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I wanted to bring a discussion from Discord to this thread since not everyone does Discord. In a nutshell, there's been an ongoing discussion about whether or not TD should move away from losses/dishonorable mentions. Where folks seem to have landed is that it makes the most sense to let the judges decide whether or not they want to have DMs/Losers, and if the culture shifts away from negative mentions, then that's that. It was suggested by a few people that judges might want to indicate in the prompt post whether they intend to give DMs/losses. This isn't going to be made into a "rule", as such, but I think it would be helpful in determining whether people are more likely to enter if a loss isn't on the table. I guess if enough people do it then it de facto becomes a rule, and future OPs would reflect that. For my part, I'm leaving this open to the community. TD belongs to everyone. Just wanted to make sure folks who aren't in Discord know what has been on the table for discussion. e: and since I'm here at the top of the page: Here is the latest prompt. Sitting Here fucked around with this message at 23:24 on Jul 4, 2023 |
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Jul 4, 2023 23:19
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I know I'd be more inclined to join a no Loss week but I'm here for the crits, regardless of loss or not.
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Jul 5, 2023 03:17
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Are losses scaring people away or something? I haven't been around here long enough to tell. If so all i can suggest is they heed the wisdom of my lord and savior, the macho man Randy Savage. Death or glory.
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Jul 5, 2023 04:45
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Fat Jesus posted:Are losses scaring people away or something? I haven't been around here long enough to tell. If so all i can suggest is they heed the wisdom of my lord and savior, the macho man Randy Savage. It definitely seems like the feelings on losses are mixed enough that it's emerging as a barrier to entry for many folks, and that's not good for participation, which ultimately determines the longevity of Thunderdome. I like the idea of leaving it to judges to decide if there will be losses or not for now.
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Jul 7, 2023 20:29
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As a new person entering this week, my two cents are that the losses aren't what caused me to not look into it, but the idea that the criticism is brutal. But then on actually looking and reading the criticism, I found that it wasn't as brutal as I imagined it would be - hence actually entering this time. I think I just had preconceptions about it because it was a writing critique thing on SA and I can remember the 00s when such a thing probably would have been brutal.
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Jul 10, 2023 02:26
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Green Wing posted:As a new person entering this week, my two cents are that the losses aren't what caused me to not look into it, but the idea that the criticism is brutal. But then on actually looking and reading the criticism, I found that it wasn't as brutal as I imagined it would be - hence actually entering this time. I think I just had preconceptions about it because it was a writing critique thing on SA and I can remember the 00s when such a thing probably would have been brutal. Looking back through the thread this is my vibe too. The criticism offered is real, and definitely avoids the hugbox, but isn't mean-spirited. I guess it used to he harsher?
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Jul 10, 2023 04:18
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I honestly quite like that there are loaers and DMs, and the amount of losers that keep coming back to write more. Part of the appeal once I realised the attitude is good.
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Jul 10, 2023 09:42
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sephiRoth IRA posted:Looking back through the thread this is my vibe too. The criticism offered is real, and definitely avoids the hugbox, but isn't mean-spirited. I guess it used to he harsher? there was definitely a lot more kayfabe, and I think there probably was a higher proportion of genuinely aggressive/catty crits but they've never been exactly common, I think. When people say "brutal" I think it's really just shorthand for how drastically different the critiques you get in TD are compared to other writing groups or writing communities online, like nobody is going to take time to seek out something to compliment in your story just for the sake of complimenting something, they're going to focus on what worked and what didn't, and if the story just didn't work very well for them they're going to say so, without sandwiching it between platitudes that aren't actually useful in improving your writing. Which not everybody wants! and that's fine! but I do think the degree to which you'll get your story torn apart has been overblown over the years. It can depend a lot on who's critiquing, the story, the prompt, etc. also one particular core element of TD is that anybody can crit anybody's story, no matter how experienced you are, doesn't matter if you are brand new or if you've lost a billion times or the person you're critting has been doing this for 10 years, and I think that's a big contributor to keeping the crits honest and useful, there's no real pretension about any one person's crits being more valuable or valid than anyone else's. That tends to mean they are all be pretty genuine and useful, and also if you get one that doesn't really make sense to you or help clarify what you were trying to do in a story, well, it's just like your opinion, man. It's possible we don't bang on that particular drum often enough, it is a big part of what makes TD useful to me, personally, and I think more people would crit stories they enjoyed or hated or whatever if they knew they were literally allowed to, implicitly, at any time
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Jul 10, 2023 17:27
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MockingQuantum posted:
I didn't even know this was true, I thought only people judging that week did that. That's pretty cool.
