# Bring back the sweatshops? \[short fiction\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 9, 2018, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bring-back-the-sweatshops-short-fiction/812093 "2018-04-09T17:27:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Serenata67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/serenata67/32/10646_2.png) [@Serenata67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serenata67)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2018, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bring-back-the-sweatshops-short-fiction/812093/1 "2018-04-09T17:27:57Z")
Back when I was last active on the SDMB, we would occasionally do Poetry or Flash Fiction [sweatshops](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=576336). There would be a few randomly chose words, and anyone who wanted could get the words and complete their creative work within a given time frame. Then, once they were all done, we could vote on which was the best. We all get to read some pretty decent work, and creative people like me get to create and share with others. Would anyone be interested in resurrecting the sweatshops? They were previously run by [Le Ministre de l’au-delà](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/member.php), but I would be willing to run at least the first couple, if there’s interest. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2018, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bring-back-the-sweatshops-short-fiction/812093/2 "2018-04-09T22:10:02Z")
I remember those. They were a lot of fun. I’d be interested in the short story ones (I’m a lousy poet). But yes, I’d be interested in a resurrection of the sweatshops. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2018, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bring-back-the-sweatshops-short-fiction/812093/3 "2018-04-10T00:27:23Z")
I’m game. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2018, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bring-back-the-sweatshops-short-fiction/812093/4 "2018-04-10T01:53:04Z")
I dunno. I’ve admitted to myself that I don’t do fiction and the only poetry I’ve done that was remotely successful was purposely bad. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2018, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bring-back-the-sweatshops-short-fiction/812093/5 "2018-04-10T03:10:04Z")
But I’ll try. Just don’t be surprised if I manage to weave the chosen words into a personal anecdote. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Serenata67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/serenata67/32/10646_2.png) [@Serenata67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serenata67)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2018, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bring-back-the-sweatshops-short-fiction/812093/6 "2018-04-10T16:49:44Z")
Is anyone else interested? If so, who prefers short fiction over poetry? (We can switch it up once in a while, too.) ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2018, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bring-back-the-sweatshops-short-fiction/812093/7 "2018-04-10T16:51:30Z")
Short fiction. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2018, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bring-back-the-sweatshops-short-fiction/812093/8 "2018-04-12T03:59:44Z")
Either. I can do neither. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2018, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bring-back-the-sweatshops-short-fiction/812093/9 "2018-04-12T04:34:05Z")
Me either. But I will try.😉 ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2018, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bring-back-the-sweatshops-short-fiction/812093/10 "2018-04-12T04:42:28Z")
Short fiction. I have to admit that I was not looking at this thread because it seemed that it was a request for clothing sweatshops outside or inside the USA to have less restrictions or regulations… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2018, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bring-back-the-sweatshops-short-fiction/812093/11 "2018-04-12T06:56:57Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#): > > I have to admit that I was not looking at this thread because it seemed that it was a request for clothing sweatshops outside or inside the USA to have less restrictions or regulations… 🙂 That’s what I initially thought too, but I took a chance. Glad I did. Perhaps a mod might adjust the subject line? Anyway, short fiction for me. As a two-time winner of the “PoeHenryParkerSaki” award, I say short fiction all the way. 😃 For those unfamiliar with what a “sweatshop” is, here’s a link to a past contest, where **Le Ministre** lays out the rules in the first post, and links to past contests (so you can peruse at your leisure): > **[SDMB Short Fiction Contest, September 2011 edition - Logistics Thread.](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=625940)** > > Hello and welcome. We’ve had six Short Fiction contests so far, in May 2010, September 2010, over the holidays between 2010 and 2011, February 2011, April 2011 and June 2011. They’ve been tremendously fun, and there has been interest expressed in... For those who would like a shortcut, this is a link to an anthology thread, where **Le Ministre** posted the stories, and encouraged commentary on them: > **[Cast Your Vote!!! in the Anthology Thread of the SDMB Short Fiction Contest -...](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=591295)** > > Presenting the Anthology Thread of the SDMB Short Fiction Contest, the Holiday edition. A quick recap of the rules - At 12 Midnight EST, Monday, December 20th, 2010, I posted a link to a photo (found by random means) and also generated three words,... ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2018, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bring-back-the-sweatshops-short-fiction/812093/12 "2018-04-12T07:05:20Z")
I’ll sit this one out, but I’m interested to see how it plays out. Edit: and for the record, I’d rather read short fiction than poetry, if I get a vote from the sidelines. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2018, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bring-back-the-sweatshops-short-fiction/812093/13 "2018-04-12T13:14:30Z")
[Moderating] Edited title for clarity. ---
**Author:** ![Serenata67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/serenata67/32/10646_2.png) [@Serenata67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serenata67)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2018, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bring-back-the-sweatshops-short-fiction/812093/14 "2018-04-12T13:51:00Z")
Well, I didn’t want to specify short fiction in the title… since I’m still feeling out whether to do short fiction or poetry. Would people be game to start this weekend? And there’s a link to a previous sweatshop in the OP. ---
**Author:** ![Serenata67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/serenata67/32/10646_2.png) [@Serenata67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serenata67)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2018, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bring-back-the-sweatshops-short-fiction/812093/15 "2018-04-12T21:56:38Z")
Eh, I realize this weekend may be too short of notice. I will start the first sweatshop next week Friday evening (3/20 - all times will be Central Time). To start, the writer sends an email to a given address, which will have an automatic reply containing 3 randomly chosen words. They must reply to that automatic reply with their entry within 2 hours. (It’s a sweatshop… work hard, work fast!) Since we’re doing flash fiction, the entries must be under 500 words, which is kind of on the long side for flash fiction. (I may do an uber sweatshop with one hour and 100 words in the future.) All entries must be in my a certain time on Sunday (probably midday sometime). I will post them in a random order, without names, and users can vote on them until, say Monday afternoon. At that point, I will declare a winner and provide author names. Does this sound like a good plan for next week? ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2018, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bring-back-the-sweatshops-short-fiction/812093/16 "2018-04-12T23:16:30Z")
If y’all do poetry at some point keep me in mind, those were a lot of fun. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2018, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bring-back-the-sweatshops-short-fiction/812093/17 "2018-04-13T03:04:12Z")
There’s no need to exclude poetry since all it is is a ruse to get us writing. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2018, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bring-back-the-sweatshops-short-fiction/812093/18 "2018-04-13T03:08:31Z")
> [@Serenata67](#): > > Since we’re doing flash fiction… Oh, you said Flash fiction, which would be easier. My mistake. :o ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2018, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bring-back-the-sweatshops-short-fiction/812093/19 "2018-04-13T03:22:07Z")
I don’t mean to be dumb, what exactly is flash fiction? (No, I haven’t read the links yet) ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2018, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bring-back-the-sweatshops-short-fiction/812093/20 "2018-04-13T04:07:48Z")
Only incidentally like slash fiction. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bring-back-the-sweatshops-short-fiction/812093.md?page=2)