Fortnightly Writing Competition - NOT MY BLUE CUP OF TEA (WINNER: BARON)

Started by Fitz, Fri 14/03/2014 18:05:53

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Fitz

Oh, I'm completely torn here -- one's pretty much my cup of tea and one's exactly what the contest was about: producing a piece that makes me feel as awkward as the writer did when writing. So I'm at a loss. If two or more votes are cast, the winner will be announced with or without my vote in order to achieve and odd number.

Baron

Ha ha!  Nice try, Mr. Fitz!  It's actually your one constitutional function, kind of like the American vice-president: you must vote in the event of a tie! ;)  So let's see your thoughts on the six categories.

Ponch

In order to bring an end to this conflict and restore peace to this great community, I am prepared to step up and accept the terrible burden of that cup. Anything to bring Baron and Sinitrena together again. No sacrifice is too great for the cause of friendship. :=

Janos Biro

I'm willing to translate from English to Brazilian Portuguese.

Fitz

I think the easiest thing to do would be eeny-meeny ;) I just couldn't single-handedly decide: this one or this one. Buuut the most reasonable thing would be in fact for me to cast a regular vote in all six cathegories -- and give recognition to all stories.

And so, here goes:

Best Character: Janosbiro - I loved the twisted, yet very dry and oddly practical logics of the character. Roland Topor's style comest to mind.
Best Plot: Ponch - although the setting was borrowed, the story was weaved around what a plot point in the game that you found unrealistic. And so, you resolved the issue in a way that feels very much in line with the tone of the Last of Us.
Best Atmosphere: Baron - between the tension of warfare, the shy attempts at comedic relief among the soldiers themselves, the religious motivational speeches, and a crazed berserker fighting to the last drop, this was quite thrilling, all the way.
Best Setting: Baron - though the story doesn't specify the place nor describe it in much detail -- I love the thought that went into constructing the cult of the Invincibles, and how in helping him in the battle (by augmenting his body with replacement parts of metal, no less) they turn out to be more effective than your usual deities ;)
Best Word Choice/Style: Ponch - The narrative, conveyed in first person by a little girl hardened by circumstances -- and yet capable of some humor. The appeal to mammary glands to accelerate their development was what won me over.
Not My Cup of Tea, Either, BUT: Sinitrena - of all stories this was not in the least my cup of tea. But that's exactly what the contest was about! It did feel as awkward as a teen romance/cautionary tale should for us, seasoned artistes ;)

And so, with 11 votes, the winner iiiiiis...

BARON

Ascend to the stage, so that I may present you with the trophy:

[imgzoom]http://imageshack.com/a/img594/2662/zti.gif[/imgzoom]
NOT MY BLUE CUP

Wear it proudly as you prepare the ground for the next

FORTNIGHTLY WRITING COMMPETITION

Thanks for participating, everyone -- and kudos for taking up this challenge! I really tried my worst to puzzle and alienate as many people as I could -- and yet you made it, producing a very diverse bunch of stories :-D

Ponch

My cunning plan noble offer failed. But don't worry about me. I'll carry on... somehow. :cry: :wink:

Congrats to the winners!

Janos Biro

I very much enjoyed this competition. On a side note, I felt a very strong language barrier. I guess I'm not prepared to fully express myself in English.
I'm willing to translate from English to Brazilian Portuguese.

Ponch

You're English is fine. Better than my... um... anything that isn't English. :wink:

Sinitrena

Quote from: janosbiro on Thu 03/04/2014 11:21:12
I very much enjoyed this competition. On a side note, I felt a very strong language barrier. I guess I'm not prepared to fully express myself in English.
Don't worry. Even if it's not perfect and you don't feel confident, all you need is practice: The more you write, the better.

Congrats to Baron for a deserved win. Yours was defenitely the better story.

Baron

;-D  Thanks folks!
     As mentioned previously, I had actually abandoned several attempts at this theme.  The furthest I got was with, like, this valley girl, who was like this totally air-headed bimbo?  And it was like so painful to read?  And I like so totally thought to myself, "Like, what on Earth are you doing?  Nobody's ever going to vote for this."  So I strategically created a story that was actually exciting (for me at least), but featured an unstoppable super-human character that I personally find bland and tiresome (i.e. he can't fail, so what's the point?).  I'm just mentioning that so that no one thinks I hate medieval fantasy, which I quite enjoy.
     Having mentioned that, when you consider the theme by itself I think Sinitrena was clearly the winner: 5 votes to my zero!  So hats off to you, Sini!  I also really enjoyed the other two stories.  @janosbiro: I definitely concur with my fellow writers that the language barrier is not so insurmountable as you might think.  Every bit of practice makes you better, and 5/6 of the categories are more concerned with ideas than the precise use of words anyway.  Keep up the good work!
      So give me a day or so to muse on themes and then I'll get the next competition up and running.  Hope to see you all out again!

Fitz

Baron, I would've... like... HATED to read that -- which was, like, the point of the contest ;) I also thought the easiest theme to go for would've been the supernatural romance: a girl in love with a zombie, because he wants her for her brains, or some such ;)

Janos, don't underestimate yourself, you're doing fine. Besides, for half the people here -- if not more -- English isn't their first language, and we still manage somehow :) And as far as I'm concerned, you can write in Portuguese (you're Brazilian, right?).

Oh, and this week's special award of MY ONCE FAVORITE CUP SMASHED TO SMITHEREENS goes to.... Carter Bays and Craig Thomas for the horrid, morbid finale of How I Met Your Mother! (laugh)

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