Raging_Hopeful

Teach me to go camping for three days!

Well, just to address everyone's concerns... I'm a little over it but upon first review, I can't deny that I was extremely miffed at the manner in which pieces were judged. There's nothing wrong with being "tough" but....

Everyone is entitled to their opinions. But when someone seems to be taking a stab at being the "Simon Cowell" of the LM is just lame.

That being said, I don't think this should lead an outcry for the rules to be changed as most people play very well within the context... I just thought it was a damn shame someone couldn't pull their keyboard out of their ass long enough to pause their condescending attitude and realize that this is an exercise and that comments like that are well.... exceedingly unhelpful.

BUT ANYWAYS. Congrats to the winners and good sports I feel much better about the issue now and I hope, Triq, that you will use this opportunity to contemplate "how you come across" and what not. Hell, I hope you'll take another stab at judging and see how it goes!

Yes. Relax. A weekend in the woods and swimming in glacier water does wonders for ones temper and appetite for peace.

Cheers,
Linz

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Wildcard

And where exactly would one find this "work"?

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"Even if you win for the short term, you'll ultimately fail, alive or dead. Imagine if the great men from the past - men who thought they were working to shape the world – could see what their efforts have yielded. There is no change. There is no hope. Marx failed. Hitler failed. Jefferson failed. I just don't try."
-- Reilly (Everyday Madness)

The Backward OX

Well, I don't know much but I do know I have no time for most eighteen-year-olds.

This is part of what I meant earlier about judges being selected. Have some criteria they must meet. Maturity first and foremost.

Sheesh.

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Remedy

Unfortunately though, age does not equal maturity. I wish it did.

For example, I got an email today from a middle-aged woman, who in response to my question, pretty much threw a virtual fit, managing to make her words look like they were on the floor, kicking and screaming. And while that was interesting, it wasn't pretty. Nor did it do anything.

So, age does not equal maturity.

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"I don't really trust a sane person." -Lyle Alzado

"Journalism largely consists in saying "Lord Jones is dead" to people who never knew Lord Jones was alive." - G. K. Chesterton

Brightside

I think we are forgetting what the LM is all about. It is NOT a professional, winner takes all, ultra serious, everything must be perfect, even the judges, competition. It’s about a community of writers getting together to have some fun and try to finish a few short stories.

Personally, I like the fact that anyone, be it an 18 year old, or an 80 year old, can be a judge and comment and score my entries. That’s a good thing. It’s about personal point of view, nothing else, I think. We are a community of writers here, and the LM should NOT be about perfection, but about being as good as we can be, be it a entrant or judge – no matter where we are in our writing life, or experience. The LM is good because it is a bit random and taken in a good sprit, and its something all forum members can be a part of. It’s not about professional critique, or writing the best 500 words humankind hath ever written!

99% of the forum members will understand the idea and take it for what it is, 1% will every now and then take it a bit far, like we have seen here, but let’s hope they learn from it, and realise what we are actually doing.

I don’t agree with some of the scores and comments from this LM, but I wholeheartedly disagree about changing or limiting anything – especially judges.

Let’s join in with the spirit of the LM and look forwards to the next one, I say. Let’s leave it as it is and leave our egos at the door.

Maybe our next LM prompt should be 500 words about what the LM should be! OR what it is, OR what kind of judges we should have…(I’m joking)

Rant over…

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My website: Heresy