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Reasonably_Crazy View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (2) Thanks(2)   Quote Reasonably_Crazy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Jun 2020 at 8:30pm
Originally posted by A.J. Gemick A.J. Gemick wrote:

So I'm totally confused - when I saw the results were out & my 100 micro fic didn't move on, I was a bit bummer but hey- I've never done microfiction before, it's way out of my comfort zone, so also wasn't too surprised by it. 

But now I've just gotten my feedback- and I got really good positive feedback (& of course the not so helpful constructive feedback of wanting more backstory for the characters.. umm...where dudes?? It's only 100 words.. anyway)- and then I see at the end this comment "ADDITIONAL NOTES FROM NYC MIDNIGHT - This story was disqualified for not including the assigned word (surprise) exactly it is spelled."

 WHaaaaaaa??????  Hold on, back the turnip cart up... where did I miss in the rules where says you must use your word prompts exactly word-for-word??  My main character got a huge surprise in the end when he gets
Spoiler Spoiler

stabbed in the back, literally!!
  instead of being paid for his services.. I mean.. what the heck???   My 1st round of the shorty story comp, one of my prompts was fight or flight- and I didn't use those words, I only implied it from the action in the story- and it wasn't DC'd.

annnnd, I'm looking now closely at the FAQ.. yep, it's in there. Well @$%#^#&!!@@   I'm so mad at myself for not seeing that.  Censored   Cry

Uuuuuugh that sucks so much!!

I feel like some of the rules were enforced differently; it also says the action has to be literal, not metaphorical, and a few stories in my heat used the action metaphorically and still advanced. 

I'm sorry! Your story was still good, though!
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jennifer.quail View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jennifer.quail Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Jun 2020 at 8:44pm
I thought the rule was you HAD to use the word, BUT it could be part of another word, a different tense, etc. So if you didn't use the word 'surprise' in any way, shape, or form ("he was surprised," "What a surprise", they were listening to the Surprise Symphony, it was unsurprising, etc) I think it doesn't meet the rule. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote A.J. Gemick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Jun 2020 at 8:44pm
Originally posted by Reasonably_Crazy Reasonably_Crazy wrote:

Uuuuuugh that sucks so much!!

I feel like some of the rules were enforced differently; it also says the action has to be literal, not metaphorical, and a few stories in my heat used the action metaphorically and still advanced. 

I'm sorry! Your story was still good, though!

I know I'm kicking myself so hard right now!   aaarrrggghhhh!!!  (granted, even if I would have caught it & shoehorned the word in there, there's no guarantee I would have moved on anyway.. so gotta just console myself w/ that thought..)

Thanks for the read!  I actually meant to leave your feedback on your daughters of the witch queen story too btw!  I really enjoyed it- was very clever...  (the past month has been so crazy at work, I've not been able to log in and read anything at NYC since like may :(  )
2021 FFC1 Gr40 Romance A Long Walk
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A.J. Gemick View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote A.J. Gemick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Jun 2020 at 8:47pm
Originally posted by jennifer.quail jennifer.quail wrote:

I thought the rule was you HAD to use the word, BUT it could be part of another word, a different tense, etc. So if you didn't use the word 'surprise' in any way, shape, or form ("he was surprised," "What a surprise", they were listening to the Surprise Symphony, it was unsurprising, etc) I think it doesn't meet the rule. 

Yeah, I completely missed that... *kicks self* for not looking super close at the faq and instead just going off of what I had done in previous NYC comps...  :head desk head desk head desk:
2021 FFC1 Gr40 Romance A Long Walk
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Lexibreton Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Jun 2020 at 9:23pm
Even though I was liked my own writing, none of the feedback surprised me. I could tell one judge really didn't like it because he had little to say on what he liked and much to say on what he didn't. If I want you guys to read it, should I just go back and post with the others in my assigned group?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote craigs Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Jun 2020 at 10:48pm
I got good feedback and was told exactly why I didn't advance.  Two of my judges didn't like that the conflict between the characters didn't happen in the story itself.  Obviously, I had it happen "off-screen" as a stylistic choice, but the judges didn't like that.

Interestingly, in a previous contest I had a scene take place similarly off-screen as I followed a different character.  One judge didn't like that.  I didn't advance.

So the lesson I've learned is this:  NEVER have action take place off-screen.  Every single thing that happens better happen in full view.

So I'll be changing my writing style a bit for the next contest.  I know my audience now, I guess.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Jun 2020 at 11:21pm
I think it has to be spelled as-is, and any add-on letters have to keep the original spelling intact. 

Yes: surprise, surprised, surprises, unsurprised
No: surprising (because the 'e' gets cut off) 

That bites, and I feel your pain!! Cry
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jennifer.quail Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Jun 2020 at 9:41am
Originally posted by craigs craigs wrote:


So the lesson I've learned is this:  NEVER have action take place off-screen.  Every single thing that happens better happen in full view.

So I'll be changing my writing style a bit for the next contest.  I know my audience now, I guess.


My impression from reading a lot of the feedback is (besides the judges not seeming to grasp the word count is a hard limit, not just a nice suggestion) is if you've got a choice between spelling out the plot slowly and clearly using relatively small words and being subtle, don't be subtle. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote dkallas Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Jun 2020 at 8:33pm
Oh!! That's exactly my impression! I've always done much better with entries that I wasn't thrilled with. Took me years to figure out that subtly was lost on two-thirds of the judges. They don't want to have to engage or think at all. And if they don't know a word, they don't look it up.

I could go on.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote surnica Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Jun 2020 at 8:59pm
The context of our society in terms of perception of police brutality changed dramatically from May 8 to mid-June.  I feel like the shift really affected one judge's perception of the story.  But maybe they wouldn't have liked it anyway.  The humor was a little dark to begin with.  

Another judge said they loved the dark humor. Oh well, it is what it is.

The Deputy

Buford thundered into the camp, leveling his six-shooter.  The muzzle flash illuminated the watchman as he fell. Buford leapt from his saddle and doused the campfire, spreading steam and confusion. While other ruffians struggled out of bedrolls, he shot two more and bellowed, “You’ll pay for what you did to Hanksville!”

The final bandit hastily fired his pistol, grazing Buford’s ear. The outlaw aimed again, screaming, “Did to whe--?” before being silenced.

Riding triumphantly back to Hanksville, Buford was surprised to meet the sheriff at the crossroads.  

“Damnit Buford, I said the west canyon!  You done went the wrong way!”

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