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Possible Writing Challenge
Sep. 21st, 2009 12:09 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
caddyman.livejournal.com( Post cut to stop it cropping up where you've already seen it on my own journal )
Any takers, or am I shouting into the void?
Any takers, or am I shouting into the void?
romney.livejournal.com"Set phasers to stun!" shouted the Captain.
"We've only got one phaser between us" replied the man in the red shirt. "And it's made of wood". He tapped it against a nearby rock, producing a slight wobble and a dull "thunk" sound, as it too was made of wood.
"What does the Tricorder say?" asked the Captain.
The man with the stuck-on, stuck-out ears held up the Tricorder, which was an old cassette player adorned with sticky-back plastic and a flashing light extracted from a toy police car. "It goes 'warble warble warble' Captain, but if I turn the tape over it's John Denver".
The Captain looked around frantically and flipped open his Communicator, which fell to pieces as it was made up of an electric razor, part of a cheese-grater and the top off a jar of face-cream. Gathering them up, he nonetheless spoke loudly into his hand. "Beam us up Scotty!"
From somewhere behind the other wooden rock, and in a rather poor Scottish accent came the reply "We cannae afford the special effects Captain"
The Captain cast his Communicator bits to the floor and stared out into the auditorium "I've had enough, if people aren't going to take this seriously..."
On flopped the Horta, sprayed powerful acid over everything, and it and the crew fell screaming into the basement as the stage dissolved under them.
"We've only got one phaser between us" replied the man in the red shirt. "And it's made of wood". He tapped it against a nearby rock, producing a slight wobble and a dull "thunk" sound, as it too was made of wood.
"What does the Tricorder say?" asked the Captain.
The man with the stuck-on, stuck-out ears held up the Tricorder, which was an old cassette player adorned with sticky-back plastic and a flashing light extracted from a toy police car. "It goes 'warble warble warble' Captain, but if I turn the tape over it's John Denver".
The Captain looked around frantically and flipped open his Communicator, which fell to pieces as it was made up of an electric razor, part of a cheese-grater and the top off a jar of face-cream. Gathering them up, he nonetheless spoke loudly into his hand. "Beam us up Scotty!"
From somewhere behind the other wooden rock, and in a rather poor Scottish accent came the reply "We cannae afford the special effects Captain"
The Captain cast his Communicator bits to the floor and stared out into the auditorium "I've had enough, if people aren't going to take this seriously..."
On flopped the Horta, sprayed powerful acid over everything, and it and the crew fell screaming into the basement as the stage dissolved under them.
Seasonal Ghost Story Challenge
Dec. 24th, 2008 04:05 pmcaddyman.livejournal.comHaving issued the seasonal challenge, I thought it incumbent upon me to write a contribution. So, in exactly 500 words, the 500 word seasonal ghost story. I hope you enjoy it:
( Together Forever )
Cross posted between my LJ and![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
just_writing
( Together Forever )
Cross posted between my LJ and
just_writingSeasonal Ghost Story Challenge
Dec. 23rd, 2008 11:49 amcaddyman.livejournal.comOnly a couple of days now until Christmas and time, I think, for the traditional horror or ghost story. Last year, I posted up the challenge to almost universal apathy, other than from a select few, but it's always worth a try.
The challenge, as usual then, is a ghost story in 500 words or less to be posted on LJ in time for Christmas. I shall try and think something up just so no-one thinks I am idling any more than I really am.
Go on.
Have a go.
How hard can it be? Everyone likes a spooky story.
Cross posted to and from my own journal and just_writing.
The challenge, as usual then, is a ghost story in 500 words or less to be posted on LJ in time for Christmas. I shall try and think something up just so no-one thinks I am idling any more than I really am.
Go on.
Have a go.
How hard can it be? Everyone likes a spooky story.
Cross posted to and from my own journal and just_writing.
Trans-atlantic narrative voice
Sep. 1st, 2008 09:29 pmsushidog.livejournal.comHi all,
Quiet around here, huh? But I have a dilemma and I' really like to hear your thoughts.
I'm writing what I hope will become a novel. It's made up of two intertwining stories, one of which starts in the United States and the other in England, bot in the mid-late 19th century. It's told in the third person, so the narrative voice is reasonably neutral, although I'm trying to keep it in keeping with the time. But I'm not sure what to do about the language divide. For example, when the story is following the American character in California, should I refer to autumn (I'm English, so that's my natural inclination) or to fall, since that's appropriate to the setting? If I refer to lucifers rather than matches, is that going to sound anachronistic because it's a piece of English slang rather than American? I'm not talking about the characters themselves using those terms here, but about the third-person narration.
