Experimental Writing Practice

Greets,
I was wondering if anyone would be interested in writing random short-stories for the purpose of practice in various styles and contents.

What I mean is a monthly or weekly set of 'keys' which the participants would submit writing on for critiquing by others (Creative, Presentation only, it is not a competition of content.). The random factor is to make it so one has to engage research and take different approaches. Instead of story after story on aliens and vampires with only names and places changed

Some example key sets:
First Person Perspective
Great Depression
Leprechauns
Palm Trees
Portugal

Diary/Letter Format
Corporate Fraud
An old picture
The Color: Mauve
Thai Food
Stinky Shoes

Third Person Narrative
Beach Ball
Extinct Animal
Vacuum Tube Computers
New Mexico
Elves

And the likes, this way with enough people we could wind up with a huge array of subjects to look at presentation strengths and weaknesses, realism, detail etc. etc. so all participating can improve. This again is not a competition.

If I submit a real stinker of a story that makes the enamel on your teach shatter-don't just say "It sucks". Point out where it can be improved while remaining true to the story itself. If the Author wants to focus on a specific topic-dont tell them another topic would have been better, explain why it seems the topic was vague.

And the likes...

Anyone interested? If so I was thinking we could give it a couple weeks for sign-ups and then start.

Well, I pondered this for exactly twenty-three seconds . . . then
decided it would be sheer torture to commit to such a nefarious
plan. Just trying to get the "juices flowing" sometimes takes all of
ones' energy.

Not that it's a bad idea . .

It's just that Masqua has it in for some of us, demanding minimal
contributions that already take just about all we've got . .
(I know he has little voodoo dolls that he sticks with pins and
chants "more words", "more words", "more words".)

Seriously though, I wish you luck.

But what the heck is "Greets" ?
And . ." the enamel on your teach" ?

Originally posted by SIEGE
Well, I pondered this for exactly twenty-three seconds . . . then
decided it would be sheer torture to commit to such a nefarious
plan. Just trying to get the "juices flowing" sometimes takes all of
ones' energy.

Not that it's a bad idea . .

It's just that Masqua has it in for some of us, demanding minimal
contributions that already take just about all we've got . .
(I know he has little voodoo dolls that he sticks with pins and
chants "more words", "more words", "more words".)

Seriously though, I wish you luck.

But what the heck is "Greets" ?
And . ." the enamel on your teach" ?

Greets = greetings, only with more of the lazy powder.
"enamel on your teach" is my living up to my moniker, how I got "teach" from "teeth"... I have no clue. Someone was probably talking to me while I was typing, yeah, thats it.

So, safe to expect this Masqua stopping by?

Glad you have a sense of humor. This . . this Masqua now . . I'm
not sure about. His presence is everywhere, and nowhere.

He is the Guru.

He is the catalyst.

He is the spirit.

Originally posted by lordtyp0

... we could wind up with a huge array of subjects to look at presentation strengths and weaknesses, realism, detail etc. etc. so all participating can improve. This again is not a competition.

I am SO into this and hope that it will happen. There is value in minimalism where short stories are concerned. At times, a couple of paragraphs are enough to enlighten where reams of pages dull the senses.

After all, as you say, it's not a competition and there need be no constraints applied either toward or away from voluminousnous (a new word I just made up ).

If I submit a real stinker of a story that makes the enamel on your teach shatter-don't just say "It sucks". Point out where it can be improved while remaining true to the story itself. If the Author wants to focus on a specific topic-dont tell them another topic would have been better, explain why it seems the topic was vague.

Something which is sadly lacking in the writing forums is decent criticism of work done. The simple reality is that stories are seldom commented on unless they are well received. Anything negative usually is confined to a few sentences or not at all, which is a shame since there are some VERY capable writers among us.

The problem is generally that most amateur writers DO NOT LIKE to be criticised for their creative attempts and take it badly. If, in the opening of a story, both positive and negative reaction is actually asked for, there might be a better response (hopefully).

The best place to situate such attempts at bettering our abilities would be this forum set up for writers only. Collaboration is more than just collaborative writing, it is also helping each other improve and the only way to do that is through constructive criticism.

