Sep 30, 2011

3 For Thursday: Clarification, Changes, Thoughts?

I would have to say that having run the challenge twice and had a total of three people submitting five stories posted is not what I would call "off to a flying start."

Maybe I made it too complicated or restrictive?

Here was the idea when I first came up with it.
(original post of rules here)
It would be a cross between a word limit challenge (ie. #HumpdayChallenge) and a speed challenge (ie. #5MinuteFiction) with two challenges (or four if you look at writing three separate 100 word stories as three challenges)

Challenge #1: 100 Words
The idea was that you could drop in at any (or all) of the given times and write a short 100 word story based on whatever prompt was available during that time.  You would have an hour to write it and submit it.

If you wanted to do all three challenges you could, or just do the one that best suits your time or even do a couple.  The stories didn't have to be related and could be looked at as three pieces in three separate flash fiction contests.

Challenge #2: 300 Words
This was for the more adventurous ones:
►You would start with the first prompt and write 100 word beginning in the first hour with the first prompt.
►The second prompt would come up (which would be at least slightly related to the first) and you would then need to integrate that prompt into the middle of your story.
►With the last prompt you would then have to finish your 300 word story using it.
A bit of a bigger challenge than just writing one 100 word story as each part couldn't change with the next prompt and you had to do each section in an hour.

So, here are some questions:

  1. Is it too complicated to understand?
  2. Is a single prompt and only an hour to use it for 100 words too restrictive?
  3. Are the times bad?
  4. Is it too difficult to start a story for the 300 word challenge without knowing what the next prompt will be?
  5. Would you like to:
    • See all prompts at once
    • Have them each come out at separate times but be able to use any that are available?
    • Rethink the whole challenge using the KISS principle and just have prompts to write 100 word story in an hour?
I really would appreciate any feedback because at this point I would have to say that one more go at this next week then after that I am going to pass the Thursday Flash Fiction reins over to somebody else.

Thanks for Reading,

D. Ryan Leask

Sep 29, 2011

3 For Thursday Week 2 Prompt 3

3 For Thursday
Week 2 Prompt #3
WORD PROMPT:


~~forgotten~~

This weeks sentence prompt was:

fell to the ground

This weeks special prompt was a picture.
This weeks special prompt is a picture provided by last weeks winner:
@SweetSheil


Contest Starts at 1:00
Contest Ends at 2:00pm
You have one hour to write (or continue writing) 100 words including this word.

REMEMBER
You can either:
Make this prompt a stand alone story
Finish what you started during the last two prompts.

For Full Rules Check Here


Don't Forget to add your twitter handle and/or email address below your post and give your story a title too (for a 300 word story you can finalize your title on the last entry)

3 For Thursday Week 2 Prompt 2

3 For Thursday
Week 2 Prompt #2
SENTENCE PROMPT
Include the following within your 100 words:

fell to the ground

This weeks special prompt was a picture.
This weeks special prompt is a picture provided by last weeks winner:
@SweetSheil


Contest Starts at noon
Contest Ends at 1:00pm
You have one hour to write (or continue writing) 100 words including this sentence.
Last Contest is a word prompt at 1pm!

REMEMBER
You can either:
Make this prompt a stand alone story
or:
Build on it with the next prompts

For Full Rules Check Here


Don't Forget to add your twitter handle and/or email address below your post and give your story a title too (for a 300 word story you can finalize your title on the last entry)

If you're having issues posting feel free to e-mail me: D.RyanLeask@gmail.com

3 For Thursday Week 2 Prompt 1

3 For Thursday
Week 2 Prompt #1
SPECIAL PROMPT
This weeks special prompt is a picture provided by last weeks winner:
Sheilagh Lee @SweetSheil.  Check out her Blog: 
Fear Not The Darkness
Creepy Eh?


Contest Starts at 11am
Contest Ends at noon
You have one hour to write 100 words based around this picture.
Next Contest Starts at noon with a sentence prompt followed by a word prompt at 1pm!