What do you think?
Quiet around here, huh? But I have a dilemma and I' really like to hear your thoughts.
I'm writing what I hope will become a novel. It's made up of two intertwining stories, one of which starts in the United States and the other in England, bot in the mid-late 19th century. It's told in the third person, so the narrative voice is reasonably neutral, although I'm trying to keep it in keeping with the time. But I'm not sure what to do about the language divide. For example, when the story is following the American character in California, should I refer to autumn (I'm English, so that's my natural inclination) or to fall, since that's appropriate to the setting? If I refer to lucifers rather than matches, is that going to sound anachronistic because it's a piece of English slang rather than American? I'm not talking about the characters themselves using those terms here, but about the third-person narration.
What do you think?
A story for Christmas
Dec. 22nd, 2007 06:19 pmcaddyman.livejournal.comA couple of days ago, I issued the seasonal challenge for a Christmas ghost story. I am rather gratified at the number of you who have risen to the challenge. This is my contribution, though on reflection I'm not sure that strictly speaking it is a ghost story.
Now I have written this, I can go and read all the others that I have so far avoided so as not to be influenced by them.
I hope you enjoy it and I hope you write something, too.
( Imaginary Friends )
As usual, cross posted between my journal andjust_writing.
Now I have written this, I can go and read all the others that I have so far avoided so as not to be influenced by them.
I hope you enjoy it and I hope you write something, too.
( Imaginary Friends )
As usual, cross posted between my journal and
just_writing.smokingboot.livejournal.comMy first thought was that she must be cold and her teachers needed a talking to.
Well, no, no, that was about the second or third time. My first, I didn't think really...she was just a figure over on the Derrentwater, moving over the ice. They do skate there when it freezes, but it's not wise really. You can't trust ice to stay solid, you can't guess when it'll crack, only that it will, and what then?
But there's no telling young people. I pointed her out to Frank, who shrugged. Time was you couldn't get him off the Derrentwater, quite the skater himself, but he agrees it's too dangerous now. Anyway, he couldn't make her out, sun blinking in his eyes.
Next time I saw her, she was on a park bench with her back to me. I recognised her coat. I was laden down with carrier bags, cos Frank can't help with shopping now, so I could have used a moment sat on the bench myself, but then I heard her chatting away on her mobile or something, and didn't want to sit too close. Other people's business and all that, and anyway, she sounded upset. I wonder their parents give them mobiles. Talk about the bills they must run up!
It was the next time I thought of her teachers and her parents. Couple of days before Christmas and she passes me, running on the pavement, silly little goose, nearly knocked me over and I called out, and half way down the road she looked back. God help me if the girl's not soaked.
To the skin! In this weather! Her parents must be half daft, and if it's swimming at school, the teachers should be ashamed to let her out like that, it's pneumonia in the making, I don't care if they put it all down to viruses.
Told Frank. He lost his temper and said all I did was talk about that girl, and school term had ended 10 days gone, and couldn't I talk about anything else but the girl in the brown coat?
I never told him she wore a brown coat.
Saw her earlier this evening, along the path back of the house, hair sopping, coat drenched. She looked up at his bedroom window and back to me, a little bit impatient but I'm almost done. Made plans to go to my sister's anyway, so everything's packed and locked except the back door into the kitchen, with the windows looking out over those school fields, and the Derrentwater glinting in the evening sun, red as you like.
xxx
Well, no, no, that was about the second or third time. My first, I didn't think really...she was just a figure over on the Derrentwater, moving over the ice. They do skate there when it freezes, but it's not wise really. You can't trust ice to stay solid, you can't guess when it'll crack, only that it will, and what then?
But there's no telling young people. I pointed her out to Frank, who shrugged. Time was you couldn't get him off the Derrentwater, quite the skater himself, but he agrees it's too dangerous now. Anyway, he couldn't make her out, sun blinking in his eyes.
Next time I saw her, she was on a park bench with her back to me. I recognised her coat. I was laden down with carrier bags, cos Frank can't help with shopping now, so I could have used a moment sat on the bench myself, but then I heard her chatting away on her mobile or something, and didn't want to sit too close. Other people's business and all that, and anyway, she sounded upset. I wonder their parents give them mobiles. Talk about the bills they must run up!
It was the next time I thought of her teachers and her parents. Couple of days before Christmas and she passes me, running on the pavement, silly little goose, nearly knocked me over and I called out, and half way down the road she looked back. God help me if the girl's not soaked.
