@impurestcheese: Sweet! Thanks. :D
Character Creation Contest #16 voting thread.
@riot_sqrrl Giving your character some depth and back story with education was a good bit of fiction and the drama with the heart was gold. Unfortunately you missed off the medieval/alternate universe world thing.
The protagonist's reliance on his peers to provide medical assistance was meant to infer his reluctance to participate in medieval medical practices, and his tip-toes on egg-shells for the benefit of @batkevin74 was to avoid ex-communication from the church, yet it was all set against the virtual backdrop of the Internet. What a twist?
Forgive me if I've missed something, but did riot_sqrrl have an entry somewhere?
@riot_sqrrl Giving your character some depth and back story with education was a good bit of fiction and the drama with the heart was gold. Unfortunately you missed off the medieval/alternate universe world thing.
The protagonist's reliance on his peers to provide medical assistance was meant to infer his reluctance to participate in medieval medical practices, and his tip-toes on egg-shells for the benefit of @batkevin74 was to avoid ex-communication from the church, yet it was all set against the virtual backdrop of the Internet. What a twist?
Forgive me if I've missed something, but did riot_sqrrl have an entry somewhere?
This confused me too.
@wildvine: I'm confused overall.
@wildvine: I'm confused overall.
We should start a support group.
I was too, so I offered a defense of the comments I posted earlier. Anyone near SW Missouri got any bourbon? Share a dram with a fella?
@riot_sqrrl: In fairness, if you're going to tell a whole group of writers that their stories are bad, you should offer something in the way of constructive criticism to back that up.
@riot_sqrrl: @cbishop: The man has a point. How will we grow if we are told that our work is heart-attack inducing and nothing else.
I have an MA in Creative Writing, and have been published elsewhere. If I were an editor, looking these pieces over, I'd... I'd... ~clutches his chest~ Gah! My heart! ...Paula Deen diet has failed me...! ~collapses to the floor~
Ahem!
@riot_sqrrl: Stop dodging the question... Riot-sqrrl, Master of the Arts, the sooner you do this the sooner the hounding will end. Just remember that there are writers of various skill and experience writing here. Just because it's not at the same level that you write at doesn't mean you should mock them. By offering constructive criticism you can avoid such incidents in the future.
I said no such thing. A whole lot of butt-hurt over nothing.
I have an MA in Creative Writing, and have been published elsewhere. If I were an editor, looking these pieces over, I'd... I'd... ~clutches his chest~ Gah! My heart! ...Paula Deen diet has failed me...! ~collapses to the floor~
Ahem!
riot_sqrrl, because I don't mind being wrong, I'm going to call you on your bull - I think your MA is BS, whether you actually have one or not. As someone who has taken creative writing before, I can authoritatively say that a cw course is only as good as you are. CW will never teach you how to write, it can only introduce tools that may be useful to you as a writer. Personally, I got two useful things out of what I took: 1) a form of non-rhyming poetry that I actually liked (but which I feel I'm only just a little better than mediocre at), and 2) if you're really stuck for a character name, pull one out of the phone book (a tool I've only used once, that I can recall). I've been published exactly once, and drawn exactly one royalty check for the grand sum of $35. So am I an expert? No, but I'm good enough to get published (and to have my ideas stolen, but that's another story, which I've told too many times).
In this particular group, I think @batkevin74 is the best writer (his win record seems to prove that out as well). His output is exhausting, although his lack of follow-through on various projects is exasperating. He pushes me to want to write more. I feel that @wildvine is neck-and-neck with me very much of the time, but she is way more prolific than I am. Our story interests are very different, so it's hard to compare, but she inspires me much. @impurestcheese and @jatoe48er write tons as well, and tell entertaining stories, but don't edit as much as they should. @joygirl, @lykopis, and @bumpyboo are great, but not as regular to this contest as others, so I don't get around to them as much as I should. I honestly don't know the other authors' writings as well, so it's difficult to pass any sort of decent judgment. I'm slow but steady, and wish I wrote more than I do. Sometimes these folks like my stuff, sometimes they don't. Sometimes I get votes, other times nothing.
