I've got my second draft back from my first round of betas.  It was nice not needing to dedicate the entire weekend to rushing to complete my story (like the Flash Fiction comp and later rounds of Short Story).  It's under wordcount (something I struggled with a LOT during the FF comp) and writing it was pretty cathartic.

I'm looking forward to doing some more revisions tomorrow and getting the next edition out to beta readers.  Just polishing from here.

Ah to be you! Haha...

I did get it ironed out, had a tough time figuring out how to tackle my idea and was on the verge of starting over. Have over 350 words.

I think what is really driving me is that in the rules for our contest it is stating we will have 10 writers advancing from each heat instead of the 5. Yeah, the main web page still says 5, but the rules say 10.

I think maybe Charlie is starting to try to make the contests more intriguing. 

Now, if he was really trying, he might consider giving each heat two different genre to pick from, would not be hard to make happen. I see so many people just trashed by their genre - with me, if you offer a this or that, I always come up with an idea because the choice has me thinking.

I think for how many people are competing, 10 from each group for round 1 is the right thing to do (especially since it's in the official rules).

I like the idea of getting a choice, but at the same time, I think that might put me into choice paralysis.  I'd be trying to brainstorm both ideas to see which is better. As someone who got Historical Fiction for my very first assignment in FF2023, I thought I was going to be ruined by the genre but my story came third in my group. Part of the joy of a fixed prompt is the absolute magic of creating something despite starting from the spot of "what the *eff* am I going to do with that?!" (For this round I was drawing blanks for a whole lot longer than I was comfortable with.)

(Writers Playground gives you a choice between prompts, I think.  I'm going to try my hand at that one in February.)

Friday brainstorming, Saturday some character development, freewriting, and some loose framing, about 1,000 words. Today, it's showing around 1,300 but at least 300 will be slashed, transformed, or expanded. My big progress was on the opening scene and the start of the next. One line I'm debating on (which probably means it needs to be cut), but other than that, the first 500 words are submission ready. 

I have two more sections with major chunks written, but still need development and a lot of tightening up. I'll tackle those Monday and Tuesday after work. Wednesday is the middle. Right now that's just a couple of cursory notes and phrases. It'll come together. 

I'm loving the stretch my genre is providing, and am progressing at a doable pace.

I feel very good about the story at the moment; experience suggests that my feelings will oscillate over the rest of the week.

I have Mystery. Decided on the crime, suspects and who did it/solution. 

What is paralyzing me is how to integrate clues and motives and make the whole thing interesting and clever. 

Plus I have three children home for school holidays and entertaining them along with my six-month-old really only leaves me nights to work on my story. 

The 8 days may not be enough for me to polish up anything, we will see!

But I finally figured out the story last night. Whatever I end up submitting is unlikely to be super polished but I think I will get something in. 

I was thinking that I was not going to measure up this time around with drama. But am now getting a feeling for the story I wanted to write, will see. Have fun, take chances, and drive fast!

I'm just glad you didn't get spy again! Good luck !!

Thank you, Barb! Haha, I had been trying to think up some spy story scenarios and might just have got one done, but I would not have liked it... And good luck to you as well!

Hoping to get some beta feedback over the next few days

 I didn't get far... I had I migraine earier in the week and tge recovery been rough. So i een writing on paper because my brain  cant handle a screne at the moment . 

As a fellow migraine sufferer, I totally get this. Here's hoping it will go away and stay away!!!

Concerned that the subject isn't central enough to the plot. Signed up on the Beta sheet, but as a newbie, I'm not sure how it works. Should I just randomly email anyone who also signed up?! Anyone want to swap? Fantasy/upriver/widow is what I'm working with. 

I did a Spy story about an industrial spy - it was someone stealing a secret formula from a company. It ranked well! If political spy type stuff doesn't appeal to you, you could try another type of spy. 

This is my first ever contest and talk about jumping in with both feet!

I have all kinds of characters I like from different walks of life but I think it's the format of the thing? I don't write fast-paced stories of any kind and Spy doesn't feel like it could work with quiet and dark or mysterious and soft.

Maybe I should take that style of distinctly Not-Spy and see how far I can push it the other way?

Hmm. Now my brain is cookin'!

Thank you!

I’m getting hung up on having the webinar be integral to the plot. I have an idea and I told myself if I didn’t come up with anything more substantive by this evening I was just going to go with the idea I have and hope it’s enough. 

I fired you off an email 😊

My prompts are historical fiction/SOS/person with a headache. First draft is done (something around 2250 words) and I need some fresh eyes on it. 

Working on that, I landed on an intro I'm happy with, but it's 1k, which was a big "Hell naw" with the judges in comedy last year when I had more than a one-page setup (and they were right, of course). 