To the skin! In this weather! Her parents must be half daft, and if it's swimming at school, the teachers should be ashamed to let her out like that, it's pneumonia in the making, I don't care if they put it all down to viruses.
Told Frank. He lost his temper and said all I did was talk about that girl, and school term had ended 10 days gone, and couldn't I talk about anything else but the girl in the brown coat?
I never told him she wore a brown coat.
Saw her earlier this evening, along the path back of the house, hair sopping, coat drenched. She looked up at his bedroom window and back to me, a little bit impatient but I'm almost done. Made plans to go to my sister's anyway, so everything's packed and locked except the back door into the kitchen, with the windows looking out over those school fields, and the Derrentwater glinting in the evening sun, red as you like.
xxx
Rings Around the Moon
Dec. 20th, 2007 05:41 pmbinidj.livejournal.comIn response to 
Caddyman's Christmas Ghost Story Challenge, I offer my entry ... 500 words exactly according to OpenOffice:
Caddyman's Christmas Ghost Story Challenge, I offer my entry ... 500 words exactly according to OpenOffice:"It'll be a cold one tonight," the farmer pronounced as he showed David to the guest cottage, "there'll be rings around the moon and no mistake. You'll be whisked away to the fairies if you get caught under the rings they say." Quite who the mysterious 'they' might be was left unspoken but David suspected that 'they' could be found propping up the bar at the local pub.
After a cup of tea and a bite to eat, David decided to take his cases up to the cottage's tiny bedroom. The little kitchen had a wood-burning Aga which was something of a challenge to use but fun in its way and gave a welcome warmth to the tiny house, which was just as well because frost had already been starting to form on the ground when David had arrived. The bedroom was cosy, much like the rest of the property, and had a splendid view over the moors. That is, the view during the day was splendid, the night time view was less interesting. Except, David glanced at the moon shining full and pale over the barren fields, that there! There were the rings the farmer had spoken of! Around the face of the moon, radiating in the blackness, David could see the palest ghost of a ring. As he watched, he saw another form, slightly further out from the first, and then, he thought he could make out another still further from the moon! Thinking that this must be some illusion caused by frost and breath on the window, David stepped outside and into the moonlit field the better to observe the strange phenomenon.
His new vantage point did indeed give a better view yet what he saw as he stood there, shivering in the cold night air, puzzled him still further. For the rings were not concentric as he had, at first, thought them to be. Rather these ghostly halos were slightly offset, closer to the shining lunar disk on one side than the other. Puzzled, David continued staring at the rings pondering as he did why they might be skewed so. He stood for a few moments staring up at the cloudless night sky, and gradually he fancied he saw the rings moving, slow as the minute hand on a watch, surely they had been more offset than that a moment ago? With a shake of his head he looked away from the coldly radiant disk, thinking that perhaps he was seeing things. But as he glanced away from the spectacle above, he was struck by another curiosity in the field before him. Advancing toward him David saw a shimmering veil of mist, thin as cobweb and sparkling in the moonlight. As the mist front drew nearer to him, David fancied that he saw tiny motes of frost drifting upward, dancing and twinkling their way up through the night sky to the moon and its rings.
Its concentric rings.
God but it had suddenly turned co...
Seasonal Challenge
Dec. 20th, 2007 12:53 pmcaddyman.livejournal.comLess than a week until Christmas and time, I think, for the traditional horror or ghost story. Last year, I posted up the challenge to almost universal apathy, other than from a select few, but it's always worth a try.
The challenge, as usual then, is a ghost story in 500 words or less to be posted on LJ in time for Christmas. I shall try and think something up before I go away for Christmas on Sunday.
Go on.
Have a go.
How hard can it be? Everyone likes a spooky story.
Cross posted to and from my own journal.
The challenge, as usual then, is a ghost story in 500 words or less to be posted on LJ in time for Christmas. I shall try and think something up before I go away for Christmas on Sunday.
Go on.
Have a go.
How hard can it be? Everyone likes a spooky story.
Cross posted to and from my own journal.
sushidog.livejournal.comHello all!
I was just wondering what you all think about voices in your writing? Do you tend to go for a non-character narrator, or a first-person voice, or several different first-person voices, or what? How do you feel about other ways of telling a story, such as diary entries, letters, and so on? If you use various different methods or voices, how do you decide which is most appropriate for a given story?
I was just wondering what you all think about voices in your writing? Do you tend to go for a non-character narrator, or a first-person voice, or several different first-person voices, or what? How do you feel about other ways of telling a story, such as diary entries, letters, and so on? If you use various different methods or voices, how do you decide which is most appropriate for a given story?
