NYC Midnight : Creative Writing & Screenwriting Homepage
Forum Home Forum Home > GENERAL DISCUSSION > Creative Writing Corner
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed - Rhyming Challenge: Notes and Thoughts
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Events   Register Register  Login Login

Rhyming Challenge: Notes and Thoughts

 Post Reply Post Reply Page  <1 23456 9>
Author
Message
jhenn View Drop Down
NYC Midnight Black Belt
NYC Midnight Black Belt
Avatar

Joined: 24 Nov 2020
Location: Canada
Status: Offline
Points: 1659
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jhenn Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Sep 2022 at 7:38am
Ugh the theme. Same boat.

If my theme is the driving force behind my MC's actions (why she does what she does) do I have to state it every other line? Even if some of the actions may not involve the theme per se, they are BECAUSE of her understanding of the theme...

Sigh.


Back to Top
Popsicle Crows View Drop Down
NYC Midnight Black Belt
NYC Midnight Black Belt
Avatar

Joined: 30 Mar 2021
Location: Canada
Status: Offline
Points: 2697
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Popsicle Crows Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Sep 2022 at 9:18am
Originally posted by jhenn jhenn wrote:

Ugh the theme. Same boat.

If my theme is the driving force behind my MC's actions (why she does what she does) do I have to state it every other line? Even if some of the actions may not involve the theme per se, they are BECAUSE of her understanding of the theme...

Sigh.




I think you have it right in that it's the driving force behind the story. According to our first assignment email, you don't have to use the exact wording at all. We just need to be able to see that she/he did this or that because of (theme). This or that happened because of (Theme) etc.

Answer the story question, "What's it about?" and your theme should be part of the answer.
 (my opinion, I'm not a judge!)

Good luck!

Back to Top
Draiglas View Drop Down
NYC Midnight Black Belt
NYC Midnight Black Belt
Avatar

Joined: 09 May 2020
Location: UK
Status: Offline
Points: 2416
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Draiglas Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Sep 2022 at 9:24am
Agreed with Popsicle Crows. The email said "If the assigned theme is not easily apparent and/or does not play an important role in the plot...". I read that as being that the theme has to be integral in some way but you don't need it in every line. Or, to put another way, I think if you were to ask, "Could the story happen without this theme?", the answer should be "No". So, in your case, if the theme is the driving force, the story couldn't happen without it so I'd think you were OK.
Back to Top
Newfiegal View Drop Down
Newbie
Newbie
Avatar

Joined: 28 Jan 2020
Location: Newfoundland
Status: Offline
Points: 10
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Newfiegal Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Sep 2022 at 10:51am
Yes. My theme is fame and I am not sure how to keep that running throughout. I feel exactly as you do.
Back to Top
jhenn View Drop Down
NYC Midnight Black Belt
NYC Midnight Black Belt
Avatar

Joined: 24 Nov 2020
Location: Canada
Status: Offline
Points: 1659
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jhenn Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Sep 2022 at 11:29am
Originally posted by Draiglas Draiglas wrote:

Agreed with Popsicle Crows. The email said "If the assigned theme is not easily apparent and/or does not play an important role in the plot...". I read that as being that the theme has to be integral in some way but you don't need it in every line. Or, to put another way, I think if you were to ask, "Could the story happen without this theme?", the answer should be "No". So, in your case, if the theme is the driving force, the story couldn't happen without it so I'd think you were OK.

Hm. Ok thanks. Though the question for me is not 'could it happen without' because...yes. But 'would it happen without'? No, I don't think it would have happened.

Appreciate the feedback.
Back to Top
Janetinputney View Drop Down
NYC Midnight Black Belt
NYC Midnight Black Belt
Avatar

Joined: 02 May 2018
Location: London
Status: Offline
Points: 3399
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Janetinputney Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Sep 2022 at 11:42am
Not sure if this has been mentioned, but just noticed that the font has to be Times New Roman or Courier... don't forget!!! 

