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I like your post. I am really impressed with your article post.Useful information shared

@Leona- I like that idea.

I submitted my idea

When we agree on one we'll just start an new project.

@CT- Defiantly forum post

Under the Get Feedback Forum I posted a spot were we can give Ideas! It's Just called Writing Challenge Alternative

That works for me, shall we have it in here or do a forum post for some sort of an ongoing alternate challenge scenario?

Okay I'm with CT on this one. I don't care about the judging, I just like having the challenges.

@CT - we could open up the floor to suggestions =D

@Leonarae  We could create our own challenge, while we wait? Or is it the point to have them judged?

Quest?  Ask the perpetrator privately?  Smart ass comments. That's a laugh. 

My comment was simply asking if this was acceptable behaviour here. 

I've long since concluded that it wasn't intended to be taken the way  I initially read it - as I told you in response to your more insulting private message to me which contained a backhanded apology and which it is also clear from, that you have no idea how to be tactful. 

I suggest you reconsider what you are actually saying before you print such insensitivity as to include a subculture under the category 'gross' - talk about tacky.  Now as I told you, and mentioned here before, it's over.  I have moved on, I can see it was done in ignorance - especially after the content of your pm.  Now let us let it go, and hopefully we will never cross paths again.

I will now address the issue of my comments made in reference to a story written by Paula_Beatrix. It appears that a member has taken them quite to heart, and was offended. So much so in fact, that he/she has made it a quest of sorts to instigate discontent toward me.

You have taken my statement completely out of context. I write about the things I critisized myself! I only meant to point out that Paula had managed to write such a beautiful little story without choosing the seeming most popular subjects.

I am sorry to have offended anyone. Seeing the way it was dealt with however, was quite tacky in and of itself. PM me! Don't put it out here. Since you did, and I have allowed a week for everyone to chime on it, I have now answered. Maybe not with the elequent vocabulary you are capable of, but as best I can.

I repeat, I am sorry to have offended anyone! As to the smart ass comments, well, no big deal!

someone please buy webook an new calender! It's the 3rd already

I'm ready for a new challenge to dragonfly. :(    **Pout**

Thank you DragonflyGray.  I wish I could see what it is you see in that review -  be as positive as you are about it.  But you see, the word 'favorite' has been used in the sarcastic sense - his meaning being that most people usually choose to write about (to him) such unsavoury matter he listed in these comps as opposed to the sweet story he left the review on.
Of course I saw the word 'sex' grouped in with gore, horror, disgust etc.  Sex does not equate to hetero or homo sexuality.  To compare a grown and supposedly mature adult's opinion on sex or sexuality to that of prepubescents, who may not know any better yet, and many do, I think is completely irrelevant - in fact I think that statement simply makes my argument - which is I don't expect to see my way of life singled out and grouped in this way. I am still offended that he included my subculture there, but my message below is clear that I have moved on from it.

Thank you for your opinion, but after the messages I received (and again, having moved on from it) I don't think we need to dwell on this 'actual' unsavoury matter any longer.  You are right though, this is no place for hatefulness, it is supposed to be a place to share our writing. Thanks.

@Heracles

There is nothing overtly derogatory in E_M_Delaneys' remarks. I would never defend a prejudiced attitude toward humanity, but all that they (more likely a single person on an ego trip, but I'll give him/her/them the benefit of the doubt) say is that homosexuality is one of their favorite subjects. True, it's put in a category that they label as 'gross', but so is sex, and that includes heterosexuality as well. So, all sexual conduct to them is gross -- nothing offensive about that attitude, it's actually quite common with prepubescent children.

I am sorry, really, that you were offended by this, and doubly so if there is any actual prejudice behind the comment. There's no place for hatefulness on a supportive site like WEbook. We're here to help each other become better writers.

@Leonarae

I noticed that, too. There's always a time extension at the end, for as far back as I can remember. I wouldn't mind so much if I got to know the real deadline ahead of time. I always come here ready for a new challenge, but it's still the old one. It's a bummer.

