Science Fiction Microstory Contest discussion
JULY - 2020 - MICROSTORY CONTEST (COMMENTS ONLY)
Dammit I'm bound and determined to get a story in this time.
Carrie wrote: "Dammit I'm bound and determined to get a story in this time."You go, girl!
Sometimes it all comes together and writes itself swiftly. Thanks for the great theme and parameters, J.J.
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Sorry if I went over the word limit! I just forgot; I get more concerned with what a story needs, and was thinking the limit here was 1000. . . . I can cut it back, today or tomorrow, if you want--?
Paula - cheater! 1000 is so much better, isnt it
Jack--LOL.
--Actually, this story may work better, at least this version, with most the first paragraph and a couple other places cut out--down to around 750 words. Just have to find time to do it, LOL.
Whew! A lot of work for a joke. The Iditarod will never be the same. I told the joke to my team of huskies and they didn't get it, but they still smiled a lot. One husky, March-Wind, howled, not at the joke but at me retelling it.
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Thanks, Jot--much appreciated.Kalifer, nice catch and--yeah, it would've been, but then I saw J.J.'s other parameter and it turned into something else too (I hope!) Oh and huskies, or malamutes ftm, are wonderful, aren't they?
I know nothing of dog sled racing, so I didn't get the joke until I looked up Idatarod. (Thank you, Kalifer.)I loved the story, though. Very inventive blending of poetic verse and traditional SF. (Reminded me just a bit of Dr. Zhivago.)
Tom wrote: "I know nothing of dog sled racing, so I didn't get the joke until I looked up Idatarod. (Thank you, Kalifer.)I loved the story, though. Very inventive blending of poetic verse and traditional SF...."
Tom, thank you! --Years ago, an old friend moved to Alaska and got involved with someone involved in the Iditarod, so I've known of it for years. And these days, it sort of flashed on me from J.J.'s theme selection. (Doctor Zhivago?--the setting--?)
The barren, wintry landscape and chilling climate, I guess. Also, that scene in the movie where he steps out on the balcony and throws up his arms to scare off a wolf pack.
Tom wrote: "The barren, wintry landscape and chilling climate, I guess. Also, that scene in the movie where he steps out on the balcony and throws up his arms to scare off a wolf pack."Oh yes! For all its over-hyping as part of the time's anti-Soviet propaganda, and for all Shariff's abysmal non-acting, that sure was one beautiful film! (..."Soldiers. . . . Soldiers . . . .")
Not the best birthday we've ever had, I must say.
We're science-fiction authors. We may have--maybe--some idea where it can go--the wider world's disaster, I mean. And who knows, re each of our personal lives? Or we can post folksongs on our FB pages, sleep well tonight, maybe dance.
Great stories Paula and Tom! Loved them both!I hope everyone had a great Independence Day!
Paula wrote: "We're science-fiction authors. We may have--maybe--some idea where it can go--the wider world's disaster, I mean. And who knows, re each of our personal lives? Or we can post folksongs on our FB pa..."Well put, Paula.
Justin wrote: "Great stories Paula and Tom! Loved them both!I hope everyone had a great Independence Day!"
Thank you, Justin. 'Hope you did too. And, that you'll grace us with another of your fine stories this month.
Thanks, Tom and Justin--and, Jot, let's hope for many actually happy birthdays for this and all nations, agreed!
Paula wrote: "We're science-fiction authors. We may have--maybe--some idea where it can go--the wider world's disaster, I mean. And who knows, re each of our personal lives? Or we can post folksongs on our FB pa..."Here are my thoughts:
https://tomolbert.blogspot.com/
Cool blog, Tom! And excellent essay--very pointed, yet true, thoughts on "America's birthday"!
129 words is better than 0 words....right?😏😏😏😏😏
Actually this could morph into a rather disturbing novel.However, Patrick Quinlan I am not lol
I've always had a hard time writing anything romantic. I much prefer fight scenes to sex scenes.
I always swore that I'd have to hire a ghostwriter for any sex scenes if I actually got around to publishing one of my novels!!
Yea, Carrie! Great to hear from you. Word count is irrelevant. It's about the story. I like this. Sex scenes are difficult, aren't they? I have written a couple in my novels and they always make me nervous--until people read them have some good things to say. Then it feels okay. What I do (FYI) is try to get in my characters heads and let them write it. Feels less personal and works better for me.
