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RE Creative Writing Challenge #001: A New Beginning
- Thread starter weemadarthur
- Start date
Congrats Tangent! Well deserved. And no worries to the people who weren't able to finish reading. There were a lot of stories this time around, I'm amazed so many were able to find the time to read through them tbh (myself included).
Congratulations Tangent!
Any idea when the next one will go up? I didn't follow these on the Sunken Place but I'd like to try to keep up here.
Any idea when the next one will go up? I didn't follow these on the Sunken Place but I'd like to try to keep up here.
Congrats, Tangent! The winner of the first ever RE Creative Writing Challenge! You are now the answer to a forum trivia question! :D
Seriously. And the amount of people who gave feedback to everyone was pretty awesome too.
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If you can't post a thread, which I doubt you can, just type it up and page cyan or me to do it for you.
Tangent is freaking out somewhere right now thinking of the heavy burden we have placed upon her.
Oh, I've long since died and resurrected as a shambling revenant bent on vengeance.
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Hi all! Congrats Tangent! Mad props and so on.
I think this group is immensely creative. Such variety. I'll be practising and honing my skills for next year's challenge.
Excellent job across the board to the contributors. And again, big up Tangent!
I think this group is immensely creative. Such variety. I'll be practising and honing my skills for next year's challenge.
Excellent job across the board to the contributors. And again, big up Tangent!
Hi!!! I'm back! Sorry, I got super sick and then just spaced out in fetal position for the last hour. Then I suddenly remembered. I'm sorry to all of you, waiting and waiting. Mike M, bent on vengeance?! Will I be a character in your story who faces a brutal death?
Anyway, yes, I don't think I'm able to post yet, so Weemadarthur or Cyan, I'd appreciate your help. Here it is:
Story Challenge #2
Word count: 1,800
Theme: (1) False Start OR (2) Making light of tragedy
Secondary: Confirmation bias OR hyperbole OR self-fulfilling prophecy
(There are a lot of "or's" because it's hard to commit.)
Due: Friday, Dec. 29th (I can bump this up to Sat, Dec. 30th if people feel they don't have enough time with my late posting.... what do you say?)
Feedback/Votes due: Tues, Jan 2nd (Instead of Jan. 1st to account for NYE.)
Have at it!
Anyway, yes, I don't think I'm able to post yet, so Weemadarthur or Cyan, I'd appreciate your help. Here it is:
Story Challenge #2
Word count: 1,800
Theme: (1) False Start OR (2) Making light of tragedy
Secondary: Confirmation bias OR hyperbole OR self-fulfilling prophecy
(There are a lot of "or's" because it's hard to commit.)
Due: Friday, Dec. 29th (I can bump this up to Sat, Dec. 30th if people feel they don't have enough time with my late posting.... what do you say?)
Feedback/Votes due: Tues, Jan 2nd (Instead of Jan. 1st to account for NYE.)
Have at it!
Archive
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Archive of Creative Writing Challenge threads on ResetEra.
#1 A new beginning
#2 False Start/Making light of tragedy
#3 Heroes
#4 Bare Necessities
#5 Room to Grow
#6 Return to Sender
#7 Welcome to the Jungle
#8 Dusting Off
#9 Out of Exile
#10 Lazy
#11 Transform
#12 What Lies Beyond
#13 Unlucky
#14 Vibrations
#15 Surrealism
#16 Mythmaker
#17 Shower Thoughts
#18 Lanterns
#19 Metal
#20 In Chaos
#21 Cut It
#22 Snap
#23 Back in Black
#24 The Annual Affair
#25 Tied Together
#26 Apprehension
#27 The Schism
#28 Changes
#29 The Merciful and the Ruthless
#30 Bound by Expectation
#31 Buzz Buzz
#32 Submit
#33 Suddenly, Betrayal!
#34 Declarations of Love
#35 Newcomers Welcomed!
#36 What Lies Beneath
#37 Endings
#38 Histories
#39 Beyond the Veil
#40 Vision
#41 Ascend
#42 Adaptation
#43 Chance
#44 Thud!
