Book Info

Project Leader:
Bnaslund
Participants:
The WEbook community
Who Can Write:
All Participants (Closed)
Category:
Fiction
Genre:
General
Sci Fi/Fantasy
Language:
English

Project Forums

Chat

OVERVIEW

We’re going to keep the description of this challenge brief. We realized the last description was a little novel-esque, and you guys probably didn’t sign-up to read a novel during your writing challenge time. So here it is, short and sweet:

Create a world. Then destroy it. All in 300 words.

The recent rapture thing that was supposed to occur a few weeks ago, combined with the impending 2012 doom got us thinking about end-of-the-world stories. There are a lot of them. That got us thinking about creation myths. There are a lot of those, too.

So, we thought it’d be fun/useful to have everyone develop one of each. After all, every story has a beginning and an end, so this is, like, applicable to the greater craft of writing.

A few particulars:

#1. The TOTAL word count limit is 300 words, but you don’t need to divide that count evenly between your creation and your destruction sections. Creation can be 200 words, destruction can be 100. Or, creation can be 5 words and destruction can be 295. It’s totally up to you.

#2. You can create an Earth creation/destruction myth, but you don’t have to. You can do one for a puddle or an ant colony or Mars. Basically, you can define a “world” however you want, which is where a lot of the innovation in this challenge can be…innovated.

A suggestion:

If you’re considering an extremely violent/dark/morbid end of the world, ask yourself if doing so adds substance to your entry, or just shock value.

The deadline for the Alpha Omega challenge is 10 pm EST on June 30, 2011. As far as we know, there are no scheduled ends of the world between now and then, be we didn’t check all that carefully.

To enter the challenge, start a new chapter of this writing project. You can revise your entry anytime up until the deadline, so it never hurts to submit early and get some feedback from the WEbook writing community.

WEbook will pick six winners, award them free entry to PageToFame—our flagship writing contest—and give the ultimate winner a choice between end of world item #1 and end of world item #2.

Good luck,

—WEbook

Note #1: WEbook does not take into account the user ratings when deciding who will win the challenge. We read each submission carefully, and decide the winners based on our own judgment.

Note #2: There is sometimes a word count discrepancy between MS Word and WEbook's word count editor, causing authors' entries to appear to go a few words over the limit. Don't worry about this! We are aware of the issue and a few extra words will not affect our consideration of your writing.

Note #3: Only one submission per person, please (you can, however, revise up until the deadline).

book_central

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The Alpha Omega Writing Challenge

Create a world. Then destroy it. All in 300 words.

GIVE FEEDBACK

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Earlier Feedback

Shiby

7/25/2011 8:41 AM PDT

They might announce at the end of the month...argh 5 more days?! We can't WAIT for 5 more days!!!

@Ophelia xD

OpheliaWrites

7/18/2011 7:43 AM PDT

Perhaps the reviewers were raptured and no winners will be posted?

Domicus

7/17/2011 3:33 PM PDT

ugh! i want results!!!! haha i'm dying with anticipation!

Conquiztador

7/15/2011 3:57 AM PDT

I think we are still waiting for the results.

Euclides_Montes

7/13/2011 8:24 AM PDT

Does anybody know where I can find the winners of this challenge? I'd love to read them (and secretly hope I'm one of them :)

carolt

6/29/2011 4:23 PM PDT

I will not stop. I will not stop until I get what I want.

I notice you from across the room. You notice me. We make eye contact as we weave our way across the room.

I flirt with you, you flirt with me. We dance together spinning a web around the room.

I ask if you would like to come home with me. You agree willingly.

I take you home and get what I want.

Now that I have what I want, I no longer need you.

I open my mouth to kill you and swallow you whole.

I am a Black Widow.

Shiby

6/28/2011 11:48 AM PDT

My short story 'Free Us' seems off. Can someone read over and let me know what's wrong? Dx

It's driving me insane, but I THINK the ending is a bit rushed.

