Contest July-August 2020 Short Story Contest (entries closed)

[Infinity Turtle]

I tend to ramble on, not that I'm the only one

I'm editing my piece now (after taking the day off school sick), so mine will hopefully be in thisarvo.

*clap clap* for all who have gotten entries in and the best of luck to those that are still writing! Because I'm ahead of you all (time zone wise, though I'm sure intellectually as well ) I usually leave it until the last possible moment, being midday on the 1st, but maybe this time it'll be in actually within the designated writing month...

I know why I should choose your cheese, but most people won’t

Then it is they who will suffer...

 

[Scalenex]

I'm thinking of extending the contest deadline a few days. You know, to help the community, not because I'm progressing very slowly on my own piece. I'm only concerned with the greater good.

 

[Y'ttar Scaletail]

I'm only concerned with the greater good.

Scalenex confirmed to be filthy Tau-thing traitor.

In regards to the theme: yes it was a hard theme to write on but that's kinda the point. Tech advances and Lustrians don't really match (apart from the whole technically being techonologically superior to all other races when you really look into it.) The theme is as much a challenge as it is a prompt, hopefully my piece made some good reference to it...maybe.

 

[Infinity Turtle]

I had this great plan about watching through some movies and the BBC's 'The Musketeers' today, but then I got distracted by Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead memes and now I'm struggling...

Okay. Finish short story, work on chemistry assignment, watch Hot Fuzz again.

Hmmm... might run out of time. Guess I'll just have to skip out on that chemistry assignment

 

[Killer Angel]

I'm thinking of extending the contest deadline a few days. You know, to help the community, not because I'm progressing very slowly

Let us know!
I'm all for the Greater Good.

 

[Scalenex]

I tend to ramble on, not that I'm the only one

I tend to ramble on, not that I'm the only one

No, you are not the most concise writer we have but you are far from the least concise. I'd say you are in the top 50th percentile on this one.

Ah, Brie Larson provides a treasure trove of memes....I saw the video that meme came from. She really dropped the taco on that video. It was almost like she was trying to be unlikeable. But now from her recent stuff she is clearly trying to redeem her image. We'll see if it works.

I don't wish her ill. I believe she is not a bad person, but she comes across as abrasive sometimes. I think she needs to turn her weakness into a strength and play villain roles.

Let us know!
I'm all for the Greater Good.

(THE GREATER GOOD)

I have extended the deadline two days. It's for the greater good and not because I need to trim 1100 words from my first draft.

I am in double secret lock down right now. I don't think I have the CCP virus but my seasonal allergies are hitting me really hard right now and I'm sneezing up a storm. Sneezing inside a mask is gross, so I'm staying inside for a while.

I will try to use some of this extra time to give some last minute advice to the writers who have submitted pieces.

The extra time convinces some people (such as Killer Angel) on the fence to create something last minute. Great. If not, some people (such as Killer Angel) can help me work on my piece. Or I could turn to noble @Y'ttar Scaletail seeing as I already gave him the outline of what I wrote.

 

[DeathBringer125]

No, you are not the most concise writer we have but you are far from the least concise. I'd say you are in the top 50th percentile on this one.

Ah, Brie Larson provides a treasure trove of memes....I saw the video that meme came from. She really dropped the taco on that video. It was almost like she was trying to be unlikeable. But now from her recent stuff she is clearly trying to redeem her image. We'll see if it works.

I don't wish her ill. I believe she is not a bad person, but she comes across as abrasive sometimes. I think she needs to turn her weakness into a strength and play villain roles.



(THE GREATER GOOD)

I have extended the deadline two days. It's for the greater good and not because I need to trim 1100 words from my first draft.

I am in double secret lock down right now. I don't think I have the CCP virus but my seasonal allergies are hitting me really hard right now and I'm sneezing up a storm. Sneezing inside a mask is gross, so I'm staying inside for a while.

I will try to use some of this extra time to give some last minute advice to the writers who have submitted pieces.