But now I seem to have spent all my creative neurons and am staring at the middle with no ideas. 

This is fun, right?? Fun!   XD

Now I just need to amp up the romance.....

I had two ideas for stories and now I'm melding the two together. I'm going to try to finish first draft today and send it to my usual readers. As usual I'm alternating between liking it and thinking it's a load of rubbish. Good luck, everyone!

And I just have to say, oh my God, all. I am in that agonizing phase where I have an idea fully formed in my head, and now I'm trying to pull it out, kicking and screaming, one sentence at a time. Which I hope to do today or tomorrow so that I have time to revise and then revise and maybe get my ex-english teacher Mother to do a proof read before I submit because I know she loves reading short stories.

Those of you who are able to write multiple drafts in this amount of time make me want to throw my computer in the lake :) Argh!

Also a fellow migraine sufferer. Sending good vibes your way.

This is a great idea! Corporate espionage.

But my brain won’t come up with anything else!!! 

Does anyone else do that?🤦🏾‍♀️

I got Romance in this one - definitely not my bag. I keep swinging between "I can do this!" and "This is going to be a DNF", but for now I am committed to trying to get something put together.

It feels tedious and I am definitely struggling

Here you go! Just pick someone and send it to them. Maybe put in your info so others can send to you?

https://forums.nycmidnight.com/beta-sheet-short-story-2024-r1_topic57416.html" rel="nofollow - Beta Sheet - Short Story 2024 R1 - NYC Midnight Forum - Page 1

Well, I have to say this is maybe the toughest story I have attempted. I had the idea, for drama, and of course could not think of anything else when I was having a lot of trouble deciding on how to put it on paper, I really wanted to find another idea - but once I get an idea that interests me it sticks like glue and I just can't think past it. Only 1,000 words at the moe, but I am going to enjoy fleshing it out.

I've been struggling to come up with any sort of story that wouldn't have Fabio on the cover...

I think I'm third time lucky now though. I just hope my idea bears fruit.

I'm also mystery (discovery /a a hypochondriac).  Have my main characters, the scene, but still struggling to come up with a mystery - never mind a solution.  Aaaargh!  My brain is just stuck.

You can send it to betas.  Just let them know what sort of feedback you are looking for right now.  I'm on the list and seriously procrastinating if you want to send it to me.

Every. Single. Time 

I'm on the beta list and open to swaps.  I am 13 hours ahead of NYC time, so my comments would come in overnight for you.  Feel free to send it when you wake up if you like. 

Finished my first draft and getting it out to betas tonight.

It’s always exciting getting another pair of eyes on it! 

Right there with you. Twin 4-year-olds and they're at home with a cold/fever and I can't think let alone concoct a mystery, let alone a readable one, as the same thing creeps up on me, too. Seriously weighing a DNF but I'd hate myself for it. Good luck!

Good luck everyone

Last year was similar for me. I got Fairy Tale in R1 and never written one before. Ended up loving it and having a blast and it did really well. So hopefully enjoying it is a good sign! 

I'm about 1400 words into my thriller, I've gotten my protagonist into some serious trouble, and I'm not 100% sure how I'm going to get him out of it. I'm hoping to nail down the story/plot tonight so I can spend the next couple days editing/polishing and get this to some betas.

I currently have a character that's bossing me around in my head. But I'm more likely to find the kraken in my bathtub than have words down before Saturday. Panic writing on the last day is pretty much my process...

Woke up and realized that the protagonist has an entirely different story to tell than the one I'd written, which brings me back down around the 1K mark.

I think I'm going to finish the journey I'm on with his first iteration, then rework it again with this morning's revelations. From there, I'll be able to decide which is the real story to be told.

Loving these prompts and the possibilities!

Group 9

Suspense

Podcaster

Manhunt

I guess with political satire, though... I'm sure they wouldn't mind if I made the character literal! Haha. 

I'll figure something out. I do feel strongly about certain political topics, just hard to find a good satirical idea for it. 

Good luck to everyone else struggling with their genre!!!! lol 

Don't be nervous! (yeah, easier said than done, I know!) - That's awesome that you're ahead of the game and already have a draft. Just keep in mind that any feedback is to help you. It may sting, but don't let it trip you up. People who have been doing this for years (like meeee ) still have a lot to learn and much feedback to take in! I'm sure your beta readers will give you some great advice. 

best thing is to just have fun with it and be proud for taking a leap in to competitive writing! 

I'm nearing the 2500 word count and definitely not close to finishing, so I hear you! But I tend to be word-y, so I'm hoping a good edit will help bring the word count down without need to chop up too much of the story.

