Short Story Contest #7 - Space Opera

[Champara Bros]

Contest ends in one hour and forty minutes.

time is GMT. dead line was hours ago.

 

[RiotZ]

time is GMT. dead line was hours ago.

About 24 of them I'd say.

 

[Grey Nightmare]

I really don't see the need for an extension, part of the challenge is completing the work under a set amount of time, almost anyone could create a masterpiece if they spent long enough on it

I'm sure they're all fine, congrats to all who've submitted something (even a WIP) anyhow, I know it's a busy time of year, I look forward to reading some of these.

 

[RiotZ]

I really don't see the need for an extension, part of the challenge is completing the work under a set amount of time, almost anyone could create a masterpiece if they spent long enough on it

I'm sure they're all fine, congrats to all who've submitted something (even a WIP) anyhow, I know it's a busy time of year, I look forward to reading some of these.

The overwhelming number of WiPs calls for an extension.

How can you have a contest where there are 3 entries, 3 contestants, and 3 places?

 

[The World Is Flat]

I think an extension would be nice personally and from a subjective prospective, i was so busy personally and only had 2 days to write that bit between work.

 

[Apheraz Lucent]

Now I'm definitively sure I will have enough time to judge all stories the same day when the contest ends. Count me in as a judge!

 

[Champara Bros]

I think an extension would be nice personally and from a subjective prospective, i was so busy personally and only had 2 days to write that bit between work.

I read your submission and you have not even started, and you were way past 4000 words. So judging from what you wrote space operas are, I wonder how could you not act according to your own theme. So far the only real event in entire story is appearance of killer shrooms. So yes extension would be nice for someone who did not even wrote a glimpse of what he intended. Do not get me wrong you are an excellent writer judging from your WiP. You use a lot of seldom heard expressions, catchy phrases, and overall you are really good. But if you had no time to finish your submission you should have just said so. I am busy too, so I wrote 2300 word story and fitted everything into it. Any way good luck, I hope you get your extension because I am really hoping to hear the rest of your work.

 

[RiotZ]

I read your submission and you have not even started, and you were way past 4000 words. So judging from what you wrote space operas are, I wonder how could you not act according to your own theme. So far the only real event in entire story is appearance of killer shrooms. So yes extension would be nice for someone who did not even wrote a glimpse of what he intended. Do not get me wrong you are an excellent writer judging from your WiP. You use a lot of seldom heard expressions, catchy phrases, and overall you are really good. But if you had no time to finish your submission you should have just said so. I am busy too, so I wrote 2300 word story and fitted everything into it. Any way good luck, I hope you get your extension because I am really hoping to hear the rest of your work.

You realize you can't rush a story, I wrote around 4,000 words also, and I'm not even close to finished! In fact it seems a bit rushed to me at 4,000.

Nothing happens in my story until about 3,500, but I'm sure you have read it.

 

[Gausslander]

If I knew there wasn't going to be an actual deadline I would've worked out an extra 10,000 words. Why should we reward slackers who couldn't even write their story in time before the contest ended? We've never done this for any other contest, we have more than three contestants, we should start the poll and get to voting so we can proceed with Short Story Contest #8.

 

[Brambleclaw]

The whole idea is not because people were slacking but there were many wips where people ran out of time due to heavy work loads or other things in there life. And its not always best to reward somone an easy victory just because they have an abundance of free time> :L Because they have nothing better to do T_T

As to write a full 10 thousand word story should take you 8 hours. Then another 8 hours to perfect it. Thats 2/3 of a day in writing some people just arn't this free

 

[Gausslander]

Theyve had a month. And it only has to be 2000 words.

 

[Avator]

If somebody writes 2000 words, it doesn't mean they have written a story... Every story will surely surpass that by a few thousand.

 

[Brambleclaw]

Actually it was 2 weeks :L and same said as above the idea is to get a decent story not a 2000word minimum bare slap up. The whole idea of this contest is for all contestants to be at there best :L Doesn't work if half of them can't complete anything due to time constraints due to other more important things. The idea is that you get competition. Well there is competition but its been allowed only bare work rushed entries :L.

You seem to be supporting this because the 3 actually completed stories are guaranteed A place simply because they were complete. And i would much prefer it if this competition didnt have to stoop so low that a person wins a prize because no one else was able in thie time limit to create a piece because of external issues/pressures. Its more like a form of cheating the system :L or luck ._. and it doesn't make the competitive of a competition i would like to see.
Its nice where there are willing entries that you get decent entries.

