smithreynolds's picture
smithreynolds from Spokane, WA USA is reading The writing on the wall. October 1, 2016 - 10:00am

The box says check back often. Been here for six months never saw a writing event and wonder "What were they when they were?" and  "Were they fun?" and  "Why are they no more?"  Too much work, too little participation. WHAT's the story?

voodoo_em's picture
voodoo_em from England is reading All the books by Ira Levin October 3, 2016 - 8:34am

Hey, Smith Reynolds - to answer you question, yes! The writing events we used to have on here were awesome!! What they were depended on which event it was. Let me explain: 

First there was Thunderdome which you can still see evidence of on here, only it used to be more of an "event" in that there were more battles happening and a lot more people reading and voting on stories.

The basic idea of Thunderdome helped spawn the epic writing event "War" created by Utah and Avery of the Dead our old community managers (then called "defender of the people"). War was a massive event that lasted a good few months and originally comprised of 32 contestants. Although by its second year it had pulled in 64 contestants. This worked by using elimination brackets reducing numbers by half each round. Like Thunderdome it was prompt based and completely anonymous. And like the original Thunderdome you had to be workshop members to participate so that threads could be locked and stories protected.

Later we had "Battle" which was a 10-20 person writing event (again anonymous) but with everyone writing from the same prompt. This was quicker lasting two weeks and also run by Avery.

Also we had , "Flash Me" run by Chester Payne and Wicked Voodoo, which was a monthly prompt based flash fiction challenge voted for by community members. Johnathan Riley also started a monthlyprompt based poetry thread challenge.

All of these events above were community run events that took a lot of time and effort by the members for the pure enjoyment of it. They stopped because these members gradually left the forum. Avery of the Dead in particular was like the saint of writing events because she ran all 3 wars and numerous battles and that's no easy feat. And yes I miss her presence her very much :)

LitReactor ran three official genre based competitions: a sci-fi, a horror and a crime. All very successful and long events. I think they stopped because it also involves a lot of time and work and organisation.

Hope this helps!

 

smithreynolds's picture
smithreynolds from Spokane, WA USA is reading The writing on the wall. October 3, 2016 - 8:48am

It does help. Thanks. These things sound like they happened out of the energy in the site. That energy isn't here any more. I am excited to see what will develop in this cycle. All in its time. I appreciate the specificity and the insight. I really do. Silence isn't always golden.

Nathan Scalia's picture
Nathan Scalia from Kansas is reading so many things October 4, 2016 - 5:36pm

I wouldn't say that the energy isn't there. Events just take a lot of time and resources to create and maintain, especially for a site with a relatively low number of staff members per community member. Avery did some amazing things during her reign, and I found that I wasn't quite able to match the time committment that she could when I was contemplating having to run similar events that she did.

I said it before, and while I won't speak for the current community manager, I would imagine this advice holds true: don't just wait for an event to happen. If you have an idea, pitch it. It's a lot easier to get motivated to work on an idea that the community has already shown an interest in. Just as well, the less work it is for the staff to get it off the ground, the more open they tend to be in providing resources to make it work.

You people are supposed to be the creative ones. Create!

smithreynolds's picture
smithreynolds from Spokane, WA USA is reading The writing on the wall. October 4, 2016 - 9:10pm

@Nathan. Boy! It is amazing how much being called  YOU PEOPLE can offend. What was is no longer. What is becoming is what is. Painful. It sucks. That is growth and change.

voodoo_em's picture
voodoo_em from England is reading All the books by Ira Levin October 5, 2016 - 6:53am

Hey Nathan, I hope you don't think I was making comparisons, I wasn't! I wouldn't have the time to do what Avery did either! :)

smithreynolds's picture
smithreynolds from Spokane, WA USA is reading The writing on the wall. October 5, 2016 - 8:08am

It seems there is tender ground here. Trying to negotiate the past and what was has no interest for me. I am trying to be a part of the community that is now. If in doing that I have triggered some release of pain, I apologize. I will try to be more sensitive. I have lived through many dynasties. They all pass away and transform into something new. It hurts like a sonofabitch.

What I was trying to acknowlege Nathan, is that I understand this site is in a transition from something that was exciting and vibrant and really made a huge impact on a lot of writers who are no longer hanging out here. I know that for something creative like that to thrive, people gave heart and soul to make the opportunity. To have a new batch of people come along who have no understanding of what came before sucks. I have lived through the experience quite a few times, and it never hurts any less. I have come to recognize it as the cost of being alive.

I came here to engage in a writing community. That possibility enlivens me. Thank you for the work you are doing  to make this site vibrant. It is the most interesting community I have found.  I will review every story that comes down the pike as long as I can keep up, and I will try to be honest and caring. I will take classes as often as I can afford to. I will welcome newcomers as best I can, and share what I know, humble as that may be. Bumping edges and making sparks is to be expected. That is the potential for the delight of the bonfire. With regard, gsr.

 

 

helpfulsnowman's picture
Community Manager
helpfulsnowman from Colorado is reading But What If We're Wrong? by Chuck Klosterman October 6, 2016 - 12:10pm

Lots of good stuff here.

I'll say that there's an offical LR writing event in the works, similar to the previous ones, but like it's been said, they take quite a bit of undertaking. Haha, undertaking!? October? Halloween?

There were also frequent Flash Fiction Smackdowns. But that doesn't preclude the existence of community-created events either. 

Interestingly enough, I came upon a prize that I think would be well-suited to a contest...will post today.

smithreynolds's picture
smithreynolds from Spokane, WA USA is reading The writing on the wall. October 6, 2016 - 1:03pm

You have piqued my pique, Helpfulsnowman.  Thanks for the tidbit of interest. I'll stay tuned and alert. I have no diea what it takes to make stuff happen in this site. I barely cut and paste. But I do understand backstage and onstage, and I presume it's the same stuff. Tech stuff, design, script, blah blah blah.. Thanks STAFF wherever you are, and whatever you are laboring at....gsr

helpfulsnowman's picture
Community Manager
helpfulsnowman from Colorado is reading But What If We're Wrong? by Chuck Klosterman October 6, 2016 - 1:25pm

You're welcome! I appreciate that you're always pushing for more good stuff. Sometimes it's the demand for things that puts them higher on the priorities list.

Utah's picture
Moderator
Utah from Fort Worth, TX is reading Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry November 3, 2016 - 8:21pm

What?! I forget to log in for...a couple years...and come back and find there are no more writing events?

And all my rowdy friends are gone?

What the hell, LR?

voodoo_em's picture
voodoo_em from England is reading All the books by Ira Levin November 4, 2016 - 2:13am

Hey Utah! I'm still here, I just don't talk much.

 

Utah's picture
Moderator
Utah from Fort Worth, TX is reading Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry November 4, 2016 - 7:03am

*hugs!*

smithreynolds's picture
smithreynolds from Spokane, WA USA is reading The writing on the wall. November 5, 2016 - 9:31pm

Jesus Utah! You forgot to log in for a couple a years. We could be using a little Rose right now. And what I mean by that is thanks for checking back in.