# SDMB Short Fiction Contest - the 2010 Holiday Theme edition - Logistics Thread. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 16, 2010, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-short-fiction-contest-the-2010-holiday-theme-edition-logistics-thread/564373 "2010-12-16T16:36:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2010, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-short-fiction-contest-the-2010-holiday-theme-edition-logistics-thread/564373/21 "2010-12-27T17:20:53Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > Quick question for **Le Ministre** , although I suspect I already know the answer. The word limit is still 2000 words, correct? 2,000 words or less, enforced with Procrustean exactitude. I’ll only cut out the best bits… ---
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2010, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-short-fiction-contest-the-2010-holiday-theme-edition-logistics-thread/564373/22 "2010-12-29T00:29:47Z")
Okay, my story is in with 33 minutes to spare on the time. I actually procrastinated on starting until this morning. Thanks once again for co-ordinating, **Le Min**. And I rambled about these contests a little on my blog last Saturday, not quite sure why. Time to wait for the end of the entire writing window, now. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-short-fiction-contest-the-2010-holiday-theme-edition-logistics-thread/564373/23 "2010-12-30T15:28:58Z")
I’m just giving this a bump in case anyone’s unfulfilled New Year’s resolution for 2010 was to write a 2,000 word short story. There’s still enough time. ---
**Author:** ![Tristan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tristan/32/18058_2.png) [@Tristan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tristan)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-short-fiction-contest-the-2010-holiday-theme-edition-logistics-thread/564373/24 "2010-12-30T16:12:33Z")
Just to clarify, guests are ok, as we (I am a guest, despite being a long time doper) to submit? I got the PM, I just don’t want to step on any toes… ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-short-fiction-contest-the-2010-holiday-theme-edition-logistics-thread/564373/25 "2010-12-30T16:13:42Z")
If you can post, **Tristan** , you’re welcome to participate. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-short-fiction-contest-the-2010-holiday-theme-edition-logistics-thread/564373/26 "2010-12-30T16:50:41Z")
We really need a better catch-all word than “members.” Maybe “people who have an account”? Still pretty clunky. ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-short-fiction-contest-the-2010-holiday-theme-edition-logistics-thread/564373/27 "2010-12-30T16:55:57Z")
It might also have helped if I’d put ‘guests’ on my little list up there. Sorry 'bout that, chief. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2010, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-short-fiction-contest-the-2010-holiday-theme-edition-logistics-thread/564373/28 "2010-12-31T18:13:05Z")
Still time for some of you to write something this weekend, assuming you are like me and prefer to stay at home New Year’s. BTW, **Le Ministre de l’au-delà** , hope you got mine and how many are there so far? ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2010, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-short-fiction-contest-the-2010-holiday-theme-edition-logistics-thread/564373/29 "2010-12-31T18:49:20Z")
**DMark** - yes, indeed, I did receive your hard work. I beg your pardon for not having said so here. For the record, so far I have my own story, plus six other stories from \*\* LVBoPeep, Savannah, Jules Andre, Clockwork Jackal, DMark\*\* and \*\* chrisk\*\*, making seven. Two others have been sent the words & photo but there’s still plenty of room for more! ---
**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:** [December 31, 2010, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-short-fiction-contest-the-2010-holiday-theme-edition-logistics-thread/564373/30 "2010-12-31T18:51:28Z")
> [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](#): > > Two others have been sent the words & photo but there’s still plenty of room for more! Received mine within the last hour. Interesting words and photo. Looking forward to what people can do with them! ---
**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2010, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-short-fiction-contest-the-2010-holiday-theme-edition-logistics-thread/564373/31 "2010-12-31T21:20:55Z")
Bumping the thread. I enjoyed the challenge so much I did it again. Googled “random Flickr image” and I had a site bookmarked that generates three random words for stories. Gave myself three days and 2000 word limit. I didn’t give myself a theme, however. 🙂 I, for one, would like to continue to do this on a regular basis. It’s a lot of fun, and a good writing exercise. Maybe that will be one resolution for 2011. Anyway, do join in the SDMB short fiction contest! ---