REMEMBER
You can either:
Make this prompt a stand alone story
or:
Build on it with the next prompts

For Full Rules Check Here


Don't Forget to add your twitter handle and/or email address below your post and give your story a title too (for a 300 word story you can finalize your title on the last entry)

If you're having issues posting feel free to e-mail me: D.RyanLeask@gmail.com

Sep 28, 2011

3 For Thursday Flash Fiction Rules - 3 Prompts, 3 Challenges, 4 Winners

3 For Thursday
I am truly addicted to flash fiction here are the ones that I usually submit stories to:

  • #MenageMonday - Brought to you by Cara Michaels (@caramichaels)
    • Mondays: 7am to 8pm Eastern Time
    • 3 Prompts: Photo, Phrase and Random Judges Prompt, between 100 and 200 words
  • #TuesdayTales - Brought to you by Stevie McCoy (@TheGlitterlady)
    • Tuesday: All Day
    • Word Prompt and generally 100 words
  • #5MinuteFiction - Brought to you by Leah Peterson (@LeahPetersen)
    • Tuesdays: 10:30am to 10:35am Eastern Time
    • Five minutes of writing + 10 minutes of clearing boggy men out of the machine
  • #HumpdayChallenge - Brought to you by Tracey Hansen (@thansenwrites)
    • Wednesdays: 12:00pm to 8:00pm Eastern Time
    • Five word prompts used for 100 words
  • #FridayPictureShow - Brought to you by Jen DeSantis (@JenD_Author)
    • Fridays: 8:00am to 8:00pm Eastern Time
    • Picture prompt and exactly 100 words

These are awesome, quick and dirty.  They get the creative juices flowing, are a fun way to get to know some fellow writers as well as great ways to get your name out there!
So, what do all of these have in common?  None take place on Thursdays.  I sure wish there was a way for me to kickstart my weekend and do a little flash fiction…

Introducing…
3 For Thursdays

Three prompts:
  1. 11:00am 
    • Special Prompt - Provided by previous winner
    • It could be anything!
  2. 12:00pm
    • Sentence/Phrase Prompt
  3. 1:00pm
    • Word prompt
Three ways to play:
  1. Classic Play (From 1:00pm - 11:59pm)
    • Use all three prompts in 300 words
  2. Speed Play (11:00am, 12:00pm, 1:00pm)
    • Participate in one, two or all one hour challenges when a new prompt is posted using any available prompt.
  3. Blind Challenge - must be available to use all three times (11:00am - 1:00pm)
    • Write a 300 word story using all three prompts 
    • You must submit each part of the story during that prompt's time meaning that you will be writing (and submitting) each part of your story without knowing what the next prompt will be.
    • *Note:  I will try to make the sentence and word prompts fit nicely with the special prompt.
      ENTER AS MANY OF THE CHALLENGES AS YOU WANT!
Winning:
On Friday morning everyone will be put in the poll and voting will begin, lasting until sometime the following Monday.  If enough votes are cast and stories submitted, the top five will then go on to a guest judge (or myself) who will choose one of them as the overall winner of which there will be at maximum four:
Best Classic 300 Word Story
♣Best Speed 100 Word Story♣
Best Blind Challenge 300 Word Story
Overall Winner from any category
That announcement will be made at the start of the next weeks contest!
Prizes: Every week the prize will be Kudos from your peers and an onslaught of Tweets, G+ Posts, Facebook notices and Roof-top shouts relaying your awesomeness to the world.  The overall winner will also get to choose the following weeks special prompt.  Occasionally there may be other prizes which will be announced at that time!
Here are the "Lovely" Badges I designed
This is why I write not draw.

Sep 23, 2011

3 for Thursday Winner - @SweetSheil

So the inaugural running of 3 for Thursday only had one entry, but it was a good one!
A three hundred word story submitted by @SweetSheil (Sheilagh Lee)

On top of getting this fresh off the presses badge:

She also gets to choose the special prompt for next week, which will hopefully result in tons more entries!
Here is her story:

Karma’s A Bitch
I puttered around the garden, I was enjoying the fresh air after my long week of work trapped in my office; even if Emily had forced me to take the time. After all I owed her.
“Where was she anyway, the stupid bitch?”
I then saw Emily looking beyond me. She appeared beautiful meditating near the flowers and all that greenery… but she always looked beautiful. I had neglected her badly, working all those late nights and then coming home and yelling at her because my dinner wasn’t ready, or my clothes weren’t clean. She’d make me so angry, she was so agreeable, but I’d make it up to her. After all her shiner was looking better and her broken arm was healing nicely. Emily believed in Buddha that’s why she brought me here I’m sure. Stupid bitch, like I’d choose to follow any religion. Emily believed in all those new age principles too. Why did I put up with her stupidity?
I stared again at the topiary that looked like Buddha, it had moved. I know it did! It was fleeting but I saw the creature move as if by magic. His eyes twinkled and yet there were no real eyes there. He was a topiary, not a living being. I turned my back to go and it moved again. What was this a scene from Dr. Who? I was imagining it, I convinced myself. I took two steps towards it to touch it; convince myself it wasn’t real. I reached out touching. Ha, I had imagined it all, I thought. I turned to go when it grabbed me and I found myself the topiary Buddha in the garden.
“I told you Karma was a bitch! Howard you should have listened.” Emily said walking away

@SweetSheil
299 words

I loved the "split" personality of the character, on one hand seeming to love Emily, on the other an abusive SOB!  Sheilagh did a great job of using the image and incorporating the sentence.  The word, fleeting, was hidden so well I almost didn't see it!
Even if this wasn't the only entry I'm sure it would have been a strong contender!

Great Job Sheil!

Sep 22, 2011

Okay, that didn't go quite as planned… All Prompts

Okay, that didn't go quite as planned.  I would have to say that either the execution or timing anyway…
Let's Try This Again
Here are all three prompts
1→Special Prompt

2→Sentence that must be included somewhere
It appeared as if by magic.

3→ the word prompt
Fleeting 

Now the question is, what shall I do with these prompts?  Well the original idea was spelled out →here← and I will sort of keep to that.  You can:

A→Write one, two or three separate 100 word stories using the prompts or
B→Write one, 300 word story using all three.

There will be a winner pulled from each.

For this week I will close the contest at 9am eastern time tomorrow.

Also, if you could please leave me some feedback via a comment →on the "rules" post← as to what changes I should make that would be greatly appreciated!

NOW GET WRITING!!!

3 For Thursday Week 1 Prompt 3

3 For Thursday
Week 1 Prompt #3
WORD PROMPT:


~~FLEETING~~

The sentence prompt was:

It appeared as if by magic.

This weeks special prompt was a picture.
I took this picture in the
Orchid Garden in Singapore
Contest Starts at 1pm
Contest Ends at 2pm
You have one hour to write 100 words using the above word.

REMEMBER
You can either:
Make this prompt a stand alone story
or:
Finish your 300 word story using the word above.

For Full Rules Check Here


Don't Forget to add your twitter handle and/or email address below your post and give your story a title too (for a 300 word story you can finalize your title on the last entry)

3 For Thursday Week 1 Prompt 2

3 For Thursday
Week 1 Prompt #2
SENTENCE PROMPT
Include the following within your 100 words:

It appeared as if by magic.

This weeks special prompt was a picture.
I took this picture in the
Orchid Garden in Singapore
Contest Starts at noon
Contest Ends at 1pm
You have one hour to write 100 words based around the above sentence.
Next Contest Starts at 1pm with a word prompt!

REMEMBER
You can either:
Make this prompt a stand alone story
or:
Build on it from the previous prompt with this and the next prompt!


Don't Forget to add your twitter handle and/or email address below your post and give your story a title too (for a 300 word story you can finalize your title on the last entry)

3 For Thursday Week 1 Prompt 1

3 For Thursday
Week 1 Prompt #1
SPECIAL PROMPT
This weeks special prompt is a picture.
I took this picture in the
Orchid Garden in Singapore
Contest Starts at 11am
Contest Ends at noon
You have one hour to write 100 words based around this picture.
Next Contest Starts at noon with a sentence prompt followed by a word prompt at 1pm!

REMEMBER
You can either:
Make this prompt a stand alone story
or:
Build on it with the next prompts

For Full Rules Check Here


Don't Forget to add your twitter handle and/or email address below your post and give your story a title too (for a 300 word story you can finalize your title on the last entry)