Science Fiction Microstory Contest discussion
***MARCH 2022 SCIENCE FICTION MICROSTORY CONTEST (Comments Only)***
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*tap* *tap* *tap*.......is this thing on?
.......Hello?
........she spoke to the empty room. She looked around at all the empty seats and sighed. Her heart was sad at how different the world was from almost 10 years ago.
She missed her online friends, missed reading the short science fiction stories and the banter (ever the crabby banter).
The world was changing before her very eyes, and she realized she was so very different from that time as well.
Sadly she turned the microphone off and stepped towards the door, flipping off the light to the now empty room, she left to find some 750 word science fiction inspiration.
Mod
The completion of October's contest will mark 10 years or 120 consecutive months for the contest. Trying to think of something special to mark the occasion. Perhaps a cash prize for the winner. I can donate $100 toward the cause, perhaps more if anyone else wants to chip in a buck or two.
Anyone else have any idea how to highlight the anniversary?
I know, I caught that while reading through the last several months of comments.I still have all those old LinkedIn discussion threads bookmarked!
it's crazy how time flies.
I know it might be a logistical nightmare but I'd love to do a zoom roundtable discussion for the podcast for the 10 year anniversary. Anyone who's previously been a part of this group could pop in to share stories, memories anything at all.
And for those who can't make it maybe a pre-recorded snippet we can include.
I think that would be a great homage to a group that really helped form my own personal writing style.
Mod
Hmmm, I try not to even celebrate my own birthday let alone official holidays. I'm pretty much an uninhibited person so don't need special occasions to let go. Filling my glass when making a toast I've found is a real downer.
Kalifer wrote: "Hmmm, I try not to even celebrate my own birthday let alone official holidays. I'm pretty much an uninhibited person so don't need special occasions to let go. Filling my glass when making a toast ..."Life is one long party, eh Kalifer? (Shucks...just one long flat plain; no hills or valleys.)
Not exactly! When we first got to the Moon I downed a quart of Chocolate ice cream (ice cream is my drug of choice). I really don't like the taste of alcohol unless it's creme de coco on vanilla ice cream. Also, try being in a room while sober when everyone else is drunk. You'll quickly decide that even no company is better than that company. I was brought up by an alcoholic father followed by an alcoholic stepfather so that might bear on my choices. I just gave myself a quarter for my self-analysis.
Kalifer wrote: "Not exactly! When we first got to the Moon I downed a quart of Chocolate ice cream (ice cream is my drug of choice). I really don't like the taste of alcohol unless it's creme de coco on vanilla ic..."As one tee-totaler to another...more power to ya! Cheers!
Some good ideas, Jot and Carrie. I think a zoom round table could be very stimulating, though seriously we shall need to contact and bring in the many fine writers and committed group members from the first few years (2012 to (2016 or so?) when about half of the incredibly creative original group dropped off.
Mod
I have been out of touch and I am so sorry. Things have been hard at my house and I haven't always done my best to communicate, especially in light of the COVID crisis.My wife survived her surgery and is doing well in recovery. Her dialysis technology is likely to have to change because of extenuating circumstances with her current technology. It lasted for four and a half years so we are blessed to have had her do so well, for so long.
My son-in-law died from the coronavirus earlier this year and my daughter has moved back home with us to recover and decide what her next steps are going to be.
I wrote (and was paid a professional rate) for an RPG game called Absolute Power. I wrote their introductory game supplement and it will be published in June or July. The scenario will be called ‘Empire City Loves You.’ It was a lot of fun and hard work under a tight deadline.
Good news, everyone! I have a new job. I am being paid as a professional writer for a company called DJ2 Entertainment.
This is something I have waited eleven years to say. (Yes, I have worked within those eleven years AS a writer, been published and all that jazz, but I never felt like I was afforded the respect a writer who was working in any industry was given.)