I mean look at the terraining competition, that was extended by a few days due to everyone by the day having minor fixes even though there were 3 entries they though it was fit that every one should be able to make tweaks so their work could be the best they could make it.


At the end of a competition the whole point is the work produced :L

 

[Gausslander]

Well my guess is there is going to be an extension, so ill have to do a rewrite to keep up with
all of the slackers.

 

[Brambleclaw]

If your not a slacker. And you believed your work was your best instead of okay then you wouldn't have to rewrite. you just proved my point. Just want a minimumn bare work shortest story possible just so u can pass :L even when there is proper competition which cant due to time constraints and external pressure T_T. Also an extension has niether been confirmed nor denied as of present T_T

 

[The World Is Flat]

I'm at around 4,500 i believe. and its horribly incomplete champara bros. also, contest get extended all the time, all i am saying is it would be nice, i'm not whining, i'm speaking subjectively and contextually, not principally.

 

[RiotZ]

Well my guess is there is going to be an extension, so ill have to do a rewrite to keep up with
all of the slackers.

I don't think you need to rewrite, I think you kicked every other contestants ass with ease. ._.

 

[Gausslander]

If your not a slacker. And you believed your work was your best instead of okay then you wouldn't have to rewrite. you just proved my point. Just want a minimumn bare work shortest story possible just so u can pass :L even when there is proper competition which cant due to time constraints and external pressure T_T. Also an extension has niether been confirmed nor denied as of present T_T

Why do you even post in this thread? You're not even participating... anyway...
My story (if you had bother to read it instead of randomly assuming that it's shit) is well-thought out and complete. I just didn't know there would be extra time, and if I did, I would have might've spent more time adding in different plot-lines and characters.

 

[Brambleclaw]

Maybe you need to do more listening i have aleady ready your story and i commented it i also posted a wip which is at 739 words :L which tomorrow and at the weekend i will extend to a proper story nearing >3000 words with or without an extension :L.

I'm not asking a extension specifically for me instead i believe it would be better for all contestants because i have seen so many people having to rush to finish. Which shouldn't be how writing is> You should never have to rush T_T


And if you what you say is true then you could also benefit from the extension :L

 

[Dragonson]

Well if you want an extension CONTACT PYRITIE.
Dont keep posting 'bout it here! Nothing will happen until someone takes it up with him.
And for those that want to NOT have the contest extended i have to say the same.
Go ask pyr to get the polll going and let's get over with.

I had to do this SEVERAL TIMES over the last two contest, and i'm NOT doing it again.

 

[The World Is Flat]

I already did, i'm pretty sure its a sure deal.

and complete

AHAHAAHAHHAHAHAHAHAahaahahahahhahahaahaa........

 

[Gausslander]

AHAHAAHAHHAHAHAHAHAahaahahahahhahahaahaa........

I wish I had one-thousand dollars to donate to the hive so I could get extensions whenever I wanted. Oh well.

 

[Phoonix]

do you truly think the 1000$ have anything to do with it?

 

[Gausslander]

No im just talking out of my ass. I dont care about the extension as much as i care about a fair competition.

 

[RiotZ]

I wish I had one-thousand dollars to donate to the hive so I could get extensions whenever I wanted. Oh well.

Lol Gauss stop pms-ing bro. If I had a thousand spare dollars it certainly wouldn't go to a guy I don't know, living in Finland (or where ever he lives), no offense Ralle lol.

 

[Avator]

Gauss, relax. Nobody is cheating. He is just asking for an extension. And even if an extension would be cheating and Py would allow it, would you call him a cheater? I doubt it...

So instead of moaning, why don't you just let Py decide whether or not an extension is in place. If you think it's not, you can mail him with your request to not let it be extended instead of just complaining here where nobody can change it even if they want to.

 

[RiotZ]

I think TWIF is probably going to go MIA again.... So does anyone know the length of the extension?

 

[Grey Nightmare]

So let me put it this way, if there's an extension can I join? Write up and enter a piece despite not having produced a WiP for the original deadline?

 

[RiotZ]

So let me put it this way, if there's an extension can I join? Write up and enter a piece despite not having produced a WiP for the original deadline?

Eh, I don't know, now I kind of feel like Gauss. I don't think anyone else should be able to join after the deadline, that kind of sparks an unfair competition as Gauss said, just my opinion though.

 

[Bugz]

He lives in denmark...

 

[Gausslander]

Alright i guess ill write another story during the extension for the hell of it.

 

[Brambleclaw]

So let me put it this way, if there's an extension can I join? Write up and enter a piece despite not having produced a WiP for the original deadline?

