Competition: Variations on a theme 2 (Jude)

pickarooney

The second installment of our themed short story competition is now underway. For details of the first contest, see here.

The outline for the story this time around, suggested by Oryx, is as follows:

Jude sits on a plane, midflight. In Jude's jacket pocket is a piece of paper containing details that will change Jude's life forever. The plane's intercom pings and the captain makes an announcement...

Word limit is 1000, give or take, and submissions should be by PM, to me.
This is a quick-submission competition, with a closing date of 1st May 2010.Voting will take place after the weekend and run for 10 days, by poll. All votes must be accompanied by a post on the thread giving at least some feedback.

Please post in here with any queries on the competition itself.
Please do not post pieces directly in the thread.

Good luck!

ToasterSparks

And we can't have a competition without a prize!

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PRIZE

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The winner of the competition will receive a selection of random books courtesy of Book Depository (www.bookdepository.co.uk). A big thanks to one of the staff members Lindsey Mooney who has kindly agreed to donate the competition prizes.

When we have a winner, they can send me a PM to receive their prize.

ToasterSparks

Hi all,

Pickarooney has brought up an important point - as I've sourced a prize for the competition, it could be seen as unfair if I enter the competition, as to be fair it would look slightly dodgy if I ended up winning!

However, the idea of finding a prize was to increase the entries and have more critics to rate our entries - so I seem to have shot myself in the foot.

My question to you all is - would it be okay with you all if I enter the competition?
Obviously, I can be omitted from winning the prize in this instance. But if people feel my entry would be unfair to everyone else, I will refrain from entering.

Thoughts?

HalloweenJack

I have no problem with you entering. After all, the entries are voted for in a way which allows us to see who voted for what version while not knowing who wrote each version.

I don't understand how you could possibly win without us being able to check that your version actually got the votes.

And thanks for getting the prize.

Oryx

I dont see why you should be excluded ToasterSparks. If you win, youll do it fair and square.

Im interested to see if there will be many stylistic variations this time, seeing as the winner of the Kim one was handled in quite a unique way.

ToasterSparks

Yeah, I figured with anonymous voting it wouldn't be an issue, but I just wanted to check with everyone. To that end Pickarooney, I don't see why you can't submit a piece too. Besides, I'll never win against the talent on here!

@Oryx - Yeah, I know what you mean, it was less about what people wrote in the last competition and more about the way they wrote it. The unique style of --amadeus-- was pivotal in his victory. Should make for an interesting competition this time around.

pickarooney

I can't/won't enter as I will have everyone's versions in my Inbox before the deadline.
If nobody sees a conflict of interest it's fine by me if TS enters then.

Oryx

pickarooney wrote: »

I can't/won't enter as I will have everyone's versions in my Inbox before the deadline.
If nobody sees a conflict of interest it's fine by me if TS enters then.

I have no problem if you do. I can see the conflict, but I suppose I trust you would write your own story, anyway. If anything, that makes it harder. Your options reduce if you see something similar to your own ideas.

ToasterSparks

I completely understand why you wouldn't want to enter Pickarooney, but as Oryx says - I trust you to write a fair piece. As a well-established moderator on this board, I think no-one would have an issue with you submitting a piece. In fact, I assumed you had for the last competition. It's seems unfair for you to spend so much time arranging it, only to be denied to chance to write your own piece.

You would have plenty of time to come up with a piece before the submissions start pouring in. I'd love to see your POV on the outline.

pickarooney

Oryx wrote: »

.. I trust you...

The downfall of many began with these three words.

I'd probably try write an entire 1000 word story using just Beatles lyrics as that song is the only thing in my head at the minute.

ToasterSparks

pickarooney wrote: »

The downfall of many began with these three words.

I'd probably try write an entire 1000 word story using just Beatles lyrics as that song is the only thing in my head at the minute.

Lol. I'd vote for that!

Oryx

pickarooney wrote: »

The downfall of many began with these three words.

I'd probably try write an entire 1000 word story using just Beatles lyrics as that song is the only thing in my head at the minute.