I don't know the new deadline either, by the way.

Not that I'm complaining about the extra time but, did anyone else notice that October first has come and gone? I assume the deadline was extended but, what is the new deadline?

Hi I've revised my sbmission called 'Snakes and statues'.

I would love it if people gave me their views on it. :)

Hey guys. Blondie, Brownie, and the Swimsuit Struggle could get a few more views before tomorrow's deadline. I'd appreciate the last-minute feedback.

Yeah and stuff.

Thank you to those who sent me private messages concerning my message below.  Seems I am not the only one to have been offended by this person's derogative comments. 

Even if it has been done 'innocently', and I shouldn't take it personally (and that is a stretch for me say, given that homosexuality has been grouped in with stories about blood, gore, disgust and other gross matter) it is still highly offensive and completely insensitive - not to mention antediluvian.
This person needs to think twice before making their bias opinions public like this and have a good long look in the mirror before judging others in this way.

This site has a policy about offensive comments, and that's where I will be taking this. 

Thank you to those who responded with encouragement and reassurances; I can see that this incident might be isolated, and not the norm here.

Hi, I am new to the site, and have been looking around to see how it all works.  I have no desire to be a trouble maker, but I am sorry, when I see something like the comments I have pasted below, I feel I have to speak up about it.

One person was kind enough to review and take time to actually understand my effort at this challenge and when I went to return the favor I was shocked at a review I read on there by E_M_Delaney regarding homosexuality.  It is on Paula_Beatrix's submission.

(Tone/Voice:
Very sweet little story. Of course it lacked our usual favorite subjects, sex, gore, blood, disgust, homosexuality, and some of the other gross (but more often chosen) matter. I am only sorry that I have but a mere five stars to award it).

Is this prejudice acceptable here?  If so, WeBook is not for me as an out and proud valuable member of my real life community.

@ThoughtTriage

You nailed my intent for the challenge.  However, I see that I should have been much more explicit in the description when I posted the idea to the forum, because many people take the "rules" at face value and what I was getting at seems to be more implied: show versus tell.  I assumed that people would get the point of it from what I'd said (basing the conversation on body language and without getting into a character's thoughts). 

This is where the interpretation comes in.  I said to accomplish the scene without using first-person POV and should have said to do it without getting into the characters’ thoughts at all.  But, I also thought that everyone would understand how conveying a conversation through body-language would make such narrative insights obsolete -- that was actually the POINT of the challenge, where the exercise is supposed to come in.  Show the conversation (and relationships and insights, if necessary) through observations, choreography, word choices, strong verbs and nouns.    

Please understand, I'm not harping on anyone who did not read into this.  I've said my piece on interpreting challenges on the Travel Challenge page and don't want any guff about it.  WeBook did not contact me to ask if their understanding was the same as my intent, so I have no idea how WeBook will choose to interpret my suggestion.  It would have been nice to see more entries trying the show-versus-tell route, but I'm not a WeBook judge, so I really can't tell people to adhere to my intentions.

What the competitions really boil down to is that you should write and post something you're happy with, and maybe you'll win.  To be a challenge, it should take you out of your comfort zone and, hopefully, when it's done you will have learned something new about your writing in the process and gained a skill or two.    

With that said, happy writing, all.

Thanks to you TT and Leonarae for answers to my query.

Yes I have created a project already (just the one :P) where I intend to start exploring expansion of my Travel Challenge entry, when I have something I will attempt to get some of you nice folk to come and comment away...

I will catch up on feedback for feedback on this challenge by the end of this evening, I know I have a few to do...

Cheers!