Just Writer's Block
Sep. 28th, 2007 10:35 amcaddyman.livejournal.comI am toying with writing something and entering the Times ghost story competition that ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
sushidog mentioned below. Especially as my attempt to write an episode from Dimpler Towers has stalled because I can’t get the voice right.
I can't let Baggy be our only contributor after all!
The competition is to write a 2,000 word ghost story for Halloween. The problem is, I can’t think of a ghost story at the moment. I was thinking about rehashing and expanding one of the pieces I’ve already posted, but with the exception of the story of “Old Harry” that I posted a couple of years back, the others are Christmas ghost stories and strictly limited to 500 words. I don’t think I could revisit Marley’s Ghost without ruining it.
Any thoughts, suggestions etc, oh good and faithful readers?
X-posted incaddyman
sushidog mentioned below. Especially as my attempt to write an episode from Dimpler Towers has stalled because I can’t get the voice right. I can't let Baggy be our only contributor after all!
The competition is to write a 2,000 word ghost story for Halloween. The problem is, I can’t think of a ghost story at the moment. I was thinking about rehashing and expanding one of the pieces I’ve already posted, but with the exception of the story of “Old Harry” that I posted a couple of years back, the others are Christmas ghost stories and strictly limited to 500 words. I don’t think I could revisit Marley’s Ghost without ruining it.
Any thoughts, suggestions etc, oh good and faithful readers?
X-posted in
caddymanGhost story competition
Sep. 24th, 2007 03:28 pmsushidog.livejournal.comFor those of us living in the UK or ROI, I don't know whether you've seen this; the Times is running a competition to write a short (< 2,000 word) ghost story. No cash, but the winner gets some books and a weekend in a "haunted" hotel, plus the winning story will be printed in the Times.
Just thought some people here might be interested!
Just thought some people here might be interested!
Titles for fiction?
Aug. 29th, 2007 01:14 pmsushidog.livejournal.comHello all,
I have a question; how do you come up with titles for the stuff you write? What do you think makes a good title for a story or a novel? I'm working on various bits of short fiction, and a lot of my titles are either song lyrics (I'm finalising a story called Heaven Help Us, which was loosely inspired by a song of the same name, and I have another piece in the pipeline also inspired by a song, which may end up being named after the song too), or one-word titles (Heartfelt, Timbuktu, for example). A friend suggested that one-word titles aren't necessarily good, and that ideally you want something that grabs the reader's attention and gets them interested, without giving too much away, so I guess I need to work on my titling skills.
Any thoughts?
I have a question; how do you come up with titles for the stuff you write? What do you think makes a good title for a story or a novel? I'm working on various bits of short fiction, and a lot of my titles are either song lyrics (I'm finalising a story called Heaven Help Us, which was loosely inspired by a song of the same name, and I have another piece in the pipeline also inspired by a song, which may end up being named after the song too), or one-word titles (Heartfelt, Timbuktu, for example). A friend suggested that one-word titles aren't necessarily good, and that ideally you want something that grabs the reader's attention and gets them interested, without giving too much away, so I guess I need to work on my titling skills.
Any thoughts?
sushidog.livejournal.comUm, hello, I just joined; I hope that's OK!
I've been writing some short fiction recently, and am quite keen to get constructive criticism and so on on it, anditsjustaname suggested this might be a good place to do it. I wanted to ask, though, whether it's OK to make locked posts on this community? I'm hoping to get some of my stuff published at some point (it may be a vain hope, mind you!), so I'd rather not post it publicly. If I can post it locked, though, I'd be very glad to get opinions on it!
Also, just out of interest, what sort of genres do people here write in, or do you just avoid genres altogether?
I'm really not sure what my genre is, or whether I have on. The last two stories I've written are a short (2,000 word) one which is either a romance or a psychological horror, depending who you ask, and a longer (currently 9,500 words, but it needs some fairly vicious editing) one which is sort of a metaphysical detective story, only not. Works in progress include a sort of philosophical magic realism thing, and an actual honest-to-god sci-fi thing. Possibly. If they ever get finished. :-)
Finally, I'm fairly new to writing, and one of the things I'm finding a bit of a struggle is plot; I'm OK with characters and situations, but arranging them into plots can sometimes take me a while. Where do your storylines come from, and how do you put them together? Do you write out notes outlining your plot before you actually write? Or do you start writing into the void, and hope the ending will turn up when it's needed?
