Author Topic: It has begun  (Read 28593 times)

Bdoomed

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Reply #25 on: March 06, 2013, 09:12:49 PM
9th, normal day (at 12am).  Like I said, this one just escaped early.  I hope no one was seriously injured.

I'd like to hear my options, so I could weigh them, what do you say?
Five pounds?  Six pounds? Seven pounds?


MCWagner

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Reply #26 on: March 06, 2013, 09:16:53 PM
(I thought the "escaped" comment was just color text.  Sorry for the confusion on my part.  No problems, just clarification.)



Scorpio2005

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Reply #27 on: March 07, 2013, 03:05:45 AM
Hi all, I am new here and thrilled to be a part of the competition. May the most ghoulish win!

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Bdoomed

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Reply #28 on: March 07, 2013, 08:13:21 PM
Every time someone quotes a story in a thread, it says quote by me, and there's always a second when I wonder where/when I said such a thing.  It's weird.

I'd like to hear my options, so I could weigh them, what do you say?
Five pounds?  Six pounds? Seven pounds?


Thunderscreech

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Reply #29 on: March 07, 2013, 11:13:12 PM
Every time someone quotes a story in a thread, it says quote by me, and there's always a second when I wonder where/when I said such a thing.  It's weird.

#storycontestmodproblems

:D



Umbrageofsnow

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Reply #30 on: March 08, 2013, 05:21:06 AM
Here's something I'm noticing about a lot of these stories:  In the Escape Pod contest, one could complain that many stories had a style like Asimov, a great writer whose style often left something to be desired, although he made it work for him with great ideas and a certain snappiness and wit which don't always translate to imitation well.  But poorly imitated Asimovian-blandness fades into the background without adding much.  In the Pseudopod contest, it seems that everyone wants to be Lovecraft or maybe Clive Barker in the gorey cases, both good with overblown description, which again does not often translate well when imitated by us lesser beings.

I'm not saying there are no good stories, there definitely are, but I find it interesting that there is so much stylistic similarity in each genre and that the failure points of so many stories I didn't like seemed to be the same thing.  For Escape Pod it was no style, for Pseudopod it is overwritten, adjectivey style.  I wonder if the Podcastle contest will be filled with unneeded songs and poetic descriptions of food?  (Is it weird that I kind of hope so?)



SBC-B

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Reply #31 on: March 08, 2013, 08:35:18 AM
Aww, I didn't see BDoomed's post about the next group arriving on the 9th.
I've been stalking the forum all night, refreshing the page, wondering if I'm being punished for something...


DoWhileNot

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Reply #32 on: March 08, 2013, 12:19:07 PM
I'm not saying there are no good stories, there definitely are, but I find it interesting that there is so much stylistic similarity in each genre and that the failure points of so many stories I didn't like seemed to be the same thing.  For Escape Pod it was no style, for Pseudopod it is overwritten, adjectivey style.  I wonder if the Podcastle contest will be filled with unneeded songs and poetic descriptions of food?  (Is it weird that I kind of hope so?)

I think this hits it right on the head of what I don't like about some parts of horror.  I could handle reading the Asimovian blandness in escape pod, but I find myself getting almost angry at the overwritten purpleish language in some of these.  Truthfully, I haven't read past the first paragraph on a couple of them because they were so annoying.

And then I ask myself... are my stories just as bad?  What if I didn't see my own overblown use of adjectives?  And I've got this great story I'm working on for Podcastle... that has a song about food in it... Aaaaaah!  I'm a failure!



benjaminjb

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Reply #33 on: March 08, 2013, 03:05:53 PM
For Escape Pod it was no style, for Pseudopod it is overwritten, adjectivey style.  I wonder if the Podcastle contest will be filled with unneeded songs and poetic descriptions of food?  (Is it weird that I kind of hope so?)
Note to self: For next EA flash contest, imitate Tolkien and GRR Martin when writing sf, Asimov when writing horror, and Lovecraft when writing fantasy.