The extra time convinces some people (such as Killer Angel) on the fence to create something last minute. Great. If not, some people (such as Killer Angel) can help me work on my piece. Or I could turn to noble @Y'ttar Scaletail seeing as I already gave him the outline of what I wrote.

Will you be able to help critique my piece a bit?

 

[Lizards of Renown]

Marketing section of Short Story contest here @Scalenex

So when exactly does the contest end?

I have to make sure I am accurate in my reign of ter- (ahem), I mean my next advertisement in the Sandford Citizen.

What do you think:

"SERGEANT SCALEXTRIC DELAYS DOOMSDAY BY 48 HOURS"

...

Wait is there a typo in there?

 

[pendrake]

Clearly labeled Digression:

...CCP virus...

I have seen twelve different names for the virus that doth plague-annoy the world and yet this is not one of them [?] ...please explain the acronymania.

IN my Mil-Spec world the very similar CCCP was aka the USSR. But that can’t be right.

 

[Lizards of Renown]

Clearly labeled Digression:



I have seen twelve different names for the virus that doth plague-annoy the world and yet this is not one of them [?] ...please explain the acronymania.

IN my Mil-Spec world the very similar CCCP was aka the USSR. But that can’t be right.

Pretty sure he means "Chinese Communist Party" as a nod towards rumours that it was a created virus, rather than naturally developed.

I am thinking along the right lines @Scalenex ?

 

[Scalenex]

Pretty sure he means "Chinese Communist Party"

Correct.

as a nod towards rumours that it was a created virus, rather than naturally developed.

Not correct.

I cannot rule out that the CCP created the virus artificially but it seems highly unlikely. The current evidence suggests that their equivalent to the Center for Disease Control was studying a naturally occurring virus and accidentally let it out of the lab due to incompetence not malice. Even if that wasn't the case, the CCP cover up allowed the virus to spread unchecked in the early months.

It's proven that the CCP knew of the virus long before they admitted to it. It's proven that they restricted domestic travel out of the initial infected Wuhan region while still allowing international flights out of Wuhan. In other words, the CCP knowingly encouraged it's spread abroad.

Therefore I believe that "CCP Virus" is appropriate name for the virus.

 

[Lizards of Renown]

Correct.



Not correct.

I cannot rule out that the CCP created the virus artificially but it seems highly unlikely. The current evidence suggests that their equivalent to the Center for Disease Control was studying a naturally occurring virus and accidentally let it out of the lab due to incompetence not malice. Even if that wasn't the case, the CCP cover up allowed the virus to spread unchecked in the early months.

It's proven that the CCP knew of the virus long before they admitted to it. It's proven that they restricted domestic travel out of the initial infected Wuhan region while still allowing international flights out of Wuhan. In other words, the CCP knowingly encouraged it's spread abroad.

Therefore I believe that "CCP Virus" is appropriate name for the virus.

Fair enough,

Back on topic, so when does the contest officially end then?

 

[Scalenex]

Back on topic, so when does the contest officially end then?

The entry deadline is August 2nd at midnight US central time. Though I suppose that would technically be August 3rd. Or in other words, about 60 hours from now.

The contest is over when the voting poll expires which I will probably set to end on August 30th though if there is a landslide of votes for one piece I will end the voting early.

To answer your other question. There are officially five entries and there are two very firm commitments for two more entries. It's very common for dark horse entries to surprise me at the last minute, but I don't count my chickens until they are hatched.

 

[Scalenex]

 

[Lizards of Renown]

Okay, I’m getting less worried now. That is at least a respectable amount.

Thanks.

 

[Infinity Turtle]

Lookin good lads!

In the end I'm not totally satisfied with mine, but I definitely had more fun writing this time as i actually gave myself a couple weeks to think, plan and draft (even if I only got it in past the orginal deadline...).

It's an interesting theme so I'm looking forward to seeing what people come up with.

Good luck to everyone still writing in these last few days