Fortnightly Writing Competition: THEME: Stage-fright (March 10th-24th)

Sinitrena · Mon 05/04/2021 15:47:42

Glad you're still around, Mandle!

Quote from: BarbWire on Sun 04/04/2021 15:15:51
I see your point about my entry being more concept or summary, but this was the first time I had entered the competition, so wasn't
sure if readers would have the staying power for anything too lengthy.

Well, I don't mind longer entries, actually, I prefer them. But let's just say we had discussions about story length before.

Baron · Tue 06/04/2021 01:28:59

Sorry for my absence - life's been very busy lately. I, for one, appreciated Mandle's stalling of the voting process.

I liked both the stories of my fellow competitors. BarbWire does a good job of bringing the reader into the moment with little details of 19th century life (the dirty streets, the cacophony of sounds). She had me convinced Molly was rehearsing lines for a stage play behind that red curtain. The twist at the end brought a welcome change in perspective, with the young woman confirming ownership of her own destiny. My only real criticism is that the story feels a bit short. Perhaps a bit more build-up for the final encounter?

Sinitrena's story also had an impressive twist at the end (I wonder at the fact that all three stories about stage fright relied on twist endings - what are the chances?). I liked her philosophical musings about the tension between belief in the mystery of magic and the belief in a rational explanation. The simile of putting on another person's dress being like an impostor slipping into the wrong person's body was powerful. I think a bit more editing would make the last third of the story stronger, but the story concept and the reader's emotional attachment to Mikaela's success easily outweigh any short-comings.

With just one vote, it's hard to decide between two meritorious stories. I think I have to give a slight edge to Sinitrena for building more emotional attachment to Mikaela than BarbWire did for Molly, but it was a very close contest.

Mandle · Tue 06/04/2021 10:13:00

Quote from: Baron on Tue 06/04/2021 01:28:59
Sorry for my absence - life's been very busy lately. I, for one, appreciated Mandle's stalling of the voting process.

I feel you on the topic of life being busy. If you don't take the time to look around now and then you might miss it.

So, enough Ferris Bueller nonsense/wisdom...

But, because of that possible wisdom, I have started writing the book that I have been putting off for way too long.

I probably won't be around AGS with much productive stuff like games and stories and shit but I'll still be chilling here. After the three-year-long haul working on Chronicle Of Innsmouth: Mountains Of Madness, and seeing just how difficult it is to get a game of that quality out there and looking at what so many different people had to sacrifice and risk to get it launched, I've decided to just write a good ye olde book. Just me and myself tapping away on my keyboard without worrying about if the next graphic or audio asset was good enough.

Just started on Chapter Three and don't worry, it's not a "serious" or "important" book... God, I hate most of those... It is batshit insanity, aimed at the YA audience and is titled "The Missing Person's Club".

So, if you ever see a book titled that over the next few years then please buy it and message me in here that you did so and I promise you will get something delivered to your house. You can always refuse delivery if the box looks too weirdly proportioned or drippy...

Cheers guys. I love you crazy bunch.

BarbWire · Wed 07/04/2021 14:29:43

So...as Mandle rides off into the sunset to establish himself as a writer of best sellers, I am wondering where that leaves the competition.

Is it all over? A bit of an anti climax I must say.

I would like to thank Sinitrena and Baron for their kind remarks about my short but sweet entry.

It was a difficult decision to choose between Sinitrina and Baron and I would have liked to give one vote each, but I was over ruled.

Anyway, I think the Fortnightly Writing Competition is on it's last legs and, if not, might it be kinder to put it out of its misery $:-\$

Baron · Thu 08/04/2021 02:31:00

Wait, if the competition is really over, I think Sinitrena should get to ride off into the sunset first. She's been working this competition longer than I have, and I've been doing it regularly for... nine years?!?

Somebody get me my dentures and my typewriter....

Sinitrena · Thu 08/04/2021 07:37:54

Why are we discussing letting this competition die? All Mandle said is that he'll not be around as much as before.

Anyway, all he has to do now is declare a winner, so that the next round can be started - a job of about 5 seconds.

heltenjon · Thu 08/04/2021 11:26:25

Quote from: Sinitrena on Thu 08/04/2021 07:37:54
Why are we discussing letting this competition die? All Mandle said is that he'll not be around as much as before.

*Trying to unconfuse* I assume that BarbWire just assumed that Mandle was the regular host for the competition, like the system is in MAGS and many other competitions.

BarbWire · Thu 08/04/2021 14:43:54

Thank you, heltenjon, you are quite right. I did, wrongly, assume that Mandle was the regular host for the competition.

I remember reading a post by Mandle, a few months ago, asking people not to give up on the competition. I suppose I should have researched the
origins, before reaching the wrong conclusion.

