Hey everyone! dido6 and I have been in discussion about regarding how we might be able to improve the monthly Writer's Challenges and hopefully be able to use them to build and improve the members' talent and potential. In particular, we've been discussing focusing some of the challenges to help build on such elements as dialogue, description, etc while of course maintaining the creativity and fun that I think the challenges have always engendered. So here's your chance! What do you want to see out of the writer's challenges? Would you like to see something like this done? Do you have something in particular you would like to improve about your own writing? Is there something you would like to see done to the challenges that you think would improve them as a whole? Your input is greatly appreciated! David L. Writer's Coord.

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Personally, I'd like to see separate prose and poetry challenges, perhaps offset by two weeks. It would accomplish three things: first, it would create more activity on the site since there would be something new to look forward to every two weeks; second, it would give people that only do one form or the the other a specific peer group to participate with (and therefore be perhaps just a bit less daunting to enter); and third, it would allow prose to be compared to prose and poetry to poetry. I appreciate both forms, but judging them side by side in a challenge is like comparing apples to oranges. (I like both apples and oranges too, by the way.) I'd love to see meaningful feedback. I'd much rather get a comment or two on what people liked or disliked about something I wrote than a vote. I know giving feedback is both difficult and time consuming to do, but I thought all the entries were great, but I had to pick one, so I vote for for #5 does not help anyone improve. Perhaps we should start voting on the best feedback as well as the best entry perhaps even canonize those that do it? And yes, I'm the pot calling the kettle black. I'd like to see some specific themes. Not many, since that would become tedious rather quickly, but a few. Specifically, I think an annual Halloween ghost story challenge would be nice. I also greatly enjoyed Crescent's old Bad Writing Challenge those entries were a hoot (see link). I'd like to see it made into an annual event. jon

I agree with the points Jon has made. Whether I participate or not one of the things I have troubles with with describing scenes with weather without it sounding like a list/monologue. The other thing I have a problem with is character voices. All my characters tend to speak properly because I do. I have made the occasional effort but it isn't easy.

Thank you both of you!! This is exactly the sort of input and feedback we were hoping to get :) I think we'll be able to take information like this and make some improvements to what the community is already offered. David L. Writer's Coord.

1. jstro's idea about separate challenges is good. Maybe go a step further with an occasional fiction/non-fiction criterion added in.

2. jstro's idea about comments versus votes is good.

3. jstro's comments about everything are good.

4. jstro is good. Follow those ideas and we can't go wrong.

5. an addition to the above would be to always limit the word count to 1000 to 1500 words (not counting Brians and haikus). As precious as all the words are, it is amazing how much can be learned when some of them are left on the hard drive. Just promise them they can be in the next story. They are not bright, and are easily distracted.

6. Poetry writers: write Prose. Prose writers: write Poetry.
   When the challenge is not in our area of comfort, that's when our "MacGuyer" kicks in and we find a way to survive.

7. the personal challenge in this thread was to write suggestions without using the word "I".

g'sx

My family has regular Sunday dinners together. Each person brings a dish to pass. Each selection brought to the table is worthy of human consumption. People give and receive comments about the dish they brought. No votes are taken and no awards are given during this sharing experience. Each gets to sample others' works and learn their styles and techniques. No one goes back home unhappy. In fact, most times, everyone is 'stuffed' with more than they arrive with. To quote one said felonious Miss Martha Stewart, "It's a GOOD thing". WINK.

I agree with Jon's suggestions, and garblesnix's number 5 is definitely a very good one. May I also suggest themewise challenges too, like 'humour', 'science fiction', 'short story', 'descriptive', etc., occasionally? Agreed, the number of participants in each may be less, as compared to a general, write whatever you want one, but the criteria for voting becomes easier to tackle. The voting process is a traumatic one, but as I mentioned to Diana some time back, it's not an issue for me. My attitude is 'try and bear fruit within constraints, rather than complain'. plants that can flower in a tiny, earthen pot, will fruit anywhere. The Haiku is a miserable one, but the idea I think is not. I'm not sermonizing; this is my attitude, so the silence of the forum does not deafen my ears. :) We must all survive. :]

Reading hanevi's suggestions made me think of another: theme that uses as little description as possible. I think it is a good challenge for those who get too wordy in their stories.

Thank you everyone. I really appreciate the input you are all providing, and I'd still love for even more from anyone who hasn't chimed in or for those that have but have thought of something else. :) These are all wonderful ideas and responses! David L. Writer's Coord.