• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

NeoGAF Creative Writing Challenge #138 - "A Second Chance"

Status
Not open for further replies.
A

Ashes

Banned
Theme is in the title. Search previous thread for Usual Op stuff. Word count... I guess... aim for less than 1800 words but we'll be lenient to a degree. 2001 words and above is too much to ask of us so have mercy.

Secondary:

1. Take a failed piece and make it better. [By fail, I'd say: be sensible and pick something that was voted outside the top three - not really a challenge otherwise]
2. OR try and improve a good piece from someone else. [ASK PERMISSION FIRST!]
3. Be reluctant to choose something from within the last six months.[Chances are it's still fresh in our minds]
4. If you're Crowphoenix: ENTER!

Secondary is optional. Deadline is Saturday 7th Eastern (I think? It's 8pm GMT anyway). Gotta Run. Bye.

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.

NeoGAF Creative Writing Challenge FAQ
Previous Challenge Threads and Themes

Edit:

Voting deadline is Tuesday 11th 23:59 pacific.

Entries thus far:

Ourobolus - Tatered and Torn
Aaron - The Grand Hunt Resumes
lastflowers - They Always Have Next Year
Azih - Estate
Andrex - Requited
Ward - The Destruction of Honesty Ensures Protection
Mike M - Character Workshop
Carlisle - Raindrops
kaepernickehs - Hit the Road Jack
Moobabe - Second Chance
Ashes - Opus #04
Cyan - Source of Strength
Nezumi - Reinstated
Chainsawkitten - Smother
 
N

Nezumi

Member
Hm, there have certainly been some stories in the past that could do with a make-over. And since I never do revisions this might actually be a useful exercise.
 
M

Mike M

Nick N
I kinda want to take a crack at secondary objective #2, but wouldn't know where to start. If anyone wants to be my guinea pig, lemme know.

Likewise, I would eagerly turn over anything I've written to let someone else have a go.
 
N

Nezumi

Member
While I think that it would be interesting to see what someone else would do with one of my ideas, I don't think I could take someone elses work and tinker with it. I don't know, just feels... wrong.

On a different note, browsing the old challenges is fun :)
 
G

GRW810

Member
Second chance is being for a story about resurrection or surviving near-death but I'm trying to avoid turning to death for drama each time.

Great objective, just need to find the right story.
 
C

Cyan

Banned
Damn it! I was totally thinking of doing that secondary next time I got a shot. I was going to call it "redux."

Love the idea, though.

Oh, and if anyone feels like rewriting one of my old stories, go right ahead. Just please make sure to use a passworded PDF as usual. (All rights reserved, blah de blah.)
 
M

Mike M

Nick N
Nezumi said:
While I think that it would be interesting to see what someone else would do with one of my ideas, I don't think I could take someone elses work and tinker with it. I don't know, just feels... wrong.

On a different note, browsing the old challenges is fun :)
Click to expand...
I'd just end up adding dinosaurs and lasers to everything.
 
P

Pau

Member
I don't think I have anything older than six months. D: I could try finishing one of the stories I never submitted that were just abandoned...
 
C

Cyan

Banned
Hey Jude, don't make it sad. Take a bad piiieeeece and make it betteeeer.

Pau- that was a guideline (he said "be reluctant") rather than a hard-and-fast rule. But I'd probably recommend finishing one of your abandoned pieces. Or go the rewrite-someone-else's route.
 
S

Sober

Member
I have a bunch on my plate, including trying to write something to read at an open mic, but I definitely want to try to go back to something to re-do/tool.
 
C

Cyan

Banned
I'm kind of thinking about doing the second option. Though I'm a little uncomfortable with saying that I'd "improve" someone else's story. I'd prefer to think of it as just writing my own version. Seeing what their story might be like in someone else's voice and style.
 
C

Carlisle

Member
Sweet. 1 for 2 so far in getting these done. Gonna try to pull an Ourobolus and fire one out AGES before the due date. ;)
 
M

Mike M

Nick N
I've actually got an idea, but I'm not sure how well it's going to work unless people have been reading my stuff for the past year...
 
O

Ourobolus

Banned
Tatered and Torn

Bill held his potato tightly, their blackened, charred skins mashed against each other's faces. He stared out upon his once lavish home, fried beyond all recognition, tears streaming down his cheek, salting the potato ever-so-slightly.