#45 White Fields
#46 Plague Flowers
#47 Broken Glass
#48 Nocturnal
#49 Debate
#50 It Lurks
#51 Absenteeism
#52 Crime Mystery
#53 Quaff
#54 Uncharted Waters
#55 Feathers
#56 On/Off
#57 Hail to the Queen
#58 Simplicity
#59 Behind the curtain
#60 The Games We Play
#61 Dead
#62 Muddy the Waters
#63 Flash Fiction
#64 The Inviolable Rule
#65 Taking a Break
#66 The Flow
#67 A Parting of Ways
#68 Early Warning Signs
#69 Borges x Anime
#70 Through a Glass, Darkly
#71 Physiology
#72 Prison Systems
#73 Vision Quest
#74 Unexpected Victories
#75 Swashbuckling
#76 The Unexpected
#77 Antediluvian (bonus Produce)
#78 Worlds Beyond
#79 Know Thyself
#80 Curses
#81 Destiny
#82 Who Goes There
#83 Spy
#84 Observer
#85 Aquarium
#86 Cells
#87 Heist
#88 Yesterday
#89 A Dark Winter
#90 An Unlikely Home
#91 With great power….
#92 Extended Deadlines. Schedule adjusted here.
(#93/March 2022) Musical inspirations
(#94/April 2022) Sunshine
(#95/May 2022) Cardinal sin
(#96/June 2022) Single Biome Planet
(#97/July 2022) Who
(#98/August 2022) The Remade
(#99/September 2022) Armada
(#100/October 2022) Crimson
(#102/December 2022) Childhood
(#103/January 2023) Unwound
(#104/February 2023) Tree People
(#105/March 2023) Circle of Betrayal
(#106/April 2023) Through the looking glass
(#107/May 2023) Madness
(#108/June 2023) A Hill to Die Upon
(#109/July 2023) Unanimous Decree
#1 A new beginning
#2 False Start/Making light of tragedy
#3 Heroes
#4 Bare Necessities
#5 Room to Grow
#6 Return to Sender
#7 Welcome to the Jungle
#8 Dusting Off
#9 Out of Exile
#10 Lazy
#11 Transform
#12 What Lies Beyond
#13 Unlucky
#14 Vibrations
#15 Surrealism
#16 Mythmaker
#17 Shower Thoughts
#18 Lanterns
#19 Metal
#20 In Chaos
#21 Cut It
#22 Snap
#23 Back in Black
#24 The Annual Affair
#25 Tied Together
#26 Apprehension
#27 The Schism
#28 Changes
#29 The Merciful and the Ruthless
#30 Bound by Expectation
#31 Buzz Buzz
#32 Submit
#33 Suddenly, Betrayal!
#34 Declarations of Love
#35 Newcomers Welcomed!
#36 What Lies Beneath
#37 Endings
#38 Histories
#39 Beyond the Veil
#40 Vision
#41 Ascend
#42 Adaptation
#43 Chance
#44 Thud!
#45 White Fields
#46 Plague Flowers
#47 Broken Glass
#48 Nocturnal
#49 Debate
#50 It Lurks
#51 Absenteeism
#52 Crime Mystery
#53 Quaff
#54 Uncharted Waters
#55 Feathers
#56 On/Off
#57 Hail to the Queen
#58 Simplicity
#59 Behind the curtain
#60 The Games We Play
#61 Dead
#62 Muddy the Waters
#63 Flash Fiction
#64 The Inviolable Rule
#65 Taking a Break
#66 The Flow
#67 A Parting of Ways
#68 Early Warning Signs
#69 Borges x Anime
#70 Through a Glass, Darkly
#71 Physiology
#72 Prison Systems
#73 Vision Quest
#74 Unexpected Victories
#75 Swashbuckling
#76 The Unexpected
#77 Antediluvian (bonus Produce)
#78 Worlds Beyond
#79 Know Thyself
#80 Curses
#81 Destiny
#82 Who Goes There
#83 Spy
#84 Observer
#85 Aquarium
#86 Cells
#87 Heist
#88 Yesterday
#89 A Dark Winter
#90 An Unlikely Home
#91 With great power….