K

It's Beruthiel, she likes to lock the work of others in her underground vault, that way when you visit her profile you think "my, my, hasn't SHE been busy!" Only kidding, B!   ;o)

Thing is, you can start your own 'project', enter your work as different 'chapters' and even decide whether others can contribute or not. Here you can post multiple entries for the same challenge, or an over-the-word-limit sub, as I have with my initial take on this challenge:

http://www.webook.com/projects.aspx?pn=ThoughtTriage

I'm a little baffled with a number of subs where people are telling us why their characters are doing stuff, like "she gave him a disgusted look" or "he stamped his foot in rage" or "she knew he liked her", I could go on...

Surely this challenge is supposed to avoid getting into the heads of characters and allowing adjectives or straight-up thoughts to do the work that body language ALONE is supposed to portray?

As ever, your comments will be returned in a candid and constructive manner.

Hugs, TT.

Hello,

Sometime last night I saw a reference from one of the participants of this challenge (I think) to a project for submitting challenges that do not make the word count or other reasons. It sounded like a good project to join/participate in - but of course I cannot seem to find it now.

If this sparks recognition in anyone, could you let me know where this project is by message or note here?

Cheers!

K

Thanks Everyone for the quick response to my last post, now I have another question.
 Okay, what is the issue specifically with a third person or multiple person point of view? I have four chapters of a book written this way so if it's bad I would really like to know. To the best of my knowledge First Person POV means that it would be written: I went to the store, I kissed her forehead, She held my hand at the movies.
If I am wrong please let me know, I am very new to writing as more than a half to sort of thing.

Hello everyone!

In my Sub, The Cabin. Andrew treats Desiree's wounds, partly with a healing spell that he hasn't really mastered yet and partly with whatever he can find. The clothes of his back if need be. Does any one have any suggestions how I can work this in to the sub and meet the word limit?

I know I should be sleeping instead of doing this goofy stuff, but . . . No Non-Dialogue Writing Challenge could be complete without at least a small tribute to these two great nonverbal communicators. Please join my group and have some fun.

http://www.webook.com/project/The-Non-Dialogue-Writing-Challenge-Addendum

Yes, CTK, I have the same instinct. Only a certain type of person enjoys shooting down other people's treasured projects - and I'm not that type.

However, the purpose of posting our stuff here on WEbook is because we want feedback. So, if you skip the weaker stuff, then you are denying those people the thing they are posting for.

So, if I can work out what doesn't work in someone's submission, I try to explain that. Whether they agree I'm right, or disagree completely, is of course, entirely up to them.

If I can't, I DO duck, as plan negativity is rarely helpful.

And however bad it is, if there are any positive features, I try to make sure I mention them too. (It is always easier to work from your strengths.)

I am beginning to find that it is even harder to write a review than it is to write the challenge. I find myself skipping those I do not like rather than write something so that I do not offend. is this normal?

I have tried to review all who have reviewed mine, sorry if I missed anyone.

Hi, my submission is called 'snakes and statues'. I'd be happy if someone would let me know what they think of it?

@ Shana
Oh, how true!  I walk around the house with a notebook and pen (my voice recorder is full and I'm too busy writing or thinking of how much I want to be writing to waste time transcribing my notes); I am a writing addict.  Thank you for the laugh at myself.  Hilarious!

I wrote one about baseball

          A Night To Remember

He stared into her gorgeous emerald eyes and saw the pain and hurt in them as tears began to well, he turned on his heel and refused to give her eye contact.

What doesn't she understand? Why can't she just accept that they couldn't be together?

A warm hand was placed on his shoulder, but he shrugged her off, he wanted so badly to turn around, pick her up off of her feet and just kiss her. Unfortunately he knew better, her Mother didn't approve and besides she had a boyfriend.

This was an odd sensation for him, usually he'd never care whether a girls family minded or not. If he wanted something, he got it, unless they weren't worth the trouble of course. This was different, she was different, he couldn't just let her throw her relationship with her parents away, he couldn't let her ruin their plans for her, and no matter how much he hated to admit it he couldn't let her ruin her relationship with that idiot boyfriend of hers.