NicholasLawson

6/25/2011 4:30 AM PDT

Since the dawn of time humanity had been building up its technology and its resources and after seven billion years of gestation as a society several billion people had to leave the planet in order for the species to survive but this isn't about them. This is about those left behind , the ones that either did not wish to leave or were not allowed to. Earth just prior to the extinguishment of the sun was collected together in a single city filled with the finest foods, most beautiful cars, elegant cultural music, finest paintings, most beautiful plays, and every single extravagance that the world had ever collected in a single place.

It was called the final holiday and for those that had lived for roughly eighty five or one hundred and twenty five years it was the quintessential utupia that was in wait of the final vision that the universe would have for them. Some of the people leaving were jealous because no matter how far into infinity you allow your culture to flourish individuals still must decease.

The moment was arriving and life was flourishing as the event was being streamed to the Mourners. Earth was to be a cemetery of the very people that built the salvation for the species.

The sun was beginning grow, it was happening at an accelerating pace and as the finest sushi was being eaten, as the finest vegan cuisine was being imbibed on nothing mattered and all as harmonious in ways that had never occurred before. The heat had not arrived yet but it would come and as it did the Saviours threaded themselves into their I.V's of sleep and allowed for existence to come and take them away in a way that was forever destined to happen.

Amethyst13

6/24/2011 3:15 PM PDT

Great challenge! I submitted a story called The Cold Death, for any who wish to view it. Feedback would be marvelous.

chomson

6/24/2011 1:59 PM PDT

HI everyone. Sorry for posting this here, I know it belongs in a forum, but I checked them out and the last post for the kind of thing I was looking for was from 2010. Iv'e searched google and have not found what I'm looking for. Does anyone know of any good sites for writing in a dialect? Louisiana in specific. It doesn't have to be too specific. I'm English and targeting an English audience, but I would like it to at least have some resemblance of a Southern American accent. i know what it sounds like to me (only from the movies I'm afraid) and that is what I have written, but it would be nice to get a little bit of authority on it. If anyone has any pointers on websites I can check or something similar I would be eternally grateful. xxx

Euclides_Montes

6/24/2011 8:11 AM PDT

Great competition.

I'm really glad I joined this community now. I've only been around for a day or so and you've all already got my creativity juices flowing. Excellent!

I submitted a shortie called 'In Flames' if anyone's interested.

E

Conquiztador

6/24/2011 7:54 AM PDT

Humbled by your comment Green_Regol. I have friends with English as mothertounge to help me edit my work (just had that done to WALLS, probably my most seriously done one here) to try to get it up to the English level. I would like to enter something in to a serious copetition (no disregard to this comp!!!) but I know my level of English is a hinder. If I ever get so good (in my own view) that I really want to give this a go, then I will do just what I mentioned in an earlier posting: Pay someone more anal than me to correct the mistakes and then enter it.

Green_Regol

6/23/2011 7:29 PM PDT

Conquiztador: YOUR FOURTH LANGUAGE?!? Holy noun. I gotta say, your English is better than some people who have that as a first language. Wow.

cindi_greene

6/23/2011 6:32 AM PDT

Properly edited? And what exactly does that mean?

Conquiztador

6/23/2011 1:30 AM PDT

Cindi: Considering your stance and your attitude I would have expected your contribution to this contest to have been properly edited... I do not have a problem with you just your view. We are not all here for the same reasons. I have no plans of becoming a successful writer. I am happy writing because I love it. It is a way for me to for a while go in to a different world. I respect you for what you are wanting to do. Try to respect me for what I get out of this.

MassDaddy: Yes, your initial take of me is correct. English is not my first language. In fact my forth. I will therefore always have issues trying to get it perfect. I also lack many of the words that you guys take for granted. I therefore realise that if I really wanted to make a go out of this in English, I would need to spend time studying English and also creative writing. And it is not something I would get excitment from. So I am happy with what I am and how I do it. "Live and let live" (or something like that).