#92 Extended Deadlines. Schedule adjusted here.
(#93/March 2022) Musical inspirations
(#94/April 2022) Sunshine
(#95/May 2022) Cardinal sin
(#96/June 2022) Single Biome Planet
(#97/July 2022) Who
(#98/August 2022) The Remade
(#99/September 2022) Armada
(#100/October 2022) Crimson
(#102/December 2022) Childhood
(#103/January 2023) Unwound
(#104/February 2023) Tree People
(#105/March 2023) Circle of Betrayal
(#106/April 2023) Through the looking glass
(#107/May 2023) Madness
(#108/June 2023) A Hill to Die Upon
(#109/July 2023) Unanimous Decree
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FAQ
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FAQ for Creative Writing Challenge
Submissions:
Is it safe to post my story?
If you would like to link your work here on ResetEra but are worried about publication rights, the consensus is a password-protected pdf on Dropbox or another cloud drive service. This gets around any possible issues with the language in the TOS, lets you remove it later, and allows you to set a password and make it non-public, which means the work will not count as having been published. If you're looking to publish your work later, this is key.
How do I interpret the theme?
Any way you want. Literally, metaphorically, homophonically. Just remember that others will have their own interpretations and may vote or critique accordingly.
Can I change my entry after submitting?
You can submit and then edit if you'd like (all the way up to the deadline), but finalizing before submitting is encouraged. Some people start reading/critiquing before the deadline, so if you submit, you should be ready to have that version judged/critiqued as is.
Can I submit but opt out of critiques?
Yep! Everyone has their own preferences for giving or receiving critique. If you're not comfortable or would otherwise prefer not to get critiques, just note in your submission post that you're opting out. Totally fine.
Is the deadline strict?
The previous challenge winner/thread starter is the final arbiter. Typically there is a six hour grace period, after which entries are cut off.
Is the word count strict?
Yes. Nobody wants to be a word count nazi, but everyone else goes to a lot of effort to fit under the word count, so it wouldn't be fair to let some people ignore it. (Plus, it's good practice in learning to cut unnecessary words!) Please note your word count in your submission, so we know you're paying attention.
Is there a minimum word count?
Nope. We've had some really short entries in the past. But if you want to win, that haiku had better be top-notch.
How do I do a word count?
There is a handy word count checker at www.wordcounter.net, or just use your word processor's count function.
Are there any format or style requirements?
Any writing style is welcome, but remember that most people are probably going to vote for the well written short story over an elementary acrostic poem. Also, know that making a series of apparently serious posts that you later reveal as your entry has been done.
Do you guys care about spelling and grammar?
Spelling and grammatical errors can be used to great effect when the story, characters, and setting demand it. However, proofreading and spell-checking your writing will probably result in a more positive attitude towards it when people are voting.
Why can't I use the topic as my title?
We prefer if people don't do this. These challenges get a large number of submissions and if entries share the same title, it's difficult for the readers to separate them out come voting time.
Things to keep in mind:
-Word limits of ~2000 are common and have worked pretty well, although you can change it up if you like.
-The writing period usually goes for a week and a half (Tuesday to Friday), then voting goes for three days (Saturday to Monday). You can change it up if you like, but be careful.
-The secondary objective should be something you think is a useful tool, concept, or method, that we can try it out to see if it works for us. This could be a writing technique (e.g. in media res), a format (epistolary), a style (noir), or something basic that we already know but can specifically concentrate on (dialogue). See below for further examples.
-You may need to supply some additional explanation of your secondary objective, so that people understand what you're getting at.
-A list of submitted stories (with links) is extremely useful to people in voting and critiquing. This should also go into the OP once submissions are closed.
Voting:
Do I have to critique to vote?
No. Critiques/comments are appreciated but not required.
I didn't write anything. Can I vote?
Anyone can vote, even those that do not submit a piece during the thread.
What happens if there's a tie?
In the event of a tie, the story with the highest number of first place votes will be declared the winner. If they are still tied after this first tiebreaker, the previous challenge winner will decide any further tie-breaking measures (2nd Place votes, longest since winning, etc.)