The best way to be. I have come to realise there are many very talented writers in this comp, so I never hold out much hope but on the whole the feedback from the judges is useful. Also do share on the forum once it is cleared to do so as again the feedback can be so helpful. 

Good luck 

I'm done.

I feel/share your pain. 

Haha! Believe it or not but for the first two days I did keep checking the assignments page to make sure I did not mix something up. They changed how that page works, so it could have happened, really.

I always do that too and right before I submit I double check because I convince myself I wrote it for the wrong prompts. 

I totally relate! Have crime caper, one kid has half days this week, and working, and while scenes have been coming to me, having this come together the way I want and have it be riveting, is going to be a stretch

I tend to be pretty wordy too. I'm sharpening up my word-pruning shears in anticipation of giving them a good workout!

Oh I definitely believe you.  The new layout of the Assignments page really had me scrolling back and forth, checking my prompts over and over again.

Hahahahaha. There is still four days left, I can do this! I think...

Add me to that pain train. Historical fiction just paralyzes me for some reason, regardless of the fact that "broken-down" and "a hunter" should be fairly simple to fit into any genre (let alone that one).

I have had to restrain myself from doing that in the prompts post. I would hate to give my thoughts and take away from some writer who thought of that and wrote just to have me ruin it - but that of course would be on the open forum, so privately I don't think that is the same.

I have to say that it really helped to have your comment about Biden's ad-libs on my Pol. Satire. prompts post, Suave. Being from the UK, I didn't think I could quite do something like that justice, but it got my brain firing! I just hope that educated and well-read types from the US know who Boris Johnson is... not that it really matters if they don't... and I've had fun writing it.

Yeah, me and Biden go back a long way... Oh, poor Boris, lol. By the way he looks a lot like Gary Busey, and Gary likes to party!

Also, I'm leaving tomorrow to chaperone a high-school choir trip through Saturday. 

Looks like the next couple of days are going to be FUN!

I know that pain. Just got mine down from 2750 to 2490 ish. It's always harder than you think it's going to be. I literally went through every line saying to myself "Does this add anything? No!" !DELETE!

This is pretty much my plan, but it's going to be more like going through every paragraph asking myself if it adds anything!

How many rewrites do people normally do?? I'm the newbiest of all newbs and the last time I wrote anything creative was at least a decade ago. Reading this thread has made me realize I greatly underestimated what this would take and how under skilled I am for this 

Anyone else still a third of their way through their first draft? 

Question though- how do the judges feel about open ended stories? I'm writing action/adventure and like the idea of leaving it as one part of the adventure ends and another is about to begin, rather than trying to cram it all into 2500 words and sacrificing description and detail. Will that shoot me in the foot though?

Welcome! Don't worry, I have about 500 words written at this point. I plan to peck at it when I can over the next couple of days while I have work, and will spend more time on Friday and Saturday to hopefully get it ready to submit. I started with the 100 and 250 micro contests and did Flash Fiction last year, but this is my first try at the 2500 challenge. 

These contests have taught me a lot about writing and myself as a writer. I know winning is a one in several thousands chance so I don't dream about that. Instead, I focus on what I can learn from the process as I struggle over the keyboard, read the forum, and take in the judge's feedback. 

I'm not so good at just vomiting a really rough draft onto the page and then rewriting it. I edit as I go, so by the time I have a full draft it is usually in ok(ish) shape and then it's a matter of re-reading it several times and making sure it works, fixing typos, moving things around, etc. Sometimes I realize a section doesn't work and have to rewrite it. I usually have my husband beta read at some point and if I get my act together this time I may use the beta list to get additional feedback from someone with fresh eyes. 

Point is, writing is a weird and very individual experience. Pick up the ideas and advice that you find helpful and let the rest go. The best way to become a better writer is to write, submit, get feedback, repeat! Along the way you will learn about your strengths and weaknesses and how to improve the latter. You've got this!

I still have exactly 289 words. I didn't do any work on this the last couple of days. But I have off on Friday so will really push Friday and Saturday. Won't be my best work but it never is for this longer one.

It depends. I think the judges are looking for a story that feels whole and can stand up on its own with a beginning, middle, and end. But there are lots of examples of settings and themes where the overall action might be ongoing; e.g. a soldier survives a battle but the next one will be coming before too long, or a pirate sails off into the sunset pursuing the next galleon. 

If I finish with something coherent I certainly will!

I’ve gotten to 400. Wooohooo. 

2500 words over 8 days is quite a slog. I'm much happier with the pressure of 500 words in 24 hours!

Yes, but it's posted in the Private Forum.

Ah well.

Pol Sat.