I've asked you twice for constructive criticism of the pieces you said would make you keel over and die, and you've offered no more than bluster and accusations of butt-hurt. This is our sixteenth contest in a year (a year tomorrow, actually) - we offer each other criticism all the time, and we handle it with varying degrees of grace, but we handle it. So put up or shut up. Offer some actual critique, or like batkev' suggested earlier, enter the next contest. I half-think that you're just yet another alias of a regular user, but whatever. We trashtalk each other all the time, but we don't insult. See, what's irritating is not actually that you implied you're better, or that you implied the writings would give hypothetical-editor-you heart failure. What's irritating is that you said it and don't have anything to show to support it. So don't insinuate that you're a better writer, prove it.
@cbishop: Thanks for the comment. More editing cool.
My vote goes to @jatoe48er it was for me the right mix of space & LOTR
@impurestcheese: 'Cheese, you're interesting. You write obscure characters well, very similar to batkevin', and that's impressive. Your editing woes are something I see commonly on the 'Net- the more exciting the scene, the more the errors pick up. Sometimes your sentences have an ill-worded flow to them, but I have the sense that it's something you'd catch if you'd read through it with an eye towards editing. Your storytelling's pretty strong, but your pace betrays you. Writing fast is great- it's something I don't think I do well at all- but you have to make time for editing, or it's only half done. The difference between you and @jatoe48er is that you seem to write fast, because you've got your eye on the next story-posting before you're done with the current one. Jatoe' seems to write fast without good edits, because he's having so much fun he can't wait to get to the next scene. You seem a little more measured. You're having fun, but it's more that you want to get as many stories out as fast as possible. ...Of course, I'm only guessing, and sometimes I'm way off with those. Both of you are impressive to me though, because of your great stories and the speed at which you produce them. I absolutely lack in that area, and you guys inspire me to let go and write a little faster (still not as fast as you, but faster). @wildvine posts fast, but edits more. There's whole other things that inspire me about her writing, but I haven't put my finger on it yet. Forgive the big, blocky paragraph- I do that when I ramble without editing. ;)
To clarify for @impurestcheese & @wildvine I was taking the p1$$ out of @riot_sqrrl in my review as I could write I'm Steve Guttenberg (I wish I was) who'd know?
But I did put on my tweed jacket and called my self Robert to uncover his secret message to us:
@riot_sqrrl said:
The protagonist's reliance on his peers to provide medIcal assistance wAs Meant to infer his reluctAnce to participate in meDieval medical practices, and his tip-tOes on egg-shells for the benefit of @batkevin74 was to avoid ex-commUniCation from thE church, yet it was all set against the virtual backdrop of the Internet. What a twist?
Excuse me, please. I need to go read Chin Music #2 [plug!]. The comBination of Niles and HArris may not have the romantic chemistry of "Tristan and Isolde," but they have my imaGination locked in the branks.
@cbishop good on ya pal, that's the type of feedback people want.
@4donkeyjohnson I've always liked you, what's your favourite police academy movie?
@batkevin74 High Spirits or Cocoon , which is a better movie?And it was a Norwegian Blue Parrot not Pigeon...
@jatoe48er: Monty Python refs, cryptography skillz, you sir are a Renaissance Man!
@jatoe48er: Unfortunately I dislike the Police Academy movies, sorry. Just not my cup of tea and they just kept making them, like the Carry On Films (which are in a similar boat, but slightly better)
@batkevin74: ...Amen to that.
This has escalated a little too far folks. If you can't have a discussion in a respectful manner without spewing out insults and responding with hostility, then just leave it be. It's not worth getting worked up over.
@deranged_midget: I assume you're referring to the three deleted messages?
@cbishop: Yes, my apologies if I wasn't clear :P
@deranged_midget: I just like to make sure I'm at a total understanding, when a moderator gets involved. I don't have time for that getting banned b.s. ;)
@4donkeyjohnson: Ooooooooooow Matron
@jatoe48er: Bah. Carry on References? Man that takes me back...to four hours ago and Carry on Columbus.
Votes:
Impurestcheese 4
Batkevin 1
Wildvine 1
Tommythehitman 1
Jatoe48er 1
In a landslide win.... Its @impurestcheese !! You are the victor! Congrats! Looking forward to the next round.