Working with DJ2 has been quite demanding and it has been one of the first times I have worked in a while where I didn't feel completely in control of what I was doing. I can't tell you any more because of an NDA but suffice it to say, it has been AMAZING.
As for the group: I shared the story I wrote today as an experimental story in a wuxia format. In this particular instance, there is no dialogue, only the understanding of a master and secret art form.
I have been writing wuxia (martial arts style stories) for a few years but I tend to keep them under wraps because of their Eastern influences which treat martial techniques as a form of conversation and are rarely well received in Western audiences. Here, however, we experiment and I felt safe in doing so.
Finally: It will be our 10 year anniversary in October! Wow. I cut my teeth writing right here. This has been an outstanding group. We should celebrate, somehow.
With my new job promising to ease some of the economic stresses in my home, I am hoping to try and write with an eye toward publishing in the great magazine houses of speculative fiction. I think I will start small, someplace like Fiyah or Pseudopod.
Wish me luck.
Mod
It is by far one of the most difficult industries to make a living from, but I'm sure I speak from the others, that you are one of the best writers this contest has seen. I would like to think that our club has helped each of us, myself especially, learn how to be an even better writer. It is with great gratitude that I look back at the last ten years to see this contest as one of my top life's work. God bless you all. Thaddeus, may I see you sell a million copies.
Thaddeus, I'm so sorry to hear of your troubles.I second what Jot said above. I always enjoy reading your stories here, and your success (may it come soon!) is well deserved.
Jot wrote: "Okay, I finally posted a story. Been crazy at work, and just as I start feeling confident in the role, they switch me to be responsible for more of the code...starting Monday. One day at a time, ri..."They obviously like your work, Jot. Looks like you're on an upward path.
Thaddeus wrote: "I have been out of touch and I am so sorry. Things have been hard at my house and I haven't always done my best to communicate, especially in light of the COVID crisis.My wife survived her surger..."
Welcome back, Thaddeus. My condolences on your loss, best hopes for your family's struggles, and hearty congratulations on your achievements and new position. I wish you better luck with those publishers than I've had.
Thaddeus,Sorry to hear of your losses but it's good your wife is improving and that you scored a pro writing job. They say that when God closes a door, he opens a window. Well, it's usually a skylight that He opens but I figure you're the kind of guy that knows how to use a ladder.
Peace to you and yours.
Yes, you've had so very many losses, Thaddeus. My condolences to you and your family. Very good that you've a pro writing job! And *definitely* send out to pro journals and get yourself an agent, etc.
Good to hear that your wife's recovering.
Almost didn't make it this time. Too much going on including drawn-out home renovations, helping the Ukrainians, and other miscellaneous issues.
Thaddeus, wow. Had not been in on the comment feed for this month until today, so hadn't gotten any notifications. So sorry for your losses and truly happy for your victories. You've had a busy time of it and I hope you find peace amongst it all.
Thaddeus! Best wishes in your new job! I'm sure you will continue being fantastic!My condolences for your losses and tough times.
Best,
Justin
Am I the only one who didn't know Andy Gurcak had passed on? A terrific writer and a really nice guy, based on my communications with him.https://obituaries.post-gazette.com/o...
Really sorry to hear Andy died! He was a good writer and a nice guy!I feel overly privileged to have outlived him but that is the luck of the draw; so don't smoke! It took my father and my father-in-law.
Mod
Jot, there's a link to Andy's obit in my comment above. Here's a link to his "Recent Posts", including some stories and critiques. That's the nice thing about fiction writing, you can still have a conversion with writer after they are gone.https://www.goodreads.com/comment/lis...
My condolences to Andy's family and friends.
Mod
So sorry to hear about this. I think a lot of these losses feel more raw perhaps than before - at least for me, considering all that we've been through - and continue to go through. I'm frustrated by everything I see in Ukraine and my desire to help in the face of very overwhelming pain, suffering and misery. So news like this just feels like salt in the wound.