**Author:** ![Jules\_Andre](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jules_andre/32/9334_2.png) [@Jules\_Andre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jules_Andre)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2010, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-short-fiction-contest-the-2010-holiday-theme-edition-logistics-thread/564373/32 "2010-12-31T23:00:37Z")
> [@Savannah](#): > > Bumping the thread. I enjoyed the challenge so much I did it again. Googled “random Flickr image” and I had a site bookmarked that generates three random words for stories. What is that site? I’d like to give this a try too. ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2010, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-short-fiction-contest-the-2010-holiday-theme-edition-logistics-thread/564373/33 "2010-12-31T23:15:23Z")
I’ve been using this site - [Random Word Generator (Plus)](http://watchout4snakes.com/creativitytools/RandomWord/RandomWordPlus.aspx) when I’m away from home. When I’m at home, I like to use my percentile dice from D and D (‘Why, yes, I am a geek - how ever did you guess?’) to generate 4 and 5 digit numbers, then I look them up in Roget’s Thesaurus. For the Poetry Sweatshops, I’ve also used the dice to find words in the collected works of Wallace Stevens, Seamus Heany, Walt Whitman and e e cummings. [Flickr: Explore interesting photos](http://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/7days/) is an excellent random photo browser. [Random Photo Browser](http://bighugelabs.com/random.php) is also really good. There is also the [Flickr Random Image Generator](http://bighugelabs.com/random.php) at beezbuzz, which is not affiliated with Flickr. ---
**Author:** ![Jules\_Andre](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jules_andre/32/9334_2.png) [@Jules\_Andre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jules_Andre)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2010, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-short-fiction-contest-the-2010-holiday-theme-edition-logistics-thread/564373/34 "2010-12-31T23:51:58Z")
Awesome, thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2011, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-short-fiction-contest-the-2010-holiday-theme-edition-logistics-thread/564373/35 "2011-01-01T00:58:45Z")
This is where I am (about to be “was”) getting my three random words: [Short Story Ideas - Random Words](http://shortstoryideas.herb.me.uk/random.htm) I’ve started hitting repeats, though. 🙂 I was trying to write a flasher a day for November and December – 100 word stories, and burned through the word selection pretty quickly. Three words, incorporated into the 100 word story. [The Flickr Random Image Generatr](http://beesbuzz.biz/crap/flrig.cgi) was where I got the random Flickr image. I got a really good one for the current story, but of course, I can’t find it again. (I copied and pasted into my Word doc.) Okay, back to the New Year’s Eve house-cleaning binge. ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2011, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-short-fiction-contest-the-2010-holiday-theme-edition-logistics-thread/564373/36 "2011-01-01T15:08:50Z")
The [Anthology Thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=13306344#post13306344) is now up and running - come see what everyone has written! ---
**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:** [January 2, 2011, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-short-fiction-contest-the-2010-holiday-theme-edition-logistics-thread/564373/37 "2011-01-02T00:03:39Z")
Okay, just sent mine off. I’ve intentionally not read any that have already been posted, so I’m off to do that now. ---
**Author:** ![Clockwork\_Jackal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b5e925/32.png) [@Clockwork\_Jackal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clockwork_Jackal)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2011, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-short-fiction-contest-the-2010-holiday-theme-edition-logistics-thread/564373/38 "2011-01-02T01:50:56Z")
So many uplifting stories about faith, and magic, and forgiveness and family! And then there’s mine. Um…I think I need to see a therapist or something. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2011, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-short-fiction-contest-the-2010-holiday-theme-edition-logistics-thread/564373/39 "2011-01-03T07:35:51Z")
Mine’s in now, hopefully. And **Clockwork Jackal** , yours will now have company in not being about faith, magic, forgiveness (at least not to the story’s villian) _or_ family 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2011, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-short-fiction-contest-the-2010-holiday-theme-edition-logistics-thread/564373/40 "2011-01-03T08:07:54Z")
> [@Clockwork\_Jackal](#): > > So many uplifting stories about faith, and magic, and forgiveness and family! > And then there’s mine. Um…I think I need to see a therapist or something. > 😃 Tell me about it…ever have that dream where you are naked and walk into the classroom and have forgotten you have a test that day? Well… Perhaps the “holiday muse” didn’t strike everyone the same…in comparison, mine reads like a heathen farted in church. Oh well…it’s January and time to take the tree down anyway. BTW, great stories (everybody else!) and I really liked reading all of them! Interesting that many thought the person wearing the hat in the photo was female…I just assumed it was a guy. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-short-fiction-contest-the-2010-holiday-theme-edition-logistics-thread/564373.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-short-fiction-contest-the-2010-holiday-theme-edition-logistics-thread/564373.md?page=3)