SEIGE... I like your style

[edit on 21/12/09 by masqua]

Case in point:

The Foggy Lady

This story above is like the shortest I've written on ATS and yet it is, to me anyways, the most poignant piece I've done long before I became the voodoo guru mod SEIGE laments. There is SO much said in so few words.

If you like it, please tell me why, but also tell me what is lacking in it and how it seems to fall short.

Lets see if our fellow writers can make it a better story.

reply to post by masqua


Exactly.
Ideally I was thinking all the participants would make a bit of a pact with each other. Objective shredding if you will, so each person can build on ideas and flesh out the story instead of presuming an idea is great-when it's really mediocre or at least expressed in a mediocre way.

The only way to learn and improve is to be aware of mistakes.

Otherwise (seem to be typing that word a lot today.), we could start it with just a handful of people and add more later.

With regards to size: If it is long, would it be better to post to a service like scribd or googledocs with sharing and linked (to avoid unneeded cluttering of the databases on ATS.)?

Originally posted by lordtyp0
With regards to size: If it is long, would it be better to post to a service like scribd or googledocs with sharing and linked (to avoid unneeded cluttering of the databases on ATS.)?

I wouldn't worry about the database at all. The only restriction to consider might be the number of characters allowed in a post and that grows with the amount of posts a member makes. (i.e. my character maximum is 10,000 and can be seen below the 'Post Reply' box when composing.

What I do for a VERY long story is write it out in Notepad and then copy/paste it into as many posts in the start of a thread as it takes.

I see you gave us 3 "sets" for this week's exercises; but, I'm confused.

Do we have to use ALL of the elements in each set or just one?

The elements don't even go together as a group, that's what confused me.

Thanks!

Originally posted by Trexter Ziam
I see you gave us 3 "sets" for this week's exercises; but, I'm confused.

Do we have to use ALL of the elements in each set or just one?

The elements don't even go together as a group, that's what confused me.

Thanks!

Those sets were just examples of the random elements (not supposed to be thematic), and yeah the idea is to use all the elements in one story in some manner-preferably tied into the plot. To include things one normally would not consider etc. etc..

Originally posted by masqua

After all, as you say, it's not a competition and there need be no constraints applied either toward or away from voluminousnous (a new word I just made up

).

May I humbly suggest:
voluminousness

vo·lu·mi·nous (v-lm-ns)
adj.
1. Having great volume, fullness, size, or number: a voluminous trunk; a voluminous cloud.
2. Filling or capable of filling a large volume or many volumes: the voluminous court record of the long trial.
3. Ample or lengthy in speech or writing.

Originally posted by masqua
The best place to situate such attempts at bettering our abilities would be this forum set up for writers only. Collaboration is more than just collaborative writing, it is also helping each other improve and the only way to do that is through constructive criticism.

SEIGE... I like your style

[edit on 21/12/09 by masqua]

Absolutely your enlightenedness!

Originally posted by masqua
Case in point:

The Foggy Lady

This story above is like the shortest I've written on ATS and yet it is, to me anyways, the most poignant piece I've done long before I became the voodoo guru mod SEIGE laments. There is SO much said in so few words.

If you like it, please tell me why, but also tell me what is lacking in it and how it seems to fall short.

Lets see if our fellow writers can make it a better story.

Not "it", that would suggest altering, rather points that may need clarification, vis.

"Cliffs face clouded over and I could see he was bugged."

The term "bugged" for most people would bring visions of hidden microphones, startled perhaps or something along those lines.

That being said I could picture the whole scene clearly, I was captured from the opening lines, that is the mark of a good story.

Descriptives are often the bane of the writer, yet are so important to set a scene, vis.

The stifling square baked at noon, a zephyr passed, the flag barely raised a corner to mark it's passing.

vs.

The hot square was still, a small breeze moved the flag.

Usually I will write, polish, put away then repolish before posting.

Just to bump this.
Whoever would like to participate: Send me a U2U. I would like to get started some time on the week of the 10th. (personally this upcoming week is going to be brutal.)

Originally posted by lordtyp0
Just to bump this.
Whoever would like to participate: Send me a U2U. I would like to get started some time on the week of the 10th. (personally this upcoming week is going to be brutal.)

Sure thing, this week is busy down under also.

:>