Anyway, happy hunting and fishing!
Jack wrote: "Yea, Carrie! Great to hear from you. Word count is irrelevant. It's about the story. I like this. Sex scenes are difficult, aren't they? I have written a couple in my novels and they always make ..."
Hahahaha every time I start "YOUR MOM IS GOING TO READ THIS" pops into my head and they end up fighting instead!
Glad to be back a part of this group, I've been catching up reading some of the older stories - and as always I'm blown away by the talent in this group!!
Very hard writing a story fully in dialogue, Carrie, let alone one under 150 words and one that readers care about the outcome.Good work!
Paula wrote: "Cool blog, Tom! And excellent essay--very pointed, yet true, thoughts on "America's birthday"!"Thank you, Paula.
Carrie wrote: "129 words is better than 0 words....right?😏😏😏😏😏"
Absolutely. You got the job done.
Carrie wrote: "Actually this could morph into a rather disturbing novel.However, Patrick Quinlan I am not lol
I've always had a hard time writing anything romantic. I much prefer fight scenes to sex scenes.
I ..."
Some things are better left to the reader's imagination.
Jack wrote: "Yea, Carrie! Great to hear from you. Word count is irrelevant. It's about the story. I like this. Sex scenes are difficult, aren't they? I have written a couple in my novels and they always make ..."
Transcendental. (Or, schizophrenic?) Either way, impressive. Thanks for sharing.
Carrie wrote: "Jack wrote: "Yea, Carrie! Great to hear from you. Word count is irrelevant. It's about the story. I like this. Sex scenes are difficult, aren't they? I have written a couple in my novels and they..."
I guess most successful romance authors didn't get along too well with their moms, then.
And, we're fortunate you graced us with your talent, as well. 'Hope to see more of your work in future.
Carrie wrote: "129 words is better than 0 words....right?😏😏😏😏😏"
It was great!
Cool story, Chris. Beautifully paced and flows extremely well/smoothly, and we get a sense of the ambassador's sense of enormous loss and devastation; you've given him a very *real* feeling. By comparison, Abigail could, I think, use some deepening/rounding. The whole sense of place--that very traditional-sf sense of an alien but beautiful world, civilized in alien but wonderfully alien, sophisticated ways--abounds in this story. Very well constructed, too.
Paula wrote: "Cool story, Chris. Beautifully paced and flows extremely well/smoothly, and we get a sense of the ambassador's sense of enormous loss and devastation; you've given him a very *real* feeling. By com..."Thanks so much Paula! I really appreciate your input. I know my story this month was a little more MGish, but I seem to be comfortable with that particular sci-fi audience. And I would have loved to round out the main character more, but for that pesky word count. Se la vie. ;)
Chris - Very amusing and visually well-realized setting; very effective.Jon - an extremely potent and gut-wrenching tale. Marvelous POV.
Tom wrote: "Chris - Very amusing and visually well-realized setting; very effective.Jon - an extremely potent and gut-wrenching tale. Marvelous POV."
Thanks Tom. I'm glad you liked it. :)
Too much RL stuff going on this month to free my brain to write. Anxiety spirals within spirals. Maybe next month. Anyway, good luck to everyone setting pen to paper :)
Tom wrote: "Chris - Very amusing and visually well-realized setting; very effective.Jon - an extremely potent and gut-wrenching tale. Marvelous POV."
Thanks Tom! Glad to be "back in the fray!"
This is on and off topic, but this story is a small tale (if a different perspective) from my first novella "Constant." Would anyone be interested in beta reading it? I am publishing the first version to Smashwords this week.
Jon, can you send ebook or mobi files? I will read it
Marianne wrote: "Too much RL stuff going on this month to free my brain to write. Anxiety spirals within spirals. Maybe next month. Anyway, good luck to everyone setting pen to paper :)"'Sorry you won't be joining us this month, Marianne. 'Hope everything works out.
Jon, I'd be glad to beta-read your novella, IF you can send it in doc or pdf.
Paula wrote: "Jon, I'd be glad to beta-read your novella, IF you can send it in doc or pdf."OK Paula thanks!
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Theme: Something has to be delivered on a deadline. Can be any size, structure or format.
Elements: A code or password; Hope