TheCreativeFool

6/22/2011 11:08 PM PDT

I submitted something! It's called Black Hole Of The Leaf Pile. I wrote it in ten minutes. Still, I'll bet a dollar that it's better than Twilight.

penbuddy

6/22/2011 6:40 PM PDT

On the star thing... everyone gets a 5 star from me or no rating. That is in these challenges. Encourage one another and if you feel you can help them improve, do it in the comment section with some humility. That's my take. Good luck all.

penbuddy

6/22/2011 6:34 PM PDT

I rewrote the piece to meet requirements of the challenge. If anyone wants to read it and tell me how great I did (LOL) you can check it out here...

http://www.webook.com/submission.aspx?p=65c5c92f38044fd19efc197888f134b3&st=f04109962e1b40ec924abfeb0880ad8b

Seriously, I hope you enjoy it.

DeVerteller

6/22/2011 12:48 AM PDT

interesting discussion:

For the star rating: I don't bother looking at that, as it is proven unreliable as an indication of quality. I mostly give 4 stars, unless a story really stands out, then it will get 5. If it is poor writing quality or storytelling it will get 3 or nothing at all. I don't bother rating things in which I see no potential, are not of my liking, or when improvement would imply a complete rewriting. In those cases I just skip the contribution: no comments.

First impressions count. Too many obvious errors annoy. And I agree with several others: a story is good when it is told in way that draws you in, it makes you forget you were reading. And that requires good language and no distraction from content by silly errors. Or distraction by poor story telling skills.

Anyway: I love these short story contests! Very helpful and enjoyable.

cindi_greene

6/21/2011 7:38 PM PDT

Yeah. What he said....

MassDaddy

6/21/2011 1:20 PM PDT

@Conquiztador: If you are writing for no other purpose than the pure enjoyment of purging your mind of the myriad tales crying to be released, then your approach to writing is fine.. perhaps not ideal but fine.

However, if you harbor even the slightest glimmer of hope that some day your writing might catch the attention of a wandering publisher, then you should pay serious attention to your spelling and grammar before releasing your first sample into the wild. Potential publishers and agents are well known for instantly rejecting what could be the greatest story ever told because the submission had a few typos. Hell, the work itself may not even get read because the cover letter was poorly written.

Being a good writer is not solely based on the ability to tell a good story, it also requires an understanding of the language. J.K. Rowling's first Potter book was not exactly a lesson in professional writing technique but it still was not full of spelling and grammar mistakes, eevn when submitted to an agent/pubilsher.

I'm not saying that your approach is 'bad' per se, rather that it is not conducive to being well received.

cindi_greene

6/19/2011 1:25 AM PDT

Really? That is so much b.s. You post and want people to read your work? It is not our responsibility to pick through your work and sort out what you intend to say or not say. That is ridiculous. Make your corrections on your own time. Sort out your ideas in your own time and give us a piece that we will enjoy.

Conquiztador

6/19/2011 12:46 AM PDT

Interesting comments.

Re feedback: My opinion is that anyone can work on the spelling and the grammar (or get someone more anal to review and sort that part). What I like (and do) is come up with ideas for stories then write them to see if the idea takes peoples liking. If they do I will work more on the idea to polish it. If not I put it in the back of the drawer and perhaps pull it out at a later stage.

So my stars represent my view of the idea of the story first then how it is presented and lastly (if at all) the grammar and spelling.