He inhaled deeply. The burns on his back had left gaping wounds, as if many boils had suddenly burst. He wedged the potato under his arm as he timidly touched the injured area, wincing as he caressed the roasted flesh. It hurt terribly, but Bill decided to put on a proud face, remaining chipper in the face of adversity.

He gazed back towards the potato. Their eyes locked. Suddenly Bill smiled, as he felt its crispy exterior. "We're going to make it, potato. We get to start again."

Slowly walking to his car outside the ashes, he reached to open the driver's side door, but it was locked. Bill fumbled inside his pockets.

"No key," he said.

I haven't been doing these challenges for > 6 months.
 
C

Carlisle

Member
Epic follow up! Can't wait for the exciting conclusion. You should be a douche and split it into two parts over the next couple years to double the ticket sales.

Bill's Potato 3: Part 1 - Dec 2014
Bill's Potato 3: Part 2 - Dec 2015

Then re-release them all together in one showing mid 2016. Then of course the extended editions. Then 3D, and 48FPS... Stick with me and you'll make a mint.
 
O

Ourobolus

Banned
Carlisle said:
Epic follow up! Can't wait for the exciting conclusion. You should be a douche and split it into two parts over the next couple years to double the ticket sales.

Bill's Potato 3: Part 1 - Dec 2014
Bill's Potato 3: Part 2 - Dec 2015

Then re-release them all together in one showing mid 2016. Then of course the extended editions. Then 3D, and 48FPS... Stick with me and you'll make a mint.
Click to expand...
It's not a trilogy. I would say it's a saga, but I'm afraid of being sued.
 
B

B-Dubs

No Scrubs
I have been meaning to go back and do some rewrites on older stuff and I think I've got something that will fit the word count.
 
M

Mike M

Nick N
I started with secondary objective 1, but it wound up being an entirely new piece that's kinda meta.

I'm certain Aaron will hate it.
 
T

Tangent

Member
Congrats Ashes!!

Awesome idea. I think the theme itself opens so many ideas, "second chance." Then I read on... oy. For me, it'll be like crawling into a cob-web-y attic! But hey, sometimes you have to do that. It builds character. Building character: ooh I think I might have made a semi-pun. Wild!


Votes:
1) Ourobolus. Hands down. Feedback: this was so hilarious that I think I laughed way harder than the first time around, even before actually reading more than a phrase. Just the idea of a re-do of Bill's Potato was so good. And then, I was impressed, because you really did enhance the story. But I was sad to see that the "crying a little" after the wife died was missing. I like the relationship with the potato though, and those thrilling verb choices you share with us. You should seriously consider doing, like, 10 re-do's of Bill's Potatoes, and then sell them as a collection on Amazon and then you'll be big time, and remember us as well. :)

Cyan said:
lastflowers writing about very small popcorn confirmed!
Click to expand...
Wow that's crazy because I am always thinking about writing about popcorn! I've tried for two NaNoWriMo's, I think. So awesome that lastflowers has... I can't believe I missed this! (Of course your expounding microkernel idea perhaps ISN'T about popcorn. But I'm hoping it is.)
 
C

Cyan

Banned
Man, so many stories to choose from.

Is there anyone who's specifically interested in seeing one of their stories rewritten, and seeing what it looks like in someone else's style and voice? I kind of want to do that version of the secondary, but there are just way too many possibilities to sort. And I'd rather do it if someone's genuinely interested and curious than with a grudging acceptance. ;)
 
O

Ourobolus

Banned
Cyan said:
Man, so many stories to choose from.

Is there anyone who's specifically interested in seeing one of their stories rewritten, and seeing what it looks like in someone else's style and voice? I kind of want to do that version of the secondary, but there are just way too many possibilities to sort. And I'd rather do it if someone's genuinely interested and curious than with a grudging acceptance. ;)
Click to expand...

You are free to use any of mine. I have no problem with that. You may want to pick something more interesting though :p
 
A

AnkitT

Member
Cyan said:
Man, so many stories to choose from.

