Hatrack River Writers Workshop: Flash Challenge #19

This is topic Flash Challenge #19 in forum Open Discussions About Writing at Hatrack River Writers Workshop.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
http://www.hatrack.com/ubb/writers/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=002318

Posted by mikemunsil (Member # 2109) on :

Thanks to Kathleen for allowing us to post these notices here.

Flash Challenge #19 is open. You must be registered at Liberty Hall to participate. http://www.munsil.net/phpBB2/index.php

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Trigger Request and Story Submittal and Formatting
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1) Please go to http://munsil.net/mike/lhfc.html and click on Trigger Login to log in to see the trigger. When you do, the clock starts.

You will have 90 minutes total to return your story by submitting it.

2) Please go to http://munsil.net/mike/lhfc.html and click on Submittal Login to log in to the submittal page. When you submit, the clock stops.

3) Please include the title and a word count at the start of your submittal, in the following format: Story Title - ### words

You will not receive a separate response that we have your submittal.

If you have any problems, please email mikemunsil. I'll get to you when I can. If you cannot log in to submit, email me the story.
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Please use bbcode in the text of your submittal to have italics, bold or underlined text show up in your story when it is posted.
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Go to http://www.munsil.net/phpBB2/faq.php?mode=bbcode to learn how.

[This message has been edited by mikemunsil (edited August 05, 2005).]

Posted by mikemunsil (Member # 2109) on :

Liberty Hall has exceeded 400 stories written as a result of our challenges.

We have run 18 weekly challenges without a break, and are averaging 23 stories per week. Each story typically receives from 8 to 15 comments/mini-critiques. More women win than men (men, we must try harder!).

Two stories have been acepted for publication. Others are still in rewrite and submittal stages. The editors and staff of one magazine routinely compete and critique, and request submittals at Liberty Hall.

Taking part in the challenges is like a weekly writing workshop on steroids. We have fun!

http://www.munsil.net/images/lh.gif

Posted by JmariC (Member # 2698) on :

I have a question. How long is a challenge good for?
I see the announcements for the next challenge while I'm at work. How long do I have to be able to still request a trigger? Is there a limit? Or can I make requests for the trigger to Flash Challenge #1?

Inquiring minds and all....

Posted by mikemunsil (Member # 2109) on :

The trigger changes weekly, and we don't reuse them. This is because part of the reward for winning Best of the Best in the weekly competition is to choose next week's trigger.

For any given challenge, you have from Friday morning, typically around 08:00am Central Standard Time until about 10:30pm Sunday CST, to get the trigger and start writing.

These are timed writing challenges, which means that once you see the trigger you have 90 minutes total to write, edit and submit your story.

This graphic might also help you understand our system.

http://www.munsil.net/images/lhgantt2.gif

You are always welcome to create your own challenge using one of our old triggers. The trigger for Flash Challenge #1 was the word "utricide", which means "to stab an inflated wineskin rather than to stab a person". Don't ask me why such a word exists, it boggles the imagination. Of course, that's the hallmark of a good trigger.

Feel free to ask more questions here or to email me directly.

mikemunsil

Posted by Robyn_Hood (Member # 2083) on :

Once registered at Liberty Hall, there is a thread with all the triggers and the titles of the winners:

http://www.munsil.net/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=452

Posted by mikemunsil (Member # 2109) on :

Anyone have any comments on the new trigger system?

Posted by wbriggs (Member # 2267) on :

It's nice that I get the trigger immediately.

Posted by pixydust (Member # 2311) on :

I liked it, Mike. Thanks for all your hard work!

Posted by TL 601 (Member # 2730) on :

Once I figured it out, I realized that it is, in fact, a much better system.

Good job.

And by the way, for those of you not participating in the Liberty Hall flash challenges, I highly recommend it.

Invaluable, I think.

Posted by Beth (Member # 2192) on :

I didn't have any difficulty with the new system. But I'm waiting to see how they all get posted to topics, etc. I trust that it will work out as well as the first part of the process.

Posted by dee_boncci (Member # 2733) on :

Mike,

I'm not able to log in to get the trigger with the username/password you sent me via email.

Comes up asking me for a valid username after I enter all the information

Posted by Minister (Member # 2213) on :

Sor far, so good, for me, Mike. And I'm all for any system that will cut down on your workload. After all, we want you to get some writing done, too!

Thanks for all you put into these. By the way, I second the suggestion that those who haven't tried these challenges do so. They've been immensely helpful to me.

Posted by HSO (Member # 2056) on :

quote:
Mike,
I'm not able to log in to get the trigger with the username/password you sent me via email.
Comes up asking me for a valid username after I enter all the information

dee, I'm one of the admins at LH. If you have an issue logging in, consider posting over there instead of here, so that we might see it sooner. No big, though... just a heads up.

I see the trouble with your login and I'll fix that for you and send what you need to login. Sorry for the trouble.

HSO

Posted by HSO (Member # 2056) on :

okay, dee... it's fixed. However, I tried e-mailing it to you and it was returned for some reason. Anyway...

All I've done is changed your login name to:

dboncci

Your password is unchanged. See if that helps.

HSO

[This message has been edited by HSO (edited August 07, 2005).]

Posted by mikemunsil (Member # 2109) on :

Thanks, HSO.

Anyone who STILL has an underscore or space in their username, please email me.

Beth

The method for posting the stories is (as yet) unchanged, but getting them is easier now. So, I anticipate no changes from your end, other than the obvious ones of the trigger/submittal.

Posted by Beth (Member # 2192) on :

Good, because I'm not willing to change which text editor I'm using to do this!

Posted by Miriel (Member # 2719) on :

Question about Flash Challenges: I know the 13 line rule is in place here to protect the writer from loosing the first-time-publishing copyright. If register at Liberty Hall, and submit a flash challenge, do I risk loosing any copyright? Is there a way to view the challenges without registering or submitting? No so much because I'm distrustful, but because I'm technologically inept. The triggers and clocks and user-code-password stuff is all going right over my head. Is there a link where I can just see what the old triggers were?

Posted by mikemunsil (Member # 2109) on :

quote:
If register at Liberty Hall, and submit a flash challenge, do I risk loosing any copyright?

No. We've covered that. Your rights are preserved.

quote:
Is there a way to view the challenges without registering or submitting?

No, that would risk losing the author's rights to their works.

quote:
Is there a link where I can just see what the old triggers were?

No, but we can see about making one. Might take a bit.

We have about 93 active users, and on any week about 25 are joining in the competition. There are alaso a fair number who just read, comment and vote. You're welcome to do just that until you feel that joining in the competition is right for you.

mikemunsil

Posted by Miriel (Member # 2719) on :

Thank-you for answering all my questions -- that was extrodinarily helpful.

Posted by mikemunsil (Member # 2109) on :

All the entries are posted and the reading/commenting/voting period is open.

Thank you all for putting up with the changes. The new system cuts the posting work in half.

Posted by mikemunsil (Member # 2109) on :

several glitches there, but all in all the new system went well.

we have 26 entries.

Posted by mikemunsil (Member # 2109) on :

well, actually it may be 27. it's kinda hard to tell, although we know at least 3 are stealth entries.

you can vote on the stealthy ones, though. sorry, i can't tell you any more about it.

[This message has been edited by mikemunsil (edited August 09, 2005).]