July 2023 SCIENCE FICTION MICROSTORY CONTEST (Comments only)

[Greg]

This month's theme: "Those who dare develop the power of the mind in a world terrified of it."

Required Elements: Escape, Altruism

[Greg]

If it would help, I could mention this goodreads group in a Mensa newsletter. It would probably get some new readers and maybe some writers, too.

[Tom]

Jeremy -

I thought your story was brilliantly funny.

Your image of a homeless community of flying runaway brains was hysterical. The concept reminded me of that 19th century Russian story in which a man's nose has run off and stared its own life.

Well done.

[Tom]

Greg wrote: "If it would help, I could mention this goodreads group in a Mensa newsletter. It would probably get some new readers and maybe some writers, too."

Thank you for making the effort, Greg.

[Jeremy]

Thank you Tom. I was chuckling as I wrote it.

The bucket of nano is a tip of the hat to Greg Bear.

[Marianne]

Still not in the head space for writing at the moment. I can post to Mastodon.

[Paula]

First-rate work, Jeremy--excellent!

[Jeremy]

Thanks Paula!

[Jeremy]

Hope all is well Marianne. I know that feeling all too well at times.

[Jot]

Thanks for moving the review, Paula.

[Jot]

Okay, mine's up!

[Jot]

Still on the job search, but am one step close with one wonderful company. Just have to get through a 4 hour interview on Friday. C++ is the hardest and most powerful language, but luckily it is also the one I like most (aside from the one I am creating) and have the most experience in.

[Tom]

Best of luck, Jot. (Not that you need it.)

[Jot]

Thanks, cause I definitely need it. Writing four separate complex algorithms in a limited time is crazy, but fun...

[Jeremy]

G'luck Jot!

[Justin]

Good luck with the interview Jot, I'm sure you'll crush it!!

Great stories so far everyone, very well done!

Tom, thanks for all of the thoughtful reviews you've written over the years. I really appreciate them and you!

[Tom]

Thank you, Justin. I appreciate you as well, and all your fine stories.

[Jot]

Thanks Justin and all. I am forever strengthened by the members in this group.

[Jot]

Dang, think I failed the second part of the interview. Though it does give me more insight to some aspects of the language I haven't had to use as of yet.

[Justin]

Oh man, I'm sorry to hear that Jot. Keep swinging! You are a highly talented programmer, so it's just a matter of finding that right fit. It WILL happen!

[Tom]

So true, Justin. Some lucky company will give you the position you deserve. And, it speaks well of you that you use each experience as an opportunity for learning.

[Greg]

Got mine up. Got an inspiration from a Moody Blues song and thinking about a book "The Magic Power of Your Mind" that I read when i was a teenager.

[Jot]

Thanks all. Greg, I love the Moody Blues. Got to see them a few times, including the first back at Jones Beach in 81-82 when I didn't know them by their name, only to find out I loved every song. Best concert ever!

[Jot]

Motion: if a writer posts a critique of your story, it is expected that you provide, however small, a critique of their's .

[Tom]

Jot wrote: "Motion: if a writer posts a critique of your story, it is expected that you provide, however small, a critique of their's ."

Seconded.

[Tom]

Greg wrote: "Got mine up. Got an inspiration from a Moody Blues song and thinking about a book "The Magic Power of Your Mind" that I read when i was a teenager."

Very good choice for the theme, Greg. And, powerful sensory imagery. Very mythic and timeless.

[Jot]

Unless there are further discussions needed or objections, I'll add it to the list of rules.

[Paula]

How many more days for discussion/objections/comments on this? What has been the usual time for these?

[Jot]

Till the posting of the next month, unless you are requesting a delay to raise a discussion.

[Jeremy]

If adopted, I'll do my best. I'm not good at providing useful reviews.

[Jot]

Writers' votes are in, but will wait until the end of the 25th to see if we have other members who care to vote.

[Jack]

I am voting, Jot.

[Jot]

Thanks Jack. More voices the better.

[Tom]

Jeremy wrote: "If adopted, I'll do my best. I'm not good at providing useful reviews."

You never know if a review is useful unless you post it.

[Jeremy]

I'm fairly sure I can tell people how to write more like me, but I'm also sure I'm not good at telling them how to write more like themselves. :)

[Jot]

Mostly we would want to know how you perceive the story, how it made you feel, what parts you had to stumble over and what you really liked.

[Paula]

Good ideas. And perhaps to critique an additional story that same month. This hopefully would quickly increase the proportion of stories getting feedback.

[J.F.]

I picked up some critiquing ideas at my writing workshop:

Can you tell what the main character wants? Is that clear?
What works in the story? Good lines, vivid imagery, etc. but be specific.
What didn't you understand? Were there key plot elements you either couldn't figure out or had a hard time doing so?
Was attribution of dialogue clear, even when undeclared?
Was the setting clear or did the action seem to occur in a void? What was the weather? (Hemingway said to always include the weather.)
Were pronoun/name relationships immediately clear, and was the name of the character used too often when a pronoun was preferable?
What was the emotional tone of the story: joyful, sad, angry, etc?

One thing I had trouble with but I think is useful was that in these workshops you never respond to the readers' questions. It's not supposed to be a conversation. You basically take in all the criticism, toss out what you don't need, and then try to make the story stronger. You can thank them for the criticism but the best way to do that is offer your own on their work.

[Paula]

These sound like good points, J.F. Thanks for sharing this--
J.F. wrote: "I picked up some critiquing ideas at my writing workshop:

Can you tell what the main character wants? Is that clear?
What works in the story? Good lines, vivid imagery, etc. but be specific.
Wha..."

[Jot]

Added this to rule 8:

Writers who have their story critiqued by another writer are expected to provide a critique (however small) of the other's story.

[Tom]

The August 2023 theme has been posted.