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Quite a while back dvdjdakota started up a writing challenge here. Kathleen supplied the trigger. That challenge got me started on a world building exercise that is the foundation for a novel I am (still!) working on. It also started me off on the weekly challenges at Liberty Hall, where we have now created over 1200 stories and just won 5th place for best writer's workshops for 2006, in the Preditors and Editors poll.
Never underestimate the value of writing challenges. We should do some more here. Anybody up for it?
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I enjoyed the challenges at Libertyhall, but was never comfortable with the flash format--I don't thrive under that type of time pressure, and found it difficult to get a solid 90 minute block of time on the weekends to do it. But I do like the challenge of challenges. And all that said, as soon as I complete the first draft of my novel, I hope to hop back into the ring.
From my perspective, something on a monthly or quarterly basis is preferrable to weekly, since I'm already dedicating the vast majority of my free time to writing anyway.
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I've tried some on my own, mostly things like writing to deadline---but it's hard to write to a completely imaginary deadline, with no benefit accrued by meeting it. Outside pressure might be better, and something like this might be just the thing to practice it in. Would that I had the time to join in.
Posts: 8809 | Registered: Aug 2005
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posted
Im not really sure how it works. I would like to participate but havent really got the time to run it. Perhaps if you explain it more in depth or give us an example someone, perhaps myself, would be willing to take the ball and run with it.
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Some SERIOUS congratulations to Mike and Liberty Hall! Zowee!!
Hi, everyone. I'm still around and would be THRILLED to get this thing going again OR to train someone more active at Hatrack to pick up the baton for me.
Back in the day, we called it the Rewrite Challenge. It was something like the Liberty Hall Flash Challenge, except the trigger was generally a story (old fairy and folk tales mostly) rather than a word or picture or phrase, and entrants had a month to come up with a first draft. We never really had a voting system, mainly because it simply started out as a way to get people writing (and I'd have no clue how to set something like that up and I think a voting system would be daunting with longer stories anyway).
Basically, we gave you an idea to work with and you rattled that idea around in your head until something interesting started to happen. Then, BAM!! A story! A few of which have been published.
When it was all done, we posted the first 13 lines of our completed stories and Hatrackers could request a read if they wanted.
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If we do this, can we have a new topic created for the writing challenge with rules and whatever? Then we can put all responses in that separate post. Oh, and someone is going to have to explain exactly what we need to do for those new people (me) that aren't completely sure what you're talking about.
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It would be great to have a place to post the entries, but Kathleen is diligent about protecting our rights to our creative works. Further, I'm not sure there's a way to hide posts in this forum software and there would be all the hassles of managing it if there were.
So, I think that the best way to do it is as noted above, to post the first 13 lines in the appropriate forum and then circulate the stories via email.
Here's how I understand it works:
1. Kathleen suggests a rewrite story (she already has, above) 2. Everyone agrees on the rules, schedule, posting etc 3. You write your story, which is a rewrite of the original. You choose one or more of the 3 alternatives (posted above) to use in your writing. For example, the twist. Your story can diverge wildly from the original, but only insofar as it can still be considered to be derived from the original.
For example: Jack & The Beanstalk might be rewritten as Jill & the Corporate Ladder, which would clearly be derived from J & The B. 4.You post your first 13 lines on the assigned forum as notification that you are in the game.
Everyone who actually gets that far then sends their story via email to the others for comments.
5. Somehow you arrive at a conclusion of who 'won'. In actuality, because you (plural) wrote and completed a story, you all won.
That's how I see it.
I suggest two weeks to write and no more than 10,000 words.
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Well I'm in. Those guidelines are fine as far as I'm concerned.
Perhaps we should start another thread called "Writing Challenge First 13" in two weeks time (or whenever the official submission date is) and put URLs in each one so people can easily navigate from one to another.
Then we can use this one for general comment and that one for just the first 13.
PS: I can see Fragments and Feedback getting real busy real soon.
[This message has been edited by hoptoad (edited February 22, 2007).]
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I'm here! I'm here! Geez, mike. When did you get so impatient?!?
So, what I'm wondering is if it's possible for Kathleen to set up a separate area for Challenges. We can post Rewrite challenges there, Mike can post Liberty Hall info there, anyone who wants to throw down a challenge can do so. Would that work? Or would it just be ignored? Otherwise I'll post the challenge in Fragments and Feedback with secondary threads for 'registration' and 'rewrite discussion' in Open Discussions.
Anyway, whatever is decided, I'm planning on posting the OH-ficial Challenge on March 1st. But I think I'll give a full month for the challenge to be completed, giving time for first-draft critiques and edits. If those participating use this full month to the fullest, they could potentially have a submit-ready story by March 31st.
Thanks to mike, Kathleen, and hoptoad for all the input and explanation.
Final-ish rules:
*Challenge will 'open' March 1st 2007 and 'close' March 31st 2007.
*Participants will submit a COMPLETED story of no more than 5000 words (but of course that's flexible )
*Submitted stories will be 'inspired' by a posted original story (links will be provided);
*Rewrites CAN be done in any, all, or none of the following ways (these are just ideas to get you going, folks): 1. Twist the tale to your own creative bent; 2. Combine the tale with another of your choosing, creating something entirely new; 3. Retell the story in your own style and words, fleshing out the simple tale into something full and rich. Fairy tales are told in a heavily narrative style, with very little characterization or motivation, tons of plot holes and dropped threads. Fill in the plot holes, give the characters motivation and 'life!' For instance, in The Three Billy Goats Gruff, what motivation do the younger goats have for sacrificing their older brothers to the troll? Who would do that? Why? 4. Write a "What if..." version of the story (prequel, sequel, outright mauling) of the original tale; 5. As Mike said, "Your story can diverge wildly from the original, but only insofar as it can still be considered to be derived from the original." Or, as Kathleen said when the rewrite was first born, "...don't restrict yourselves to [proverbial] goats and ogres."
*On or before the deadline, submit the first thirteen lines of your COMPLETED story on the original Challenge post. DO NOT use the original Challenge post to ask questions or make comments. Another thread will be set up for that.
*AFTER MARCH 31ST, all those who participated may send their COMPLETED story to all other successful participants (those who completed and submitted their first 13); CONVERSELY, if you participate, you can expect to receive copies of the other entrants' work. PLEASE critique as many as you can.
*AFTER MARCH 31ST, any non-participating Hatrack members may request the story from the author for critique.
*Paricipants may post 'in-process' requests for critique in the Fragments & Feedback for Short Stories forum, NOT on the Challenge threads.
*This Challenge is open to any suggestions that might make it more successful!
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Unfortunately I can’t make it all my writing things are packed for deployment. Will try next year. Rommel Fenrir Wolf II Posts: 856 | Registered: Nov 2006
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