Bekanator's picture
Bekanator from Kamloops, British Columbia is reading Ugly Girls by Lindsay Hunter April 21, 2012 - 2:43pm

I totally read that article, Richard.  Really helped me out, actually, because now I can easily say that I write "literary transgressive".  With a dash of sex.

Thanks for the suggestions.  I've heard of a couple of those but I'll have to check into the others. 

Richard's picture
Richard from St. Louis is reading various anthologies April 21, 2012 - 3:12pm

^and that's fine, Martin, we should never limit outselves to one genre, i also write fantasy, SF, horror, neo-noir, transgressive, grotesque, literary, etc. but what i'm talking about in that column is trying to fine your FIRST POV, and being able to define it, so that you can repeat your voice, and get stronger, and also, so you know WHERE to send your work. if you are confident that you understand your voice, Martin, and are able to tweak it, play with it, expand it at will, then go for it. as long as you can figure out later that "Butterflies in Love" should go to Opium Magazine and "Butterflies That Hate" should go to Shock Totem, and not the reverse, you're good. A lot of your work, I imagine, will overlap, and be good for a wide range of publications. But sometimes, not. You know what you're doing.

^bek, cool. you have a handle on it. edgy literary transgressions are really a great place to be these days, it's a hot subsection that i personally enjoy. 

wickedvoodoo's picture
wickedvoodoo from Mansfield, England is reading stuff. April 21, 2012 - 3:23pm

Aye, it makes a lot of sense. The learning where to send stuff. That for me is the golden message of your Storyville article. That is important.

if you are confident that you understand your voice, Martin, and are able to tweak it, play with it, expand it at will, then go for it

This is basically my goal in a nutshell. I'm not there yet, but I think I'm getting there. Slowly but surely.

Richard's picture
Richard from St. Louis is reading various anthologies April 21, 2012 - 3:47pm

^i think you're there, buddy. 

avery of the dead's picture
avery of the dead from Kentucky is reading Cipher Sisters April 21, 2012 - 6:59pm

BEHOLD!  Your winners have been selected! 

Congratulations on the FINAL FOUR! 

Utah's picture
Moderator
Utah from Fort Worth, TX is reading Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry April 21, 2012 - 7:17pm

Wow. 

Truly, my hat's off to my opponent from this round.  Closure, you truly put up a hell of a show.  Good job.  I didn't think I would make it past you after I read it.

WV vs Richard:  Man, talk about a coin toss!  Two excellent stories from two excellent writers.  This one seriously could have gone either way.  Fantastic job to both you guys.  Richard, I really loved your story.  And Martin, dude, what an original perspective to take!  Loved yours too.

Beka and Alien:  Danny, you pulled out all the stops in this round.  I really dug the hag in the mirror.  That story was really...really...creepy.  Oh, and I really liked the semi-functional mom who could only listen to what went on around her and the consequent humanizing of the antagonist.  Beka:  your devotion to the prompt was just amazing.  I took notes (in my head!  I'm not a total geek!) on how you used the prompt as the fabric of your story.  Freaking good job.

And Mr. Hopkins--previously a standby reservist, brought in because Ryan Moon was forced by circumstance to step out--coming out strong!  Good job, sir.  But Clint was no punk bitch.  He did not go gently into that good night.  Fought all the way.  Again, a coin toss.  I really liked what both writers did with those stories.  

This round was the distillation of the essence of what WAR is all about.  Everybody raised their personal bars and charged hard into the fray.  Good job to each of you.  I want to hug everybody.  Except that would be weird.  So I'll just hug Danny.  I hope you don't mind if I catch a quick handful of ass.

Utah's picture
Moderator
Utah from Fort Worth, TX is reading Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry April 21, 2012 - 7:20pm

And I just realized that, now the round is said and done, I really do have to battle Beka next round.

Think I just pooped myself a bit.

Bekanator's picture
Bekanator from Kamloops, British Columbia is reading Ugly Girls by Lindsay Hunter April 21, 2012 - 11:28pm

Better clean yourself up, Utah.  Things are about to get TENSE.

That said, I appreciate your comments.  I definitely went through a huge Sylvia Plath stage in high school.  I read her poems and her biography and everything, so it was kind of cool to relive all that.  When I got the prompt last Sunday morning I could not have been more excited, and I took my Collected Poems of Sylvia Plath book on the road during my vacation.  I read Mirror every night and tried to inspire my plot with her words.  I also learned a bit about Ted Hughes.  Turns out he wasn't the asshole I thought he was.  I'm glad it worked out, and I do have to thank those who posted critiques (Chester and Renfield, especially).  I'll be posting "Angling" to the workshop in the next couple weeks, so I'm looking forward to hearing more. 

And to Danny, seriously, you really threw the punches at my weak spots.  The big explosive ending is not something that I really ever do, so great job.  Seriously.  The worst part about winning is having to take another writer down.  BUT!  At least you're not a misogynist!

Also, I got you something!:

 

wickedvoodoo's picture
wickedvoodoo from Mansfield, England is reading stuff. April 21, 2012 - 11:33pm

Well done to the all the other writers. All four matches were really tough to call, I was not at all surprised to see them all go so close with the voting.

That last day was tense. Phew. And a couple of surprises thrown in too. Utah vs Closure was the toughest one to pick a winner for for me. I really wanted to vote for both stories.

Amd yay, I beat Richard. Damn close though. One bloody vote. Too nerve wracking. And that was despite him coming out with that awesome story.

aliensoul77's picture
aliensoul77 from a cold distant star is reading the writing on the wall. April 22, 2012 - 2:33am

@Becky--nice! LOL

aliensoul77's picture
aliensoul77 from a cold distant star is reading the writing on the wall. April 22, 2012 - 2:35am

@Becky--nice! LOL

Americantypo's picture
Americantypo from Philadelphia is reading The Bone Clocks April 22, 2012 - 6:40am

Arrrgghhhgh! Shimmer rejected the story and they were totally nice about it! FUCK