50 word stories

[sugarisnice]

I submitted a bunch of 50-word short stories and jokes for the Halloween contest, and it's not going over too well. Has anyone else had success with posting a bunch of 50-word stories?

 

[starrkers]

Talk to Oggbashan, he's the king of the 50-word story. Even wrote a how-to on the subject.

 

[sugarisnice]

Thanks starrkers. That's how I got the idea actually. I was wondering if anyone else tried writing 50-word stories and what kind of feeback they got?

 

[elfin_odalisque]

It's very difficult - that's why Og is such a master - Starrkers is dead right.

I can't do it, but you've got three to five sentences to get the start, middle and end across. Strip out all adjectives, adverbs and dialogue and just give action. It's a bit like Julius Caesar invading England, "I came, I saw, I conquered" but in Lit terms that should probably be, "I saw, I conquered, I came".

 

[poppy_cock]

I think it's probably fair to say that most visitors to Lit aren't looking for 50 word stories. That's probably the main reason they don't seem to be going down too well. If not looking for stroke material, readers are generally looking for something with a slightly more substantial plot, characterization, that kind of thing.

Well done for having a go at something different, anyway. Stretching your writing skills can only be a good thing in the long term.

 

[Starscream_UK]

Interesting idea that - micro fiction. I might have a crack at that tomorrow...

 

[sugarisnice]

Using the 50 word limit seemed to work best in a little story, such as a joke or riddle. It may work best in humor. At least that's what I thought in my Halloween Short Tales story. I'm not asking for votes or reads: It has gotten blasted and will no where near reach any contest level. Read it and let me know. One person wrote they were lame jokes. Well, yeah, to some people they are lame. Jokes are jokes and do not tickle everyone's funny bone.

 

[tickledkitty]

Try not to let that upset you. I think feedback is generally more harsh during contests. If it hadn't been in the contest, it might have done very well.

 

[Starscream_UK]

Humour is subjective at the best of times...

 

[sugarisnice]

Try not to let that upset you. I think feedback is generally more harsh during contests. If it hadn't been in the contest, it might have done very well.

Thanks.