But that is just me and everyone is allowed to rate in any way they see fit.

writingrules

6/17/2011 12:26 PM PDT

I hope someone will look at my story and give me truthful feedback. My story, "The Last stand for Europe", is not one of my best. But it expresses my writing style and my point of veiw on the major world event the story is based on. I someone would I don't mind if it's critisim or if it's helpful hints I want to know that my writing was read and TRUTHFULLY rated and given feedback. And really people, if you're not going to read a story and tell exactly what you think of that story, don't bother reading it and giving the author a false Idea of what other writers and readers think if their writing. thanks for putting up these challenges though.

penbuddy

6/15/2011 8:51 PM PDT

Volume of feedback is not wanted by this writer. Quality Helpful feedback is welcomed always. Encouragement along with the quality helpful feedback is cherished. You reap what you sow. ;-)

Extraordinary27

6/14/2011 8:20 PM PDT

For feedback/critique/advice go to developmyskills.proboards.com
(type that into google and you will find itt!)

PLEASE JOIN there's reallyy greatt feedbackerss andd writerrs on theree andd you will gett BOATLOADS OF FEEDBACK I promise sooo go onn !!!!!

cindi_greene

6/13/2011 7:56 PM PDT

Mickey2B - I try to read and. rate accordingly; to give constructive criticism. If the story pulls me in and entertains me with the author staying on subject then I take that all into consideration.

However, if there are numerous misspellings and grammatical errors that take away from the story then that is taken into account as well.

It is very true there are many here that give low ratings just to snipe at those possibly more talented and there are those that feel their comments are enough and don't give ratings at all. I don't agree with this at all but to each their own. I will find your story and take a read cuz now my curiosity is raised.

DCSalus

6/13/2011 3:38 PM PDT

I'd just like to point at that the star system is flawed regardless of how you use it. And that is evidently clear by reading the mass of comments below. Everyone has their own way of rating and everyone has their own way of perceiving those rates.

I, for instance, rate on potential. Since I can guarantee that I won't be back to re read everything chapter I've rated simply because it's a new draft, yet if I gave them a four and it is now worthy of a five it is unfair for me not to go back a re read and re rate. So if I feel that it could be worthy of a five within 2-5 drafts then I give it a five.

Let's also be honest that the rating influences the odds of reading the work more than most other things (except for the first paragraph, anyway). At least for myself, so I tend to rate higher than most. I do, however, leave detailed feedback pointing out the flaws I noticed, so I don't believe I am giving any writers false hopes or illusions.

So to sum this all up, lets just agree that it is flawed and will continue to be so. Accept that and move on...

Mickey2B

6/12/2011 3:39 PM PDT

After reading these comments all I have to say is that I'm hurt. I feel disrespected and very foolish. When I saw I had a 4.4 I thought that meant yu guys liked my writing. But it just means some people blindly went through and gave me some ones and fives. It really hurt my feelings. I mean it. I wish you guys were honest. What I'm hearing now is that it doesn't matter if I'm good or bad, or if your opinion is that I'm good or bad, just what your mood-of-the-day is. Please, if you're not going to be honest, don't rate my writing. You're not helping me, and you're wasting your time. All I feel is silly for thinking those stars mattered, not better because I got a few fake fives.

AWMiller

6/9/2011 3:25 PM PDT

I have to say as a teacher of writing, that if I gave all my students A's just because I was worried about hurting their feelings I'd be a terrible teacher. I ALWAYS give them feedback, however, be the grade a 100 or 50.

I think it's wrong to instill a poor writer with hope. I think it's just as wrong to try to demean a strong writer because you disagree with their style, voice, or subject matter.

I think you should rate the writing as you see it. If it's a strong character driven piece with poor plot it doesn't deserve a 5.

If it's supremely plotted and poorly characterized then it doesn't deserve a 5 either.

A 5 ought to mean it's ready for an editor and/publication. 4 it's got all the earmarks of a successful piece with just a few tweaks needed.

Please do not turn this rating system into "American Idol". Someone should have a few of those folks long ago that their singing needed work.

Kathran

6/9/2011 1:45 PM PDT

To: Bnaslund
Next time you think your last contest description was long, don't write another one seemingly the same length lol! Defiantly entering... hope my idea is original....

