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northernwriter View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote northernwriter Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Jan 2021 at 2:58am
I'm terrified of horror. I don't like scary things. Thriller is challenging also for me. The nice thing about NYCM is that because of the randomness of the prompt assignments, you learn about yourself as a writer. When I started writing, I had no idea that I could write comedy until I got it assigned to me. Then I started getting high scores in it. So now I always pray for comedy, romcom, romance, or political satire or anything I can make funny. So if I get horror, you guessed it - I'm making a comedy/horror mashup. :) Good luck in short story! My next one is Screenplay in April. 

-Alex


Edited by northernwriter - 11 Jan 2021 at 2:59am
Microfiction 2021: 4th place overall
Flash Fiction 2020: 8th place overall
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kristina_f View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote kristina_f Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Jan 2021 at 3:13am
Originally posted by northernwriter northernwriter wrote:

I'm terrified of horror. I don't like scary things.

On the bright side, if you ever get horror, you can just write a story about you getting horror assigned as your genre. You'll be guaranteed it's terrifying to at least one person.


Edited by kristina_f - 11 Jan 2021 at 3:14am
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote northernwriter Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Jan 2021 at 3:16am
Originally posted by kristina_f kristina_f wrote:

Originally posted by northernwriter northernwriter wrote:

I'm terrified of horror. I don't like scary things.

On the bright side, if you ever get horror, you can just write a story about you getting horror assigned as your genre. You'll be guaranteed it's terrifying to at least one person.

Hee hee - well hello there, fellow comedy writer! :) How did I know you were a comedy writer? (Or a comedy writer at heart?) Because that post is hilarious! Now if you haven't gotten comedy yet, I wish it upon you - you'll do great! Best of luck!

-Alex
Microfiction 2021: 4th place overall
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote catnamedeaster Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Jan 2021 at 8:03am
For some reason I was terrified of Historical Fiction, and then I got it and it was fine. I wrote a story I really liked and got really good feedback. I also dread comedy, got it once and made myself laugh my butt off with the finished product. At least I made one person laugh.

The others I dread and haven't gotten yet are Crime Caper, Spy, and Political Satire. But I try not to freak myself out about it before the assignments are posted. It is nerve wracking though when you first click on your name and see what you get. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jennifer.quail Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Jan 2021 at 5:39pm
Given the current political climate, if they were SMART, they'd eliminate political satire entirely. It's just asking for trouble. 

And I always find it funny how things some people dread (Spy, Historical Fiction) are ones others would love to get. Seriously, if I get Round One Horror AGAIN I'm sending a nasty e-mail. If I wanted to just enter horror competitions I'd go find one of those. I don't dread it, I'm just sick of it. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote northernwriter Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Jan 2021 at 5:49pm
Originally posted by jennifer.quail jennifer.quail wrote:

Given the current political climate, if they were SMART, they'd eliminate political satire entirely. It's just asking for trouble. 

And I always find it funny how things some people dread (Spy, Historical Fiction) are ones others would love to get. Seriously, if I get Round One Horror AGAIN I'm sending a nasty e-mail. If I wanted to just enter horror competitions I'd go find one of those. I don't dread it, I'm just sick of it. 

Universe: I'm hearing a message from somewhere. . .I think Jennifer Quail should be assigned. . . how about horror?


Microfiction 2021: 4th place overall
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BarbaraFL Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Jan 2021 at 6:27pm
Originally posted by BarbaraFL BarbaraFL wrote:

I just got rom com three times and I will have a slight meltdown if I get it again for short story.

I have used up all of the brain cells and creativity I can for rom com at this time. Literally can't imagine even submitting if I get it (but will still try). 

Now it's four times and I feel this even more intensely LOL
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Draiglas Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Jan 2021 at 7:04pm
I think I'd loathe RomCom for microfiction. In general, political satire sounds horrific. In fairness, though, I thought I'd hate historical fiction and then got it for the 250 word contest. While I am 95% sure I bombed it, it was actually quite interesting - mainly because I was with my folks that day and my mum looked up as many chocolate-related facts as she could and occasionally burst in to tell me a new one (my assigned action was eating chocolate).
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote td333777 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Jan 2021 at 1:33am
I've done eight of these NYCM contests now; four flash and four short story.  At this point, out of the 25 heats I've been in, I've been assigned almost all of the 18 genres they have.  All I'm missing is Romance, Romantic Comedy, Comedy, and Horror.  Unsurprisingly, I'm dreading the Romance/Comedy stuff because although I have written funny stories and romantic stories before, the comedy wasn't the focus and readers weren't expecting/demanding that I BE FUNNY.  BE FUNNY NOW.  MAKE ME LAUGH, WRITER-MONKEY!

On the flip-side, when I first joined, I was DREADING political satire, historical fiction, and fairy tale...and each time I got those genres (after the initial period of self-loathing and/or projectile vomiting) I did very well.

Bottom line: you're scared until you do it.  Then, the genres lose their mystique.  Don't get me wrong, I'd rather NOT write another political satire, but when it happens, I'll be ready.  I'd LOVE to have Jennifer Quail's horror curse--I think a few of those would be fun.  But I also remember someone (nodiving, I think) getting some RIDICULOUS amount of ghost stories in consecutive contests--like 6-7 out of 10.  That would kill my enthusiasm pretty quickly.

TD
FF '17 - 1st, SSC '18 - 2nd, FF '20 - 7th
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote northernwriter Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Jan 2021 at 5:07am
Originally posted by td333777 td333777 wrote:

I've done eight of these NYCM contests now; four flash and four short story.  At this point, out of the 25 heats I've been in, I've been assigned almost all of the 18 genres they have.  All I'm missing is Romance, Romantic Comedy, Comedy, and Horror.  Unsurprisingly, I'm dreading the Romance/Comedy stuff because although I have written funny stories and romantic stories before, the comedy wasn't the focus and readers weren't expecting/demanding that I BE FUNNY.  BE FUNNY NOW.  MAKE ME LAUGH, WRITER-MONKEY!

On the flip-side, when I first joined, I was DREADING political satire, historical fiction, and fairy tale...and each time I got those genres (after the initial period of self-loathing and/or projectile vomiting) I did very well.

Bottom line: you're scared until you do it.  Then, the genres lose their mystique.  Don't get me wrong, I'd rather NOT write another political satire, but when it happens, I'll be ready.  I'd LOVE to have Jennifer Quail's horror curse--I think a few of those would be fun.  But I also remember someone (nodiving, I think) getting some RIDICULOUS amount of ghost stories in consecutive contests--like 6-7 out of 10.  That would kill my enthusiasm pretty quickly.

TD

Didn't you get romance in microfiction? I remember that because I met you here and made an offhand comment that you should get romance sometime, and then you did, and I thought I had hexed you. 
Microfiction 2021: 4th place overall
Flash Fiction 2020: 8th place overall
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