Back to Top
CoachLisaB View Drop Down
NYC Midnight Black Belt
NYC Midnight Black Belt
Avatar

Joined: 08 Oct 2019
Location: Ojai, CA
Status: Offline
Points: 3864
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote CoachLisaB Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Sep 2022 at 12:41pm
Originally posted by just_a_pause just_a_pause wrote:

Any idea why they're making us do a synopsis? Seems a bit pointless for such a short story!

Also agreeing with everyone else that the deadline feels long. I've got a full draft done. It needs edits but if I'd had to I could have done that yesterday. My plan is to hopefully finish my Monday, submit and forget about it. 

I would love to submit and forget about it for a change! I'm also realizing that I'm still under 500 words and it's possible that I don't actually need to add a bunch more. Usually I'm fighting to stay under the max when it's 100 or 250! The synopsis seems weird.
Will do my best to return reads!
R1-250
Archive
Back to Top
JeanetteMarie View Drop Down
NYC Midnight Groupie
NYC Midnight Groupie
Avatar

Joined: 26 Apr 2022
Location: New Jersey
Status: Offline
Points: 163
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote JeanetteMarie Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Sep 2022 at 12:47pm
Not sure what to write for synopsis. Seems like giving away the story.
I don't think it "counts" toward judging, does it?
MF100, R1, G39
Real Life Rom-Com
https://forums.nycmidnight.com/r1-gr39-romantic-comedy-breaking-vase-very_topic53172.htm

RSR1,G5 HM1
Ten Minutes to the End of the World
Back to Top
Popsicle Crows View Drop Down
NYC Midnight Black Belt
NYC Midnight Black Belt
Avatar

Joined: 30 Mar 2021
Location: Canada
Status: Offline
Points: 2697
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Popsicle Crows Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Sep 2022 at 1:11pm
Originally posted by JeanetteMarie JeanetteMarie wrote:

Not sure what to write for synopsis. Seems like giving away the story.
I don't think it "counts" toward judging, does it?


Synopsis: I did get dinged once for having something in the synopsis that was needed for the story but WASN'T in the story. They wanted the story to stand alone so be careful not to use the synopsis as part of the story.

Someone once called a synopsis "The five year old version." Give me a line that tells me your story like you're trying to intrigue a five year old.

- it's a story about a guy who's mourning his wife while sitting at his desk but then he hears a knock on the door. When he finally opens it, it isn't a person but something that tries to help him deal with the loss of his wife.
- It's a story about when Santa Claus runs into some weather issues and someone on his team has a bright idea to save Christmas.

Those don't give anything away but tell what the story is about.
It's not a foolproof method to try but give it a go and see if it helps?
Back to Top
Popsicle Crows View Drop Down
NYC Midnight Black Belt
NYC Midnight Black Belt
Avatar

Joined: 30 Mar 2021
Location: Canada
Status: Offline
Points: 2697
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Popsicle Crows Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Sep 2022 at 1:46pm
Originally posted by Newfiegal Newfiegal wrote:

Yes. My theme is fame and I am not sure how to keep that running throughout. I feel exactly as you do.


Maybe the theme of 'fame' is so large that it's hard to wrangle it into something short. Here's a few 'for instance' type ideas that use fame but as a reason why the story exists

- athlete does something not for the love of the game but for the fame. 
 - a shooter does his act for fame.
 - someone makes a video for their friends, but it goes viral resulting in unwanted fame.
 - someone is shown on the news doing something stupid and gets them unwanted fame.
 - someone fakes their death for fame (artist, writer)
 - someone steals money to 'buy' fame

Fame for the wrong reason?
Marquis de Sade or Cleopoatra for His Fic
Tiktok nature helpers who pollute
People who try to appear tough but become a joke
Sci-fi, dude blows up the wring planet with his great invention.
Ghost, paranormal investigators do a big reveal, goes wrong
Ghost is a pest who wants fame, lol.

Okay, now I want fame as a theme too LOL

Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply Page  <1 23456 9>

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Forum Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 12.05
Copyright ©2001-2022 Web Wiz Ltd.

This page was generated in 0.172 seconds.