[Discussions] WOW #1 - March / April 2016

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This is a discussion thread for WOW #1. Here you can ask questions, post comments, and even post your draft work for others to comment on. While you can edit your entry submission post and remake your entry as many times as you please before the deadline, if you think there's still something missing from your story, consider posting it here first if you'd like to ask advice from your fellow entrants.

The theme for WOW #1 is "An Imaginary Journey".
What pops up in your mind when you fall asleep while thinking... or slacking off in class... or at work. Wait, really?

Let's see how far your imaginative talents can take you. Best of luck to all participants!

The deadline is on 31 MARCH 2016.
You MAY edit your entry submission post as many times as you please before the deadline.

Please submit your entry before the deadline. If you're unsure about certain aspects of your draft entry, feel free to ask around in the discussion thread. You can have only ONE post in the entry submission thread, but you're not restricted from discussing the WoW as much as you want in the discussion thread. The deadline may be extended on our discretion if circumstances necessitate it, but it won't be shortened for no reason, so rest assured and don't rush. Take your time to make a masterpiece!

This thread is only for DISCUSSIONS!
To submit your entry, please go to this thread instead.



 
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discussion question!

I know the entries will be checked for editing and the like.
But are you "looking" for originality as well?

Or is that undisclosed?
 
discussion question!
But are you "looking" for originality as well?

Or is that undisclosed?

Hi Rain~! So happy and glad you decided to join,and be the first participant of our new contest~!

Originality is good too,but we'll be focusing on how the stories represents the theme itself.So there's not a secret requirement for choosing the winner or anything like that^^~
 
Thanks for your time.
and nice answer.
I will come here, if I have anymore burning questions on my mind.
Look forward to it! : )
 
That's a rather unique story. :) Certainly not what I expected when KK decided on the theme. Not the cast, not the plot, not the storytelling.

Note: some names are based on real life bands and stage persona.
to give a more real account of my fictional fantasy....
I hope that's okay?
I have no way of knowing what they think of it. ;) I don't see anything wrong with it, though. I mean, it's not like it was even criticism, nor did you paint them in an unfavourable light. It's not like you wrote of something like, say, Christian Grey (of Fifty Shades of Grey) getting tangled up in an excruciating and dehumanising experience (I need not elaborate).

Also, I'd like to touch on your earlier question:
I know the entries will be checked for editing and the like.
But are you "looking" for originality as well?
If by "editing" you mean how well proofread an entry is, I don't think we're going to be too hard on that. Of course, an entry beautifully written in prim and proper English is going to win our hearts, but we don't want to discourage non-native English speakers (like yours truly) from participating. That, and this isn't exactly a literature community or anything like that. If someone has a cool idea that she can put into words fairly well, we're not going to douse her enthusiasm by nitpicking on grammatical mistakes.

However, I'd like to know what kind of "originality" you had in mind when you asked that question. Were you asking if we would choose, for example, a story about a lovestruck maiden who felled the devil himself because he was causing natural disasters that made her arrive late at her prom over one about a plumber who ate mushrooms and stomped on turtles to save his beloved princess, just because the former is less common?
 
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That's a rather unique story. :) Certainly not what I expected when KK decided on the theme. Not the cast, not the plot, not the storytelling.

I have no way of knowing what they think of it. ;) I don't see anything wrong with it, though. I mean, it's not like it was even criticism, nor did you paint them in an unfavourable light. It's not like you wrote of something like, say, Christian Grey (of Fifty Shades of Grey) getting tangled up in an excruciating and dehumanising experience (I need not elaborate).

Also, I'd like to touch on your earlier question:
If by "editing" you mean how well proofread an entry is, I don't think we're going to be too hard on that. Of course, an entry beautifully written in prim and proper English is going to win our hearts, but we don't want to discourage non-native English speakers (like yours truly) from participating. That, and this isn't exactly a literature community or anything like that. If someone has a cool idea that she can put into words fairly well, we're not going to douse her enthusiasm by nitpicking on grammatical mistakes.

However, I'd like to know what kind of "originality" you had in mind when you asked that question. Were you asking if we would choose, for example, a story about a lovestruck maiden who felled the devil himself because he was causing natural disasters that made her arrive late at her prom over one about a plumber who ate mushrooms and stomped on turtles to save his beloved princess, just because the former is less common?
Yeah I love that style of music. I would never paint a bad image of it.
It was more to. I guess? set in stone the way that part of the world sees their music
and also the burning passion they use for the craft.

I didn't add the controversial bits, it was more of the fandom of it, rather than the dark history....

I was thinking more along the lines of the ridiculous/far out there stories,
rather than the more common staples.

like stories that are so fantastical in a way, they make the original seem, unoriginal?
different kind of stories.... more like less of an adventure and more of a tragic memoir.
bleak things.... unexplained things, dark things, stuff like that.

