Past & Future Story Challenge 2014

Although I have not been able to read and comment on more than half the challenges (I have been having some challenges of my own), what I have read have been so great. I have so enjoyed this challenge and the great authors who contributed, and especially flopsy and februs for all their work. It makes me smile just to be able to get on the computer and read one of the great stories contributed. Thanks to everyone for their generosity.

Thank you flopsy and Februs for a great challenge. I think the the quality of entries this time have been particularly good. I would not want to see the challenges disappear. I find that they often motivate me to write when my own ideas have dried up. I don't mind if people want an extension for writing and I don't mind if people feel they need an extension for reading. Let's not take this too seriously. It is just a fun challenge - not an exam. It will never be the case that everyone reads every story. If we want our stories to be read then we need them to have a brilliant title, a moderate length and to be entered early on - as well as having large audience appeal. Maybe its better to just enter a story that we've enjoyed writing and cross our fingers.

Onerous? No way. True, the writing of the story itself to meet the deadline can sometimes be a struggle (though usually not, I'm glad to say), but that's just the nature of creative writing and after all nobody forces us to contribute. But reading the entries afterwards is just pleasure - yes, even the less good ones. Please don't even think of dropping the Challenges, Flopsy. We love them! (Well, I do, anyway.)

I would hate the Challenges to go as well. I just like knowing the rules from the start and expect they will be followed. Perhaps that is why I am a spankee...lol. That being said, this is not my site and the site administrators know best as they have all the stats etc available to them.

CS

With minutes to spare, I've just finished voting on 61 out of 61 stories.

These challenges are wonderful - driving us to themes otherwise unthought. Pushing the authors to explore different aspects to focus on. I look forward to the next one.

Goodgulf

Well, it looks as though you had another week to spare, actually... --C.K.

Darn, I missed the part where it said that voting was extended by a week.

Which explained why I was able to vote for the last one 3 minutes after the "deadline". I thought it was because I had the voting screen open.

Oh well, I just finished reading a bunch of wonderful stories and if I'd known about the extension I probably would have put off voting for another week.

I so agree! And if any stories are left unread, readers/voters can easily award the remaining stories their average vote which helps to even out any biases. I love the challenges and they do inspire me to write! I think anyone who thinks they should be stopped deserves.... hehe!

My only suggestion re change for the challenges is that there is an upper word limit of perhaps 5,000!

Thanks everyone for participating in another challenge. And the winners are ....
In 1st place: The Gainsthorpe Witch Minidancer 701 votes
In 2nd place: A Classroom From Hell Flatfish 668 votes
In 4rd place: Roundheads And Cavaliers Watcher 666 votes
And the Runners-Up:
Aunt Elizabeth's Parlor Artofzee
The Secret Portrait Phil K
The Girl And The Governess Jefesse

Well done everyone, especially Minidancer and the other winners.

Well done to all the winners and runner ups. Some good ideas and plots.