Competition: Variations on a theme 3.5 (Flashfiction)

pickarooney

In a departure from our regular VOAT competition, tomorrow, 10th June 2010 we will be running an experimental Flash Fiction competition.

The idea here is that each contestant is given one hour to write a story (approx 500 words) based on a brief outline.

Given the time constraints on everyone involved, we've decided to run the competition over the course of the day, from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.

To enter, simply PM me with the time you wish to begin writing. In return, I'll send you back the outline and start the clock. You will have one hour to send back your story.

Once you have been given the outline, I will update this thread with your name and start/finish time. In the event that you wish to write your story at a particular time when I'm not available, please try to contact another member who has completed the competition so they can PM you the outline at your preferred time.

For info, I tend to be AFK completely from 12-1.30 p.m., from 5.30 to 6.30 p.m. and only sporadically from 6.30 to 10 p.m. so if at all possible try aim for an earlier time slot or CC your PM to other contestants if entering later.



*****
Wantobe began writing at 10.00 a.m. and finished at 11.00 a.m.

CaptainNegative began writing at 11.55 a.m. and finished at 12.34 p.m.

The Mad Hatter began writing at 12.00 noon and finished at 01.00 p.m.

angelll began writing at 01.20 p.m. and finished at 02.20 p.m.

Odaise Gaelach began writing at 02.25 p.m. and finished at 03.10 p.m.

DaPoolRulz began writing at 04.30 p.m. and finished at 05.22 p.m.

Mr E began writing at 07.00 p.m. and finished at 08.00 p.m.

Antilles started writing at 08.35 and finished at 09.35 p.m.

Blush_01 started writing at 10.10 and finished at 11.05 p.m.

ToasterSparks started writing at 10.18 and finished at 11.18 p.m.

--amadeus-- started writing at 10.46 and finished at 11.12 p.m.

Mr E

I'll probably aim for 8pm or 9pm or thereabouts. I'll keep an eye on the thread during the day and see who's done it.

Tip: On the thread, look for the little green icon beside someone's name (next to the infraction/report post icons).
If its green, they're online. If they've submitted their story, it will say so on this thread.
They will probably be willing to PM you the outline if pickarooney isn't around.
If they send you the outline, they should post on this thread to say "sent outline to Mr E at 8:30pm" or something like that.

Daemos

FYI pickarooney, tomorrow is the 10th, not the 9th, might confuse some people

Mr E wrote: »

Tip: On the thread, look for the little green icon beside someone's name (next to the infraction/report post icons)

You know we're not all mods, not anymore anyway

Also Starring LeVar Burton

I'll probably go for about 1pm...

pickarooney

If you can make it 1.30 I'll definitely be back from lunch!

Mr E

I think it should be called competition 4. It has nothing to do with the 3rd one, and its a standalone competition in its own right (just with different parameters)

pickarooney

Whut the whut? Make up your mind!

It's 3.5 so the regulars who can't enter don't feel left out (and because I have a hunch it might go spectacularly wrong). Maybe I should stick 'Beta' on there.

Mr E

I only called it 3.5 because someone else did.

Antilles

Hope I'm not the only one who initially read that as 'slashfiction'...

...anyway...

I'll be around from 8pm tomorrow, can you pm me the the skellington then?

Blush_01

Ooh, I'd love to do this. I'm meeting a friend tomorrow evening, and I won't have time before work, so hopefully I'll get in on time to do this tomorrow evening! Great idea and, once again, fantastic organisation Pickarooney!

pickarooney

8 p.m. could be difficult but maybe Captain Negative can pass it on at that time.

If anyone is not going to enter and would be around tomorrow evening, would you be a dear and let us know so I can send you the outline now for you to pass on?

By the way, all your sigs are out of date!

Also Starring LeVar Burton

pickarooney wrote: »

8 p.m. could be difficult but maybe Captain Negative can pass it on at that time.

Afraid not - not gonna be around tomorrow evening at all... Sorry...

Daemos

Antilles, I'll be around at 8pm and will already have the my story submitted. I could PM it to you (if you send me a reminder a few minutes beforehand to remind me in case I forget it would be great), I'll write down what time I sent it to you in the thread pickarooney mentioned, and you could send it to her within the hour. How would that suit everybody?

I'll be free for most of the after 5.30pm to 9.30pm, so if anyone else wants the skeleton let me know when and I'll make sure to be free if need be

The Mad Hatter

Hey, I'd like to give this a run at about two tomorrow, and I should be able to forward the details around 8 if that helps.

pickarooney

Just had my memory stick keel over and die. Fortunately I'd decided to finally nake a backup after a week of writing a half hour beforehand.

