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Competition: Variations on a theme 2 (Jude)

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    #122
    pickarooney
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 35,239 Mod ✭✭✭✭pickarooney


    davyjose wrote: »
    Well, the variations on a theme idea, gave us a skeleton for a story, which we could then treat however way we liked. We could vary the setting, the era, the style, the beginning, and the ending.

    In rewriting another story, we're limited to that plot. It's not a terrible idea, but it's a departure from variations on a theme to variations on a plot.

    I really don't see how it's any different. There's nothing to stop you rewriting Rapunzel as a trance DJ or The Billy Goats Gruff as a series of haikus. In fact, it's almost expected.

    The first thing that came to my mind was Rapunzel with dissociative personality disorder in a reality TV show of her own making where she desperately tries to vote herself out of the tower.

    By all means (and this goes for Antilles and anyone else not keen on the idea) suggest something else, though. There's nothing written in stone yet.


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    #123
    Mr E
    Registered Users Posts: 55,473 ✭✭✭✭Mr E


    davyjose wrote: »
    I have it in my head that there are going to be 10-15 smartly presented, but ultimately similar, modern-day versions of fairytales. That doesn't excite me, I'm afraid.

    It's really only limited by your imagination. Snow White and the 7 Dwarves could be about an albino whore and 7 mexican midget wrestlers. Goldilocks and the 3 Bears could be about a blonde's adventures in the Playboy mansion. Hansel and Gretel could be about cannibal children.

    The fairytale idea is is just a basic framework - you can twist it around completely to meet your own needs - you don't need to use the exact story.


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    #124
    dawvee
    Closed Accounts Posts: 122 ✭✭dawvee


    davyjose wrote: »
    Well, the variations on a theme idea, gave us a skeleton for a story, which we could then treat however way we liked. We could vary the setting, the era, the style, the beginning, and the ending.

    In rewriting another story, we're limited to that plot. It's not a terrible idea, but it's a departure from variations on a theme to variations on a plot.

    I have it in my head that there are going to be 10-15 smartly presented, but ultimately similar, modern-day versions of fairytales. That doesn't excite me, I'm afraid.

    It also strikes me as more of a writing exercise, than a challenging competition. I'll go with the flow on this, but I'm a small bit disappointed.

    Yeah, I would agree. I'm hardly one to talk, seeing as I didn't get a story into this month's competition, but I find fairy tales to be tedious and overdone. I think Davyjose raises a good point as well, that limiting writers to a specific plot seems to make it more of a writing exercise than anything else.

    Just throwing it out there, but would it be interesting to anyone to actually try variations on a *theme*? As in, "your theme is a journey of self-discovery, go to". Pick a specific theme and leave it open to the writers to interpret and express that theme, with votes based on how well the story captures it. I would find that more interesting, as it gets away from the specific, technical aspects of writing and more into the broader, 'soft' aspects that often get ignored in classes, workshops, etc. Any thoughts?


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    #125
    davyjose
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,287 ✭✭✭davyjose


    it's no big deal, and in fact, the more i think about it, the more I like it.

    I suppose the ending being pre-ordained, bugs me a tiny bit, but my think-outside-the-box capabilities aren't the best, admittedly.

    Yeah, I'm definitely coming around to it.

    My original post was a bit grumpy, I suppose - three hours sleep and all that :)

    So we can pick any of the listed fairy stories to rework?


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    #126
    pickarooney
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 35,239 Mod ✭✭✭✭pickarooney


    The idea, if it goes ahead in this guise, is a first-come, first-served approach. One story per entrant, and I'll tick them off as people claim them (via PM). Well, that's one idea - if you think it would be more interesting to potentially have 4 or 5 Cinderellas, there's no reason why that can't be the case.


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    #127
    pickarooney
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 35,239 Mod ✭✭✭✭pickarooney


    A sitewide announcement has just gone up for the current competition so hopefully we'll get a few more punters in today.


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    #128
    davyjose
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,287 ✭✭✭davyjose


    Mr E wrote: »
    It's really only limited by your imagination. Snow White and the 7 Dwarves could be about an albino whore and 7 mexican midget wrestlers.

    Puts a new slant on "who is the fairest of them all" :D


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    #129
    davyjose
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,287 ✭✭✭davyjose


    pickarooney wrote: »
    The idea, if it goes ahead in this guise, is a first-come, first-served approach. One story per entrant, and I'll tick them off as people claim them (via PM). Well, that's one idea - if you think it would be more interesting to potentially have 4 or 5 Cinderellas, there's no reason why that can't be the case.

