[Jul/Aug 2017] - Story Generator - Discussion Thread

[ScarletBea]

Xiagan asked me to do it.
I said it might be better to skip a month, and then had the idea of leaving the current one open for longer.

So you really think people will still write in August?

[Nora]

I would of course if the theme inspire some me. Happens most of the time. I just skipped the last generator month and the fanfic month, but general topics always pop something up for me. Can't speak for others though. But even if there is little attendance, you have at least Dukakis and I keen for fresh ideas.

[Lanko]

Can't a middle ground be reached?

Maybe one extra month on this one can help because of the reasons mentioned.

To those without ideas or that already entered, they would have nothing to do for another month.

Can't you keep Story Generator open for an extra month and also give the next month's theme as normal? That should keep everyone happy... right?

One problem might be voting, as both would finish in September and if both themes end up with a lot of stories that could be a little tough. Maybe keep voting for SG open until Sep, 1st and the August until Sep, 7th?

[Nora]

Sounds like a bit too convoluted, IMO, since there is no real shame or trouble just scrapping a month that does poorly. It's not like it's unique either. People already did it, so they might feel uninspired or less inclined to make time for it, or other reasons get in the way, but why extend it just because it's not popular? If the forum was working as usual, would we be considering extending the month and deregulating the normal voting pattern?

Not every month can have 18 stories and everyone on the edge of their seats I guess.

[J.R. Darewood]

My guess is that people are having a hard time finding the thread this time around
In my case it's not that the idea is unpopular-- I just haven't had time for several months now.  I'll have an idea marinating, will write an outline, then can't get the free time to sit down and write it.  Starting with a new concept next month isn't going to fix that. I can't guarantee I'll find time, but the likelyhood is higher if we just extend it a month.

Most importantly, It's fairer to the people who actually wrote something to just extend it another month.

[Nora]

How is it fairer to extend?! Is it not fairer to stick to the rules? I'd say it's a lot less fair. You wrote something in under a month and some people get two months to work on their story, doesn't that defeat the whole point? We might as well push the word limit to 3000 words then since we have twice the time to write it.

[J.R. Darewood]

I fail to see your point. It's infinitely less fair to have invested the time to write something for a month then have the whole month scrapped. You can always go back and edit it.

[Nora]

It's not unfair. It's part of the rules of the game. The contest doesn't guarantee it's going to have enough contestant to happen. Just like universities can let you subscribe for a course here, and then cancel it because there wasn't enough participant. Might be unfair to the people who were keen for it and planned on doing it, but they won't pay teachers for one or two attendants all the same.
Risk is part of the game, and by choosing to accommodate one person who doesn't even seem to want it over the unknown number of people who might have enjoyed a new theme you're hardly being fair either.
I understand this conversation is being had because there is bugging in the forum, but if it were all as normal and you had not chosen to write because you both had little time and a dislike for the topic, how bummed would you be that it ends up being extended over two months instead of going on as normal?
One has the benefit of having practiced writing a story. If some members are waiting actively for a new topic, how is extending being fair to them?

And that comes from someone now half way through this month's story. So I'm well aware I might be writing something that'll go nowhere. It's never a loss. It's practice!

[ScarletBea]

Well, I'm going to shut down the back-and-forth arguments now:

I'm sorry, I know some won't like it, but I'm making an executive decision here: there is no new August theme, and we're keeping the Story Generator open another month.

• There's only 1 entry, which I doubt would be changed if he knew he'd have 2 months to write.
• I doubt very much we have a long list of people who have been working on the theme, and now will have more time making it unfair (to whom? Rukaio?) (and if we do this time, so what?)

You can't please everyone, and I'd rather "relaunch" the contest in September.

[Rukaio_Alter]

Most importantly, It's fairer to the people who actually wrote something to just extend it another month.

I fail to see your point. It's infinitely less fair to have invested the time to write something for a month then have the whole month scrapped. You can always go back and edit it.

I'm the only person who completed a story this month. I was also the first to call for the contest to be scrapped rather than having to wait another month for it to be over.

Trust me. I don't mind.

Well, I'm going to shut down the back-and-forth arguments now:

I'm sorry, I know some won't like it, but I'm making an executive decision here: there is no new August theme, and we're keeping the Story Generator open another month.

• There's only 1 entry, which I doubt would be changed if he knew he'd have 2 months to write.
• I doubt very much we have a long list of people who have been working on the theme, and now will have more time making it unfair (to whom? Rukaio?) (and if we do this time, so what?)

You can't please everyone, and I'd rather "relaunch" the contest in September.

Why not just go with Lanko's suggestion and have August and July open at the same time?

That way you can give time to anyone who's apparently not done yet with their story while simultaneously providing another option for people who really don't like the theme (an understandable feeling since Story Generators are significantly less fun to write for than they appear) and don't want to have to wait an extra month for a new one? Its summer, after all. It's not like people are going to have a significant lack of time on their hands.

[night_wrtr]

Of course, either way, I think it's way too early to make this call. We usually end up getting tons of entries towards the end of the month. Hell, we had 9 in the final week last month and 6 in the month before that. Wait for the month to actually finish before making any rash moves.

Feel free to just ignore me as I haven't participated in a while, but @Rukaio_Alter makes a good point. There is still a week left in the contest, and its kind of a thing to see all the last minute submissions. Do we know how many people are currently in progress for this month? Last year there were 13 entries, but this was a new topic. This year it is the same options, so that might also stifle some submissions.

[JMack]

2 5 1 3 4 4 4
Urban fantasy
Thief Castle
Scrying bowl
Greedy
Ex-girl friend
Goat cheese

Will I miss the month for the first time since November 2014? Probably. 

Oh, just noticed the discussion above. I go on vacation starting the 3rd. Can definitely write one or two stories.

[Nora]

Haha! The lack of deadline had me abandon my story altogether. I've picked back up a great series of books and I'm feeling like reviving another short story, though I haven't been really bothered to write recently. We'll see if I get motivated in late August.

[Nora]

Don't want to sound pushy, but does the fact that the forum is fixed mean that we are getting our August topic after all?!
Haven't managed to turn my idea into anything good and moved on. Won't be entering this month in the end.

[eclipse]

I think you should have a new topic for a new month. Two months  is far too long. If there's only a couple of stories submitted so be it, when the contest  first started up we didn't have many entries then either it didn't do any harm.