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DumbNameD · Mar 28, 2011

Theme: "Far Off"

Word Limit: 2000

Submission Deadline: Wednesday, April 6, 2011, by 11:59 PM Pacific.

Voting begins Thursday, April 7, 2011, and goes until Sunday, April 10, 2011 at 11:59 PM Pacific.

Optional Secondary Objective: Transportation - Set all or part of your entry on some sort of transportation, like a plane, a train, or an automobile.

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

Ashes · Mar 28, 2011

Train.
I'm in.

Lone_Prodigy · Mar 28, 2011

Far out.

ThoseDeafMutes · Mar 28, 2011

Lone_Prodigy said:
Far out.

No, far off.

Iceman · Mar 28, 2011

Far on!

Cyan · Mar 28, 2011

All right guys, this has gone far enough.

Ashes · Mar 28, 2011

Cyan said:
All right guys, this has gone far enough.

Oh far off!

edits: I bet somebody is going to write about the far right, or the far left.

ThoseDeafMutes · Mar 29, 2011

The FAQ says that use of the theme as a title is discouraged, is using the theme name as part of the title OK?

I'm eying "Cold, Unhappy, Far-off Places" as a title so I wanted to check.

Iceman · Mar 29, 2011

ThoseDeafMutes said:
The FAQ says that use of the theme as a title is discouraged, is using the theme name as part of the title OK?

I'm eying "Cold, Unhappy, Far-off Places" as a title so I wanted to check.

How about, "Cold, Unhappy, Far-away Places"?

or "Warm, Jubilant, Nearby People".. just to throw everybody off. Far off.

Ashes · Mar 29, 2011

Cyan · Mar 29, 2011

ThoseDeafMutes said:
The FAQ says that use of the theme as a title is discouraged, is using the theme name as part of the title OK?

I'm eying "Cold, Unhappy, Far-off Places" as a title so I wanted to check.

Sure. That's in there because early on, a bunch of people would use the theme as their title, and it got annoying to keep track of things. It's a preventative measure. Also meant to encourage creativity in titling!

But if you want to use the theme name as part of your title, feel free.

Irish · Mar 29, 2011

Too far to fail. (Holy shit, 'far' doesn't even look like a word after I typed it. It seems fake or something.)

This could be interesting. I swear, I'm totally not going to write about a subway and a dude with space issues.

Cyan · Mar 29, 2011

Latest case of major authorfail: http://booksandpals.blogspot.com/2011/03/greek-seaman-jacqueline-howett.html

Ouch. This is why you always count to ten before responding to a review.

And then keep counting forever. Because really, there's nothing to be gained responding to a review.

iavi · Mar 29, 2011

Cyan said:
Latest case of major authorfail: http://booksandpals.blogspot.com/2011/03/greek-seaman-jacqueline-howett.html

Ouch. This is why you always count to ten before responding to a review. :O

This attitude... it's real isn't it? Somebody punch me.

Tim the Wiz · Mar 29, 2011

Train job, ahoy.

Jedeye Sniv · Mar 29, 2011

Ok, I have no idea what to write about but I'm notionally in for now.

A first idea (that came to me as I hit the full stop on the last sentence) is a story from the POV of a small child on a journey. As a kid travelling always felt endless and wherever you ended up seemed the end of the world (even if it was just the other end of town). Sounds like a good place to start thinking from.

crowphoenix · Mar 29, 2011

Time to get over this burned out, tired feeling with some with a story about a moving tavern. Yeah.

Jedeye Sniv said:
Ok, I have no idea what to write about but I'm notionally in for now.

A first idea (that came to me as I hit the full stop on the last sentence) is a story from the POV of a small child on a journey. As a kid travelling always felt endless and wherever you ended up seemed the end of the world (even if it was just the other end of town). Sounds like a good place to start thinking from.

When I was four, my folks took me to Disney. It was an eight hour trip in the car, and it felt like I'd been banished to purgatory with only my Ghostbusters action figures and my ability to ask "Are we there yet?" as a ward against the encroaching insanity.

On the plus side, I annoyed my folks so much I got a Gameboy before the next big trip.

Jedeye Sniv · Mar 29, 2011

crowphoenix said:
Time to get over this burned out, tired feeling with some with a story about a moving tavern. Yeah.

When I was four, my folks took me to Disney. It was an eight hour trip in the car, and it felt like I'd been banished to purgatory with only my Ghostbusters action figures and my ability to ask "Are we there yet?" as a ward against the encroaching insanity.

On the plus side, I annoyed my folks so much I got a Gameboy before the next big trip.

Yeah, and even on top of the 'are we there yet?' factor, you have that crazy distortion of reality factor that you get as a small child. The most common everyday things are slightly bewildering or charged with some kind of mythic significance. I remember that on a road trip to the south of france we stopped off at a picnic site with a small wooded area and to my 8 year old brain this is what France was, a long road and a massive forest and kids that I couldn't speak to but knew how a roundabout worked.

I'm not sure if I'm skilled enough to make a story with any kind of point out of this though, but then again I might attempt it just to stretch myself a little. I've had a few more ideas since this morning too so we'll see which one wins out.

Yeef · Mar 29, 2011

I like me. My wife likes me!

ZephyrFate · Mar 30, 2011

Interesting topic choice.

crowphoenix · Mar 30, 2011

I have a couple ideas. Two I've started jotting down. Lets see if I can get anywhere with this.

Cyan · Apr 1, 2011

I had a couple of ideas, but now I can't remember what they were...

AnkitT · Apr 1, 2011

Cyan said:
I had a couple of ideas, but now I can't remember what they were...

You wouldnt mind if I stole them, right?