For Cbishop. I know you record these things.
Writer > Vote
Batkevin74. Doctor _Sqrrl. Cbishop. Wildvine. > impurestcheese
Tommythehitman > Batkevin74
kfhrfdu_89_76k > Wildvine
Jatoe48er > Tommythehitman
4donkeyjohnson > Jatoe8er
impurestcheese > Cbishop
@wildvine: I voted for cbishop, its on the first page three (or four) from the bottom
@wildvine: I voted for cbishop, its on the first page three (or four) from the bottom
Helpful as always. Thanks for keeping the record straight.
@wildvine: Thanks. :-). And thank you to everyone who voted for me. :-)
@wildvine: Thanks. :-). And thank you to everyone who voted for me. :-)
Enough victory speech. Set up the next one. <3
@razzatazz or @the_poet or @mercy_ if you're on? Can one of you unpin this please? Thank you. <3
@wildvine: I voted for cbishop, its on the first page three (or four) from the bottom
Helpful as always. Thanks for keeping the record straight.
Sheesh! What's with you forgettin' me this contest?! ;P
@wildvine: I voted for cbishop, its on the first page three (or four) from the bottom
Helpful as always. Thanks for keeping the record straight.
Sheesh! What's with you forgettin' me this contest?! ;P
You just leave no impression at.... *Walks away mid sentence*
: P
@impurestcheese: Well done!
I wouldn't go that far, given recent events. I wouldn't want to seem unfriendly good sir.
LOL! @batkevin74, that's how it's done! LOL
@cbishop: Sassin frassin raggin smarty pantsing! ;)
@batkevin74: LMAO!
@jatoe48er: I beg your pardon?
@cbishop: I called you a sad little man. If you hadn't noticed this thread is already hostile and you took a snide pop above. Douche comment.
I've ignored this awhile but you PM another user calling me a cheat. Specifically creating other accounts to get votes.
I'm not precious and can take it on the chin, but it brothers me you preaching on here when you really don't have a clue .
@jatoe48er: It wasn't snide, it was tongue-in-cheek - if you'll re-read that remark, you'll see that I was implying that wildvine meant to be calling me a douche, rather than saying touche. So I was really making fun of myself, not her. I was making light of the earlier hostilities, as I believe she was as well. She and I have more than once flirted with the line between humor and hostility, but we have yet to actually cross from the humor side. If she is upset with me, I believe she is fully aware that she can let me know, and she would receive an apology, public or private at her preference.
As for the other, I saw a pattern of votes from brand new accounts, and yes, I questioned it. I was wrong, and was set straight on it. I make no apologies for questioning something that looked hinky. I do apologize for being wrong, however (as I did then, to the one of three that bothered to speak up [that wasn't you], and to the moderator who addressed it). I'm addressing it here, because you brought it up publicly. As you noted, I asked in PM, which is where that should have stayed, sir.
Also, I wasn't preaching to batkev', I was jibing him in fun, trying to make light of what has been a bad week for him. The jibe above was after responses to batkev' in two other places, which you may not have seen. Again, if you'll look, I got the response "Sassin frassin raggin smarty pantsing! ;)," with a wink, under a blackout bar. I think he got the joke, and you didn't.
...Talk about preaching without a clue.
If you might also be addressing the comments made to riot_sqrrl/Dr_sqrrl, I make no apologies for that whatsoever. I spoke my mind, and didn't go out of line to do so. If you're referring to my analysis of everyone's writings, those are merely my opinions and guesses based on what I've read, and of course those guesses could be way off- feel free to tell me so if they are. If that's what's stuck in your craw, you're taking hostility where none's meant. If it's the question from PM, well...you've gotten all the apology you're getting. The question about the votes in no way colored my opinion of your writing ability. You're a bit unpolished, but pretty danged decent at that.
As far as the sad little man comment goes, whatever else I might say on CV, I do not resort to such name calling. So piss off, and see you next contest.
EDIT: Not that anyone would know this, but the "speech therapist" comment was also making fun of myself- I trained with one for several years, for "s" and "z" sounds (aka a lisp).
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