MCWagner

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Reply #34 on: March 08, 2013, 03:43:43 PM
For Escape Pod it was no style, for Pseudopod it is overwritten, adjectivey style.  I wonder if the Podcastle contest will be filled with unneeded songs and poetic descriptions of food?  (Is it weird that I kind of hope so?)
Note to self: For next EA flash contest, imitate Tolkien and GRR Martin when writing sf, Asimov when writing horror, and Lovecraft when writing fantasy.
... doesn't work.  Lovecraft actually wrote a good bit of fantasy.



benjaminjb

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Reply #35 on: March 08, 2013, 04:28:44 PM
For Escape Pod it was no style, for Pseudopod it is overwritten, adjectivey style.  I wonder if the Podcastle contest will be filled with unneeded songs and poetic descriptions of food?  (Is it weird that I kind of hope so?)
Note to self: For next EA flash contest, imitate Tolkien and GRR Martin when writing sf, Asimov when writing horror, and Lovecraft when writing fantasy.
... doesn't work.  Lovecraft actually wrote a good bit of fantasy.
Yeah--but his fantasy style includes a lot more Dunsanian language than his horror style. I should've specified "Lovecraft-the-horror writer when writing fantasy." Or, heck, I want a little more humor in some of these flashes, so maybe "Lovecraft-the-letter-writer when writing fantasy." Funny how we pigeonhole Lovecraft as all "squamous" and "unnameable" when he's got those other facets.



MCWagner

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Reply #36 on: March 08, 2013, 04:32:38 PM
Funny how we pigeonhole Lovecraft as all "squamous" and "unnameable" when he's got those other facets.
I love the fact that what he always really wanted to do was be a poet, and his poetry is probably the thing for which he is least remembered.



Jec

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Reply #37 on: March 08, 2013, 05:37:08 PM
Hello, hello.  :D



DoWhileNot

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Reply #38 on: March 08, 2013, 06:42:03 PM
I love the fact that what he always really wanted to do was be a poet, and his poetry is probably the thing for which he is least remembered.

Just like Sousa always wanted to write walzes, but is only remembered for Monty Python.



canajunsam

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Reply #39 on: March 09, 2013, 03:12:14 AM
um....have any of the other stories been posted yet?  Um...cause I'm only seeing the first three groups...

...And I promise you, it's true.
       -Mur Lafferty, Pseudopod episode 1, The bag man


Cutter McKay

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Reply #40 on: March 09, 2013, 03:31:14 AM
um....have any of the other stories been posted yet?  Um...cause I'm only seeing the first three groups...

From what I understand, there was a premature something or other that got Group 3 released early. So Group 4 is scheduled to drop first thing in the AM, right on time. Patience is a virgin,  ;)

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JohnCombo

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Reply #41 on: March 09, 2013, 05:08:22 AM
ARG! 12:08AM and no Group 4!

9th, normal day (at 12am).  Like I said, this one just escaped early.  I hope no one was seriously injured.

Why you say post at 12am then no post at 12am.
« Last Edit: March 09, 2013, 05:14:53 AM by JohnCombo »



Bdoomed

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Reply #42 on: March 09, 2013, 05:19:30 AM
:D Had a busy day today, kinda only just got home.  They should be up soon-ish!

I'd like to hear my options, so I could weigh them, what do you say?
Five pounds?  Six pounds? Seven pounds?


JohnCombo

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Reply #43 on: March 09, 2013, 05:21:02 AM
:D Had a busy day today, kinda only just got home.  They should be up soon-ish!

Haha Awesome. I can't wait.  ;D



Bdoomed

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Reply #44 on: March 09, 2013, 05:57:55 AM
RUN! Group 4 is terrorizing Tokyo!  グループ四!にげろ!

I'd like to hear my options, so I could weigh them, what do you say?
Five pounds?  Six pounds? Seven pounds?


Bdoomed

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Reply #45 on: March 11, 2013, 06:20:36 AM
Group 5 exists, and it is angry.

Also, quick note.  It has been decided to reveal author names on the story threads after voting conclusion.  As I am about to go to bed, this will happen tomorrow at some point for group 1 and group 2! (Or, I guess it's today already)

Which reminds me, get your votes in for group 2!  It closes on the 13th!

I'd like to hear my options, so I could weigh them, what do you say?
Five pounds?  Six pounds? Seven pounds?


SBC-B

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Reply #46 on: March 11, 2013, 08:55:43 AM
Thanks for all your hard work, Bdoomed


Bdoomed

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Reply #47 on: March 11, 2013, 08:16:33 PM
:) thank you!

I'd like to hear my options, so I could weigh them, what do you say?
Five pounds?  Six pounds? Seven pounds?


Bdoomed

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Reply #48 on: March 13, 2013, 03:40:36 AM
Say hi to Group 6, but be nice, she's shy.

As always, if you are an author of one of the stories and notice a formatting error or minor typo, don't hesitate to contact me!

I'd like to hear my options, so I could weigh them, what do you say?
Five pounds?  Six pounds? Seven pounds?


kelleynotlp

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Reply #49 on: March 13, 2013, 06:58:38 PM
Ooooh I'm looking forward to this, fo sho.