Malekin

6/7/2011 12:54 PM PDT

Personally, I agree with MandaPanda. I think the ratings are there to be used properly and fairly - but if you really are going to be fair, you deserve to give them feedback, too. I find it much easier to give 4/5 feedback than a 3 or less, because that makes me the bad guy in a way, so if I read a post I don't particularly like, I'm more likely to just leave it, rather than post a rating or feedback that would be unpopular. Yes. I'm a wuss.

That said, surely a 3 with constructive feedback is of more use than a blanket 5. As long as the writer has gone to the effort of actually trying to do it all properly, I can't really see them deserving less than 3 stars (unless they're someone who posts a sentence or two as soon as the challenge goes live, so they can bagsy a spot - i think that's pretty rude), but if you do think their writing needs work, a rating with a helpful, constructive comment is all good and as it should be. Even if I'd rather everyone liked my story!

ShanaPupik

6/7/2011 7:32 AM PDT

Excellent point MandaPanda. I normally don't leave ratings because I tend to be harsh and don't want to do that to people. If I can't leave a rating that is above what's already there, I'd rather leave nothing. Just because I'm a tough scorer doesn't mean my idea of a rating is correct, but after spending many years teaching writing to gifted kids and critiquing aspiring/professional writers my idea of good is unfairly slanted.

I'll leave extensive comments (on this short challenge) to anyone who wants them. If you want to grow as a writer, comment on mine and let me know you're looking for an indepth crit and I'm on it.

Hope that fixes my irresponsible actions. I would never want to thwart a writer's growth.

mandapanda

6/7/2011 5:53 AM PDT

It's irresponsible to not give the rating that a submission deserves; you're discouraging their growth as a writer if you just run around giving all-fives.

Princess_Lirael

6/5/2011 12:20 PM PDT

I agree with Green_Regol: comments on how to improve or on what you're doing right are important.

Green_Regol

6/4/2011 4:34 PM PDT

I can care less for ratings - comments are what I'm looking for.

Skye_Rose

6/4/2011 1:40 PM PDT

I completely agree with Hyperbole, it's disheartening to say the least.
I'll be giving 5's all-round (:

Princess_Lirael

6/4/2011 12:49 PM PDT

Do you have to create and THEN destroy or can you destroy and then create?

BenjaminWebster

6/3/2011 9:11 PM PDT

Amen Shana. haha I'm doing the same thing now, giving all 5's to ppl.

ShanaPupik

6/3/2011 3:42 PM PDT

P.S. I don't have time to read everyone's work. Is it wrong to give fives without even reading stuff? LOL. Oh, well. If it puts folks in a better mood after that rate slicer, it's worth it!

ShanaPupik

6/3/2011 3:26 PM PDT

@Hyperbole - Ditto. It happens at every contest. Someone goes down the line and knocks everyone's score off. I never rate at all. I guess I need to go down the line giving out fives to compensate, but in a perfect world, I wouldn't need to. I wouldn't worry about it. The phantom party pooper is an equal opportunity destroyer.

Hyperbole

6/3/2011 2:27 PM PDT

Dear people who rate super low without commenting,

It's rude and it doesn't boost your own ratings. You really should stop. Just because you can do it anonymously doesn't mean you should.

If you are going to rate low, you should tell the author why so that, should they see fit, they can adjust their piece. Constructive criticism is the best part of this website. Phantom rating is a petty way to "increase your chances".

Regards.
Hyperbole

P.S. You know they don't take the rating into account in the judging, right?

Shiby

6/3/2011 9:28 AM PDT

Not the best of writing...

I actually tried to do 295 words of creating and then 5 of destroying, but it ended up being 294 of creating and 6 of destroying...

the word count after submitting, though, is 312...>.<

PeaglerBaby

6/2/2011 8:37 PM PDT

I am new, but I am delighted to try this new challenge! I never really wrote anything like this before. I guess thats what will make it more realistic. A good way to think outside the box!!!

