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crowphoenix · Jul 6, 2009

Theme - "Bauble"

Word Limit: 1800

Submission Deadline: Wednesday, 15th by 11:59 PM Pacific.

Voting begins Thursday, 16th, and goes until Saturday, 18th at 11:59 PM Pacific.

Optional Secondary Objective: Magical Realism: In Graham Swift's Waterland, a bottle of beer is given an almost supernatural ability to render a person almost belligerently drunk after just one bottle. Reimagine the ordinary and make it extraordinary. It can be as tame or as wild as you wish, but it must be based on the real.

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.

NeoGAF Creative Writing Challenge FAQ

ronito · Jul 6, 2009

Bauble?

ZephyrFate · Jul 6, 2009

I don't understand the theme at all. wtf.

Count Dookkake · Jul 6, 2009

ronito said:
Bauble?

Dictionary?

Trinket

ZephyrFate · Jul 6, 2009

I get that part... but kind of a restrictive theme. However, I do have a pretty awesome idea for it now...

ronito · Jul 6, 2009

Count Dookkake said:
Dictionary?

Trinket

I know what it means. Just sorta taken aback.

Count Dookkake · Jul 6, 2009

I was just being snarky.

But to put things in perspective, almost every story involving a MacGuffin uses a bauble. This theme is more open-ended that it first appears.

The Librarian · Jul 6, 2009

I think I have a great idea for this one. The ending might not fit with the theme, though. I'll also have to do some research.

nitewulf · Jul 6, 2009

magical realism is an excellent objective.

ZephyrFate · Jul 6, 2009

Count Dookkake said:
I was just being snarky.

But to put things in perspective, almost every story involving a MacGuffin uses a bauble. This theme is more open-ended that it first appears.

I have a really good idea now. I may get this out pretty early if it nags at my mind enough.

hey_monkey · Jul 6, 2009

nitewulf said:
magical realism is an excellent objective.

Especially with bauble, I think!

The Librarian · Jul 6, 2009

Would focusing on a single object remove it's "trinket value"?

crowphoenix · Jul 6, 2009

Dax01 said:
Would focusing on a single object remove it's "trinket value"?

Nope.

Belfast · Jul 6, 2009

You totally stole my secondary objective! On the other hand, considering my usual writings, it won't be that hard to fulfill.

Cyan · Jul 6, 2009

I take it kozmo passed on making the new one, then.

Interesting theme. The secondary objective sounds like fun, although I really don't know that much about magical realism. Is there something easy to find that would give me a good idea of the style?

bjork · Jul 6, 2009

Vibrating condom
Wow it is $12.99
Bareback it is, then

Tim the Wiz · Jul 6, 2009

I have an idea or two. Not sure whether to go high concept and stretch out the 2k words or stick with a lean, snap-shot mentality.

Cyan said:
Is there something easy to find that would give me a good idea of the style?

I don't know much about short fiction in the genre. But for novels, Neil Gaiman (the first five chapters of American Gods is available for free online) and Borges would be useful starting points. Terry Pratchett's opinion that magic realism "is like a polite way of saying you write fantasy and is more acceptable to certain people" is probably the most accurate reading of the style. A realistic story that is invaded by fantastical elements is more a sub-genre than an individual genre set apart from fantasy, imo.

Aaron · Jul 6, 2009

Cyan said:
I take it kozmo passed on making the new one, then.

Interesting theme. The secondary objective sounds like fun, although I really don't know that much about magical realism. Is there something easy to find that would give me a good idea of the style?

It's essentially having strange and magical emerge from ordinary situations. It's magic without wizards, but instead just accepted as part of the world. Like an ordinary businessman stepping on stars to walk to the moon or a grocer selling bottled dreams. García Márquez is probably the most famous writer.

While it is a sub-genre, too many people have a preconception all fantasy is wizards and dragons, so I think the distinction is made just to avoid that.

kozmo7 · Jul 6, 2009

Cyan said:
I take it kozmo passed on making the new one, then.

Interesting theme. The secondary objective sounds like fun, although I really don't know that much about magical realism. Is there something easy to find that would give me a good idea of the style?

Yeah, I did. The wolves were hungry and I didn't have any meat.

It's all good though, I've got an idea already too... I think.

hey_monkey · Jul 6, 2009

Started this morning. I'm in love with this theme.

crowphoenix · Jul 6, 2009

Now, I've just got to think of an idea.

hey_monkey · Jul 6, 2009

And here's my take on magical realism, 'cause... uh, I like to share my opinions:

I tend to think of MR as closer to literary fiction than anything else. If you look at it in terms of Norman Friedman's forms of the plot, most fantasy stays within the plots of fortune, whereas magical realism, even if it has a lot of fantastical elements, tends to be rooted in one of the other forms. And, as literary fiction often shows people at a crossroads, facing a major decision, so does magical realism... it's just that they're facing a crossroads with their future-revealing magic toaster or something.

But that's just one very small take on it and doesn't even encompass the whole of what MR is. Here's a good resource, too.

AndrewG009 · Jul 6, 2009

I missed the voting on the previous contest since I was out of town, but the suggestions were good. I'll stir on a few ideas for this and see what happens.

Ward · Jul 6, 2009

I have two ideas for this one.
One kind of meets the secondary object, is potentially more fun, but
well tread territory,
The other is a slice of life that lacks shock value but I'll finally be able to meet a personal objective.

I'll write them both and submit neither. It's the only answer.

ronito · Jul 6, 2009

crowphoenix said:
Now, I've just got to think of an idea.

that's the OP curse.

But I have to admit I'm having a really hard time coming up with an idea for this one. Usually I throw out like my first 3-5 ideas as cliche. So far I had only 1 idea that I've thrown away and I'm pretty sure a couple people thought of it as well. Hrmmm, what to write, what to write

Cyan · Jul 6, 2009

Ward said:
I'll write them both and submit neither. It's the only answer.

