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Challenge Monday Mush Mania | Discussion & Index

Discussion in 'Fan Fiction and Writing Resource' started by Monday_Mush_Mania, Jul 9, 2018.

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  1. Monday_Mush_Mania

    Monday_Mush_Mania Jedi Master star 1

    Registered:
    Jun 9, 2007
    Hello and happy Wednesday!

    The index has been updated with our entries from Challenges 3 and 4, and now it's time to announce a new challenge:
    Challenge #5: What's on the Menu?
    Write a story that features a special meal.
    This could be a romantic dinner for two, a youngling making a tok-nut butter sandwich for mom or anything in between
    Stories will be due in ten weeks, on Monday, July 22nd.
     
  2. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    :) I have just the thing. A blend/mix of both. [face_dancing]
     
    Last edited: May 15, 2019
  3. Monday_Mush_Mania

    Monday_Mush_Mania Jedi Master star 1

    Registered:
    Jun 9, 2007
    Good morning and happy Mushy Moday!

    Today’s the day to post your entries for Challenge #5

    Challenge #5: What's on the Menu?
    Write a story that features a special meal.
    This could be a romantic dinner for two, a youngling making a tok-nut butter sandwich for mom or anything in between.
     
    Last edited: Jul 22, 2019
  4. Raissa Baiard

    Raissa Baiard FFoF Artist Extraordinaire star 4 VIP - Game Host

    Registered:
    Nov 22, 1999
  5. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    Findswoman and Raissa Baiard like this.
  6. mavjade

    mavjade Former Manager star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 10, 2005
    I completely forgot. :_|
    I started something before, but I didn't get it finished.
     
    Findswoman likes this.
  7. Monday_Mush_Mania

    Monday_Mush_Mania Jedi Master star 1

    Registered:
    Jun 9, 2007
    Happy Monday! The index has been updated with the last challenge's entries, and now it's time to announce our next MMM Challenge:
    Challenge #6: Meet the Family
    Write a story in which a character meets one or more members of another character's family for the first time.
    (It does not have to be in the context of a romantic relationship)
    The due date will be Monday, October 21. Note that this is 12 weeks rather than the usual 10, to avoid conflicting with the OTP Challenge.
    If you do finish it, post a link here, and I'll add it to the index.
     
    Last edited: Jul 29, 2019
  8. Briannakin

    Briannakin Former Manager star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Feb 25, 2010
    Bahahahaha! Okay. I have TWO plot bunnies that totally fit with this! This totally reminded me of one. I really hope that DRL will allow me write at least one.

    Also, I just want to say, how much I love that we both the OTP and MMM. Muses can be "fickle" as to what they hold onto, so its nice to have 2 'regular' challenges to give the muse options.
     
  9. Briannakin

    Briannakin Former Manager star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Feb 25, 2010
    My muse did indeed allow me to write one of my ideas for this prompt. Meet the Founding Father is up in NSWFF. It is West Wing but its one of those fics where it's actually funnier if you go in knowing nothing.
     
  10. Monday_Mush_Mania

    Monday_Mush_Mania Jedi Master star 1

    Registered:
    Jun 9, 2007
    D'oh... my apologies for not posting this earlier in the day, but as @Briannakin noted, today is the due date for
    Challenge #6: Meet the Family
    Write a story in which a character meets one or more members of another character's family for the first time.
    (It does not have to be in the context of a romantic relationship)
    We've had sort of low turnout for the last few challenges, so I wanted to ask if there is anything I can do to make future challenges better? I understand that this is a very hectic time of year for a lot of people (which is why I didn't get anything done for this challenge, either :p), but I am open to suggestions. Would it help to adjust the length of the writing period? Would a you prefer a shorter length of time, perhaps eight weeks instead of ten? Would a hiatus for NaNoWriMo/Word Race and the holidays be a good idea?

    And as always, if you have ideas for challenges or discussion topics, please feel free to PM me!
     
  11. Briannakin

    Briannakin Former Manager star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Feb 25, 2010
    I mean, as you mentioned it's a hectic time in general (I had three different ideas for this prompt, two of which REALLY bit me, but only one got written due to DRL), and I think a hiatus for Nano/Word Race/Holiday stuff is probably a good idea (though I do love a good holiday mush prompt to kick the muse in the pants).

