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A Mixed Bag of News, Updates & the First Campaign Challenge

Whimsical Wednesday Writings: 

Oh, a golly gosh and a helloooo there! (Now, I bet you were thinking that’s a blast from the past.)  Anyhoo, I have some exciting news to share with you today, a ROW80 update and stories, stories galore -you are in for a treat!  So, without any further ado, sit comfortably and take in the delights whilst I grab myself a cuppa.

Please feel free to scroll down to the sections that are of interest to you  -that is if you do not want to read the next bit (I won’t take any offence –well, I’ll try not to ).

(As always, there is a pdf document at the bottom of the post for those who may find this a difficult read.)

ROW80 Update

Firstly, let us start with a ROW80 update…  It has been a positive week (for some reason radiance is sprouting all around me); I’ve been writing away, sticking to goals -and doing my best to visit fab blogs (it’s been hectic but fun) and keeping up with Twitter.  Here’s a glimpse of what I have achieved and decided to take on:

Blogs I have visited and commented on since Sunday:

• ROW80′ers: 5 blogs
• Writers’ Platform-Building Campaigners: 23 blogs

Apologies; I will be rectifying this from today onwards (I was blogged out Friday and Saturday then had a busy few days at home) *hopes I can be forgiven*

Added goals with some musings:

• I don’t know why but I should really add the word counts for the stories I write over at DiRosaYikici (it’s raw, quite rough and needs some editing -but Di Rosa and I are just having fun with the continuation of the contemporary tales -as, are our readers; so we just keep on going.  (It was my turn to update Where There’s a Will There’s a Way this week, so check it out in the stories section below).

• Volunteered to be a beta reader (my first beta reading experience); I hope I do a good job of it; it requires feedback by next week so guess what I’ll be doing after writing this?  Yep, that’s correct.

• Being proactive with our newly formed critique group; a group of four writers and bloggers alike have formed a nifty critique group and we are finalising how we will work together, so I aim to be quite proactive with that too.

Progress Since Sunday 4th September 2011:

WIP word count:  350 words written.

Blog post word count:  733 + 1521 words written.

DiRosaYikici word count:  597 words written.

Combined effort word count:  3201 (See the ROW80 progress bar on the side menu.)

That’s like 1000 words per day –not bad; dare I say on target? *cheers*

To check out my progress-to-date-page please click here.

Exciting News

A little while ago, I read a very insightful post on Haley Whitehall’s blog it was about reviewing your work with a critical eye and looking at the shift of power within a scene or two.  This post was written by the talented Tiffany Lawson Inman (AKA the @NakedEditor over on Twitter -go on follow her for editing tips etc -you know you want to).  Tiffany set a competition for us to take part in -I took a gamble and entered the competition, which Tiffany was hosting on her blog.  (Sadly the competition is closed, but Tiffany has told me that she will be hosting a few more competitions leading up to Camp NaNoWriMo, so why don’t you pop over to her blog and check out what she’s up to -I truly recommend it), and I won! *dances a jig, stops, looks up* ‘Aren’t you joining me?‘   So, come October I’ll be busy studying *wonders if I’ve drawn the short straw* -oh man that’s like extra work Tiffany! (I’m only kidding; I’m looking forward to it.)

Stories, stories, stories…

Now comes the fun part!  Today, I have three stories (and a surprise) to share with you, the first two, as you know, are updates on the storyline to the ongoing saga over at DiRosaYikici, please head on over to the blog and read what Gina and Tracy are up to in:

Where there’s a Will there’s a Way (read entry number 17 -bottom of the page) – Battered and bruised, will Tracy find a way to reach out to Katie?

Our Story Begins (updated by Di Rosa) – I will update this next week, for those who want to find out what happened to Gina after a night out with Nathanial James, please head on over for a catch-up.

The third story I want to share is a flash fiction piece inspired by  Rachael Harrie’ challenge for the Writers’ Platform-Building Campaign.  You all know I love challenges -the tougher the better, so I had to take part.

Rachael Harrie’ first campaigner challenge is as thus:

“Write a short story/flash fiction story in 200 words or less, excluding the title. It can be in any format, including a poem. Begin the story with the words, “The door swung open” These four words will be included in the word count.