    Ah, but what if two people write the same story? You could spend a few hours/days, working on something, and see someone post their version of cinderella ahead of yours.


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    #130
    pickarooney
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 35,239 Mod ✭✭✭✭pickarooney


    No, you wouldn't write Cinderella because it would be ticked off the list as someone else would have PMed to say "I'm writing Cinderella" and I'd have marked it taken.

    It does assume that you don't suddenly get an idea on the last day and want to write Puss In Boots instead though, so it might not be ideal.


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    #131
    Mr E
    Registered Users Posts: 55,473 ✭✭✭✭Mr E


    davyjose wrote: »
    Ah, but what if two people write the same story? You could spend a few hours/days, working on something, and see someone post their version of cinderella ahead of yours.

    13 people just wrote a story about a person called Jude on an airplane, but I think you'll agree that the variety meant that no two stories were the same. Like I said earlier, the stories don't have to match the fairytale exactly and you can completely change the ending. They are just there as a template to focus your story a bit (much like Jude's life-changing piece of paper and the captain's announcement).


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    #132
    ToasterSparks
    Closed Accounts Posts: 368 ✭✭ToasterSparks


    Glad to see there's at least one vote for every story that is posted!


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    #133
    pathway33
    Registered Users Posts: 2,229 ✭✭✭pathway33


    ToasterSparks wrote: »
    Glad to see there's at least one vote for every story that is posted!

    The vote for version 5 will have to be deleted as the voter did not post a comment. No sympathy :D


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    #134
    pickarooney
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 35,239 Mod ✭✭✭✭pickarooney


    I'm sure she's in the middle of writing a really detailed feedback post right now.


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    #135
    davyjose
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,287 ✭✭✭davyjose


    Mr E wrote: »
    13 people just wrote a story about a person called Jude on an airplane, but I think you'll agree that the variety meant that no two stories were the same. Like I said earlier, the stories don't have to match the fairytale exactly and you can completely change the ending. They are just there as a template to focus your story a bit (much like Jude's life-changing piece of paper and the captain's announcement).

    You missed my point: I was suggesting that by allocating 1 Fairytale per person, you were running into problems of two people wanting the same one.

    Pickarooney, why can't we just choose whatever one we like? it's starting to feel like a bit of a land rush. I get your point about PM'ing you, but i don't want to start working on a retelling of the 3 bears, and find someone else has chosen it.

    Maybe we could establish all prospective entrants, and pull names out of a hat? My point is, I don't want to get started on this (not even the bit where I ruminate ideas in my head driving home from work, long before I put pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard), and have to abort. I get attached to my ideas, and i'd find the element of uncertainty stifling, tbh.


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    #136
    pathway33
    Registered Users Posts: 2,229 ✭✭✭pathway33


    Personally I'd like to see us writing on just 1 fairytale. How is it a competition if you are writing on things completely disconnected? Reading all the entries to the different takes on Jude was very interesting. Reading a whole bunch of takes on different stories would be mind-numbingly boring but then I'm quite hard to please :D. A competition is about comparing like with like. Let's have a poll on the list of fairytales and the top 1 is chosen for the competition. Then everybody knows where they stand. I say open the poll now :)

    p.s i do have a bit of a neck making suggestions given the standard of my entry to the Jude competition :D


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    #137
    pathway33
    Registered Users Posts: 2,229 ✭✭✭pathway33


    pickarooney wrote: »
    I'm sure she's in the middle of writing a really detailed feedback post right now.

    well if she's not that person will have to be hunted down :cool:


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    #138
    Oryx
    Subscribers Posts: 19,425 ✭✭✭✭Oryx


    I would never have had a problem with many people using the one story. I also think using just the one fairy tale for all of us is pretty much the same principle as weve been using all along, and could be really interesting.


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    #139
    pickarooney
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 35,239 Mod ✭✭✭✭pickarooney


    pathway33 wrote: »
    Reading a whole bunch of takes on different stories would be mind-numbingly boring but then I'm quite hard to please :D.

    That was one of the major complaints when everyone wrote on the same story - there really is no pleasing some people :)

    There'll be nothing concrete put in place until Monday at any rate. It might end up as a dirty limerick contest yet.


