FlowersisBritish
fleurs n'est pas britannique
Theme: Dance
Word Limit: 2,200 words
Submission Deadline: Friday September 2nd at 11:59pm pacific
Voting Deadline: Monday September 5th at 11:59pm pacific
Grace Periods: Each of the above deadlines will be followed by a 6-hour grace period. Submissions made after the end of the grace period will be ineligible, and votes cast after the end of the grace period will not be counted. Remember that these are grace periods, not extensions of the deadline--you should still submit your work or cast your vote by the deadline set above.
Writing Hangout: The first sunday of every new challenge, we have a writing hangout using Google Hangout at 2 PM Pacific. The format is ten minutes of chat, then thirty minutes of writing with mics muted, repeated until we've gone for two hours. Webcams aren't required, though several of us will have them. Mics are recommended but also not required, as you can use the text chat.
Secondary Objective: Active Verb Descriptions: Get rid of all your passive verbs (is, had, was, were, will, would, ect) and see if you can find a better verb to use instead. For a little more example, an excerpt from one of my favorite books.
Submission Guidelines:
- One entry per poster.
- All submissions must be written during the time of the challenge.
- Using the topic as the title of your piece is discouraged.
- Keep to the word count!
Voting Guidelines:
- Three votes per voter. Please denote in your voting your 1st (3 pts), 2nd (2 pts), and 3rd (1 pt) place votes.
- Please read all submissions before voting.
- You must vote in order to be eligible to win the challenge.
- When voting ends, the winner gets a collective pat on the back, and starts the new challenge.
Important side note: A lot of our regulars like to write out short critiques/comments for the stories, but you can always opt out by simply adding a note like "I'd prefer no critiques" in the post where you submit your story. We're an understanding group and respect that not everyone wants comments on their work. Above all, we just want to read your story.
NeoGAF Creative Writing Challenge FAQ
Previous Challenge Threads and Themes
Word Limit: 2,200 words
Submission Deadline: Friday September 2nd at 11:59pm pacific
Voting Deadline: Monday September 5th at 11:59pm pacific
Grace Periods: Each of the above deadlines will be followed by a 6-hour grace period. Submissions made after the end of the grace period will be ineligible, and votes cast after the end of the grace period will not be counted. Remember that these are grace periods, not extensions of the deadline--you should still submit your work or cast your vote by the deadline set above.
Writing Hangout: The first sunday of every new challenge, we have a writing hangout using Google Hangout at 2 PM Pacific. The format is ten minutes of chat, then thirty minutes of writing with mics muted, repeated until we've gone for two hours. Webcams aren't required, though several of us will have them. Mics are recommended but also not required, as you can use the text chat.
Secondary Objective: Active Verb Descriptions: Get rid of all your passive verbs (is, had, was, were, will, would, ect) and see if you can find a better verb to use instead. For a little more example, an excerpt from one of my favorite books.
Stephen King's On Writing said:Verbs come in two types, active and passive. With an active verb, the subject of the sentence is doing something. With a passive verb, something is being done to the subject of the sentence. The subject is just letting it happen. you should avoid the passive tense. I'm not the only one who says so; you can find the same advice in The Elements of Style.
Messrs, Strunk and white don't speculate as to why so many writers are attracted to passive verbs, but I'm willing to; I think timid writers like them for the same reason timid lovers like passive partners. The passive voice is safe. There is no troublesome action to contend with; the subject just has to close its eyes and think of England, to paraphrase Queen Victoria. I think unsure writers also feel the passive voice somehow lends their work authority, perhaps even a quality of majesty. If you find instruction manuals and lawyers's torts majestic; I guess it does.
The timid fellow writes The meeting will be held at seven o'clock because that somehow says to him, "put it this way and people will believe you really know." Purge this quisling thought! Don't be a muggle! Throw back you shoulders, stick out your chin, and put that meeting in charge! Write The meeting's at seven. There, by God! Don't you feel better?
I won't say there's no place for the passive tense. Suppose, for instance, a fellow dies in the kitchen but ends up somewhere else. The body was carried from the kitchen and placed on the parlor sofa is a fair way to put this, although 'was carried' and 'was placed' still irk the shit out of me. I accept them but I don't embrace them. What I would embrace is Freddy and Myra carried the body out of the kitchen and laid it on the parlor sofa. Why does the body have to be the subject of the sentence, anyway? It's dead, for Christ's sake!
Submission Guidelines:
- One entry per poster.
- All submissions must be written during the time of the challenge.
- Using the topic as the title of your piece is discouraged.
- Keep to the word count!
Voting Guidelines:
- Three votes per voter. Please denote in your voting your 1st (3 pts), 2nd (2 pts), and 3rd (1 pt) place votes.
- Please read all submissions before voting.
- You must vote in order to be eligible to win the challenge.
- When voting ends, the winner gets a collective pat on the back, and starts the new challenge.
Important side note: A lot of our regulars like to write out short critiques/comments for the stories, but you can always opt out by simply adding a note like "I'd prefer no critiques" in the post where you submit your story. We're an understanding group and respect that not everyone wants comments on their work. Above all, we just want to read your story.
NeoGAF Creative Writing Challenge FAQ
Previous Challenge Threads and Themes