Do I have to vote?
You must vote in order to be eligible to win.
My story was super awesome. Can I vote for myself?
Nope.
What happens if I win?
You will get a collective pat on the back and will be in charge of posting the new challenge. Thus the cycle continues. Pick a theme, word count, and secondary objective, and copy/paste the following format into a new thread: Template
Submissions:
Is it safe to post my story?
If you would like to link your work here on ResetEra but are worried about publication rights, the consensus is a password-protected pdf on Dropbox or another cloud drive service. This gets around any possible issues with the language in the TOS, lets you remove it later, and allows you to set a password and make it non-public, which means the work will not count as having been published. If you're looking to publish your work later, this is key.
How do I interpret the theme?
Any way you want. Literally, metaphorically, homophonically. Just remember that others will have their own interpretations and may vote or critique accordingly.
Can I change my entry after submitting?
You can submit and then edit if you'd like (all the way up to the deadline), but finalizing before submitting is encouraged. Some people start reading/critiquing before the deadline, so if you submit, you should be ready to have that version judged/critiqued as is.
Can I submit but opt out of critiques?
Yep! Everyone has their own preferences for giving or receiving critique. If you're not comfortable or would otherwise prefer not to get critiques, just note in your submission post that you're opting out. Totally fine.
Is the deadline strict?
The previous challenge winner/thread starter is the final arbiter. Typically there is a six hour grace period, after which entries are cut off.
Is the word count strict?
Yes. Nobody wants to be a word count nazi, but everyone else goes to a lot of effort to fit under the word count, so it wouldn't be fair to let some people ignore it. (Plus, it's good practice in learning to cut unnecessary words!) Please note your word count in your submission, so we know you're paying attention.
Is there a minimum word count?
Nope. We've had some really short entries in the past. But if you want to win, that haiku had better be top-notch.
How do I do a word count?
There is a handy word count checker at www.wordcounter.net, or just use your word processor's count function.
Are there any format or style requirements?
Any writing style is welcome, but remember that most people are probably going to vote for the well written short story over an elementary acrostic poem. Also, know that making a series of apparently serious posts that you later reveal as your entry has been done.
Do you guys care about spelling and grammar?
Spelling and grammatical errors can be used to great effect when the story, characters, and setting demand it. However, proofreading and spell-checking your writing will probably result in a more positive attitude towards it when people are voting.
Why can't I use the topic as my title?
We prefer if people don't do this. These challenges get a large number of submissions and if entries share the same title, it's difficult for the readers to separate them out come voting time.
Things to keep in mind:
-Word limits of ~2000 are common and have worked pretty well, although you can change it up if you like.
-The writing period usually goes for a week and a half (Tuesday to Friday), then voting goes for three days (Saturday to Monday). You can change it up if you like, but be careful.
-The secondary objective should be something you think is a useful tool, concept, or method, that we can try it out to see if it works for us. This could be a writing technique (e.g. in media res), a format (epistolary), a style (noir), or something basic that we already know but can specifically concentrate on (dialogue). See below for further examples.
-You may need to supply some additional explanation of your secondary objective, so that people understand what you're getting at.
-A list of submitted stories (with links) is extremely useful to people in voting and critiquing. This should also go into the OP once submissions are closed.
Voting:
Do I have to critique to vote?
No. Critiques/comments are appreciated but not required.
I didn't write anything. Can I vote?
Anyone can vote, even those that do not submit a piece during the thread.
What happens if there's a tie?
In the event of a tie, the story with the highest number of first place votes will be declared the winner. If they are still tied after this first tiebreaker, the previous challenge winner will decide any further tie-breaking measures (2nd Place votes, longest since winning, etc.)
Do I have to vote?
You must vote in order to be eligible to win.
My story was super awesome. Can I vote for myself?
Nope.
What happens if I win?
You will get a collective pat on the back and will be in charge of posting the new challenge. Thus the cycle continues. Pick a theme, word count, and secondary objective, and copy/paste the following format into a new thread: Template
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