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    #140
    pathway33
    Registered Users Posts: 2,229 ✭✭✭pathway33


    Lets have 2 competitions. One for the picky people and one for the easy going people like me


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    #141
    davyjose
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,287 ✭✭✭davyjose


    pickarooney wrote: »
    That was one of the major complaints when everyone wrote on the same story - there really is no pleasing some people :)

    There'll be nothing concrete put in place until Monday at any rate. It might end up as a dirty limerick contest yet.

    There once was a young girl named Ella,
    Whose Fairy Godmother cast a spell-a
    So she could go to the ball,
    Glass slipper and all,
    And bag herself a nice, charming fella.


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    #142
    pickarooney
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 35,239 Mod ✭✭✭✭pickarooney


    pathway33 wrote: »
    Reading a whole bunch of takes on different stories would be mind-numbingly boring but then I'm quite hard to please :D.
    pathway33 wrote: »
    Lets have 2 competitions. One for the picky people and one for the easy going people like me

    You're taking this multiple personality suggestion to heart :D


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    #143
    Oryx
    Subscribers Posts: 19,425 ✭✭✭✭Oryx


    Rude limericks? Where??

    There once was a mod who was picky
    On rules and regs he was sticky
    A competition debate
    Made him very irate
    So he went off and played with his...

    Should I apologise now or go sit out my ban somewhere else? ;)


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    #144
    pickarooney
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 35,239 Mod ✭✭✭✭pickarooney


    Said young Jack in tones most defiant
    "I shall climb up and tackle that giant!"
    But the HSA man
    Pulled the plug on this plan
    Said "This beanstalk's not safety compliant"


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    #145
    ToasterSparks
    Closed Accounts Posts: 368 ✭✭ToasterSparks


    I’m bored of this room with a view
    That witch is a total bi*ch too
    I’m not very fragrant
    I look like a vagrant
    And a haircut is long overdue


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    #146
    Oryx
    Subscribers Posts: 19,425 ✭✭✭✭Oryx


    This porridge is lumpy as stew
    The beds got a lump or two too
    I just broke a chair
    Sh!t, here comes a bear
    Would he look if I hide in the loo?


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    #147
    Mr E
    Registered Users Posts: 55,473 ✭✭✭✭Mr E


    Haiku(ish)

    Ouch too hot! Yuck too
    cold! Yum, just right. Ate all three
    anyway. Fat bitch.


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    #148
    pathway33
    Registered Users Posts: 2,229 ✭✭✭pathway33


    pickarooney wrote: »
    You're taking this multiple personality suggestion to heart :D

    Yes it can get quite confusing for me sometimes but as long as I can remember my own name I'm happy enough with that :)


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    #149
    Blush_01
    Registered Users Posts: 5,016 ✭✭✭Blush_01


    I have to say, I like the idea of everyone being given the same template and seeing what each person does with it. Take for example the original theme, which was fairly straightforward - look at the variety of things that came from it.

    I don't mind the fairytale idea i.e. using a fairytale skeleton as the skeleton for the next competition, because there's scope to manipulate it a bit. Lets face it, if we were all without flesh we'd have different fractures in different places, and a story is no different. But I don't really like the idea of everyone taking a different fairytale, I think it goes against the idea of manipulating the story to get the most you can out of it as a competitor, and it takes away from the excitement of seeing how much magic people have in their own imaginations as a reader and voter.

    Wow, did not realise I was so opinionated about this, sorry! :)


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    #150
    Also Starring LeVar Burton
    Registered Users Posts: 18,503 ✭✭✭✭Also Starring LeVar Burton


    Blush_01 wrote: »
    I have to say, I like the idea of everyone being given the same template and seeing what each person does with it. Take for example the original theme, which was fairly straightforward - look at the variety of things that came from it.

    I don't mind the fairytale idea i.e. using a fairytale skeleton as the skeleton for the next competition, because there's scope to manipulate it a bit. Lets face it, if we were all without flesh we'd have different fractures in different places, and a story is no different. But I don't really like the idea of everyone taking a different fairytale, I think it goes against the idea of manipulating the story to get the most you can out of it as a competitor, and it takes away from the excitement of seeing how much magic people have in their own imaginations as a reader and voter.

    Wow, did not realise I was so opinionated about this, sorry! :)

    Good point. I'd also be in favour of everyone doing the same fairytale, if we're going ahead with the fairytale idea...


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    #151
    Oryx
    Subscribers Posts: 19,425 ✭✭✭✭Oryx


    Yup, Id go with that too. Next question. Which fairytale?


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