In my oppinion: It would be better for the competition due to there being more competition in the first place thus making it a more enjoyable experiance for all and adding to an archive with another hopefully good or respectable story which would be enjoyable to read. As of fairness because you only entered/started after the extension it would be a disadvantage due to even less time so therefore it would be completly fair for the other contenders if not your lack or fallback. So in my oppinion it would be an honour.

I believe the whole idea of an extension is to allow for the majority to finish instead of a minority. I.E an extension should not be valid for one person as that would imbalance it but for a competition where over 50% of the contestants actually want it then yes that would be valid. As there are the majority of contestants who had to rush and wanting an extension i would say it is completly fair. :L



@ Gausslander good on you now theres two stories you can add to your collection and more joy for us readers ^^ looking forward to reading it :L

(Oh and as a tip in relation to your last story: Make it a bit of a slightly longer story as your last i found very good but unsatisfying as i believed it was niether having any of the main features of a Space opera nor having a true plot due to it being so short. And i look forward to reading a full well though out plot story which include at least 1 of The Themes main defining features. As well your story seemed more like an anecdote then of any true genre :L)

 

[Dragonson]

Ehm, i've see the conversation between Flat and Pyr, but nothing happening.
Are we gonna move on with this or not?

 

[Brambleclaw]

So who's making the poll or is there any need shall we just decide the winners right now?
Considering how there is about 3-4 contestants and one of them doesn't even follow the theme so would either be marked down loads or disquallified.

Also who r the judges?

 

[RiotZ]

So who's making the poll or is there any need shall we just decide the winners right now?
Considering how there is about 3-4 contestants and one of them doesn't even follow the theme so would either be marked down loads or disquallified.

Also who r the judges?

Who doesn't follow the theme?

And there is an extension dudes, so I don't know what you're talking about with this "decide the winners right now?"

 

[Champara Bros]

the point there is a deadline is the one where you have to get dedicated to the work. You should have written 2-10K word story for 14 days. Considering that on your life you should spend 18 hours that is 30 seconds per word (Assuming you reached the max limit). According to me the deadline was preety fair. hence the name of the short story contest.

 

[Grey Nightmare]

Eh, I don't know, now I kind of feel like Gauss. I don't think anyone else should be able to join after the deadline, that kind of sparks an unfair competition as Gauss said, just my opinion though.

I don't actually see myself entering but does that help you see my point against an extension? If it's a deadline, it's a deadline if you extend the competition - You extend the competition, you postpone the deadline as such people should still be allowed to join... Or there should be no extension and no I'm not trying to troll, just fight for a fair extension or none at all - I know a lot of people said they wouldn't have time to do this who would enjoy the chance to if you do indeed go ahead with an extension!

 

[RiotZ]

So who's making the poll or is there any need shall we just decide the winners right now?
Considering how there is about 3-4 contestants and one of them doesn't even follow the theme so would either be marked down loads or disquallified.

Also who r the judges?

That's why you are not a judge, everyone followed the theme. One person kind of didn't follow proper narrative, but I think it's stupid you have to write in third person.

No one should be disqualified, TWIF should stop be a lazy ass imo.

 

[Champara Bros]

It is not that twif is lazy or other user who participated. It is just that I read their stories about the lifes of some losers on some stations. They prolonged the action so much that they did not even get to the part of supernatural forces or advanced technologies. All that they wrote is just a life of some guy that can very easily be tranfered into this century or even before this century. Assuming that shuttle is hellicopter, space station oil platform and there you go. Imo so many users wrote too much and did not even got to the point of this contest.

 

[Ignitedstar]

So... all of the arguing is great and all, but none of it makes a difference if the ones who are supposed to be in charge of this contest aren't here... lol

 

[Gausslander]

It is not that twif is lazy or other user who participated. It is just that I read their stories about the lifes of some losers on some stations. They prolonged the action so much that they did not even get to the part of supernatural forces or advanced technologies. All that they wrote is just a life of some guy that can very easily be tranfered into this century or even before this century. Assuming that shuttle is hellicopter, space station oil platform and there you go. Imo so many users wrote too much and did not even got to the point of this contest.

The point you're not getting is that it was in space. It had space ships. It had space engines. The theme was centered around a man's inability to fly space ships whose engines he fixed. I made it interchangeable so it'd feel new and original, not because I couldn't follow the theme. There are thousands of stories that could be written in any era with any setting, but they chose the ones that they did and that's what matters. Many stories have had settings flipped around, or time shifted either in the future or in the past. That doesn't make it not a space opera, it just makes it different than what you imagine a space opera to be.

