Finish The Story Contest - Week #1

in #finishthestory2 years ago (edited)

CTS_1.jpg

Welcome, honourable authors, fellow participants and lovers of dedicated exchange,

here now, as announced, the first round of the reawakened "Finish the Story" competition!

Before I serve the beginning of the story, a few things about the procedure and the criteria.

How this contest works:

  • An unfinished fiction story is posted.
  • You finish it with your own post on your blog.
  • Use the #finishthestory as your first tag.
  • Make your entry visible by linking it in the comment section.
  • Duration of the competition: One week.
  • A limit of 500-700 words is recommended.
    If you don't slavishly adhere to it, it's no big deal. But going over the limit too rampantly will result in few or no people being inclined to read and engage with your story.
  • Rating/voting on the entries of other authors are highly welcomed - you can vote by whim or use the suggested rating system, like shown below. For this, cast also your numbers next to your given feedback. Like so: "my ratings to this story are 7/3". If you decide against the rating system, announce your personal winner in the comment section down below.

Author Rewards:

  • 8 Hive for the winner
  • 5 Hive for the 2nd
  • 3 Hive for the 3d

Commenter reward - most helpful/inspiring comment:

  • 8 Hive

Anyone planning to improve their writing style will welcome an engaging commentary that points out weaknesses as well as strengths. Commenting is not about exclusively praising and expressing enthusiasm (which, of course, is gratefully welcomed). Use constructive feedback.

Within the 7 day window, this feedback might be used for alterations of the finished story by the author, so you may give your final vote in Hive value more to the end of the time window. But give your feedback/rating early on.



Experimentation - reflection on rating mechanism

I would like to experiment a bit, so I also suggest scaling in reactions to published finished stories.

Factor A

Emotional response (measuring yours - the reader's - willingness to engage with the story on a scale of 0-10) to the story content:

  • 0 = zero willingness to engage with the content of the story
  • 10 = absolute willingness to engage with the content of the story
  • All values in between assigned by feel.

In this graph you see some examples of how you can rate a story.

Unlike, a non-fiction topic, the emotional response to a fiction text can be highly negative (anger, annoyance, horror, disgust, alienation, irritation). Just as deeply positive (joy, laughter, surprise, well-being, irritation). And everything in between.

Both are well known phenomena. The author may want to achieve exactly that: that someone gets irritated by the narrative.

As may have been noticed, I listed the term "irritation" on both engagement measures. Irritation can be perceived both positively and negatively.

Factor B

Anything that doesn't feel emotional, such as the tense, form of text (headlines, paragraphs etc.), stylistic devices, the number of adjectives used, the number of characters, the amount of effort evident in the elaboration of scenes and characters, then feeds into the rest of a story's rating.

[Note: As fluidly and effortlessly as a story may seem to have been created, it is perhaps precisely this that defines the quality of a text. Therefore, neither the length of the text nor the multitude of adjectives are decisive, but their composition. A winning text can also be very short and still be convincing.]

Here, you can see an example how the winners can be selected:

Ultimately, you can decide completely spontaneously - without scaling and factors - and no one shall cry "Foul!".

As much as I like to use some aid for evaluating, in fiction writing some rule braking actually can spice up the performance. Irritating the audience uses often disruptive and unusual elements.

And now, let's get to the given story!


The Job

by @erh.germany

I've turned up the heating because my freezing limbs are overtired and I had eaten little. I was one of the last suits to leave the event. In my briefcase, smelling of men's perfume, the deposit slips and signatures. The initiated guests had clapped and hoorayed like silly, the uninitiated had wondered, some sceptic, others curios. Like every time at these gatherings. The job was to bring them in. Appelt's charismatic speech has become a stoic repetition. How did Appelt manage to look like a fresh breeze up there on stage, every single time?

The warmth makes me all too comfortable in the leather driver's seat and I have trouble staying awake behind the wheel. The ride is monotonous.