If I offended anybody, I am sorry. This was not my intention.

Baron · Fri 09/04/2021 00:37:02

Wait, does this mean no sunsets? For anybody?

Mandle · Fri 09/04/2021 09:41:50

Quote from: Baron on Fri 09/04/2021 00:37:02
Wait, does this mean no sunsets? For anybody?

It may indeed mean that... but I can moon you if you like.

Someone please take over the thread from me and declare the winner. I'm much too intermittent in here to be trusted with that.

Sinitrena · Fri 09/04/2021 15:11:45

Oh, for the love of - - -

Baron reveived 2 points.

Sinitrena received 1 point.

BarbWire received 0 points, unfortunately.

That means Baron wins and should start the next round.

Now get on with it already!

BarbWire · Fri 09/04/2021 15:32:43

Phew! Well done, Sinitrena. Thanks for taking on the responsibility. That must be the longest fortnight, ever

I think that will be my first, and last, entry in the competition. You're too good for me. Now over to Baron....

Sinitrena · Fri 09/04/2021 15:43:18

No!!! We just met you, don't go away again already!

Seriously, your entry was good. For the amount of words you used, it had a whole lot of depth. I'd love to read more from you.

BarbWire · Fri 09/04/2021 18:06:07

I can't promise, Sinitrena, but I will see what I can do. $:-\$

If you would like to read a nostalgic poem I wrote for Christmas, last year, go to General Discussions, page 3. The thread is entitled 'CHRISTMAS PAST.'
You may, of course, already have seen it. oddly enough the thread started by Mandle, about the FWC, is four down from my post and is headed
'PLEASE HELP SAVE A LONG RUNNING AGS TRADITION.'

Once again, thanks for your kind words.

Mandle · Sun 11/04/2021 13:29:27

Yeah, sorry Sinetrena and all... I have landed in a position where I have even a lot more time on my hands over the foreseeable future than I even had up until now during the whole pandemic thingy and so I decided to go a bit hardcore on writing my book. It did make me disregard some ongoing stuff here and I'm sorry for that but the good news is that I'm pushing on into Chapter Three with a clear shot through in my mind to at least Chapter 5 or 6, where everything bottle-necks and then there's a big blank space I have to explore until something insane happens around Chapter 10 and then either the book ends with a nod towards becoming a series of shortish YA novels or just keeps going into the "magical realm of bullshit" as a much better writer than I once said.

Baron · Tue 13/04/2021 03:26:22

Remember Mandle, you should be aiming for at least 10 thousand words per day. Don't worry about quality: we can get that in editing. The important thing is to get it all down as fast as possible. We're all rooting for you.

Thanks everyone for voting for me! I'll try to think up another theme and get it posted pronto. My first impulse is to make the theme Mandle's Novel, but while I fear one of us might have an unfair advantage in such a scenario, the biggest drawback will be that I myself as competition administrator wouldn't get a chance to participate.

Maybe Mandle's Navel instead....

Mandle · Tue 13/04/2021 11:40:04

Quote from: Baron on Tue 13/04/2021 03:26:22
Remember Mandle, you should be aiming for at least 10 thousand words per day. Don't worry about quality: we can get that in editing. The important thing is to get it all down as fast as possible. We're all rooting for you.

Thanks everyone for voting for me! I'll try to think up another theme and get it posted pronto. My first impulse is to make the theme Mandle's Novel, but while I fear one of us might have an unfair advantage in such a scenario, the biggest drawback will be that I myself as competition administrator wouldn't get a chance to participate. Maybe Mandle's Navel instead....

A big LOL on all points in this post... Thanks for the kind words, Baron. 10,000 words a day, eh? Hmmmm... I'll just for a page a day or so a day like Yahtzee recommended I think. Then at least I get about 400 pages done in a year and can see the end of the tunnel.

BarbWire · Tue 13/04/2021 12:52:40

Alright, Baron, how about this.....

We all have belly buttons, of that there is no doubt.
Some of them are depressed, while some are sticking out.

Some have gems inserted, or other shiny stuff.
Which serves no other purpose, than keeping out the fluff.

The reason for it being there, though, surely, you will scoff.
Is down to our maker's finger, to show we were finished off.

I don't know where I heard it, but I,m sure that I've been told,
That Mandel's, novel, navel is a sight you should behold.

Hope this is taken as just a bit of fun.

Baron · Tue 13/04/2021 14:40:51

Whoa! BarbWire sets a new record by winning the next competition before it has even begun! Well done!

I'm not sure about the health implications of novel navels, but I for one am deeply intrigued by the prospect of Mandle's navel novel.

The next competition is up and running, by the by: https://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=59025.0

Ponch · Wed 14/04/2021 01:33:39

My vote goes to Sinitrena