 

[Dragonson]

I'm beginning to think we should just do away with short story contests. There's always so much drama around them you could take a swim in it. :/

 

[Bugz]

Just make a big one instead, give them two month's. And after tell them to keep quiet since they got double time

 

[Avator]

I'm beginning to think we should just do away with short story contests. There's always so much drama around them you could take a swim in it. :/

There's drama in practically every contest...

 

[Grey Nightmare]

No one should be disqualified, TWIF should stop be a lazy ass imo.

Just because someone lacks an abundance of free time and works their complete ass off almost all day, every day it doesn't make them a lazy ass. It's the freaking Hiveworkshop, that's the source of the drama not SSC contests specifically.

 

[Champara Bros]

The point you're not getting is that it was in space. It had space ships. It had space engines. The theme was centered around a man's inability to fly space ships whose engines he fixed. I made it interchangeable so it'd feel new and original, not because I couldn't follow the theme. There are thousands of stories that could be written in any era with any setting, but they chose the ones that they did and that's what matters. Many stories have had settings flipped around, or time shifted either in the future or in the past. That doesn't make it not a space opera, it just makes it different than what you imagine a space opera to be.

I was not referring entirely to you. You are paranoid because my description matches your work. i was giving an example based on you and the other users. About space opera. Example: Startrek. Advanced technologies, holograms, superpowered aliens etc. Starwars: The Force !!!.
You story is ideal for a novel, longer story, but in short story there simply is no place for abundant description and real interesting part of every story.

 

[The World Is Flat]

I'll be extending for one week. exactly 7 days. so the 11th at 23:59 GMT 0:00

 

[Brambleclaw]

The point you're not getting is that it was in space. It had space ships. It had space engines. The theme was centered around a man's inability to fly space ships whose engines he fixed. I made it interchangeable so it'd feel new and original, not because I couldn't follow the theme. There are thousands of stories that could be written in any era with any setting, but they chose the ones that they did and that's what matters. Many stories have had settings flipped around, or time shifted either in the future or in the past. That doesn't make it not a space opera, it just makes it different than what you imagine a space opera to be.

Nope it would be a futuristic Drama. Im afraid the whole idea of a Space opera is (Bad science fiction) Space opera as a theme or genre basically is very over the top. It doesn't mean as example was given just some small story. As a rule of thumb space opera is big scale and usually has romance. For a story to even be remotely considered part of a genre it must contain at least one trait or feature of said genre. Now i hardly see by adding spaceships it suddenly becomes space opera. No instead its just a future setting. Its like is Science fiction science fiction because its in the future. So how come you get Sc-Fi set in the past :L How come you get Sc-Fi which is set in the present. Because sc-fi is more of stories based of scientific theories concepts or ideas some more realistic than overs I.E Zombies are science fiction :L. Space opera is more so Futuristic wars as the picture of the contest shows ._. but meh

You cannot say it makes it different from what you imagine of a space opera otherwise you could say its another genre. A Space opera is a space opera it will have certain defined characteristics you can't go branding a drama as a comedy now can you. The whole idea of having Genres is to Categorize books/stories. Now what would be the point of that if you just branded anything as anything. It would make the readers lost.

Would you go into a library get out a "Murder mystery" book read the first 10 pages and find out that its actually a Romance between 2 lovers say Romeo and Jueliet. No you would not be happy about that at all.

Maybe Mcbeth was actually a Sci Fi block buster turned into a book :L.
Or how about Star trek being a old style comedy.
Maybe Star wars was actually a Romcom



Extension of 1 week yey looking forward to reading all the new/finished works

 

[Avator]

I think a lot of people have no idea what is space opera and what's not. For example: Romance is no requirement. Take a look at this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_space_opera_media
It had board games with space opera as theme. I have never seen a board game with romance. Leave alone any of those. I mean you won't hear me say "come lets get cute, cozy and romantic with Warhammer 40k"...
The Halo series don't have any romance either for as far as I know. There's a virtual lady in the Spartan's head, but I think that's as much of a relationship they'll ever get.

Like that, there are many more examples that do not match the description of space opera I have heard mainly. So I think next time, we should have a theme that everybody understands. This one is (obviously) not clear enough.

Now with that said, let's get back to topic. Since we have an extension, use this threat to post WIPs and such once again.

 

[Dragonson]

I'll be extending for one week. exactly 7 days. so the 11th at 23:59 GMT 0:00

Time to put on the Dream Theater and do some polishing...