Which would be lovely, but would sail right over my head as I dont know many Beatles lyrics.

davyjose

ToasterSparks wrote: »

My question to you all is - would it be okay with you all if I enter the competition?

Absolutely!

davyjose

Oryx wrote: »

I have no problem if you do. I can see the conflict, but I suppose I trust you would write your own story, anyway. If anything, that makes it harder. Your options reduce if you see something similar to your own ideas.

+1

I don't see this so much as a competition, than a means of challenging myself, against others, and against myself. It's also great fun, and a great way of getting feedback. But my goal is not to win a prize or a title, sure I want to win, but I'm not foaming at the mouth to do so.

I have much more of a problem with people submitting, and NOT voting than I do with Pickarooney or Toaster entering. Much, much more.

Blush_01

I can't genuinely see why ToasterSparks or Pickarooney couldn't enter. It would be different if you guys were picking the winner (i.e. one or both of you constituted the adjudication panel in its entirety) but since other people get to have their say too then I can't see the problem. If you genuinely want to participate then the more the merrier - more for me to read!

I might even attempt to submit something - it'd be nice to have something to work towards.

ToasterSparks

Cool!

And yes, as Davyjose said, for me it's more about the writing than the prize.

I only sourced a prize for this second competition to encourage more people to enter so we can have more critics and voters. Hopefully people will vote more this time around.

davyjose

1st draft written tonight. Am moderately happy with it - it fills Oryx's criteria anyway. I think

Will fiddle with it, and fire off to Pickarooney maybe tomorrow.

Oryx

Mines gone in already. If I didnt send it Id just pick at it too much I know I chose the outline, and the funny thing is the story I wrote bears no resemblance to the ideas I had when the outline first came to mind. I seem to write without a plan and the story ends without me having a clue how until I get there. I can see that being a problem if I ever want to write something like a novel.

Mr E

I'm up to 800 words and I'm nowhere near the end of the story. I can do some major surgery on it (and mess with the flow) or I can start again. Hmmmmm......

pickarooney

Oryx wrote: »

Mines gone in already. If I didnt send it Id just pick at it too much I know I chose the outline, and the funny thing is the story I wrote bears no resemblance to the ideas I had when the outline first came to mind. I seem to write without a plan and the story ends without me having a clue how until I get there. I can see that being a problem if I ever want to write something like a novel.

That's all the fun of it. What you decide in half an hour at the beginning shouldn't restrict what you spend the next year writing.

Mr E wrote: »

I'm up to 800 words and I'm nowhere near the end of the story. I can do some major surgery on it (and mess with the flow) or I can start again. Hmmmmm......

A quick explosion and a SWAT team should see you right for the last 200.

Mr E

pickarooney wrote: »

A quick explosion and a SWAT team should see you right for the last 200.

I had a start and an end in mind, and they're already written. Its the piece in the middle that needs surgery.

pickarooney

Mr E wrote: »

I had a start and an end in mind, and they're already written. Its the piece in the middle that needs surgery.

Hang onto the original version, even if it goes over a couple of thousand words, and post it up after the competition? No use wasting it if you like what you've done.

davyjose

Mr E wrote: »

I'm up to 800 words and I'm nowhere near the end of the story. I can do some major surgery on it (and mess with the flow) or I can start again. Hmmmmm......

This happened me too: I was 500 words in and barely started, then I somehow finished up ~950. Which meant I abridged, and chopped bits off subconsciously.

That's the problem I have with "word limits" tbh. It's creative writing, not journalism.
Do people mind if entries run up to 1100/1200 words? I don't anyway.

Also Starring LeVar Burton

Sent mine in... Didn't spend much time on it, so hopefully it'll be liked...

davyjose

Sent mine in last night as well. Happy enough with it, but I proofed it with tired eyes, so it's probably in bits.

ToasterSparks

I had an interesting idea, then realised halfway through that it wouldn't work. Grr!

Back to the drawing board. I have another idea, but I'm certain someone will do something similar. Ideas are tough!

angelll

I'm going to have a go this time i think. I voted in the last one ( for the winner it turns out ) but should have entered for the experience.

dawvee

ToasterSparks wrote: »

I had an interesting idea, then realised halfway through that it wouldn't work. Grr!

