

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Great stuff ladies! Looking forward to reading your entries!

I should actually be studying for my management class exams next week but awww hell, I might as well go ahead and just do some writing.

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O.K so the 6pm deadline has passed and the enteries for consideration this week are:

In the fiction-other category:

susanna dunne

Shorty

emerging angel

buttercup

aine

And in the poetry- other section:

eamonn86

As I mentioned previously I will wait another twenty four hours before announcing the winner to give everybody ample time to read and rate the other pieces. I would sincerely like to thank all who got involved, I know that the title was out of some of your comfort zone's so I would like to applaud you for putting in an entry.

So until tomorrow, good luckthumbsup

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Hi I would like to add one more name to the list.

Twana Biram in fiction other section.

Good luck to all

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Well I can officially confirm that the winner of this weeks 'SWC' with an average score of 8.5 is none other than....Twana Biram.

Congratulations to you, and your reward is you alone get to choose the title of the next piece!! I would like to thank everybody who made the effort to get involed and long may it continue!!

So Twana the title is up to you, good luck, and well done againthumbsup

Eamonn

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Congratulations Twana.thumbsupthumbsupthumbsup I eagerly await the next title! Bring it on!

Buttercup

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Maritmax
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Cool beans Twana!!

Well done all who contributed. They were all very creative, enjoyable reads. I am in awe.

Darn that was close....

Have at it Twana!

maritmax

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Aine
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thumbsup Well done Twana, that was a brilliant piece of writing. I thoroughly enjoyed it. A deserved win.

I have to say though that I enjoyed all the contributions. What really facinated me was the breadth of response to one title.

Here's looking forward to the next suggestion - from Twana. Hopefully more people will have a go as the challenge develops. smile

So, again, brillian tstuff Twana. thumbsup thumbsup

Aine
x

susanna Dunne's picture
susanna Dunne
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hi Twana

Congratulations!

For winning shorties challenge {2} a very enjoyable read, well done thumbsup

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Helen46
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Hi Twana,

Congratulations on the win. thumbsup thumbsup

Well done to everyone who took part, thumbsup coward that i am I found the subject matter a bit too daunting.

Hope Twana comes up with something less taxing!

Helen

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Cheeno
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thumbsup

Spanish Inquisition's picture
Spanish Inquisition
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Swing, hit, bleachers. thumbsup

Shorty's picture
Shorty
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Well done Twana, a deserved win indeed!

Looking forward to seeing your title for the next challenge thumbsup

Have to agree with you too Aine. I find it truly fascinating the way people have responded differently to both of these challenges. I'm delighted with the way people have adopted and supported the writing challenge. Thanks to everyone thus far who has entered the challenge and offered feedback. All we need now is more entries cheeky

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Twana Biram
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Hello all you who love the fun of "Shorty's Challenge"!

I've been told it's my turn to post a topic and date for closure for this week's challenge. (Buttercup told me it was in my court)

I suggest: "The Unexpected Discovery"

The cut off date will be 6:00, Wednesday, 13 October. (I'm giving an extra day since I am getting to this last due to travel, and Monday, 11 Oct is a "bank holiday" here in the States. (It's Columbus Day~)

I can't wait to read what your vivid imaginations and fantastic ideas come up with this topic.

Happy Writing!

The rest of the rules apply as ever! Enjoy!

Twanathumbsup