BenjaminWebster

6/2/2011 4:45 PM PDT

FEEDBACK FOR FEEDBACK (:

My submission is-"Wishful Thinking"

Green_Regol

6/2/2011 1:49 PM PDT

I'm taking a leap on this one...

ShanaPupik

6/2/2011 7:19 AM PDT

Hit the "Start a New Chapter" button and place your stories there. That way you'll get reviews.

savannahw

6/1/2011 5:40 PM PDT

I see a planet of green. Tree’s as tall of skyscrapers brush the sky, their canopy’s so thick that they block out the sun. Rivers break through mountains, crave land masses and shape continents. No pollution chokes out the Forests, dampens the Water are grays out the Sky. Everything is pure, everything is real. Animals, alien to my eye, emerge from their sleeping dens. It was a parade of colors, shapes, and sizes. Every creature displayed an array of colors, with frayed feathers, silky fur and slimy scales. Some animals took to the sky, their thin frames and massive wing spans silhouetted by the rising sun. The beasts with nimble fingers and toes took to the canopy, racing through the trees under the protection of the canopy. The animals with no wings, and no nimble toes, took to the ground ready to take on the most daring challenger. I heard croaks, wheezes, hollers, roars, caws, neighs, barks, that buried into my ears rattling the inside of my skull. Amongst the outstanding parade of beasts, I hardly noticed the darkness that was emerging out from the corner of my eye. It was a beast that stood tall on two legs; it had long arms with giant paws on either end. The creature had a huge head, with two eyes that bled hate, a mouth that drooled disaster. The animals did not take long to notice its looming shadow. Chaos erupted as the animals fled in fear, heading back for the cover of the forest. The monster drained the rivers dry, crushed the mountains, and dug its hands in the earth. It took the forest and ripped trees from the roots, breaking them like twigs. Its breath polluted the sky, choking out the planet in a gray blur. It poisoned the ground, draining to color from the forest. He took the animals and crushed them in its hands, stomped them with its feet, and swept them off the face of their world with a sweep of its hand. The monster sucked the world dry, till there was nothing but a black, empty, hole.

Tomboy100

6/1/2011 4:13 PM PDT

   To be born again, first you have to die. This is my viewpoint on life, I never actually thought about it, it just came to me one day. The great creation that God had made, was crashing underneath him. The wide awake sun and slumbering moon, the beautiful wildlife and the mysterious city. There was no one to stop it, he was doing it on his own accord. Was he disappointed? Did he dislike his very own world? I didn't know why he was doing this, but he was.
   Everything I ever saw or heard, everything I lived for was crashing down all around me. All I could see were tall waves crushing against the tall buildings. Everyone was panicking, running around not knowing how to handle it the rapture. Everything was going by so fast that all I could do was stand there, in the middle of the street. Dark clouds slowly rose over the city and thunder sounded in the distance. I felt like I was in a sand castle and the silent waves were crashing against the tiny, weak foundation of the castle. No one expected this to happen. Not even the stupid psychics who try to predict the rapture dates were right, it was much earlier than they expected, then we expected.
   In one way I wished it wouldn't end, but another, I really wanted it to end. People are so negative and repulsive. I quietly felt the life draining from my body, it was like nothing I ever felt before, mostly because this never happened to me before. Maybe God will make another world, another world were everything is better and its not so negative. I believe God will do this. Hopefully I will remember that to be born again, first you have to die.

Thomnus

6/1/2011 10:31 AM PDT

Great new idea.

EvilEvie

6/1/2011 1:24 AM PDT

"The deadline for the Alpha Omega challenge is 10 pm EST on June 30, 2011. As far as we know, there are no scheduled ends of the world between now and then, be we didn’t check all that carefully."

That bit made me laugh :)

I like the idea of this challenge. I probably won't submit and entry myself, however I reckon I'm going to enjoy reading what the others put up :)

Evie.