Oh, I dunno. You could always write neither and submit them both.

The Librarian · Jul 6, 2009

I have this fantastic idea, but I'm not sure if I can write something that can live up to it. I can't do this one in script format. It's so perfect, too.

I don't know. Maybe it's not as good as I think it is.

crowphoenix · Jul 6, 2009

Dax01 said:
I have this fantastic idea, but I'm not sure if I can write something that can live up to it. I can't do this one in script format. It's so perfect, too.

I don't know. Maybe it's not as good as I think it is.

The only way to find out is to write it.

I really need to learn to take my advice sometimes.

ronito said:
that's the OP curse.

But I have to admit I'm having a really hard time coming up with an idea for this one. Usually I throw out like my first 3-5 ideas as cliche. So far I had only 1 idea that I've thrown away and I'm pretty sure a couple people thought of it as well. Hrmmm, what to write, what to write

Yeah, I'm going to be pretty busy this week (GRE Friday...again) and out of town the second half of the next, so I need to think up something I can bang out between Saturday and Tuesday.

Mato · Jul 6, 2009

I didn't know what bauble meant. I had to look it up in the dictionary! It means small ornament right?

ZephyrFate · Jul 6, 2009

Small ornament; trinket.

kozmo7 · Jul 6, 2009

Mato said:
I didn't know what bauble meant. I had to look it up in the dictionary! It's means small ornament right?

Yeah. Although I'm sure it can be interpreted in many ways as Count Dookkake eluded to.

Scribble · Jul 6, 2009

Aaron said:
It's essentially having strange and magical emerge from ordinary situations. It's magic without wizards, but instead just accepted as part of the world. Like an ordinary businessman stepping on stars to walk to the moon or a grocer selling bottled dreams. García Márquez is probably the most famous writer.

While it is a sub-genre, too many people have a preconception all fantasy is wizards and dragons, so I think the distinction is made just to avoid that.

Who wrote those stories?

Mato · Jul 6, 2009

Aaron that kind of fantasy can also be called surrealism, no? German writer Michael Ende (writer of The Neverending Story) is my favourite writer ever and he is a surrealist. I loved him with passion since I was a child.

Scribble · Jul 6, 2009

I still need to read Neverending Story. Looks like the kind of novel that'll just click.

Mato · Jul 6, 2009

It's pretty awesome although it has been about 15 years since I read it. My favourite of his books is The Magic Potion (called Night of Wishes for US). I can't imagine reading his books without the original illustrations and covers. Sometimes publishers destroy books with terrible covers like the one for Momo which comes from some terrible Momo movie instead for the original.

Haly · Jul 7, 2009

TVTropes actually has a very good entry for Magic Realism. Along with, of course, the usual list of examplest: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MagicRealism

Belfast · Jul 7, 2009

6-700 words in and I've decided this isn't magical realism. :\

crowphoenix · Jul 7, 2009

Belfast said:
6-700 words in and I've decided this isn't magical realism. :\

On the plus side, it is only an optional objective. So if the idea is too good to toss out, you can still submit it.

Belfast · Jul 7, 2009

crowphoenix said:
On the plus side, it is only an optional objective. So if the idea is too good to toss out, you can still submit it.

I'm not sure it is. It's a curious idea, but I don't think it would engage people.

Aaron · Jul 7, 2009

Mato said:
Aaron that kind of fantasy can also be called surrealism, no? German writer Michael Ende (writer of The Neverending Story) is my favourite writer ever and he is a surrealist. I loved him with passion since I was a child.

Pretty much. Some surrealism might be too out there to be considered magical realism, which is meant to be rooted in reality, but honestly that's splitting hairs.

weepy · Jul 7, 2009

I can't really tell the difference between urban fantasy and magical realism :/

Tim the Wiz · Jul 7, 2009

weepy said:
I can't really tell the difference between urban fantasy and magical realism :/

Don't worry about it:

crowphoenix said:
it is only an optional objective. So if the idea is too good to toss out, you can still submit it.

I know I won't be.

nitewulf · Jul 7, 2009

weepy said:
I can't really tell the difference between urban fantasy and magical realism :/

urban fantasy could be the cheesy vampire books and stuff like The Dresden Files, or China Mieville and Neil Gaiman stuff, some of it could be considered magical realism. Magical Realism is more like a literary movement, pioneered by the latin authors like Borges and Gabriel Garcia Marquez. you may wanna read some Borges to get an idea of magical realism.

Cyan · Jul 8, 2009

I'm drawing a blank on this one. Would definitely like to do the secondary objective, just don't quite know where to start. :/

crowphoenix · Jul 8, 2009

Cyan said:
I'm drawing a blank on this one. Would definitely like to do the secondary objective, just don't quite know where to start. :/

Whoever manages to submit one wins!

The Librarian · Jul 8, 2009

crowphoenix said:
Whoever manages to submit one wins!

This'll be an easy victory for me, then.

Mato · Jul 8, 2009

I have written a few hundred words but I am not very passionate about the story I am working on so I might start over.

ronito · Jul 8, 2009

finally got an idea. Another really strange one, but gotta trust myself.

crowphoenix · Jul 9, 2009

I've got an idea. Well, a setting at least, and a character idea. But it's a start!

hey_monkey · Jul 9, 2009

I think a lot of you guys are making this waaaaay harder than it has to be. Baubles! Everyone's got some. Combined with magical realism, if nothing else, give your baubles a voice. Surely you can write something with that. If the idea is more expected, well, make your story unexpected!

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NeoGAF Creative Writing Challenge #32 - "Bauble"

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