    I also think shortening the timeframe is a good idea - I'm one of those people who, if I don't get a bunny that bites in the first day or two, I'm just going to completely forgot about even thinking about a challenge. And given the nature of the challenge (one post on one day), my ideas rarely are over 2000 words and if it is, subsequent parts are posted afterwards.

    I also think you can have some more fun with the prompts. This is one of the only challenges where everyone gets the same prompt, so have fun with it: give everyone the same gif, poem, song, picture, TV Trope, etc, that could fit a broad selection of mush.
     
  12. devilinthedetails

    devilinthedetails Fiendish Fanfic & SWTV Manager, Interim Tech Admin star 6 Staff Member Administrator

    Registered:
    Jun 19, 2019
    Findswoman and Mira_Jade like this.
  13. Mira_Jade

    Mira_Jade The (FavoriteTM) Fanfic Mod With the Cape star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jun 29, 2004
    This.

    Personally, I've had plenty of ideas for the last few prompts and hate that I haven't participated - which I can almost wholly blame on DRL and my muse being uncooperative with writing in general. But, I also agree that for a challenge where you only post on one day it may be better to have a shorter time frame to keep it fresh in people's minds. At least for me personally, if I don't write something relatively quickly, then I'm not going to down the line either.

    I also wholly second having fun and being versatile with the prompts! Be as creative as you want! We can handle it. :D

    And, beyond all that, thank you for hosting and giving life to this classic thread. [:D] =D= I can't wait to write for the next MMM - I really mean it this time. :p
     
  14. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    I adore having this thread up and active again. My thoughts on time interval: six to eight weeks I think.

    If it's not openly stated, I think it would be great to have not only the current MMM challenge but also the earlier ones due to on the particular Monday. For instance, if the next deadline was in early December, and the challenge was reconciliation, authors could post on that challenge but also on any of the earlier ones on that Monday so they don't have to sacrifice their good plot ideas. :cool: Also, if they think their story is going to be a multi-chapter, make it so the first chapter is due on that Monday in lieu of the entire thing. @};-
     
  15. SiouxFan

    SiouxFan Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 6, 2012
    Is it too late to do something for this? I don't want to be 'tardy to the party'!
     
  16. Monday_Mush_Mania

    Monday_Mush_Mania Jedi Master star 1

    Registered:
    Jun 9, 2007
    Well, it's not a Monday, but here's our latest Monday Mush Mania Challenge, and as per the suggestions, I'm trying something a little different this time around
    MMM Challenge #7: Just for You
    Write a story inspired by this photo:
    [​IMG]

    The due date will be in eight weeks on January 6.

    Also, going with @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha 's suggestion, if you are inspired by an earlier challenge, feel free to post it that day as well. Post your link here and let me know which challenge it goes with, and I'll be happy to add it to the index. So:
    Nope, you're still welcome to join in! :D

    And since we haven't had a discussion in a while, here's a question to get the mush simmering:
    - Do you have any favorite mushy tropes?
     
    mavjade , Mira_Jade , brodiew and 2 others like this.
  17. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    * Obliviousness (everyone knows the two are interested except themselves) :p

    * The process of growing from friends to more :) [face_sigh]

    * Growing pains -- a misunderstanding sweetly cleared up

    * Spontaneous surprise treats for the beloved

    * Seeing the couple later on, i.e. with family and friends when they have children/grandchildren :cool:
     
  18. devilinthedetails

    devilinthedetails Fiendish Fanfic & SWTV Manager, Interim Tech Admin star 6 Staff Member Administrator

    Registered:
    Jun 19, 2019
    Those are great ones, @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha :)

    I like most mushy tropes to be honest, especially with some of my favorite sweet couples. Any tropes involving special gifts, shy people realizing or expressing their feelings, or friends growing into romantic partners will win me over, but really I'm just a fan of mush in general. I like to have my heart warmed, what can I say? [face_love]
     
  19. TheRynJedi

    TheRynJedi Jedi Master star 3

    Registered:
    Jun 20, 2018
    Uh-oh, I have a perfect story for this, but I'm not up to that point yet... I don't want to keep jumping ahead in Sennah & Danyal's story with a past story half-finished still floating around. Ugh. Going to have to focus on getting some writing done, I guess.
     
