Author Topic: Cast of Wonders Flash Fiction Contest 2016 Rules  (Read 32030 times)

Thunderscreech

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Reply #25 on: August 23, 2016, 05:29:21 PM
I was really struggling to get under 500, especially since I started at almost twice the wordcount.  Today I kept bouncing off 505.  I'd tweak and twist and cut and move and....  somehow end up at 506, or 504 but never getting below 500.

Finally, I gave up trying to slash at it because slashing at it just wasn't working.  I went nuts and just rewrote a bunch of sentences I'd 'optimized'.  I redid some wording so it felt better because "might as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb".  Trying to make a story that sounded good should be my goal, I figured, not something that's been pecked to death by a duck.  If it doesn't fit here, then maybe I'll find another contest somewhere with a higher word limit.  Or I'd have my OWN contest!  With blackjack!  And liquor!

After a couple minutes of this, I dropped a copy into my wordcount tool to see what the damage was and...  it was at 493.

What the what.

So I'm not sure how it happened, but I feel like I busted through some kinda story membrane.  Now, I've got this luxury of dropping in a couple definite articles, a couple spice words maybe...  it's an amazing feeling.  Can I fit 'ridonkulous' (a word I made up in the late 90s and deliberately injected into English by using it loudly and frequently in the lunchroom at the MGM Building in Santa Monica.  Why there?  I worked there and it  was filled with media folks, many of whom obviously spread out through the industry.  Mission accomplished, I heard it on 30 Rock a few years ago, one of my bigger life accomplishments) into the story in a meaningful way?   Ok, probably not.

If any of all y'all are having trouble trying to trim down to 500, try saving a copy and just having a 'make it better go nuts' session instead of a 'wordcount pecking party'.  You never know what'll happen!



Not-a-Robot

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Reply #26 on: August 24, 2016, 09:15:08 PM
Just finished the first draft.

572 words, all the purest of pure golden yellow gold. And none of them are repetitive, redundant, supererogatory, or repetitive.



danooli

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Reply #27 on: August 26, 2016, 11:23:44 AM
If any of all y'all are having trouble trying to trim down to 500, try saving a copy and just having a 'make it better go nuts' session instead of a 'wordcount pecking party'.  You never know what'll happen!

Good advice! Especially the "saving a copy" part :p



danooli

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Reply #28 on: August 26, 2016, 11:25:30 AM
Just finished the first draft.

572 words, all the purest of pure golden yellow gold. And none of them are repetitive, redundant, supererogatory, or repetitive.

Ha! So much for the whole brevity thing



Thunderscreech

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Reply #29 on: August 29, 2016, 08:04:00 PM
Getting to the point where it feels like I'm not actually BETTERING my story so it's almost time to submit.  The big challenge now is the right title.

Now that I've figured out how to get my word count under 500,  I need the right name.  How' about this: 

"The CrystalCraft descended towards the emerald valley, balanced atop a scintillating Tannhauser Beam that sang a song of movement the gathered Centaurs below could feel to their bones" - By Thunderscreech

Yeah, the word count thing was really kicking my butt, thank goodness I found one little trick to fix it.  Editors hate me!

I am terribly unsatisfied with my working title, though.  Oh bother.  Hope the rest of all y'all are doing well with your stories, whether submitted already or still in process! 



hwaffle

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Reply #30 on: September 01, 2016, 04:40:54 PM
Scrabbling over here with my flash writing :) Convinced myself I would make a YA specific story as I've never written that before but may return to just my normal creepy self. Excited to jump back in the wolf pit with everyone.



danooli

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Reply #31 on: September 04, 2016, 12:37:56 PM
YA can absolutely be creepy  ;D



RajivMote

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Reply #32 on: September 04, 2016, 06:31:52 PM
If any of all y'all are having trouble trying to trim down to 500, try saving a copy and just having a 'make it better go nuts' session instead of a 'wordcount pecking party'.  You never know what'll happen!

Excellent!

When I find myself around 20% over word count, line editing and pecking at words is usually pretty successful. More than that, and it's time to start cutting ideas, scenes, or characters. There's nothing like a hard word limit to force you to decide what your story is really about. For me, the resulting story is always better for it.



hwaffle

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Reply #33 on: September 04, 2016, 11:29:18 PM
YA can absolutely be creepy  ;D

Well I think that's definetly where I'll be living. Wrote one that was surprisingly optimistic? Not sure if I love it enough. Might write another. Thankfully flash is fast



Tango Alpha Delta

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Reply #34 on: September 09, 2016, 02:10:16 AM
"Q̵̩̺͍'̴̘̰̮͡m̧̖̻̺̠͞z̩͖͈͍̩͠-͢҉̢͙̥͍͉ͅw̸͖̼͓̼̗͟o̢̞͇̰̩͖ŗ̩͔̠͚̯m̷̟͇̬͜d̨҉̙̲l̯̪̗̠̬͕͘ͅ", the Syzygian Prince trilluped.