Justin wrote: "So sorry to hear about this. I think a lot of these losses feel more raw perhaps than before - at least for me, considering all that we've been through - and continue to go through. I'm frustrated ..."You have a kind and giving heart, Justin. A pity there aren't more like you.
JF and others here--I had heard, around a year ago, of Andy Gurcak's death some time before. My apologies to not have told you before. I only heard of his death through Andy Lake and Elizabeth (EJ) Eyles, two authors who were members of this group in the group's first years. Andy Gurcak was an enormously well-read critiquer and editor, as well as an excellent writer and warm, brilliant person--from the little one can know of someone through their online presence. He had lost his wife but is I believe, survived by his children and grandchildren.
Tom wrote: "Justin wrote: "So sorry to hear about this. I think a lot of these losses feel more raw perhaps than before - at least for me, considering all that we've been through - and continue to go through. ..."Thanks Tom, much appreciated.
Jot's rules are simple:
1) The story needs to be your own work and should be posted on the goodreads (GR) Discussion board, which is a public group. You maintain responsibility and ownership of your work to do with as you please. You may withdraw your story at any time.
2) The stories must be 750 words or less.
3) The stories have to be speculative fiction, follow a specific theme and potentially include reference to items as requested by the prior month's contest winner. (This change is mine, because I want to mix it up a little. Speculative fiction can be anything in the genre, from space ships to dragon riders.)
4) You have until midnight EST on the 22nd day of the month to post your story to the GR Science Fiction Microstory Contest discussion. One story per author per month.
5) After, anyone from the LI Sci-Fi group or the GR Science Fiction Microstory Discussion group has until midnight EST of the 25th day of the month to send me a single private vote (via GR or to author.jotrussell@gmail.com) for a story other than their own. This vote will be made public once voting is closed. Voting, and reading each story before voting, is required. If you do not vote, your story will be disqualified from the contest. You don't need a qualifying story to cast a vote, but you must offer the reason for your vote if you don’t have an entry.
6) To win, a story needs at least half of the votes, or be the only one left after excluding those with the fewest votes. Runoffs will be run each day until a winner is declared. Stories with vote totals that add up to at least half, discarding those with the fewest votes, will be carried forward to the next runoff election. Prior votes will be carried forward to support runoff stories. If you voted for a story that did not make it into the runoff, you need to vote again before midnight EST of that day. Only people who voted in the initial round may vote in the runoffs.
7) Please have all posts abide by the rules of GR and the LI Sci-Fi group.
8) For each month, there will be three discussion threads:
a) Stories - For the stories and the contest results only.
b) Comments - For discussions about the stories and contest. Constructive criticism is okay, but please avoid any spoilers about the stories or degrading comments directed towards any individuals. If you want to suggest a change to the contest, feel free to start a discussion about the idea before making a formal motion. If another member seconds a motion, a vote can be held. I will abstain from voting, but will require a strong two-thirds majority to override my veto.
c) Critiques - Each member can provide at most one critique per story, with a single rebuttal by the author to thank the critic and/or comment to offer the readers the mind set of the story to account for issues raised by the critique. Critiques should be of a professional and constructive manner. Feel free to describe elements that you do and don't like, as these help us gain a better perspective of our potential readers. Remarks deemed inflammatory or derogatory will be flagged and/or removed by the moderator.
9) The winner has THREE days after the start of the new month to make a copy of these rules and post a new contest thread using the theme/items of their choosing. Otherwise, I will post the new contest threads.
Jot Russell
Contest Creator/Director
_________
MARCH'S THEME:
An initiation, it could be into a fraternity, an elven archery tournament, a school play, a bomber crew, a salaryman's wedding; you decide. It's a story of transition from one world to another.
REQUIRED ELEMENTS:
1) A prototype (it could be an idea, a machine, a spell or a process but whatever it is, it is one of a kind)
2) There must be an air of elegance demonstrated in the story.
Elegance: the quality of being graceful and stylish in appearance or manner; style.
Surprise us.