Bit of a haiy moment while I checked the copy was intact.

Antilles

pickarooney wrote: »

Just had my memory stick keel over and die. Fortunately I'd decided to finally nake a backup after a week of writing a half hour beforehand.

Bit of a haiy moment while I checked the copy was intact.

You're a good writer, pickarooney, but this effort smacks of Deus Ex Machina

Mr E

The 2010 equivalent of "the dog ate my homework"?

pickarooney

Wantobe has begun writing at 10.00 a.m.

pickarooney

first story is in

Wantobe

Phew, by the skin of my teeth. Nearly gave up before I started when I got interrupted by two phone calls and a visitor but managed to get rid of them quickly. That was fun.

pickarooney

CaptainNegative began writing at 11.55 a.m.

pickarooney

The Mad Hatter began writing at 12.00 noon

Also Starring LeVar Burton

Done with 20 minutes to spare. That was easier than I thought it would be and fun. Replied to about 4 text messages as well...
Looking forward to see how everyone else did...

pickarooney

Good going

The Mad Hatter

Done and returned, bang on the hour. Hm, we'll see how it goes.

angelll

Mad hatter can you pm me the outline please? I just tried pickarooney but he's offline. Think you update this thread then with the time i got it? And i pm you my story then....

The Mad Hatter

angelll wrote: »

Mad hatter can you pm me the outline please? I just tried pickarooney but he's offline. Think you update this thread then with the time i got it? And i pm you my story then....

You'd best PM pickarooney your story, I think. But I'll PM that on to you now.

Mr E

You would PM pickarooney with the final story. He can see the timestamp on the PM to confirm that its under the hour.

The Mad Hatter

angelll began writing at 13:20.

pickarooney

Odaise Gaelach began writing at 02.25 p.m.

Also Starring LeVar Burton

Seems to be going well so far. 5 entries is it? How many people intend to write one later?

Mr E

I should be good for about 8pm.

pickarooney

Can anyone say if they'll be online at 8?

4 stories in, 5th one just kicked off. Anyone feel like they're doing the leaving cert?

Mr E

I'll be online from 8pm until the 11pm deadline, so I'll be happy to forward the outline to anyone who wants it.

pickarooney

Mr E wrote: »

I'll be online from 8pm until the 11pm deadline, so I'll be happy to forward the outline to anyone who wants it.

Well, I more thinking about who could pass it on to you..

Mr E

I know.

I'm just saying I'll be around for the rest of the evening to help out.

The Mad Hatter

I should be online between 7 and about 8:30, should anyone need the outline then. (That includes you, Mr E.)

pickarooney

And that completes the afternoon session. Five manically-typed stories filed

pickarooney

DaPoolRulz began writing at 04.30 p.m.

Daemos

Done with around 10 minutes to spare. That was fun.

Also I just noticed that you're the bazillionth person to spell my name wrong

pickarooney

I did it on purpose 'cause you called me a girl. :P

I'm off home, should be back online sporadically this evening.

The Mad Hatter and Mr E have offered to relay the theme but remember to PM your story to me regardless of who you get it from!

Daemos

Touché

Mr E

I'm ready earlier than I thought I'd be.
If anyone has the outline, please send when you get a chance, cheers.

Antilles

pickarooney wrote: »

I did it on purpose 'cause you called me a girl.

DaPoolRulz can't be blamed, you haven't told us anything about yourself ;P

Daemos

Mr E began writing at 7.00pm

Strange, it isn't in my Sent Items Just sent it again so time fixed

Mr E

DaPoolRulz wrote: »

Mr E began writing at 6.54pm

No I didn't... its 7 now, and I still haven't received the outline.

Mr E

OK got it now... Mr. E starts at 7.

Mr E

Finished by 8 but not sent until 8:20 due to site issues.

pickarooney

I guess we'll have to take your word for it :P

If anyone genuinely missed their slot because of the site issues, we'll try make up for it.

Daemos

I wasn't able to send it to Antilles as scheduled, and I won't be back online until around 11pm.

The Mad Hatter

Pickarooney: I was talking to Antilles on Twitter. He said he'd email me his story if boards wasn't back up. The result:

Antilles started writing at 20:35.

Should you need me to, I can send you a screencap of my sent mail folder, to show that's when he started.