Time for Ceramic DM? (judge-free commentary thread NO JUDGES ALLOWED AS OF NOW :) )

[orchid blossom]

Wow, I appreciate the company you guys keep trying to put me in. I'm not sure I deserve to be there, but it is very generous of you. I need more practice.

That goes for me as well. I was definitely encouraged by the reception I got with my last story. It was miles beyond what I was doing in creative writing in college, and it was nice to know it was appreciated. But it's funny to me that with one story I got a rep. lol Entering again this time was scary because of the "Can I do it again?" factor.

This is definitely a great way to learn and sharpen your writing skills though. Next time (whether through advancing this time or signing up again for fall) I hope to start trying to break out of my comfort zone and work with different styles and voices.

My suggestion would be to start with the older stories, and take the time to re-read them again now that you've had the time away from them. Read the judges suggestions again, then re-write and edit without the time limit. Give it a day or so while you work on something else, then repeat.

Once you've got that done, look for comments again.

I second that. There's nothing like time away for sharpening your eyes to edit a story. That's when you stop seeing just the energy you put into it and start seeing what a reader sees. It's much easier to see the holes and the parts that just don't flow.

 

[Macbeth]

This is definitely a great way to learn and sharpen your writing skills though. Next time (whether through advancing this time or signing up again for fall) I hope to start trying to break out of my comfort zone and work with different styles and voices.

I've been trying to break out of my comfort zone with every story I've written since my second round story last time, "Grow." I never really broke out of my box after "Grow" until "Art Memoir" this time. I kind of like taking the risks, and sometimes it pays of big. "Grow" was one of my best recieved stories last time, and "Art Memoir" did reasonably well with the judges, and very well with Sialia and PirateCat.

 

[arwink]

I haven't seen Arwink's stuff.

My writing is elusive and hard to find.

Mostly cause these days I spend far more time talking about other people's writing than doing my own. And, on the whole, I'm starting to think that the talking is a hell of a lot more fun

Edit: Although I am thinking of spending my holidays doing all the ceramic DM entries I should have done in the past - going back and writing stories based on all the pictures, just to make myself actually *write* something for a change

 

[orchid blossom]

I've been trying to break out of my comfort zone with every story I've written since my second round story last time, "Grow." I never really broke out of my box after "Grow" until "Art Memoir" this time. I kind of like taking the risks, and sometimes it pays of big. "Grow" was one of my best recieved stories last time, and "Art Memoir" did reasonably well with the judges, and very well with Sialia and PirateCat.

I did it a little bit this time. First person perspective is not one that I generally use, and I had a lot more dialogue than usual as well. I always find conversations hard to write. Not what the people say, but all the she said, he saids, and how they said its. If you get my drift.

 

[Macbeth]

I did it a little bit this time. First person perspective is not one that I generally use, and I had a lot more dialogue than usual as well. I always find conversations hard to write. Not what the people say, but all the she said, he saids, and how they said its. If you get my drift.

Yeah, I know what you mean, first-person perspective can be rough. Interestingly enough, even though I tend to write fairly good dialogue, my best stories have been dialogue-lite. Weird.

 

[Noskov]

Well...

I guess I'm not really intimidated as much as just surprised to see everyone have so much experience writing. From what I have had a chance to read, you guys are pretty good. I'm not very well practiced and the format is definately difficult for me. I tried IronDM once and that was an awful experience (because of myself breaking down to the pressures of life), so I just wanted to try something new. Anyway, I was just letting loose a little diarea of the mouth. My pardons.

 

[Graywolf-ELM]

I guess I'm not really intimidated as much as just surprised to see everyone have so much experience writing. From what I have had a chance to read, you guys are pretty good. I'm not very well practiced and the format is definately difficult for me. I tried IronDM once and that was an awful experience (because of myself breaking down to the pressures of life), so I just wanted to try something new. Anyway, I was just letting loose a little diarea of the mouth. My pardons.

This'll by my first go at it as well. No professional experience. I've done some technical writing, but it is a far cry from this venue. I look forward to some scathing reviews.

GW

 

[Berandor]

Ceramc DM is a great learning experience. I have published short stories twice, and I often write articles for various websites (99% of it in German, though). Still, this tournament really gives insight into your own writing technique and how to improve yourself, let alone read great stories by obviously way more talented people than I am
The next story will be my third in Ceramic DM, and I think I am just beginning to get a hang of it. Still, I relish the chance to prove myself again - and be torn apart
My last story was hell to write. After 10 hours of working on it, I had almost nothing (FYI, Robert had just fled Gerodyne). The lure to scrap it and give up was there, believe me, it was constantly nagging at me. But as you said, I'd rather enter a bad story than none at all.
Ceramic DM is not about fame (well, alright, it is about fame, but not exlusively ), but about the experience. If there's one thing even a professional writer cannot have enough of, it's experience, and the chance to break old routines. That's what Ceramic DM offers, as well, and I am no professional writer, at all, so it's even better for me

I hope you don't mind the smilies

 

[Maldur]

Mightily busy at the moment but: Iwas thinking making the creamic pdf a "winners of ceramic DM"pdf.
That would be nine stories, that we all liked. Ill try and send an emiail out for details and such.

 

[Berandor]

Noskov: I don't really know what to think of this story. I like the idea, but somehow it didn't click with me (yes, I would be a great editor. Kidding! ) I think something about it lies in the flashback part of the story. When writing in first person, you really have the chance to characterize your hero in the way he describes things. Look at "the Arranger" by Piratecat for a good example of it (but many of the stories here will do). The flashback just falls flat for me because, other than his explicit thoughts ("poor Lonnie"), we don't really know how he perceives things.

What did it feel like when he slashed open his brother? What kind of noise did the can opener make when it entered his father's eye? Was it icky, delightful? Is he a sadist, or does he dislike the voilence he dishes out, but caught in his anger, deems it necessary? Does he break down after murdering, or does he relish in his actions?

I alos would have liked to have a small conversation between Lonnie and his brother. Maybe Lonnie rushing up to him to embrace him, and how the main character reacts to it?
Imo picture use was o.k. The fact that he descends before being sentenced to his penance is a nice touch. The shark could have been excised without much ado, I think. I can't really comment on the "face-pic" because I know where it's from, and that likely changes my perception.
A good story, but it could be even better, if only you wouldn't have had to write it in 72 hours. As Zhaneel said, that's the fate of Ceramic DM entries.