Back to the drawing board. I have another idea, but I'm certain someone will do something similar. Ideas are tough!

Yeah, I had what I thought was a brilliant idea too until some basic research turned up Jude as the patron saint of lost causes, not travellers. Stupid research. :pac:

davyjose

How we getting on with this Pickarooney? Many entries yet??

Mr E

I rewrote mine last night. Just need to make the ending a bit better and I'll be done.

pickarooney

Just back from holidays. Only three entries so far.

Antilles

That's a bit disappointing!

I just sent mine to you now!

Antilles

Is anyone out there writing but just hasn't submitted yet? I hope noone was put off by not doing well in the competition. My entry came well down the rankings, but I'm doing it again anyway

Memnoch

I wanted to write a short, and actually had an idea around it, then decided the idea would actually be good for a screenplay so am not submitting anything this time around.

Will look forward to reading those who do though. It's funny how quickly time can pass.

silvervixen84

I have one in progress at the moment, I'll get it in to ye in a couple of days

Mr E

Sending mine tonight.

Looking forward to a good reading session on Saturday.

Also Starring LeVar Burton

Pickarooney,

Can you confirm that you got mine?

ToasterSparks

I just sent mine in now. It has absolutely no link to my initial idea. I had a basic premise for the one I wrote bubbling away in my head for a week or so, then wrote it all in 30 minutes.

I don't think I'd vote for it though! Is that bad?

Mr E

My first idea couldn't have been done in 1000 words (or even close to that).
My second idea would have scoffed at for borrowing a narrative idea from someone else's Kim story. I'll say more after the deadline has passed.

I'm very happy with my current story, but it was 3rd time lucky.

dawvee

I've been meaning to get something in for this one, but all my ideas lately have been funnelling into my draft novel (56,000 words and counting!), and I've been reluctant to divert myself to work on anything else. Still a few days left, though, so I'm hoping I can sit down and write an entry for this!

ToasterSparks

Hmm ... I was a little like this too - somehow, even thought it's only the second comp, the writing fatigue is setting in, and procrastination kicks in!

But I'm glad I forced myself to write something. I do like writing - I just need a kick up the ass to make myself do it.

pickarooney

Sorry for not getting back to everyone. I haven't had a chance to read through them all yet, but I've got 6 7 stories in now, and you know who you are.

pickarooney

Also, it only dawned on me now that 1st May is a Saturday - I won't be able to put up the entries until Monday 3rd. Hope that's OK.

Antilles

As long as the cut off for entries is still the same I don't see how anyone can complain!

pickarooney

It'd be nice to get ten in by then, but I expected less interest so soon after the first one. From what I've read so far, nobody should have trouble distinguishing the stories or reading them all through in one or two sittings.

Blush_01

Ok, so submissions up until 23:59 on 01.05.2010?

(Yes, my good intentions flew straight out the window and I'm only toying with an idea now, so who knows whether I'll get there.)

--amadeus--

I have an idea and the full story is written "in my head" but I haven't had time to actually thump the keyboard and get it spewed out yet and I have a crazy weekend so looks like I'm going to miss this one

Oryx

Thats a pity amadeus, after last time I really would like to see your idea for this one. Im looking forward to reading everyones take on this. And it seems ages since we started it

--amadeus--

Oryx wrote: »

Thats a pity amadeus, after last time I really would like to see your idea for this one. Im looking forward to reading everyones take on this. And it seems ages since we started it

Gentle nudge accepted I cranked it out last night. It sounded better in my head but too late now...

pickarooney

We've got 9 entries now. Blush_01 and dawvee - either of you want to make it a nice round ten (or a super-sexy 11)?

I've held off from reading them this time around so I can enjoy them all at once on Monday.

Oryx

--amadeus-- wrote: »

Gentle nudge accepted I cranked it out last night. It sounded better in my head but too late now...

Only paying you back for all the running last year. Great stuff, cant wait to see it.

Almost ten entries is brilliant. Go us.