But that would borderline the inflammatory topic rule I would assume.
 
like stories that are so fantastical in a way, they make the original seem, unoriginal?
different kind of stories.... more like less of an adventure and more of a tragic memoir.
bleak things.... unexplained things, dark things, stuff like that.

But that would borderline the inflammatory topic rule I would assume.
I'd say that depends on how you deliver. If you interpret the "what pops up in your idle mind" theme not as a vibrant imagination of a utopia, but a reminiscence of painful past experiences that keep coming back to haunt your mind whenever it drifts idly by, I'd say it'd make for an interesting story. If you interpret the "imaginary journey" theme not as a mental construct of a trip to a green prairie with unicorns prancing around, but a look back to the dark past most people would rather bury alongside their personal demons, I'd say you're off to a good start.

I would, however, recommend against excessive focus on the tragic part of the memoir. For example, if character A in your story had a dark past rife with abuse and suffering, elaborating too much on the hardships A endured can either be disturbing or feel like the writer tries too hard to make A a character to be pitied. It's similar to how some writers spend too many lines extolling the virtues of their Mary Sue/Gary Stu characters.

Ultimately, though, this is KK's contest and she has the final say on things. I'm just providing assistance here.
 
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I'd say that depends on how you deliver. If you interpret the "what pops up in your idle mind" theme not as a vibrant imagination of a utopia, but a reminiscence of painful past experiences that keep coming back to haunt your mind whenever it drifts idly by, I'd say it'd make for an interesting story. If you interpret the "imaginary journey" theme not as a mental construct of a trip to a green prairie with unicorns prancing around, but a look back to the dark past most people would rather bury alongside their personal demons, I'd say you're off to a good start.

I would, however, recommend against excessive focus on the tragic part of the memoir. For example, if character A in your story had a dark past rife with abuse and suffering, elaborating too much on the hardships A endured can either be disturbing or feel like the writer tries too hard to make A a character to be pitied. It's similar to how some writers spend too many lines extolling the virtues of their Mary Sue/Gary Stu characters.

Ultimately, though, this is KK's contest and she has the final say on things. I'm just providing assistance here.
I reckon as a concept, as a whole. anything really dark and twisted would not sit well with readers
and would be a sure fire acquired taste for most, if not the minority.

Let's not make it "pitch black" in bleakness.
but rather you can just make out the surface. if you know what I mean?

writing a piece and overdoing it is one thing.
but also if it is underwhelming, the meaning could be lost in the interpretation.

With me for example, when I write. It's always what the audience wants, rather than myself.
since they are the ones reading and judging it.

but to your answer.
I agree, it would be unwise to make an entry that was
too depressing or negative, since words alone are powerful,
but in a group, it can be moving and emotions are felt.

so yeah. I understand how you feel and what this contest brings
.I just feel glad to write again after such a hiatus. honestly.
 
I am tempted to write a horror story but I'm still not sure how with this theme.
I don't know what kind of story you have in mind, but I don't think horror is too far a stretch from the theme. Many horror stories start from the premise of something pestering/talking to/getting into/taking over the main character's mind. Also, while not exactly scary, R. L. Stine had a series of Goosebumps books written in a "choose your own adventure" format, which I'd say would sit well with this theme.

Let's not make it "pitch black" in bleakness.
but rather you can just make out the surface. if you know what I mean?
[...]
I agree, it would be unwise to make an entry that was
too depressing or negative, since words alone are powerful,
but in a group, it can be moving and emotions are felt.
Just to clarify: my previous use of the word "disturbing" wasn't intended to designate myself as some sort of a moral arbitrator who'd chide any and all elaborations of a dark past as A Bad Thing that shouldn't be written at all (although, consistent with the contest's rules, it would apply to some extent here). It's just that, from a literary standpoint, it can get to the point where it even feels like the author is, pardon my word, titillating.

All in all, I'd say it's how you deliver that matters more. I like the clear division between idea and expression: regardless of how good an idea for a storyboard may sound when described, it falls to the writer to be not lacking in expressing it so as to not underachieve. (Similarly, a premise that may sound old and typical can turn out to be quite a good read in the hands of a good storyteller.)
 
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[MENTION=97625]JaxxBlaxx[/MENTION]; Great story~!Thanks for participating~
 
[MENTION=97625]JaxxBlaxx[/MENTION]; That's a great entry. I like that kind of turn of events. I've only skimmed through it and will read it more carefully later, though one thing that stuck out to me was your abundant use of dashes. :p (I wouldn't venture to say you should've used more commas/semicolons instead, though; it's part of your writing style, after all.)

