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Post by HDSimplicityy on Jun 7, 2024 18:39:38 GMT -6
Im close to the 200 word limit. Went from 289 down to 209 so far. I even tried to imitate the style of a certain hyper kinetic action movie that just came out. But that one Ill not use.
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Post by Alatariel on Jun 7, 2024 18:54:16 GMT -6
Pelwrath, anything short is unusually hard for my head to wrap around. So the feeling is understandable. My ideas normally fit longer pieces. Dude, same. I have the bad habit of trying to write a complete self-contained story in 200 words. Reminder: That's NOT what this contest is about! (reminding myself, mostly) The contest is about whether or not these 200 words is enough to continue with the longer story (that exists in the ether). |
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Post by pelwrath on Jun 7, 2024 19:22:28 GMT -6
HD, I know, then I remembered that advice, know your readers for that’s who you write for. Would a contest be any different? 200 words isn’t enough, so I made a few changes as for what to emphasize.
Ala, thought that it was to provide us with an intriguing opening for a story, not to give us a story idea. Though in this process I do have a story and a partial story I already have will be consumed by it.
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Post by HDSimplicityy on Jun 7, 2024 21:31:13 GMT -6
Pelwrath, anything short is unusually hard for my head to wrap around. So the feeling is understandable. My ideas normally fit longer pieces. Dude, same. I have the bad habit of trying to write a complete self-contained story in 200 words. Reminder: That's NOT what this contest is about! (reminding myself, mostly) The contest is about whether or not these 200 words is enough to continue with the longer story (that exists in the ether). Thanks for calling my habit out  . Yep. |
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Post by HDSimplicityy on Jun 7, 2024 21:33:11 GMT -6
HD, I know, then I remembered that advice, know your readers for that’s who you write for. Would a contest be any different? 200 words isn’t enough, so I made a few changes as for what to emphasize. Ala, thought that it was to provide us with an intriguing opening for a story, not to give us a story idea. Though in this process I do have a story and a partial story I already have will be consumed by it. Emphasizing one element to bring readers in. Yep! I mean, it can be both. Like the little girl in the Old El Paso commercial. "Why not both?" |
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Post by ScintillaMyntan on Jun 8, 2024 21:36:06 GMT -6
I was going back and forth between two of those aforementioned mediocre ideas. Then I took a walk while trying to think in a different direction than I had been and got an idea I like quite a bit more. It surprisingly came out to just 158 words, so I'll have a think about what to do with the rest. 200 words can’t give the reader everything, so which is most important, conflict, tension, curiosity, location, character description, setting, etc? Unfortunately, the reader determines that. Yeah, I had trouble with that with the beginning of my novel. I guess you'd know about that more, having begun a lot more novels than I. I wanted the beginning to be interesting, but I also needed to convey the character, the situation, and the setting so the reader wouldn't be confused. And then which of those would I prioritize? It took me a long time to settle on something.
What I'm trying to do in the hook contest is prioritize getting the story premise across, but also hint at those other details in a way that gives the illusion they're fully fleshed out in my head. Setting might not be crucial to my beginning, but throwing in "still-shuttered windows" or "behind his CD player" would give big hints without much else to go on. And find places to add more conflict, stakes, or things that could become problems later. Last year I threw in the detail that the character knew very few people since it would make it feel like there was more the story could address. Just my current strategy. Basically make it look like I have lots more ideas than I do, heh.
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Post by HDSimplicityy on Jun 8, 2024 23:26:06 GMT -6
I was going back and forth between two of those aforementioned mediocre ideas. Then I took a walk while trying to think in a different direction than I had been and got an idea I like quite a bit more. It surprisingly came out to just 158 words, so I'll have a think about what to do with the rest. 200 words can’t give the reader everything, so which is most important, conflict, tension, curiosity, location, character description, setting, etc? Unfortunately, the reader determines that. Yeah, I had trouble with that with the beginning of my novel. I guess you'd know about that more, having begun a lot more novels than I. I wanted the beginning to be interesting, but I also needed to convey the character, the situation, and the setting so the reader wouldn't be confused. And then which of those would I prioritize? It took me a long time to settle on something.
What I'm trying to do in the hook contest is prioritize getting the story premise across, but also hint at those other details in a way that gives the illusion they're fully fleshed out in my head. Setting might not be crucial to my beginning, but throwing in "still-shuttered windows" or "behind his CD player" would give big hints without much else to go on. And find places to add more conflict, stakes, or things that could become problems later. Last year I threw in the detail that the character knew very few people since it would make it feel like there was more the story could address. Just my current strategy. Basically make it look like I have lots more ideas than I do, heh.
You stuff it with a few important details. The way I understand it is not overdoing it, yet putting enough there that immerses you. |
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Post by RAVENEYE on Jun 11, 2024 11:42:34 GMT -6
Whew, turned in my entry. Of course, now I'm doubting its worth.  Hooks are hard.  |
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Post by Alatariel on Jun 11, 2024 12:11:56 GMT -6
FOUR MORE DAYS to send me an entry for the contest! |
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Post by ScintillaMyntan on Jun 11, 2024 16:20:29 GMT -6
I keep thinking I'm about to turn mine in and then finding more small things to tweak. And then yesterday I tried writing up that story idea I've had before that I could make fit the prompt. I thought about using that instead, but it doesn't really work for the contest. Getting enough information out to convey the premise within 200 words meant I had to really squish and leave out details. So I guess I'm sticking to the first attempt.
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Post by pelwrath on Jun 12, 2024 9:14:34 GMT -6
Sent mine in.
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Post by Caulder Melhaire on Jun 12, 2024 15:47:43 GMT -6
I was so proud of my rewrites, and then I came to the embarrassing realization that I forgot to include the dang prompt.  I've gotten it patched up, but now I want to go over it and make sure that it still makes sense before submitting.
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Post by HDSimplicityy on Jun 12, 2024 19:24:25 GMT -6
Aaanndd here weeee GO.
Mine is also off to the races.
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Post by HDSimplicityy on Jun 12, 2024 19:28:42 GMT -6
I was so proud of my rewrites, and then I came to the embarrassing realization that I forgot to include the dang prompt.  I've gotten it patched up, but now I want to go over it and make sure that it still makes sense before submitting. Lmao. Well good job! At least you fixed it. |
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Post by pelwrath on Jun 12, 2024 19:31:09 GMT -6
As I understood, the prompt was a ‘lose’ versus ‘hard’ use requirement.
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. Yep.
Hooks are hard. 
I've gotten it patched up, but now I want to go over it and make sure that it still makes sense before submitting. 
I've gotten it patched up, but now I want to go over it and make sure that it still makes sense before submitting. 
You add them to your profile as you do them around the forum.