I've been writing some short fiction recently, and am quite keen to get constructive criticism and so on on it, and
itsjustaname suggested this might be a good place to do it. I wanted to ask, though, whether it's OK to make locked posts on this community? I'm hoping to get some of my stuff published at some point (it may be a vain hope, mind you!), so I'd rather not post it publicly. If I can post it locked, though, I'd be very glad to get opinions on it!Also, just out of interest, what sort of genres do people here write in, or do you just avoid genres altogether?
I'm really not sure what my genre is, or whether I have on. The last two stories I've written are a short (2,000 word) one which is either a romance or a psychological horror, depending who you ask, and a longer (currently 9,500 words, but it needs some fairly vicious editing) one which is sort of a metaphysical detective story, only not. Works in progress include a sort of philosophical magic realism thing, and an actual honest-to-god sci-fi thing. Possibly. If they ever get finished. :-)
Finally, I'm fairly new to writing, and one of the things I'm finding a bit of a struggle is plot; I'm OK with characters and situations, but arranging them into plots can sometimes take me a while. Where do your storylines come from, and how do you put them together? Do you write out notes outlining your plot before you actually write? Or do you start writing into the void, and hope the ending will turn up when it's needed?
A Challenge...?
Aug. 24th, 2007 03:35 pmcaddyman.livejournal.comFollowing a chat in the pub last night with smokingboot, I have decided that we ought at least to try to wake just_writing from the torpor it suffers from between half-hearted annual attempts to get some of you buggers to contribute Christmas ghost stories.
I have had a slight inspiration around the sad lives of the denizens of Dimpler Towers and hope to have something written in the next day or so over the bank holiday weekend.
I know that a fair sample of the people on my friends list is decent writers1; I’ve worked with a number of you on NWO and I’ve read contributions from others. There’s a talented if lazy mob out there. I count myself in the lazy bit at least. If I’m going to post something, will anyone join me?
(Cross-posted as usual, so it can be ignored by the greatest selection of people I can reach).
1Grammatically correct, yet oddly wrong-minded; this sentence is a literary Roundhead: repulsive but right.
smokingboot, I have decided that we ought at least to try to wake just_writing from the torpor it suffers from between half-hearted annual attempts to get some of you buggers to contribute Christmas ghost stories. I have had a slight inspiration around the sad lives of the denizens of Dimpler Towers and hope to have something written in the next day or so over the bank holiday weekend.
I know that a fair sample of the people on my friends list is decent writers1; I’ve worked with a number of you on NWO and I’ve read contributions from others. There’s a talented if lazy mob out there. I count myself in the lazy bit at least. If I’m going to post something, will anyone join me?
(Cross-posted as usual, so it can be ignored by the greatest selection of people I can reach).
1Grammatically correct, yet oddly wrong-minded; this sentence is a literary Roundhead: repulsive but right.
Random Drabble
Apr. 10th, 2007 05:29 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kingandy"On they rode," read the storyteller, his audience listening in rapt attention. "On into the west, fighting the accountant hordes of evil!"
There was a pause in the tavern. Even the most engrossed listener was momentarily thrown by the imagery evoked by the reader. Several of them cleared their throats as the distinguished gentleman’s brow furrowed in consideration. He looked down at the youngsters gathered around his stool. They regarded him in return.
From behind the bar Lori peered over the bard's shoulder, skimming the yellowing page clutched in his yellowing hand.
"Uncounted," she corrected with an exceptionally straight face.
There was a pause in the tavern. Even the most engrossed listener was momentarily thrown by the imagery evoked by the reader. Several of them cleared their throats as the distinguished gentleman’s brow furrowed in consideration. He looked down at the youngsters gathered around his stool. They regarded him in return.
From behind the bar Lori peered over the bard's shoulder, skimming the yellowing page clutched in his yellowing hand.
"Uncounted," she corrected with an exceptionally straight face.
Seasonal Story Challenge Revisited
Dec. 18th, 2006 12:57 amcaddyman.livejournal.comNo-one, it seems, fancies writing a ghost or horror story for the Christmas season in 500 words or less and my challenge has faded off into the darkness and been quietly forgotten.
I decided, therefore, to have another go myself; The more I revisited it, the less pleased I was with my previous post. So here is my second story. Perhaps a little more seasonal than the last. Again, cross-posted to and fromjust_writing.
( The Red House )
I decided, therefore, to have another go myself; The more I revisited it, the less pleased I was with my previous post. So here is my second story. Perhaps a little more seasonal than the last. Again, cross-posted to and from
just_writing.( The Red House )