With regards to the plot, it kind of struck me as a bit odd that some of the sentences describing the anguish of the people depicted seem to eliminate the possibility of the main character having always been a/the "gate" to begin with. For example, the sentence "We had our basic needs covered back there; we were in neither abundance nor deprival of food, shelter and clothing," seems to imply that the main character was part of the people trying to overcome the "gate"; their peer. I'm not saying this is out of place; after all, it could very well be intentional, in the sense that the main character was part of those people and not always a "gate".

All in all, it's just an observation. I'm a firm believer in the "death of the author" concept as far as fiction goes, so please don't take this to mean I'm asking you to clarify parts of your story. :)
 
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[MENTION=97625]JaxxBlaxx[/MENTION]; That's a great entry. I like that kind of turn of events. I've only skimmed through it and will read it more carefully later, though one thing that stuck out to me was your abundant use of dashes. :p (I wouldn't venture to say you should've used more commas/semicolons instead, though; it's part of your writing style, after all.)

With regards to the plot, it kind of struck me as a bit odd that some of the sentences describing the anguish of the people depicted seem to eliminate the possibility of the main character having always been a/the "gate" to begin with. For example, the sentence "We had our basic needs covered back there; we were in neither abundance nor deprival of food, shelter and clothing," seems to imply that the main character was part of the people trying to overcome the "gate"; their peer. I'm not saying this is out of place; after all, it could very well be intentional, in the sense that the main character was part of those people and not always a "gate".

All in all, it's just an observation. I'm a firm believer in the "death of the author" concept as far as fiction goes, so please don't take this to mean I'm asking you to clarify parts of your story. :)

Thanks for the comment :) Lol you're right, I actually did use too many dashes this time :P

Regarding as to how it seems as if the main character appeared to be part of the people, it is indeed intentional :) I actually meant for him to be a manifestation of the magic spell to call forth the gate, so he is a "gate" but also some kind of invisible entity that can move separately from the gate. However, he could relate to the others really strongly since he has absorbed all their memories and feelings during his time with them.

I didn't really explain too much about this since I wanted to leave this interpretation open to the readers. Your view of how he once used to be the others' "peer" is an interesting concept; I'll leave it for you to interpret it as you wish ;)

"Death of the Author" is one of my favourite tropes to use as well, but this time, since the main character is non-human at the time of narration, he can be said to be alive yet not alive at the same time.

It's alright; I don't mind clarifying any part if you feel something's lacking. I'll probably go over my story again later or tomorrow to see if I could improve any parts. ^^
 
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Regarding as to how it seems as if the main character appeared to be part of the people, it is indeed intentional :) I actually meant for him to be a manifestation of the magic spell to call forth the gate, so he is a "gate" but also some kind of invisible entity that can move separately from the gate. However, he could relate to the others really strongly since he has absorbed all their memories and feelings during his time with them.

I didn't really explain too much about this since I wanted to leave this interpretation open to the readers. Your view of how he once used to be the others' "peer" is an interesting concept; I'll leave it for you to interpret it as you wish ;)
I see. That's definitely a unique take; it's an angle I didn't even come close to thinking of. My interpreting of him as the others' "peer" is because I took the context to suggest that he was some sort of a turncoat; someone who used to be with "us" but now against "us" (or the reverse, depending on the reader's point of view).

As you said, though, it's best to leave it to each reader how to interpret each part of the story. I have to say you did so pretty well too by not giving names other than vague references to what could be considered specific nouns such as the "gate".

Looking forward to more entries!
 
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Consecutive posting, but whatever! I R ADMIN! /me whips [MENTION=93850]|♚| KK |♚|[/MENTION]; to also blabber on the entries and the contest itself.

Pingtoryan's entry is probably the most fantasy-like so far. When KK decided on the theme, I was expecting entries to be either bizarre―which don't have to be bad in and of itself, just really wild in the sense that the author interlinks so many things and extends them to unexpected ends like mad sci-fi writers―or RPG-like. I guess the part about the Pingtorians fit that definition (if that even makes sense) to some degree, though I think I have to reread it to entirely grasp it.

Samyeung's entry, on the other hand, feels the most, er, human? It starts out pretty... normal, compared to the rest, and the characters seem to have solid forms. I mean, I can only infer from the descriptions, but they seem well defined and, errrrr, corporeal. And I really like how you described visual appearances. When KK was presenting her early draft of the contest to me, I suggested the name "weavers of words" because I had in mind things like this―detailed descriptions written with a rich diction, such that the words appear to be beautifully woven. Well done.

I wanted to ask something not really related to your writing, though:
Would like to give the award to twinny if this wins..~
What did you mean by this?
 
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Could I give the award to [MENTION=25147]Ellenriel[/MENTION];?
Eh, no. I don't know what kind of situation there is between you two (and I won't ask; it's your business), but unfortunately, I must firmly refuse here. Unlike the standard user awards such as most active and the like with somewhat abstract criteria, this and the SOTM bestow awards representing that you've won something. They can go only to the actual winners.