At half past two in the night, there is hardly any business on the roads. In a deserted village, the traffic light turns red. Really?! After stopping briefly to see if any other vehicles cross the lane, I speed up. Car obeys nicely. It momentarily gives me a sense of unreality, just like a flash of guilt, which I immediately drown out with a laugh. What a lawbreaker I am!

On the highway, things get even worse. At over a hundred kilometers per hour and driving only straight ahead, I find myself closing my eyes, amazed and more than irritated with myself for continuing to drive even though it could end with me at any time. The inner struggle, however, wants to go on. ... Why don't I drive off and look for a parking space? But even for that I am just too tired, as crazy as it feels. I chuckle, a dazed man, from my own thoughts, for sure a stupid grin on my face.

Well, I'll be! I must have fallen asleep again, my vehicle already almost touching the guardrail, I quickly correct the course. I find myself strange, because I hardly take my foot off the gas. I tear my eyes wide open, just like my mouth, imagining I have frog eyes and my face is as felxible as chewing gum. That helps. For about two seconds. Oncoming vehicles blind me. I inwardly salute the nocturnal drivers who get another quarter of a second out of it with their lights.

"Stay awake," I command, muttering it to myself. "Stay awake stay awake stay awake stayawake stayawake awakesaywake ... ." This turns into a beautiful melody I can hear in my mind "Sail away, sail away, sail away ... "

I am delighted, feels good. My eyes fall shut.

...

Continue the story, dear lovers of storytelling!


P.S. Anyone here with talent in graphic design? I have not yet received a response from f3nix, the previous creator of the contest and the graphic used. So it might be good to come up with a new design. Who is up for it?


Edit: I changed the title picture. Please, don't be irritated. It might need a new design.

Sort:  

Do you like fractal art? I'll try to come up with a design

Oh, that's a really friendly offer. Thank you! I would wait though, until I get an answer from @f3nix, I may get hold of him through discord, if we are allowed to use the original design. I will come back to you, if that's okay :)

All good, I just hope he's well :)

All is fine. I changed the graphic already in the meantime, in case, we are not allowed to use the original one, which I can understand, of course. It's not a final design, just a quick make without any effort.

What did he say? I have my story written, by the way :)

From his answer I derive that I shall not use the graphic and so I changed the title picture.

As long as you feel like creating a figurative mark and its fun for you, why not? I will probably rename the so far used tag into "continue the story" / #continuethestory for the next round.

I have my story written, by the way :)

Cool! But I cannot find it. Or haven't you published it yet?

I'm adding image and tags as we speak :)

Okay, got that. Will revert soon.

Greetings @erh.germany,

Just stopped by to check out your contest here.

Realistically I'm not going to be able to partake in this one, because we're on the last day and I have an immense workload at the moment and am very much behind on things, but..

I do enjoy creative writing and is an aspect of my blog that has been pretty much nonexistent for some time now. Do you intend to do these regularly? I noticed this is labelled Week 1 so I'm assuming maybe you are going to do this again.

I will keep an eye out, and please feel free to tag me like you did in the comments below with the other accounts! This is super helpful, as my efficiency for checking people I follow kind of sucks lol.

I love this idea, you're a very cool creatively artistic person and I'm happy to have discovered you through my friend @owasco :)

Greetings to you @futuremind,

no problem, I just (re)-started this contest and will go on most likely, probably every 14 days or weekly, I will manage it flexibly. I am always happy meeting people who like creative writing.

HaHa, I'll give you notice, Sir, being your super nice secretary. LOL ;-)

Thank you for the compliment, I take it with a happy heart. I am going to check out your blog soon. Yes, owasco is a really good writer and also a free spirit.

Week #1 started!

I promised to tag some of the people who would like to take part in the finish the story contest, or, from whom I think they might be interested. So, here I go:

@owasco, @amberkashif, @samsmith1971, @jesustiano, @meinekleinewelt, @deeanndmathews , @kemmyb, @davidbright, @wrestlingdesires, @an-man, @oivas.

I apologize if I have forgotten someone.

In eager anticipation, I look forward to the submissions of completed stories. I hope you all have fun!

Thanks for the tag @erh.germany . Congratulations on starting the contest. I pray for its success.

