Looking for ideas for upcoming challenges, chime in here please... Options

[Guest_Jox_*]

Hello all,

Re: Dove's suggestion...

There are many cases where writers collaborate.

In the USA most sitcoms are written by a pool of writers all "chucking-in" jokes etc. In the UK many top sitcoms have been written by pairs of writers. Here, soap operas are written the way in which the Americans write their sitcoms - ie team-writing.

There is a best-selling UK novelist - Nicki French. Excpt Nickki French does not exist; it is two people - one a female (Nicki someone) and a male (someone French). It works; though (as far as I know) it is a unique arrangement for top-selling writers.

Axiomatically, all these writers work tête-à-tête. Dove’s suggestion would imply on-line collaboration.

I am not sure I agree with one of Dove’s suggested motives for this concept - viz: more votes. I don’t think that is a suitable motive for writing - few people manage to write successfully when motivated by cash or fame alone.

However, the concepts of involving more people, producing better intercourse between writers - especially in an educational sense but that would go both ways; older writers have more experience (assuming they have been writing for a long time) but younger ones may have fresher perspectives.

I think this idea has merits. I would suggest that the criteria for the competition be fairy loose - it is hard enough for some writers to cope with tight criteria, let alone when they are struggling to collaborate. (I have a particular problem with convergent thinking - I, therefore, admit a vested interest here). Also, I would suggest that the competition have, say, double the time to allow for communication and other snags. (Another competition on more usual lines could be held during each of those two months in parallel).

Well done Dove for the fresh thinking.

I’m rite chuffed; never begun a paragraph with “However” before I don’t think. Did anyone notice? If not it suggests that we’ve just blown-up another arcane rule of grammar!

James.

[Cleo_Serapis]

Yes, I think this idea would work! I do have concerns also about the voting, ! It seems that currently we average 6.6 entries per challenge (through Dec) and 10.7 voters each.

I would love to see the participation increase along with the number of votes! Even if a member doesn't POST a tile, I would still like to have their votes in the polling. I always send out PM's to 'remind' everyone to play and vote, but alas, this doesn't change the participation.  

We are always looking for feedback (like you are giving) :pharoah2 as well so we make and sure to offer something for everyone. We won't know what members want unless they tell us.

I Do agree that a 'duet' challenge is intriguing, and it would need more time - say 30 or 45 days? Would we tell all what the topic is to be?

P.S. I've just added a statistical tile in Mosaic Scrolls regarding Pandora averages...

Great idea!  

~Cleo  

[Guest_Don_*]

Hi Cleo,

I would guess that if statistics are not changing the same people are envolved.

How would pairing come about.  Perhaps those willing to give it a go put their name in a hat and administrators split them into high and low age groups and draw from each bucket randomly.  If I were to enter such an arrangement it would probably be futile for me to find an MM partner.

Another question is how many of these dual authors simply write their own story within same published book or similar cover?  My spouse source says most dual author issues come out around Christmas and each author has individual story.

Ching, ching.  My two pennys are yours now.

Don

[Cleo_Serapis]

Hi Don.

Well, I would think this is something we should 'throw out there' to the members. I was actually thinking of something similar. I envision a sign up thread perhaps, where perhaps a mentor would team up with a member? For example, you and I could team up, Aphrodite could team up with John, or Butch or Jessica....We'll have to come up with the 'rules' I suppose based on the sign up sheet.

Once we have enough interest, then we'd have to come up with the topic (unless we leave it open) but I think a topic is easier. For example, Shadow Poetry does a weekly subject write on a yahoo group that Lindi and I partake in ocassionally. This weeks topic is "The Author of Forever" over there. In the past, they've had some really neat topics - like "Alphabet Soup", "Voices on the Boulevard",  "Beyond the Sleepy Crest Moon", "Driftwood and Feathers" to name a few. Of course, we cannot use these unless I ask permission, but it gives us something to think about. Perhaps we should start a thread on topic ideas like these - a few words combined?