  20. devilinthedetails

    devilinthedetails Fiendish Fanfic & SWTV Manager, Interim Tech Admin star 6 Staff Member Administrator

    Registered:
    Jun 19, 2019
    Question: Does anyone else have an issue where they go to write something they think will be pure mush and then somehow a melancholy aspect gets added to it? Because I have that issue a lot, and I swear I'm an optimist in real life but that may not always come through in my writing...
     
    Mira_Jade , brodiew and Findswoman like this.
  21. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    @devilinthedetails

    What an interesting question. [face_thinking]

    I find your writing to be an excellent blend of thoughtfulness, insight, and humor. =D=

    I find that melancholy aspects creep in because of the situation -- something is bothering the characters or they're in a dire situation like a battle ... but if you mean the conversation or mood is supposed to be lighthearted and warm fuzzy but then something less upbeat sneaks in ... I'd be curious to know also why that is. @};-
     
  22. brodiew

    brodiew Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Oct 11, 2005
    Given that my fan fic life resides mostly, in either Snark or angst, accessing true mush is a challenge. That is not to say I can't achieve it. it is just to say that historically I will want to either add some zinger on the end or some bit of banter.

    You're not alone devilinthedetails.
     
  23. Briannakin

    Briannakin Former Manager star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Feb 25, 2010
    I think you've just described my entire fanfic mindset! Because, yes, that has happened to me so many times. And sometimes it is on purpose - I do love a good angsty mush. But, yeah, sometimes it just creeps into - what was intended to be - pure mush. Don't get me wrong, I love me some mindless mush (both reading and writing) from time to time, but I often gravitate towards more relatable scenarios and often times things aren't all okay. And I think adding in melancholy makes the mush that much more meaningful. I agree with @brodiew that accessing true mush can be a challenge!

    But I also tend to be a cynic in real life, so that might be it.

    And I have an idea for the prompt, using characters I love but don't normally get bunnies for, so hopefully life will cooperate.
     
  24. devilinthedetails

    devilinthedetails Fiendish Fanfic & SWTV Manager, Interim Tech Admin star 6 Staff Member Administrator

    Registered:
    Jun 19, 2019
    Thanks for all the great responses, everyone!

    @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Thank you for your kind, supportive words as always! I'm so flattered that you find my writings to be a good blend of thoughtfulness, insight, and humor[face_blush] since that's sort of the pinnacle of what I try to attain in my stories and am always worried that I'm falling short of when I write. Hmm...I think it might indeed just be that there is something bothering the character or something troubling about the situation that needs to be considered, which is why the melancholy aspect creeps in. Maybe it is when I initially conceive a story, especially one I picture as being mushy, I focus on the positive aspects of characterization and the situation, but then as I develop the story, more of the potentially negative aspects of characterization or the situation itself begin to materialize as I write. That may not necessarily be an inherently bad thing since it does feel like a natural part of the development of my stories, but sometimes I do wish that when I set out to write pure mush, I could deliver pure mush more often. Perhaps, though some of that is just down to my own idiosyncrasies as a person and a writer, since I do believe some of my anxieties (I suffer from Generalized Anxiety Disorder due to abuse I experienced as a kid) get sort of channeled into my writing. So maybe any negative or melancholy components in my writing are a manifestation of that. [face_thinking]

    @brodiew I can definitely relate to that urge to include a bit of banter or a zinger at the end of a story or chapter. Sometimes it is a case of me being afraid that characters might have gotten too mushy, and then I want to sort of add the humor to offset the mush. Other times, I feel like the story or chapter might have been too tense or angsty, so the humor becomes a way of trying to offset that. What is really kind of sad is I'm not even sure that I write great humor, but I still sometime can't resist trying to include it. Silly me. :p

    @Briannakin You do a great job putting into words my own feelings. There are definitely times when I'm going for angsty mush in an attempt to make the mush more meaningful and true to life where oftentimes things aren't perfect but there can still be hope and happiness and human compassion to offset the negative parts of life we must all confront in one way or another. Yet sometimes what I initially picture as pieces that will just celebrate the best aspects of life morph into pieces that are melancholy mush rather than pure mush so maybe that is just my cynical side coming out and my subconscious being reluctant to think that anything in life is perfect.
     
  25. Jedi_Lover

    Jedi_Lover Chosen One star 5

    Registered:
    Nov 1, 2004