NYC Midnight : Creative Writing & Screenwriting Homepage
Forum Home Forum Home > GENERAL DISCUSSION > Creative Writing Corner
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed - Kudos to the Finalists ...
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Events   Register Register  Login Login

Kudos to the Finalists ...

 Post Reply Post Reply Page  <12
Author
Message
topangarose View Drop Down
NYC Midnight Black Belt
NYC Midnight Black Belt
Avatar

Joined: 21 Jan 2008
Location: California
Status: Offline
Points: 4739
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote topangarose Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Mar 2008 at 6:45am

Synchrosina,

It's never too late to post! In fact, I wish more would, so we could read more of the winning entries.A lot of whom never posted. Frustrating to have been beaten, but not know by whom. I was one of those lucky second placers that get to go on, but I would truly love to read the first place winner in my heat! I'm still going in and reading all the entries, as I haven't gotten through them all yet. Plus, new people come on the site all the time. I have gone back and read some of the 2007 stories as well.
Back to Top
Blueprint413 View Drop Down
Newbie
Newbie


Joined: 24 Jan 2008
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 5
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Blueprint413 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Mar 2008 at 12:41pm
Pretty bummed that some 2nd placers got in but others didn't. Yeah, i was one of em, but I won't be a sore loser, I'll come back next year and rock out. All the stories that I read that ended up being finalists were great, too. Can't wait to see what 24 hours creates. . . .
"I wish two drinks were always in me." ~ Julian Casablancas
Back to Top
Davout View Drop Down
NYC Midnight Groupie
NYC Midnight Groupie


Joined: 12 Jan 2008
Status: Offline
Points: 50
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Davout Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Mar 2008 at 6:19am
Originally posted by Blueprint413 Blueprint413 wrote:

Pretty bummed that some 2nd placers got in but others didn't.

Don't be blue, Blue. (:^D) There was the option of the judges to even pick a third place finisher in a heat for inclusion in the Final Round. I can think of at least one heat where, had I been a judge, I'd have chosen the third place submission as a Finalist.

So the best thing to do is, look hard and honestly at your story and figure out what you could have done better. Snappier or more realistic dialogue? Make it fit the genre better? Use a more dynamic plotline? A better story arc (balanced between lead in, build up and conclusion)? Any of these elements might have made your story a better choice as a Finalist.

But don't wait until next year. Watch for the Final challenge (which will be posted on the Forums, by me if by no one else), and attempt it yourself. Set yourself the same 24-hour deadline, and see what you can create in that time frame. Then, compare your result with the other submitters, and see where you stack up.

if you do well, you'll have conifdence for all the other contests from now until next year. And if not, then you may get some insight on where you need to improve your writing.

Either way, good luck!
Back to Top
ssecrest View Drop Down
NYC Midnight Groupie
NYC Midnight Groupie
Avatar

Joined: 10 Jan 2008
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 50
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ssecrest Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Mar 2008 at 7:59am
First off -- big, huge, HUGE congrats to all the finalists!!!  Smile 

I'm sorry my congratulations are so late, but I had been away from the forum due to packing up my apartment (moving to Philadelphia at the end of the month... at least my stuff and cats are; I won't be there until like May), and judging entries for the RWA Golden Heart contest.

Second -- I'm near peeing my pants here. I just checked my email and... I got upgraded to a finalist!!!  Tongue  Unfortunately, the finalist in my heat had to drop out due to a conflict on March 15, so I got bumped up since I was in second place. Oh. My. Gawd.

Originally posted by synchrosina synchrosina wrote:

Is it "too late" to post? Would anyone read it? I always appreciate feedback.


I don't think it's too late to post. Now that I've finished reading my Golden Heart entries, I definitely want to read/crit the short stories. Especially those who critted mine. (I feel so bad that I didn't even thank them yet! Confused )
2008 Short Story Challenge Survivor
Back to Top
Davout View Drop Down
NYC Midnight Groupie
NYC Midnight Groupie


Joined: 12 Jan 2008
Status: Offline
Points: 50
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Davout Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Mar 2008 at 7:09pm
Originally posted by ssecrest ssecrest wrote:

I just checked my email and... I got upgraded to a finalistt! Unfortunately, the finalist in my heat had to drop out due to a conflict on March 15, so I got bumped up since I was in second place. Oh. My. Gawd.

Hey, congrats there, Stephanie! It must feel great to get a reprieve like this.

I think some real congrats also should go to David Malki, the finalist who had to drop out. He didn't have to mention his conflict. He could have just sat on the slot. But by stepping up and alerting the contest organizers, he's done you a real favor.

Well done, both of you!

Quote ...(M)oving to Philadelphia at the end of the month... at least my stuff and cats are; I won't be there until like May)...

Geez! I hope you put out a second cat food bowl! (:^D)

Back to Top
ssecrest View Drop Down
NYC Midnight Groupie
NYC Midnight Groupie
Avatar

Joined: 10 Jan 2008
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 50
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ssecrest Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Mar 2008 at 7:31pm
Originally posted by Davout Davout wrote:

Hey, congrats there, Stephanie! It must feel great to get a reprieve like this.


Don't know if you'd call it a reprieve.  :) Isn't that relief? No relief if I have to spew out a story this Friday. I told my fiance about the upgrade and he asked, "You're not going to have another nasty crash and burn like you did after the first round, are you?" Wink (I had called him up, in tears, after I sent off my entry, coming down from my appletini buzz, convinced that I'd be disqualified and whining about my starred text).

Quote I think some real congrats also should go to David Malki, the finalist who had to drop out. He didn't have to mention his conflict. He could have just sat on the slot. But by stepping up and alerting the contest organizers, he's done you a real favor.


Absolutely!  Smile

After I got over my shock of being upgraded, I was like, "Wow... that's class."

And I hope his conflict isn't because of something nasty. Because I wonder what would make someone drop out. I hope it's only something like work or a trip that can't be rescheduled. Something harmless and minor.

I'm just afraid my thank you to the NYC Midnight people made me sound like an ass. I sent in my photo and bio tonight, with a note thanking them for the finalist upgrade and thanking David for having the scheduling conflict. (My sense of humor does *not* translate well into text).

Quote ...(M)oving to Philadelphia at the end of the month... at least my stuff and cats are; I won't be there until like May)...

Geez! I hope you put out a second cat food bowl! (:^D)[/QUOTE]

The fiance is already out there, so the cats will be attended to. Smile We've been doing this long distance thing for over three years. My cats and stuff are going out there at the end of the month, then I'm coming back to Ohio, living at the parents, to finish out some job stuff for a month, if I can't continue doing the obit writing in Philly.

That would probably be the only reason why I wouldn't do the Screenwriter's Challenge. It's the week after I'd come back from Philly. Don't want my parents to witness their daughter as a drunk writer. LOL
2008 Short Story Challenge Survivor
Back to Top
synchrosina View Drop Down
NYC Midnight Newbie
NYC Midnight Newbie
Avatar

Joined: 03 Mar 2008
Status: Offline
Points: 20
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote synchrosina Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Mar 2008 at 7:28am
Embarrassed I posted the link to Mail Call, which took first in heat 3, up in the review section. I hope it's enjoyed.
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply Page  <12

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.