Anyway - just my two cents...
~Cleo

[Guest_Don_*]

Cleo,

That was a whole quarter instead of a couple of cents.

Your fertile brain is awake and working.  As we say, "That is why you are paid the big bucks."

Did not know there were that many staff members swimming in Pandora's pond to pair with.  Recognizing that your name partnerships to be purely example, I am willing to work with a total stranger--if they agree.  This is an opportunity to meet and expand contact among MM members. Win or lose, who cares...that much?

Your poor sport speaking,

Don  

[Cleo_Serapis]

"The big bucks" - he's not talking about me, !

Iamges can sometimes spur a topic too - I just started a short story one and lo and behold the idea popped into my head from looking at a newspaper pic of a train station and an empty bench! I was so busy writing last night, I finished it!

Yes - collaboration is the winning move!

[Cleo_Serapis]

Hi all.

This tile will be to ADD replies for ' word phrases' for potetential challenges in the future.

Thanks! We appreciate your input!  

~Mosaic Musings Staff            :roman:      

[Cleo_Serapis]

Just make up phrases too!  :sun:

"Lost in a Fog"

"An Unforgettable Dream"

"Whispers from the Deep"

"Echoes of the Moon"

"Midnight Muse"

"House of Stone"

"The Mars Campaign"

"Prevention Pot"

"A Poet's Pondering"

"The Chalupa Conspiracy"

"Starlight Seranade"

"Blueberry Brocade"

"Enemies of the Fall"

"Rainbow Rapsody"

"Flight of the Incredible"

"Byzantine Boxcar"

"Raindrops of the Heart"

"The Lottery Give-away"

"Seasons of Change"

"The Age of the Clones"

"Message in a Bottle"

"Fields of Tears"

[Cleo_Serapis]

Perhaps even movie titles, song titles, book titles can stir the muse?

A Winter's Tale

Rush Hour

Armageddon

Men in Black

The Perfect Storm

Air Force One

Clear and Present Danger

A Beautiful Mind

The Firm

Remember the Titans

[Cleo_Serapis]

Looking at the TV Guide and there's a lot of funny Movie titles that I'll bet will stir the muse..

A Rumor of Angels

The Chocolate War

The Shamrock Conspiracy

Hidden Agenda

Get Reel

Black Rain

Love Is All There Is

House of Games

Blast from the Past

The Devil's Advocate

Valley of the Dolls

The Color of Love

House of Dreams

[Cleo_Serapis]

Any ideas for more Pandora challenges are sought. Please post your thoughts here...

TY!

[Guest_Jox_*]

Hi Lori et al,

Some ideas or part-ideas.

All are prose or poetry...

Travel incorporating six global landmarks or six cities or six countries etc.

That idea can be extended:

Six plants / animals / rivers / famous historical characters / chemicals ' metals / Trees etc etc.

And six is only a suggestion - easy ones could be more; hard ones fewer.

And the six don't always have to be prescribed - writers could provide their own six (but with web-links to any obscure ones). This would set us all researching and Googling - important tools for writers.

EG:

==============================================

Pandora for Month X, 2005...

Write a work about travelling around the world.
Chaos element: incorporate six rivers, each from a different country.
Please provide web-links to info about any lesser-known rivers - or just keep them all very famous!

================================================

The other ideas could be incorporated in similar ways...

You're travelling in Australia.
Write a work, incorporating six distinctly Australian animals.
Please provide web-links to info about any lesser-known animals - or just keep them all famous!

================================================

================================================

Another idea: write about your favourite poet  / writer / painter / composer / musicians...

Six different artists or four different works by one artist.

Web links to obscure parts please.

==================================================

You've been asked to commission a picture to please your employer

Chaos: Write about how four different artists would approach it.

etc.

always poetry or prose - All these can be made into any format. Three (ojk poor and qvery quick) egs:

Poetry

Mist swirled around half-hidden ships;
Turner moulded colours and light
upon their bows; waves jumping out
to turn us sea-sick from the sight.