If Ellenriel wishes, though, they can join in and get the participatory award (which will be given to all participants) regardless of whether they win or not.
 
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/me wakes up with an energy boost coming from [MENTION=2]Ignis[/MENTION]; ~ (๑•̀ㅂ•́)و

First,I want to talk about giving off awards.Like Ignis said,forum competitions awards are personal trophies.Award goes to the winner and cannot be given to another member who participated the contest or not.Though unlike SoTM,WoW has a participatory award so that's the only way if someone wants to get an award for %100 chance by only placing an entry for the contest.

Secondly,I want to give a review on each entry.

To [MENTION=116555]Rain Summerfields[/MENTION]; When I first read your story,the idea of the plot got me interested...a girl who has her dream of becoming a musician and wanted to live beyond her ordinary life,the way she was so passionate and determined made me feel that strong power of believing in something from the heart.Whatever the issue is,or how it's difficult or easy to handle,it's still real and has a potential of becoming true.And it made me wonder how many people out there would be the best in the world at something they’ve never thought of trying…she did her best and wrote her own journey/as her path of life.It was a short yet really well written story.~

To [MENTION=97625]JaxxBlaxx[/MENTION]; To be honest,everytime I read your story I experience many feelings and ideas at the same time.It made confused,curious,excited at the same time.Each line I read,the story got more and more interesting.The plot behind is really amazing,and the way you reflected the story to the theme of journey is really enchanting.I have my questions to myself,about many things.Like I was so confused at the start,there was the feeling of 'unknown place' ,like when you feel and wonder 'where am I?'...the line 'I took a look at myself and the rest. I am “different” from them. ' shooked me,then I understood what the story was trying to tell us.The Gate,both as the name of the story and as being of the protagonist,is very clever and significant way of thinking.I could read it many times,and I'm sure I'll have many different questions appearing on my mind again.It was very well written and a captivating story.~

To [MENTION=21095]pingtoryan[/MENTION]; Your entry is the one that makes me confused the most,I read it over 6 times yet I still have so many questions regarding on the plot of the story.Like how those all happened,and why,or why the protagonist knew everything and was so calm even though he was summoned by such a different type of realm/dimension by a non-human person with special powers.Although this was his dream,it became real...so the protagonist is a mad person with psychological problems like the story of the title or something like that?I dont know,I have so many questions.Since I couldn't understand some of the things,I'm not sure what to say.But it was a journey indeed,a very different journey.To leave humanity behind and exprience a new life/beginning at another world/place.It was confusing for me,but wasn't bad.Instead it was exciting to expect and wonder about what will happen next and such.Thank you for writing,really nice written.~

To [MENTION=8332]samyeung46[/MENTION]; With one word 'wow',not the contest name :p .This story is the one that got me the most amazed,I could imagine/dream everything and put myself in protagonist's shoes to feel what he exprienced,it is perfectly written.The way how story continued it got more magical,it had that special aura to it...everything is beautifully written in details.I love to visualize while I read adventure type of novels and dream of feeling being there,this story had that great effect.I can read it over and over again,it never gets boring or tires me while I read.The ending was very sweet,and the whole story it self was very imaginative background to it.Only thing I have a question for is the name of the story.Besides of that it's amazing,very beautifully written.~

Also to [MENTION=87]Frankincense[/MENTION]; I'm looking forward for your entry if you'll decide to give a try to place it,and if you want to write horror why not?Most of the horror stories are the best journeys/adventures.And it's always exciting to read.I hope you'll decide to place your entry soon.~

- If anyone has any question,please ask~
 
Admittedly, my entry came from one big story that I keep writing in my head to this day but never materialized, only scattered concepts of one single story but never a coherent one. That was one such piece.

So I guess I'll leave things that happened there a matter of speculation, for now.
 
Admittedly, my entry came from one big story that I keep writing in my head to this day but never materialized, only scattered concepts of one single story but never a coherent one. That was one such piece.

So I guess I'll leave things that happened there a matter of speculation, for now.

You can always edit your entry until deadline.So if you want to change some stuff,you still got time~
 
Secondly,I want to give a review on each entry.

To [MENTION=116555]Rain Summerfields[/MENTION]; When I first read your story,the idea of the plot got me interested...a girl who has her dream of becoming a musician and wanted to live beyond her ordinary life,the way she was so passionate and determined made me feel that strong power of believing in something from the heart.Whatever the issue is,or how it's difficult or easy to handle,it's still real and has a potential of becoming true.And it made me wonder how many people out there would be the best in the world at something they’ve never thought of trying…she did her best and wrote her own journey/as her path of life.It was a short yet really well written story.~
Thanks for the feedback kk. It's always nice to hear it, be it constructive or praise.
I wrote it short, mainly because I was fearful I'd let it drag on if I wrote it any longer.
also I had a dream like Audhild's, but unlike hers, mine never came true. : /
 
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