I have settled on an idea. And now for the hard part, running with it.

Shanadeus · Apr 1, 2011

I am going to continue to write solely sci-fi in these challenges.

crowphoenix · Apr 1, 2011

I sat down last night to write, and the next thing I know, my night has vanished with barely 300 words forced out.

I'm obviously going to have to tilt my head to the side and give the area above my ears a couple sturdy whacks. Hopefully, something besides my peanut of a brain will tumble tumble out.

Cyan · Apr 1, 2011

Shanadeus said:
I am going to continue to write solely sci-fi in these challenges.

Nuttin wrong with that!

crowphoenix · Apr 1, 2011

Cyan said:
Nuttin wrong with that!

Your avatar change has shattered my whole notion of this world.

Cyan · Apr 1, 2011

crowphoenix said:
Your avatar change has shattered my whole notion of this world.

? It's the same avatar it's always been.

Perhaps you're perceiving it differently?

crowphoenix · Apr 1, 2011

Cyan said:
? It's the same avatar it's always been.

Perhaps you're perceiving it differently?

Well, I do really need to work on this paper.

John Dunbar · Apr 1, 2011

Because I should be writing an essay, I began writing early this time. I have about 1,300 words written so far. Still not clear on the ending, but as far as I can tell I might have to do some serious cuts to make the word limit.

Tim the Wiz · Apr 1, 2011

Cyan said:
? It's the same avatar it's always been.

Perhaps you're perceiving it differently?

:lol For a second there...

Yeef · Apr 1, 2011

Cyan said:
? It's the same avatar it's always been.

Perhaps you're perceiving it differently?

I am aware of what you have done there.

ronito · Apr 1, 2011

Shanadeus said:
I am going to continue to write solely sci-fi in these challenges.

Stop that!
Expand!
Forge ahead into new territory!

Irish · Apr 1, 2011

Screw that! I'm going to continue writing whatever the hell I've been writing this entire time. As soon as I figure out what it is.

Ashes · Apr 2, 2011

Cyan said:
? It's the same avatar it's always been.

Perhaps you're perceiving it differently?

Nah, it's too big... you'll get one of those 'I don't know how to...' standard avatars.

John Dunbar · Apr 2, 2011

So, what's the "official" word counter for these challenges? I'm guessing it's Word, but I don't have it on my computer. It's just that Abiword says my story is about 100 words longer than Google Docs. I might have to do a lot of cutting with this one, so it counts.

Ashes · Apr 2, 2011

word count tool is in the faq I think. But I guess any of the known ones will do...

John Dunbar · Apr 2, 2011

Well damn, it's at 2,300 words now and still not finished. Not sure how I can cut much (not because it's that good, but because of what little coherence it already has), but I'll just finish it and see from there.

Irish · Apr 2, 2011

Man, I wish I could dig right in and begin my stories like you guys. Procrastination always wins though and coursework needs to be finished first.

kehs · Apr 2, 2011

Four words and counting....

John Dunbar · Apr 2, 2011

Irish said:
Man, I wish I could dig right in and begin my stories like you guys. Procrastination always wins though and coursework needs to be finished first.

Course work is why I began early. I needed a good reason to procrastinate, tee hee.

Anyway, finished at 2,650 words. No idea how I can cut enough and keep it coherent. At least there's still time. If I can't cut enough, I guess I'll have to do a rush job or sit this one out.

iavi · Apr 2, 2011

John Dunbar said:
Course work is why I began early. I needed a good reason to procrastinate, tee hee.

Anyway, finished at 2,650 words. No idea how I can cut enough and keep it coherent. At least there's still time. If I can't cut enough, I guess I'll have to do a rush job or sit this one out.

Wow, you just fucking moved, eh? My issue is the exact opposite; I'm struggling to even come up with an idea. Had a few that sounded aight, but then I fell asleep, woke up, and realized that they were kind of shitty.

John Dunbar · Apr 2, 2011

Miri said:
Wow, you just fucking moved, eh? My issue is the exact opposite; I'm struggling to even come up with an idea. Had a few that sounded aight, but then I fell asleep, woke up, and realized that they were kind of shitty.

I'm actually not that sure about my idea, either, at least theme-wise. I had a pretty clear idea with the theme from the beginning, but as I wrote, the connection became more and more strenuous. It got to the point where I feel I sort of wrote stuff in there just to keep it somewhat related to the theme. Of course I've never really been a stickler to the theme.

Totally nailed the secondary, though.

ronito · Apr 2, 2011

Have a wonderful idea. But am in no mental/physical shape to do it. Might save for later.

John Dunbar · Apr 2, 2011

It's not fair to say you have a new toy just to tell us you won't let us play with it.

You gotta shaaaaaaaare
You gotta caaaaaaaaare

crowphoenix · Apr 3, 2011

Cyan said:
? It's the same avatar it's always been.

Perhaps you're perceiving it differently?

Hey, my imagination came back! That must mean the burnout is fading away.

Ashes · Apr 3, 2011

ronito said:
Have a wonderful idea. But am in no mental/physical shape to do it. Might save for later.

Whatever you do this week Ronito, you must not write a story for neogaf. In addition, you must not read any of the stories entered this week.

You absolutely should not under any circumstances write a story this week.

ThoseDeafMutes · Apr 3, 2011

Oh lawdy, I had no intention to actually put a train in my story but one still found its way in. An unconventional train, but a train nevertheless.

ronito · Apr 3, 2011

Ashes1396 said:
Whatever you do this week Ronito, you must not write a story for neogaf. In addition, you must not read any of the stories entered this week.

You absolutely should not under any circumstances write a story this week.

kehs · Apr 3, 2011

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