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Jul 10, 2023 18:14
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Yeah, most of the crits will be from judges, but everyone's welcome to post crits. The only etiquette thing is to not post crits before judgment, just because that can make it kind of weird for judges, but if you have something to say, please say it! Going through and critting some stories can be a good exercise in thinking about writing, too, and teach you things for your own work.
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Jul 11, 2023 00:58
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Shame I probably won't do the current prompt, since you can make anything this week by the look of it, but I doubt I'll be home in time to post. Unless I do my speed thing, and I'm trying to listen to crits here and like to think I've improved a little. The latest crits have been very helpful and thanks kindly for your time. Is there any rule for interprompts? I kinda like the concept of us posting whatever poo poo you come up with in a spare hour.
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Jul 12, 2023 04:22
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Fat Jesus posted:Is there any rule for interprompts? I kinda like the concept of us posting whatever poo poo you come up with in a spare hour. Usually someone comes up with a prompt for interprompts and then people respond to them. They’re usually joke-y in tone, and rarely get crits unless someone feels like putting in the effort. If you’re looking for feedback on something you whipped up in your spare time, this thread or fiction advice might be a better place for it (or in the TD Discord).
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Jul 12, 2023 18:58
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From the main thread: DigitalRaven posted:Gimme the spin, kissed and told, this Thunderdome I'm in. hey now, hey now now... 
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Jul 14, 2023 17:54
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Fuuuuuck. I forgot to change “Plymouth Pharmaceuticals” to “Plymouth Petroleum” in my story so I now I have big pharma drilling for oil. Uh. Yeah that was an intentional commentary on drug company … uh …. Overreach … or something.  BIGGER EDIT: my story 1496 words. Doctor Zero fucked around with this message at 04:38 on Jul 17, 2023 |
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Jul 17, 2023 04:20
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Antivehicular posted:Yeah, most of the crits will be from judges, but everyone's welcome to post crits. The only etiquette thing is to not post crits before judgment, just because that can make it kind of weird for judges, but if you have something to say, please say it! Going through and critting some stories can be a good exercise in thinking about writing, too, and teach you things for your own work. Oh I forgot that, sorry. I'll hold it back til judgment next time. I got yelled at (ty) for my line spacing last time and I'm not sure I've got that art down. Do we really get 11,111 words this week? lol
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Jul 25, 2023 03:53
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Fat Jesus posted:
As always, remember that's a limit, not a target.
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Jul 25, 2023 04:19
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Doctor Zero posted:
Thanks, you're much better at crits than I. It realised later the Pa thing would throw non- Australians off, but I seriously can't think of anyone who calls their dad 'Pa' down here, not since the great war anyway (actually most siblings are going to refer to their father as 'the old man', but not when he's in earshot, and this would probably add further confusion should there be a conversation between brothers, then dad shows up.). I should have made it more clear we weren't in Kansas anymore from the start. I'm glad you liked the dialect since my main concentration was to try write the way I talk, and I did grow up in a similar world, though it's not a real story. Maybe homespun country yarns will become my thing. You also picked up a couple of things I should have seen, but sometimes it's hard to see when you wrote it and I appreciate that. I had some difficulties with dialogue last time, something set in Glasgow. One crit said it's too uh, scot, might put people off, another says I should have gone full Irvine Welsh. People like different things, not sure how you find a balance sometimes.
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Jul 26, 2023 07:28
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Week 572 - Family Sagas ... Sagae? ... Saga's? ... STORIES - Detailed Crits inbound
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Chairchucker posted:As always, remember that's a limit, not a target. Do we get extra points for adding a birthday to the story? Because we should. Nothing to do with the fact mine contains one of course.
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Jul 27, 2023 13:40
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Fat Jesus posted:Thanks, you're much better at crits than I. It realised later the Pa thing would throw non- Australians off, but I seriously can't think of anyone who calls their dad 'Pa' down here, not since the great war anyway (actually most siblings are going to refer to their father as 'the old man', but not when he's in earshot, and this would probably add further confusion should there be a conversation between brothers, then dad shows up.). I should have made it more clear we weren't in Kansas anymore from the start. I'm glad you liked the dialect since my main concentration was to try write the way I talk, and I did grow up in a similar world, though it's not a real story. Maybe homespun country yarns will become my thing. Thanks!  The writer decides. Balance is an illusion, ultimately. Write for yourself as best you can, and people will come along for the ride or not. Even the most beloved books have people who hate them. Pithy platitudes aside, if 80% of the readers have issue with something, think about it. if 50% of the readers have issue with something, that's the sweet spot IMO, because then it's totally up to you.