If you want to give yourself an added challenge (optional), use the same beginning words and end with the words: “the door swung shut.” (also included in the word count)”

For those who want an even greater challenge, make your story 200 words EXACTLY!

A challenge must always be challenging, guess what I chose to do?  Yep, I took the extreme option.  I hope it works; I ended up writing two flash fictions, I couldn’t submit both so I picked the following, I hope it was the right choice…  What do you think?*  I give you…

The Patient Mind

The door swung open; I waited patiently as always; I waited, I waited…  it just swung back and forth in the wind; Sally smiled down on me “It’s time you stopped this you know.”

I shook my head “’tis not time, I must now count to a hundred.”

“It won’t change” she pressed my shoulders gently as she left.

I waited, watching the breeze filter the leaves in and out, I counted.

Sally came again, I counted two hundred, then three, then four; “it won’t change,” she said again.  I knew, in my heart I knew, it would, but I couldn’t tell Sally, she didn’t know; she didn’t know the nights, the nights it changed; it promised it’ll change today; it promised yesterday and the day before; it promised, so it must, I knew, in my heart I knew.  Sally walked past, she walked past every day, said the same things, she never went away.  “It won’t change,” she taunted; she screamed in my head; that Sally needs to see how it will change, it promised it would.

Today Sally stopped by the door; it came; a grin spread across my face as she stepped outside; the door swung shut.

(For the ever inquisitive the word count excluding the title is 200 words –with it its 203.)

*If you like ‘The Patient Mind’ and want to cast your vote I’m number 198 on the Linksy List <— click here to read all the fantastic entries.

Surprise:  If you was wondering what didn’t make the cut I’ve added it (The Calling…) below just for fun (Please Note:  this piece is not being submitted to the challenge).  Before we read ‘The Calling’, I wanted to say this story is actually inspired by two challengers: Billie Jo Woods over at Out of the Woods and Rachael Harrie’ challenge for the Writers’ Platform-Building Campaign (as above). You all know I love combining challenges so this was no exception.

Billie Jo Woods set the September challenge to go back to school, her rules are:

• Make sure your story takes place in a school.
• Keep it to roughly 500 words (although if you need more that is okay too).

It’s odd as the moment I saw the opening line for Rachael Harrie’ challenge this story wove itself with Billie Jo’ challenge -its’ as if it were meant to be… (That’s why it was difficult to choose one story for the Campaign Challenge, nevertheless, I guess now that means one submission to the Campaign (The Patient Mind) and one submission to Billie Jo’ September Challenge (The Calling…)  What are your thoughts? I present…

The Calling…

The door swung open.  We gasped as they shrugged off their skins whilst gliding into the classroom.

“It’s as simple as that.” It said towering over us –with its extended limbs hovering hypnotically.

It was a routine drill, they were recruiting –so they say; it had become the norm ever since he –Mr Carmichael chose…

There’s been rumours since his disappearance that he and it are one of the same, but I couldn’t be certain –not Mr Carmichael, he wouldn’t –it was in my face; my vision blurred instantly as I gulped, sweat droplets seemed to sprout in quick succession as they sang with alarm, please don’t take me, please don’t take me.

“Maybe you should volunteer this time, it’s only fair –saves the pain for the rest of them; it’d be a pity if we had to kill them all -when it’s you we need.”  Its words slithered and tightened round my throat as huge dumbbells came crashing down on me, realisation sinking in as I gasped for air.

“Your calling is coming my dear boy,” he had said last semester, “when the time comes, you must choose.”  My insides knotted as Mr Carmichael entered, the door swung shut.

(The word count excluding the title is 200 words –with it its 202.)

So, that’s all for today, I will be back on Friday with a Frivolous Fun post, I hope you pop back then.

Copyright © Ozlem Yikici 2011 & Copyright © doodllz™ 2011. All Rights Reserved.

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Do you love challenges?  What challenges tickle your fancy?  I would love to hear from you.   As you already know, thoughts and comments are encouraged as always -even if it is just a word -as ‘all good discussions start with just one word’.

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Pdf document:  A Mixed Bag of News, Updates & the First Campaign Challenge

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