Monthly Contest Prompt tweak ideas... I don’t know if this is posted in the correct area or should be in the “Support & Feedback” section. If you wish to move it please go ahead. I’m a Newbie so take these thoughts with that in mind. The post came about from doing a WF review from a Newbie’s perspective in the support section. It brought up several comments on the Contest part specifically which could/should be expanded in its own right. https://www.writingforums.org/threads/a-quick-dirty-view-of-wf-forum-by-a-newbie.160412/ One comment with the contest (short story) is the prompt doesn’t actually prompt us to write. The story is already there and the authors leaver the prompt into the piece instead. This I’ll admit was true in my case with the prompt of “tumbleweed”. The November winner @davidm made a different suggestion... I’d like to suggest that after each contest is over, people talk about their stories, and those of others. This would seem to give the contests more meaning, and might perhaps draw more participants as well as more voters. Right now the only discussions are little spoiler squibs in the open voting threads. Again, another great idea... Do you think the Contest area needs a little shake-up without detracting from the fun factor? Any ideas you’ll like to see? My Prompt Idea. Every other month would be prompt free, completely open. The other month’s prompt would be actually deeper in suggestion framing or criteria. Instead of just ‘Tumbleweed’ maybe Deseret Cowboy town with rolling tumbleweed involving an argument... This then the prompt becomes the story’s thrust or core. The authors and member comment references good and bad against the peer group would be more valuable. This defernites from the Workshop short story critiques... Again, its an idea, let me know what you think or if you have a better suggestion... Norfolk nChance
MY TURN A big bold display. 'Read this month's entries, vote and the prompt shall be revealed for your opportunity to win publication in the season's e-journal. Good luck, traveller.'
If there was no prompt you might get some better stories posted. I rather like writing with restriction, like Kafka's bound man I'm freed by the ropes rather than from them. I don't see a problem so long as everyone plays by the same rules. The rules are posted, and I chose not to read them. The shiny medal is nice to have but it's not why I'm here. I'd like to say "Good job again!" to davidm, this month's winner. I learned a lot from his story. I still don't understand what the hell it was about, but I learned that understanding doesn't always matter.