Is there anyone who's specifically interested in seeing one of their stories rewritten, and seeing what it looks like in someone else's style and voice? I kind of want to do that version of the secondary, but there are just way too many possibilities to sort. And I'd rather do it if someone's genuinely interested and curious than with a grudging acceptance. ;)
Click to expand...

If you're up for a challenge I can direct you to a real shoddily written story of mine from way back. (http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=26677276&postcount=159) If you're up for it of course :p
 
M

Mike M

Nick N
Cyan said:
Man, so many stories to choose from.

Is there anyone who's specifically interested in seeing one of their stories rewritten, and seeing what it looks like in someone else's style and voice? I kind of want to do that version of the secondary, but there are just way too many possibilities to sort. And I'd rather do it if someone's genuinely interested and curious than with a grudging acceptance. ;)
Click to expand...

Anyone is free to take a crack at any of mine.
 
T

Tangent

Member
Cyan said:
Man, so many stories to choose from.

Is there anyone who's specifically interested in seeing one of their stories rewritten, and seeing what it looks like in someone else's style and voice? I kind of want to do that version of the secondary, but there are just way too many possibilities to sort. And I'd rather do it if someone's genuinely interested and curious than with a grudging acceptance. ;)
Click to expand...

You are more than welcome to rework one of my stories! It'd be exciting to read a re-working in someone else's style and voice. I just briefly and randomly glanced at my submissions for #47, 48, and 49. WOW..... some pretty rough vomit to work with. You can give one a shot if you want! (Gosh, I hope not all of my stories are like those!) Or another!
 
C

Carlisle

Member
I wonder if GRRM goes back and reads AGoT and just pukes all over it. Going back and re-reading old stuff always sucks because you always learn and get better. But I wonder if that still happens when you produce million-seller masterpieces. I'm guessing it does, if to a lesser extent. But that book is now, what, almost 20 years old? It's gotta be rough for him at that point.
 
M

Mike M

Nick N
Carlisle said:
I wonder if GRRM goes back and reads AGoT and just pukes all over it. Going back and re-reading old stuff always sucks because you always learn and get better. But I wonder if that still happens when you produce million-seller masterpieces. I'm guessing it does, if to a lesser extent. But that book is now, what, almost 20 years old? It's gotta be rough for him at that point.
Click to expand...

I don't want to reread my NaNo book, and I only write that a few months ago. Heh.

I didn't write much back in the day, the only thing I have are some goofy stories about Batman I did ~10 years ago, and even for what they were (just some forum posts that I saved), they are unrelentingly *awful.*

I ship a copy with my Secret Santa each year. Heh.
 
O

Ourobolus

Banned
Carlisle said:
I wonder if GRRM goes back and reads AGoT and just pukes all over it. Going back and re-reading old stuff always sucks because you always learn and get better. But I wonder if that still happens when you produce million-seller masterpieces. I'm guessing it does, if to a lesser extent. But that book is now, what, almost 20 years old? It's gotta be rough for him at that point.
Click to expand...

Mike M said:
I don't want to reread my NaNo book, and I only write that a few months ago. Heh.

I didn't write much back in the day, the only thing I have are some goofy stories about Batman I did ~10 years ago, and even for what they were (just some forum posts that I saved), they are unrelentingly *awful.*

I ship a copy with my Secret Santa each year. Heh.
Click to expand...

I'm the same way. My wife keeps telling me I need to finish it (I made the 50k, but it's still nowhere near done), but I hate what I've written. I told her to get a bunch of people to read it and if they think it's salvageable, I'll continue. Sigh...
 
N

Nezumi

Member
I actually deleted everything I wrote for this years nano. I tried to fix it for two month after November, but eventually had to accept that there was just too much broken and that I'm better of writing everything new, which is what I'm doing at the moment.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

PS.Blog Game of the Year 2023: The Winners
2
81
5K
geary replied
NeoGaf Creative Writing Challenge #223 - "Objects in Space"
14
3K
Nezumi replied
NeoGAF Creative Writing Challenge #220 - "Alive"
2 3
113
9K
FlowersisBritish replied
NeoGAF Creative Writing Challenge #222 - The horror
2
92
10K
mu cephei replied
NeoGAF Creative Writing Challenge #219 - "Resurgence"
2 3
106
9K
Alucard replied
Top Bottom