You stay out of my slush pile!

(Not you, Thunderscreech... dem werdz, tho...)

This Wiki Won't Wrangle Itself!

I finally published my book - Tad's Happy Funtime is on Amazon!


JohnCPWarner

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Reply #35 on: September 09, 2016, 03:52:04 PM
It is done. I have done it. There is now no going back. Unless there is, but I shan't check. There will be no checking.

Also, hello and stuff...



danooli

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Reply #36 on: September 09, 2016, 05:56:22 PM
It is done. I have done it. There is now no going back. Unless there is, but I shan't check. There will be no checking.

Also, hello and stuff...

hehehehe...nope. there is NO GOING BACK!!!  The Goblet of Wonders has taken hold of your words and shan't spit them out again until after 10/8!

bwahahaha!!!

(And, welcome!  We're actually quite nice around here...except for that nasty goblet....)



JohnCPWarner

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Reply #37 on: September 09, 2016, 07:43:05 PM
Appreciated! I seldum visit fora anymore, but it's nice to see them still kicking about. I'll be adding CoW to my subscriptions as soon as I've finished the present audiobook  (90 hours of JG Ballard!).

Hope the entries are pouring steadily into the goblet.

John





Thunderscreech

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Reply #38 on: September 11, 2016, 11:54:34 PM
Alright, I've finally stopped agonizing over each word and submitted so I'm committed.  Somehow, my eructation came in at a correct word count.  I've never written YA before so I don't know what kind of Harry Potter slash fiction all y'all are going for, but I tried to cover all the major bases.  I always meant to ask what the 'YA' stands for anyways?



eytanz

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Reply #39 on: September 12, 2016, 04:27:17 PM
I always meant to ask what the 'YA' stands for anyways?

"Yellowstone Adjacent". CoW only publishes stories that take place in Wyoming, Montana, or Idaho.



danooli

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Reply #40 on: September 12, 2016, 04:33:40 PM
I always meant to ask what the 'YA' stands for anyways?

Defining YA is not easy. And, we tend to have a more liberal and broad definition than many. I tend to look at what YA doesn't include, instead of what it does. No gratuitous sex, violence, drug use, obscenity.

Our submission guidelines page goes into more detail :)



Thunderscreech

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Reply #41 on: September 12, 2016, 04:36:12 PM
I always meant to ask what the 'YA' stands for anyways?

"Yellowstone Adjacent". CoW only publishes stories that take place in Wyoming, Montana, or Idaho.
Phew!  I lucked out, then, this is going to be one wild Hogwarts field trip.



Not-a-Robot

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Reply #42 on: September 12, 2016, 05:14:26 PM
I always meant to ask what the 'YA' stands for anyways?

Defining YA is not easy. And, we tend to have a more liberal and broad definition than many. I tend to look at what YA doesn't include, instead of what it does. No gratuitous sex, violence, drug use, obscenity.

Our submission guidelines page goes into more detail :)

Wait, no profanity??

checks 579 word manuscript for profanity...
removes profanity...

489 words. Perfect.



danooli

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Reply #43 on: September 12, 2016, 05:22:15 PM
I always meant to ask what the 'YA' stands for anyways?

Defining YA is not easy. And, we tend to have a more liberal and broad definition than many. I tend to look at what YA doesn't include, instead of what it does. No gratuitous sex, violence, drug use, obscenity.

Our submission guidelines page goes into more detail :)

Wait, no profanity??

checks 579 word manuscript for profanity...
removes profanity...

489 words. Perfect.
hahaha!  nice!



shanehalbach

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Reply #44 on: September 18, 2016, 01:34:51 AM
I shouldn't have submitted so early...waiting is ha-ard!

I want an oompa loompa NOW Dani!


danooli

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Reply #45 on: September 18, 2016, 11:41:21 AM
I shouldn't have submitted so early...waiting is ha-ard!

I want an oompa loompa NOW Dani!

Tell me about it Shane! I'm reading these stories and want EVERYONE to read them! 12 more days...just 12 more days!  (Should I mention that it was my decision to extend the submission window? :) no? OK, I won't mention it then!)



Thunderscreech

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Reply #46 on: September 18, 2016, 01:02:21 PM
Should I mention that it was my decision to extend the submission window? :) no? OK, I won't mention it then!



dagny

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Reply #47 on: September 20, 2016, 12:45:26 AM
I did it! :)

"Wolfman's got nards!"


danooli

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Reply #48 on: September 20, 2016, 05:24:47 PM
Should I mention that it was my decision to extend the submission window? :) no? OK, I won't mention it then!


::danooli makes a note to keep an eye out for Thunderscreech's entry and laughs maniacally::



danooli

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