Prose - Factual

JMW Turner is the foremost painter in terms of melding the colours of light to produce realistic effects from unrealistic brush-work. His ship paintings use "wrong" colours often but the result is both wonderful and stunningly realistic.

Prose - Fiction

Turner was in his studio one day when the Martians arrived. They brought him pigments unknown on Earth - deep Ghongo from Neptune, Ultra-Red from Mars itself and, most precious, Pluto Purple Plotz - a colouring so lusterous and delicious that man would nearly kill for Turner's paintigs.

=====================================

Any use, Lori?

Remember six almost anything can fit these parameters - and six is not set in stone, either.

James.

[Cleo_Serapis]

Thanks James.

Will use in a future challenge!

Cheers!
Cleo

[Ephiny]

Hi

Just a quick suggestion if ever you're looking for one on a challenge

Writing a story of a set amount of words..but the first line of the story has to be the first line of a novel (stating the name of the novel and author of course)..or something along those lines...

Just a thought!!

[Cleo_Serapis]

Fran commented this idea in jgdittiers piece, Of Mars and Men in Herme's Homilies...

This sounds like a possible future Pandora's: a poem (form?)/fable/drabble/other form to say what are the 3 greatest things (human achievements?) we would show alien visitors to delight them?

[Cleo_Serapis]

I had sent a PM asking if anyone had ideas for Pandora and here are some of the responses I received:

Charon (Butch): oncorporate the line from the Loreena McKennitt song: NIGHT RIDE ACROSS THE CAUCASUS, 'Cascading stars on the slumbering hills'


Don: Write a defined number of Clerihews (AUG challenge)


Psyche (Sylvia): I've received images of a glacier breaking in Argentina and plan to use them in a Pandora or a flash jam with a specified scenario.


Nina: write a poem or story and the topic must be a colour (or words to that effect)


Jox (James): Pandora Themes: (Not snippets)
Shipwreck
The Unexpected Visit (can be to or from)
"Not a cloud in the sky"
Beachcombing
My trip on the Space Shuttle
A conversation with a Yeti (or Big Foot) (or Nessie)
My time travl trip
The shopping trip
"The trouble with newts" said the professor...
The most memorable lecture
How I won tv's "Millionaire"
What is the point of poetry?
My duties as an orchestrial triangle player
I woke up invisible


Ephiny (Lucie):  How about a response or follow up to the first line of a novel of members' choices..
or
a short story of a set amount of words that must include two lines of a well-known poem..i.e. the story must relate to the poem, like a character's reaction to it, or why those lines mean a lot to him/her
or
(this was suggested recently at a creative writing group I sometimes go to)..a story that must begin with a line set out in the challenge (the ones we had to use were "my aunt Jane was found playing Stravinsky in the wardrobe and "my uncle Hughie fell off some scaffolding and became a surrealist")!!
or
each person chooses two or three lines of a poem of their choice and write a response or continuation of it..


Billydo (Mike): Pandora or flash: Write a response to the following: 'I've only seen Paris in the daytime, and where I was, was a burb like any other dull suburb in any city.'


Thanks all!  :pharoah2
~Cleo  :dance:

[Guest_ohsteve_*]

Cleo  I have seen all sorts of ideas for chalenges and heve other sites i post at pose some, most are straight forward but some ar a little out on the edge.... i have tried wriiting to a theme, a theme with words given , or a team challendge everyon comes up with two lines and the poem has to make sense, or puts in two words and after ten start writing using those words... write about a picture best iterpertation wins... find a poet that every one has to do a take off from  with apologies to the poets...or series of pictures and a poem fro each one but they have to interrealte with the picture and each other....start a challeng with the begining of a poem  first stanza and the let the poets finsih it in how they think it sohould go,...want more pm me or email me...
Steve

[Cleo_Serapis]

Thanks Steve.

yes - of course I'd like to hear your ideas too. Would you like to chat via PM?

Cheers
Lori :pharoah2