Fortnightly Writing Competition: Steampunk (Results)

Started by Sinitrena, Tue 07/01/2020 19:19:11

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WHAM

Also feeling writey for a change, and looking forward to a new theme being set.
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Sinitrena

Quote from: Baron on Fri 07/02/2020 03:01:23
I just tried to post an updated list of the FWC topics over the past decade to help people who haven't been around for that long, but it kept getting cut off at 45 lines.  I was aware of a character limit to posts, but have never encountered a line limit before (and certainly not one so short - many of my story submissions exceed it).  Maybe there's a better way to post it so that it can be dynamically updated and available at all times?

I posted a suggestion to create a master list of all past topics of all competitions here, if you want to give your two cents.

Baron

Thanks, Sini!

So it's been ten days since the comp ended....  Has anyone been in contact with Ess2s2?  I'm not advocating revolution (yet), but maybe now would be a good time to update the FWC constitution in terms of what to do if the winner can't fulfill their duties within a set time-frame.  Fourteen days after a victory is declared has a nice sense of symmetry in my mind, but I might be persuaded by my fellow conspirators writing buddies.  ;)

As for who sets the theme....  We can (*ahem*) usually rely on a runner up to step up with a theme, although that won't strictly always be the case, and it draws from our small pool of participants.  So here's a list of ideas by number to discuss:

1) Runner Up Succeeds to the Throne: As explained above, the person with the second most votes sets the next topic.  Drawbacks include some competitions where there is a tie for second or only one entrant.  On the positive side there will be someone to run the competition; most other options involve relying on participants running it collectively.

2) Opposite Rules!: We just automatically do the opposite of what we just did, even if it's vague or silly.  On the positive front there will always be an opposite to what came before, even though it might get weird.  In the negative column we already choose opposite topics sometimes, which means we might repeat.

3) Random Topic Generation: The internet can just throw together two words for us and we'll just have to use our writing prowess to handle it.  Drawback: it might be nonsensical.

4) Open Topic: This can easily be abused by people submitting works that have already been completed and polished, and it's not terribly inspiring.  But it has the advantage of being easy.

5) Appeal to Higher Powers: We get like a Mod or ex-writer who still hangs around (Ponch?) to run the comp for us.  Drawback: it might take a while to decide on who, and it also depends on their willingness to do it.

6) Pre-approved List of Topics: We decide on a list of topics to draw from and default to the top one on the list if none is set.  It'd be a bit of work coming up with them, and then we'd have to avoid those topics in case there was a need for them later....  Although we could use former competitions as a mine for topics, and decide on a simple algorithm for choosing which (subtract 10 years from today's date, for example).  There's the drawback of repeating, but as long as the source theme was set far enough back in time I don't see why we couldn't have another crack at it.

7) Haggle it Out Amongst Ourselves: To the death!  :P

8) Frankenstein Topic: Everyone who's interested submits one word in *hide* tags within three days, and then the competition theme is those words strung together.  It might get silly, but on the plus side it would also be a challenge.

9) Word Count Topic: We could just default to a challenging short word-length as a topic, like 100 words or whatever.  It has the advantage of being popular, although often lacks something in the plot and character development side of things.

10) No Topic: Kind of like no trump at the end of a card game.  If you actually write about anything you've broken the rules!  ;-D

Select your three favorites (or add your own ideas) and we'll see if we can come up with some consensus.

Ess2s2

Rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated.

I'll likely be starting a topic this evening. I have a number of things to take care of today, and my recent absence has been due to me being out of town on business this past week.

I've whittled it down to three possibilities:

1. The World Within - A story that takes place or explores a hidden world that resides, under, alongside, or somehow woven within another world. This can be widely interpreted and I'm interested to see what kinds of places we can find!

2. Stranger in a Strange Land - Whether a traveler on a mission, or a hapless victim plucked from their place in time, it would be interesting to explore their reactions, survival, and whether they find a friend or a way home.

3. From Here to Eternity - This one is about the feeling of always moving, as if on a journey or a road trip. Major themes should revolve around forward motion and change.

If anyone sees this in time, let me know if you are leaning toward any of those themes. If not, I'll pick one at random and post tonight around 9PM Pacific time zone.
I like games, and I like beer.
I have a Discord: https://discord.gg/pDN5rP6
We talk about games (mostly) and beer (sometimes). It's cool.

Sinitrena

Quote from: Baron on Sun 09/02/2020 14:58:08
So it's been ten days since the comp ended....  Has anyone been in contact with Ess2s2?  I'm not advocating revolution (yet), but maybe now would be a good time to update the FWC constitution in terms of what to do if the winner can't fulfill their duties within a set time-frame.  Fourteen days after a victory is declared has a nice sense of symmetry in my mind, but I might be persuaded by my fellow conspirators writing buddies.  ;)

I basically planned - as the still current comp admin - to wait for two weeks and then ask the runner-up to take over. But Ess2s2 is around, so no need for that now.

As for future situations like that you forgot the option of the last admin setting the new theme as well, though I wouldn't vote for this option. As I said, the easiest solution is to give admin duties to the second place if the first place goes MIA for too long.

Quote from: Ess2s2 on Sun 09/02/2020 16:17:28

1. The World Within - A story that takes place or explores a hidden world that resides, under, alongside, or somehow woven within another world. This can be widely interpreted and I'm interested to see what kinds of places we can find!

2. Stranger in a Strange Land - Whether a traveler on a mission, or a hapless victim plucked from their place in time, it would be interesting to explore their reactions, survival, and whether they find a friend or a way home.

3. From Here to Eternity - This one is about the feeling of always moving, as if on a journey or a road trip. Major themes should revolve around forward motion and change.

If anyone sees this in time, let me know if you are leaning toward any of those themes. If not, I'll pick one at random and post tonight around 9PM Pacific time zone.

I would have a prefered topic from this selection (and one I wouldn't be too happy with) but I won't comment further, as I don't think it's fair. Let's just say, if you are unsure because it's your first time setting a topic here, they can all work, just don't make what you used as descriptions here as a must-have for entries. Leave it as suggestions and don't chose the voting categories too narrow. I set the topic so often by now, and I still never got a single story that was exactly what I had in mind - and that is great; it shows just how creative and different we all are, even if we are a small competition with few participants.

Ess2s2

Oh, those are absolutely just suggestions, and I'm trying to find a better way to word it so as not to imply that I'm looking for those topics specifically. I am just trying to give examples to either inspire or be subverted as the writer likes.

Just curious, not to try and pin your selections down, but why wouldn't you be too happy with one of the possibilities? Too narrow? Done to death? Not your preferred genre? It would be useful to know so I could either tweak the topic or avoid it for the future.

Hopefully get a bit more discussion before tonight! Please excuse my n00b-ness!
I like games, and I like beer.
I have a Discord: https://discord.gg/pDN5rP6
We talk about games (mostly) and beer (sometimes). It's cool.

Sinitrena

Quote from: Ess2s2 on Sun 09/02/2020 18:41:06
Just curious, not to try and pin your selections down, but why wouldn't you be too happy with one of the possibilities? Too narrow? Done to death? Not your preferred genre? It would be useful to know so I could either tweak the topic or avoid it for the future.

Personal preference. For some topics, ideas come right away, for some I know I'll think about it for days and have less time to write - naturally, these are the topics I don't like as much. Of course, the same topic might spike a myriade of ideas in other people.

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