Hehe. Honestly speaking, fiction writing is not my niche but I am sure @sunnyag will definitely come up with something interesting. @ayesha-malik you may also try to be in here.

Good luck everyone

Thank you :)
While fiction writing may not be your niche, you might like to vote or rate for the entries?

It's very friendly of you to tag some others who might like to join in. Highly appreciated!

Certainly, I would love to read, vote and upvote

I never had encountered many implementations for writing a fictional story, so I am afraid I wouldn't merit for this contest hehe but will check the work of other writers;
@mrenglish @princessbusayo @preets come forward Nah👍

Lol. You remember once you completed the story by ma'am Tiger. You did it well na. There is no harm in trying

Hehe, that was a unique experience but yes I can give it a try😉😁

Yes, give it a try. Go with your flow :)

Ohoo😃😃 not me dear @ayesha-malik I can not do it😂
Please you go for it dear 😊

Hahaha don't why we both are running 😂 lol
Don't worry I would try my best to finish it.

Yes! Danke SEHR!

:) Bitte schön.

Ich werde meine Arbeit in Kürze fertig haben (natürlich auf Englisch)!

ah, wie toll, du sprichst Deutsch! Was für eine schöne Überraschung.
Bist du fließend in beiden Sprachen?
Ich leider nicht, muss immer noch einen Übersetzer bemühen.
Freue mich, dass du mitmachst und bin schon sehr gespannt auf deinen Fortgang der Geschichte. Liebe Grüße!

Ich habe Deutsch in die Universität gelernt ... aber habe ich viel Deutsch vergessen! Ich freue mich über jede Gelegenheit, mein Deutsch zu üben ... aber ist Google Translate auch ein Teil meines Lebens!

Ich empfehle dir ein viel besseres Übersetzungs-Programm: Deepl.com - es ist weitaus besser als google :) Probiere es mal aus.

Wie kommt es, dass du Deutsch an der Uni hattest, wenn ich fragen darf?

Relax, might join next week, im still a bit too busy rn :S

Did we used to do this grading business? I don't remember it. I think I'll spend more time doing that than I will writing the story!

And must we use the graphic as our image? Could we use it as a footer instead, or do you have a footer for us to use?

Looking forward to participating

Did we used to do this grading business?

No. I take the freedom in suggesting an aid, if one is not sure about how to rate or vote. I have a different approach towards it and maybe it'll be liked; I also like experimenting. It's not a big deal, once you've got the grips of it, or so I think ;-) - you can do as you wish, it's a "can", not a "must".

And must we use the graphic as our image? Could we use it as a footer instead, or do you have a footer for us to use?

No. Use whatever picture you like and which fits the finished story, from your point of view. The graphic will be, as it seems, not further used. I am talking right now to the originator.

I am looking forward, too :D

Thank you for the entry.
I will read it with anticipation and am looking forward to your ending!

@litguru interested?

This sounds interesting. I'll see if I can get my muse out of the couch. :)

Thanks for letting me know @samsmith1971

You are very welcome.

HaHa! Let the muse come to your couch, dear writer! :)

Thank you, I am curious on your take on it!

@kenechukwu97 @jayna I would love to see entries from you :)

Kenechukwu? Hahaha!

He does want to try new things 😂

Here's my entry. I'm on my way to read the others.

Thanks for reading! This was fun to write.

Death Of A Salesman

Thank you. I am excited to read it!

Was Finally able to cook up some story for this contest. Check it out: THE JOB | 420KM TO HELL

I did. Thank you!

Hello! Here is my entry. I hope you like the story. 🙂

I already replied :) Thank you for participating!

Here's my entry: The Job (Continued).

Thank you @samsmith1971 and @erh.germany!

Thank you from coming out of your couch ;-)

Appreciate that you take part and hope that you might stay with us.

@scholaris, if you get a chance, and have the time, bookmark this and read all the entries. Some brilliant finishes to @erh.germany's starter story. You'll recognise quite a few of the contestants 😍 you may even want to have a go yourself next time. I think you'd do a fabulous job.