Suddenly he was violently pulled by the shoulder to face in the opposite direction, it caught him completely off guard but his reflexes kicked in and he managed to stay balanced the entire time.

He refused to look her in the eyes, instead he looked everywhere except her face. He could feel her harsh glance on him and he could also see her slowly stepping closer to him through the corner of his eye.

At first she began to fiddle with the zip on his black leather jacket, he reacted instantly, his entire body became rigid and he decided to try and focus on the wardrobe. She slowly danced her fingers all the way up to his chest where she gripped onto the jacket still lightly and began to step closer.

He couldn't let this happen, he span out of her grip thinking he had an easy escape when he felt her hand on his tie pulling him round to face her again so her back was too the wall. She was so vulnerable right now, he could simply take advantage of her from this point, but he refused to give in. 

He was forced to Make eye contact as a warm hand turned his face to look at hers. Her light brunette hair fell in beautiful perfect silky curls until her shoulders a few were gently clipped out of her face with a red Rose that made her creamy complexion and her rosey cheeks stand out. Of course there were then the two most perfect features on her face, her luscious red lips coated in a thin layer of some type of gloss and her emerald eyes still wet from the tears that had once been there but had now left almost invisible tracks down her face.

She pulled her body close to his, wrapping her arms around his waist seductively. She knew him, she knew what he liked, he felt her nails softly tickling his spine and his knees began to feel weak. He banged his fist against the wall next to her head, he gave up, almost instantaneously grabbing her face and lifting it to his, pressing their lips together in a delicate yet fierce, fiery and passionate kiss. He could feel her smiling as he teased her by softly sucking on her bottom lip. She had managed to do it once again, she had seduced him into letting his guard down with her charm. Except this time they were alone in an empty motel room, no one could disturb them or stop them from being together. 

This was his last moral and sane thought before he gave into the wave of dizziness and pure primal passion that was beginning to wash over him as he picked her up and began to walk over to the bed, he knew she wanted this too as she tangled her fingers in his hair and wrapped her legs around his waist, kicking off her shoes in the process.

@ Shana- OMG this is amazing. I needed a good laugh =)

@CT- I've seen one sub about military, another that's close to it. Yours was the only baseball one I read so far though.

As for the drive-bys I ended up getting hit within seconds of getting my sub posted. Oh well we can complain all we want it's not going to do any good.  That's why I usually only take to heart what I actually get from Feedback.  I love the Feedback for feedback on this site, everyone seems to be good with that.

Best of luck to ALL!

@ Shana - LOL!  That was great!  Thanks for sharing :)

As we sat in the restaurant I looked over at my boyfriend.  Neither of us said a word to each other.  I felt uneasy.  And from the way he was fumbling with the menu I am sure he was feeling it as well.  I opened the menu and I tried to be interested in the choices.  I crossed my legs, first the right, then the leg.  I couldn't wait for the waitress to come to the table just to break the silence.  Bill looked at me.  I looked at him.  We smiled at each other and still neither spoke.  We were both waiting for the other to break the ice.  So many thoughts were going through my head.  The silence was horrible.  What was on Bill's mind. The fight last night was the worst we had ever had.  But being together for nearly five years I use to think I knew him.  I was so relieved when the waitress finally came to our table.  We gave her our order and then a sigh of relief when his phone rang.  Bill got up from the table to take the call.  When he came back the food was there so we ate.

This is hysterical!

http://agrammar.tumblr.com/post/1127991128/offended-by-rank-objectification-of-writers

Agree with Green_Regol. There's always the tactical problem of when to post your sub; too late & it gets swamped by the last minute rush, too early & you get creamed by the drive-bys. I don't want to waste time games-playing; I want to concentrate on the writing!

I've made the case before that ALL ratings should be marked as to who made them (as happens in a project where you are the PL), I'll not repeat myself.

