ENW Short Story Smackdown Summer 07 (Winner Announced)

[Hellefire]

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Aaron

 

[FreeXenon]

Thank you for your comments. They will be very helpful for me.

 

[Avatar_V]

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Thanks for the comments! I really appreciate you taking the time to write all that out. I think that your comments on my story are right on target. Some of the critiques are of things I was aware of (you'll have that when you run right up against a deadline :\ ), others, though, I hadn't previously noticed but I agree with - thanks for those insights. All in all, very useful feedback.

 

[Cevalic]

Thanks for the feedback. Have to agree with most of it. Completely forgot to reference the pictures at the end of the paragraphs.

Thanks again.

 

[WhimsyTheFae]

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Aaron

Wow, nice detailed analysis of all the stories.

[sblock=not for judges]You also rated my story much higher than I did. I would like to say that I planned on a b-horror story (complete with implausible character behaviors), but it wasn't until it was almost complete that I really noticed them. I decided to go ahead and put it out as an homage to the rubbish that I watch on the Sci-Fi channel during boring Saturday afternoons as a result of time constraints, laziness and lack of better inspiration.

In the end, I wasn't terribly displeased with it, but I wasn't real happy with it either. I think that I will have a difficult time beating Cevalic. On the other hand, I'm not a very patient person and writing isn't something that I have a lot of practice doing (this is my second CDM), so it's all good practice. Especially when I can get good feedback from the other writers and the judges.[/sblock]

 

[Hellefire]

You're welcome, all. This is my fourth CDM, and I have found that feedback is extremely important (especially when waiting for results). It helps a lot with improving writing skills. On that note, anybody who wants to critique my story is more than welcome to (hint, hint ). I don't care if its a professional criticism, a fellow writer, or just someone saying what they think of the story. I like the thoughts in my head for creating stories, and the process, but just as important is sharing those thoughts with others. Feedback is good

Aaron

 

[Hellefire]

Of course, smack-talk is just as important. Though, it is just talk for everyone else, since I will soundly beat all my competition. With a stick. In their sleep if necessary

Aaron

 

[EP]

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Aaron

Thanks for the comments. Considering the type of story I was going for, I figured a literal approach to the pictures was best, but I do have to agree with your thoughts on Avatar's use of the pictures.

If nothing else comes of this, I just might want to continue on with Duke and the gang. It was cool to come up with a Firefly/D&D mix... perhaps even a supplement or two should come of this.

 

[Hellefire]

EP, I would absolutely Love to read more about Duke and the gang. A couple things you had in your favor - your story was more adventurous, and certainly has the returnability factor going for it. It was like reading a good graphic novel, or comic book, or about an ongoing group of adventurers. That was a hard choice, I simply had to go with Avatar V's excellence in every thing I was rating. To be honest, I relate more to Avatar's story (in real life) but yours is much more RPG-related. I would be surprised if you don't move to the next round with that story. And I might stick an element or two of it into my next game

Aaron

 

[EP]

We have a PDF out there called Treasure Hunter that uses d20 Modern rules for D&D style adventures... and I just sent off an email to the author about expanding it to include other non-medieval timelines. There are rules for incorporating magic to a modern world scenario and the like, so the ball's rolling on a possible supplement. Not that there isn't something like that out there already, I'm sure, but I did get a kick out of writing that. Especially when the idea of rogue being a whore. So western.

I'll be reading everyone else's this weekend and posting comments myself, for what they're worth.

Also, would everyone here be interested in a little keepsake of the contest? I was thinking that a nice little PDF containing all of the stories, designed and put together in a neat little package for just the contestants and judges, could be in order. My treat.

(Hmmm, should probably hold off on comments that look like bribery until after the final verdict on Round 1 and my lawbreaking, huh?)