Challenge Writer With the Force- A Survivor Style Challenge--How can mav make it better next time?

Try webster.com, brodiew. Not only do I think it's the better online dictionary but I know it's there because I got all three words from their word of the day archive!

 

Yikes! I'll attempt to use the words creatively, but probably fail miserably.

 

I'm probably blind as a bat, but I was wondering: where can you see what the 'board time' is, except through posting something?

Until now I've been going by the clock in my room and making sure I posted at a time that was comfortably earlier than the deadline, but this story is giving me a headache and I might be tweaking until the last minute here

I'd rather be sure that I won't be an hour too late or something.

 

I don't think so Seremela, I just keep mine on board time, since half the year I'm in that timezone anyway.

According to board time, it says you posted that at 4:34pm, if you want to figure out the time difference.

 

Thanks C1, I have the board on board time as well, but I had hoped it would always be visible somewhere. I guess I'll just have to time this post and remember the difference. Darn, mindwork instead of lazy staring at some kind of little clock in a corner

 

I could just die! I finished my story, and thought I was 275 words over. So, I start whittling down the words, and get it to just under the limit. Then I realized what made it over was the 600 words worth of "research" I had copied and pasted for easy reference!

Since I've finished a couple days early, I've sent it to my beta for a look-over.

 

Sorry I didn't see your question, Seremela!
Unfortunately there isn't any where to see board time, it's Pacific Standard Time, which I know for me is three hours behind, so anytime something is by boardtime I know I have 3 hours after I reach that time.
It's probably more complicated for someone further off PST!

Oh no, Alexis! Hopefully that at least made it easier to trim down!

 

I'd already trimmed it down to what I thought was just under the 1750 word limit when i remembered the research. So, now it's way under the 1750 word limit. What I meant is that I didn't need to trim it at all because the story was already well within the limit! Well, the good thing is, the trimming alerted me to some unnecessary repetition.

 

That's all right, mavjade, C1 already helped me establish that yes, I have the board on board time and so I looked at the time difference.

And I sent it in just now already, because, frankly, staring at it any longer won't really help matters

I'm very curious as to how everybody used those &^%&&* words!

 

Well, I've sent mine in. I had fun writing it.

 

This is your reminder that your challenge three entries are due tonight at midnight!

I had a thought yesterday and I thought I might get everyone's opinion. Do you like the schedule we have now, with a week to write then a few days to vote and then another new prompt or would you rather finish a challenge and then get the next challenge the next day and still have a few days to vote on the previous challenge?

Example:
Challenge Three is due tonight at 11:59pm
Challenge Four would be posted tomorrow
Challenge Three voting ends Friday Feb. 27th at noon
Challenge Four would be due by 11:59 pm March 3rd
Challenge Five would be posted March 4th
Challenge Four Voting would end March 7th

Obviously we won't be starting with this challenge but if you all would like to do it this way (which would make the overall game shorter) we would start with Challenge Four. If not, that's okay too.

Let me know what you think!

 

I like this idea better, because I don't like waiting for a challenge.

 

It can take your mind off the waiting until all the voting is in when you have a new story to write, but personally I like the old schedule better. Have the 'old' challenge all finished so to speak before the next one. I find reading the stories and deciding the vote difficult enough as well and like having it all behind me when the next challenge comes. So I can start fresh again.

Besides, the 'down time' from writing isn't bad either, gives me time to work on other stories and challenges I'm involved in.

 

Either way is fine by me. The only problem I see is that if the One With the Force person isn't a procrastinator and/or gets a really good plot bunny, I think it would be a bit more of a disappointment to discover they were One With The Force.

 

I would be fine with the changed schedule.

 

I feel there should be at least a couple days between when one challenge is due until when the next is posted. This new schedule is fine if you don't have RL things that need attention, or aren't working on other stories outside this challenge. I prefer the original way even if it does take longer. Having to judge the stories for challenge 4 and think of how to do the fifth challenge at basically the same time is too stressful.

I like to think of the way we do it now is a little like going back to childhood and feeling the anticipation of opening birthday or Christmas presents when we wait to see what everyone else wrote, then the nerves come in as you wonder if the people you got presents for like them is like when we're waiting for the voting results.

 

I've got way too much to write as it is, so I'd prefer to keep the schedule the same. That and I agree with C1-J2's point.

 

Challenge Three now voting!

Sorry it took me so long to get these up, it was a busy day!


Voting Deadline: Saturday Feb. 28th at 12 noon.


VOTING RULES:

1. Please read all entries before voting. You can find links to the other era threads below!

2. All writers still in must vote or use a vote pass. If you do not vote and don't have your voting pass you will be subjected to a penalty.

3. Do NOT vote positive or negative because you love/hate those characters or pairing, you should be voting on how well the story follows the prompt, characterization, creativity etc., not for the characters themselves.

4. Send a PM with your votes and a reason, please. Try and be as specific as possible if only to help the author improve but you don't have to write a novel either. happy
Example: I vote for [story number/name here] as the best story because it used the prompt very creatively.

I vote for [story number/name here] as the writer to become one with the Force because I felt the characterization was not accurate.

5. If you beta for one of the writers, please don't vote in either direction for that writer as you know which story is theirs and that completely defeats the purpose of the anonymity. I have no way of checking so we are on the honor system!

6.No voting more than once by using socks!


Entry Threads:
Beyond the Saga

The Saga

Before the Saga

 

My vote is in. All the entries were so good! I liked them all. It's a shame to have to vote against someone. I apologize to who ever wrote the story I voted "OWTF" for

 

My vote is in too. Only five stories..... I enjoy reading all the other entrances, because they are always so good and I love seeing what all you lot came up with for the same dare, and this made me realize that there will be fewer and fewer stories further along the way

It did make voting easier, but only because there was less to choose from, not because it was less hard to make the choices. (ehm, I hope that made sense)

 

It made perfect sense to me because I was thinking along similar lines. It makes it easier to have less stories to read, yet when all the entries are well written, it's very hard to point to one and say, "This is the one should be put in the funeral pyre".

But, such is the nature of this challenge. By entering we agreed to do it... does that make us insane?

One note on something I've observed: I'm glad to see that people aren't trying to vote off an obviously good story to get rid of the competition like I saw them do on "Survivor" when I watched a random episode or two to see what the fuss about it was.

 

Yes, it does make you all insane but you know you love it!



I agree with you on your observation, I am very glad that hasn't happened here too. Of course on Survivor they can all conspire with each other to vote off the strongest player, it would be much harder to do that here.

 

As in most things, Google is our friend.

This link http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=time+in+la+california&btnG=Google+Search&aq=f&oq= provides you the current time for LA, which also happens to be the time for the Boards.

NOW, if you want to get really fancy, and you're down to the last few hours (say, you've checked the time over at Google, and you know that you have 1.5 hours left) then you get to use Eggtimer!

so, if you want a nice little timer that counts down, say 1 hour, and 30 minutes, then you'd do:
http://e.ggtimer.com/1hour30minutes

 

I'm also very glad that doesn't happen! It would take a lot of fun out of doing this. No matter who wins, the main fun is the stories and that everyone comes up with such great ones. And yes, makes an effort to vote rightly and give their reasons for the votes.

i think that giving those reasons was a great idea, and also that we can get those reasons and learn from them.

All in all, I think you've done and are doing a wonderful job with this, mavjade and I'm very glad to be a part of it

Those are great links, Kidan, I'll be sure to keep them handy somewhere, thanks! Especially that count down looks great

 

Voting ends in about four hours. Do you know where your vote is?