I'm not obsessing about the rating per se - but when these games affect the amount of feedback a writer gets for their piece, then it starts to matter. (Incidentally, if I see entries at 1-star, I make a point of dropping by the piece, to see iff it really stinks. I'd hate new raters to be demoralised and demotivated by the puerile behaviours of the drive-bys.)

True, but...people might be less inclined to read a three-starred story than a 5-starred one...

Thank you for the complement, Shana.  :)  If people do check out my scene, I try to keep up with the whole "feedback for feedback" thing.

I was actually surprised I was the first (only?) one to think of baseball with this challenge.  Has anyone thought of military ops?  I haven't had a chance to read through many of the entries yet.

And in regards to the drive-by ratings... As much as it does suck having your score drop from a 5 to a 3.6 in heartbeat because someone is being childish, you really need to just not pay attention to the stars.  The stars aren't what's important.  The feedback that people leave you is what really counts.  If you get caught up in the stars, it will just mess with you in the end.

Many of my comments to people have been about a choppy back and forth rhythm that feels like a game of ping pong. Character one motions, now it's the next guy's turn. It was refreshing to read "Peanuts and Cracker Jacks" Author: CT_Vincent. She's totally succeeded in doing what I'm trying to explain to people. Check out the way the characters take turns communicating with each other, yet the flow is smooth. Love it!

This is the kind of stuff we write in my creative writing class. Wonder if my edumacation (tee hee) will help me out in this challenge.

I really think that if a sub is rated under 3 stars you HAVE to leave some sort of comment. usually if its 3 or over the people read the sub.

And maybe it seems to happen more often here than others, maybe not but when the PL does not even approach the subject leaves this child to continue doing it and that only encourages others to do the same.  Why stop when nothing will happen? 

This site has changed so much in the last few months I think I'll just stick to where I know my writing is welcome.

Good luck to all of you.  I for one won't be contributing here anymore.

Yeah, I thought it was just me, but apparenlt there is a drive-by rater. It's one thing to seriously think someone's work is lousy and give them a one for that reason, but it's something completely different to just hand out 1s for no reason, without even reading the submission.

Which is why I think a comment should be required of everybody who rates.

luv u to read....http://www.webook.com/project/The-Non-Dialogue-Writing-Challenge

Yes and I just pulled mine down.  I'm sick of this and I've addressed it with the PL and he doesn't care basing this on the fact that they don't pick a winner based on ratings but on content.  Never mind that people are being attacked by this/these cowards.  It's disgusting.  And seeing as this is pretty much the norm for challenges hosted by the PL.  Not that this is his fault.  But by allowing it to happen, he must take part of the blame.

Posted my submission entitled "2:17 am".

This was a particularly harrowing challenge, but I think I managed to pin it down, to the best of my ability.

I eagerly look forward to your feedback and can't wait to provide feedback on as many of the entries as I can read.

has anyone noticed the drive by ratings? A friend of mine posted a sub two seconds later it had one view and a rating of  one star. Then I noticed that a few subs suddenly all had slightly lower ratings then they had a moment ago. I know everyone is entitled to their own opinion but this didn't seem normal to me. Just wondering if anyone else noticed.

Have posted my submission "You Go First" any comments will be returned!

Time for a new episode of Will's writing: Blondie, Brownie, And The Swimsuit Struggle! Check it out! Leave feedback! Treats and cake for anyone who does! (PS: Not a lie.)

So no talking or first-person thoughts, just body language.. I am assuming that body language possibly includes physical contact as well between the two individuals?

Check out the short excerpt from "Subspecies". A longer sample is at http://mikearsuaga.weebly.com.

The hard part is going to be not putting any first person pov in there... as a writer I like to make a character and let the reader experience the world through them.  This is more like a camera, pulled back, watching the scene but not participating in it.

I love this challenge, I actually find first person pov more difficult that this type and I love love love scenes where there is only emotion and no dialogue.  I can't wait to sit down to this challenge!

Very nice challenge. Thanks to all those who suggested it.
O boy, this is going to be tough alright heh.

Good luck all.