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Jul 27, 2023 16:38
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Doctor Zero posted:Thanks! sebmojo posted:Bold your titles u reprobates
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Jul 30, 2023 02:18
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Semi-quick analysis of my Week 579 submission, "The Wind In Their Bones": The story is a riff on anthropogenic climate change. We give hurricanes and tropical storms names as if they're people; what if they had identities/souls? The premise is basically that the souls of these people are somehow selected or ordained to become/fuel these huge weather events, and when you're chosen, your soul is plucked from the big cosmic pot and you're sent to a limbo-ish halfway house to relax and prepare for when your storm coalesces into being. There's some clunky birth ritual metaphor in there somewhere which I was too timid to develop because I was sure I'd gently caress it up, but Eleanor's kind of a midwife/matron/bed&breakfast manager. These people show up, no real memory of any past life, only this vague sense that they're being prepared for some greater purpose, and Eleanor makes sure they're comfortable and composed and have their poo poo together before they get called up to the material world to rage around the ocean as part of the natural order etc. Clem's periodic intrusions represent human influence on When Clem's trying to get under Bertha's skin, he's appealing to nature's fury at being mistreated so badly ("They're making such a mess of things, and nobody's doing a thing about it.") He basically spends his days going around to these different halfway houses trying to nudge these hurricanes into popping off early, usually by appealing to their resentment over nature's mistreatment by humans, stoking a desire for revenge. Eleanor's just trying to keep the women cool so their hurricanes spawn normally and on schedule; Clem wants flooded cities and mass destruction, though he frames this as justice ("You know you'd be putting things right," he appeals to Bertha.) Clem got a little muddy for me - on the one hand, he's somehow part of this natural order, but he's also kinda the devil, trying to corrupt nature into being driven by malice? I didn't worry about it story-wise: devil bad, poisoning planet bad, close enough. This story was important to me because a couple months ago I spent two months on a grand jury for a trial about wildfires and had a lot of time to think about the impact of human activity on the climate and the checks that are coming due. Similar to hurricanes, scientists have predicted for some time that a) we can expect wildfires to get progressively hairier, and b) it's pretty much entirely our fault. At any rate there's ample evidence that nature's doing its best to compensate for our stupidity and trying to adapt to the changes being wrought by human influence. That struggle is the story in a nutshell, I guess. rivetz fucked around with this message at 18:52 on Sep 4, 2023 |
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Sep 4, 2023 18:42
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Thanks again for your story rivetz I really enjoyed it and the explanation helps because I didn't connect Clem to anthropogenic climate change but now it makes more sense.
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Sep 4, 2023 21:54
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Just wanted to pop in and say I did my first Thunderdome submission in well over a year last week and it felt good to shake off the rust. I kept finding excuses to not write ~ which is ridiculously easy to do ~ and having T-Dome there to motivate me again was fantastic. I appreciate this community even though I'm not on the Discord (or particularly active lately). You all rock.
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Sep 19, 2023 19:32
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Hey does anyone wanna trade crits for this week? I've never written a silly story, nor a flash joke story. Wondering how the pacing is, and if the low word count helps the joke, or doesn't.
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Jan 21, 2024 21:34
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For anyone that wonders if Thunderdome works, I just submitted two of my stories to publications for the first time! They both were rejected, but that's how it goes. Thunderdome success stories!
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Feb 4, 2024 17:29
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Yeah!  I’m realizing this week with very low word count limits that I’m genuinely curious why poetry is banned from TD.
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Feb 5, 2024 00:49
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Poetry isn't banned as a rule. Judges make that decision on a weekly basis.
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Feb 5, 2024 01:06
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I suspect it's mostly because it's very hard to evaluate poetry against prose and this is predominantly a prose contest?
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Feb 5, 2024 01:14
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That makes sense. I guess I wouldn’t want to be in a position to give feedback on meter and form and other poetry-specifics outside “did this convey something interesting.” It’s listed so often in the exclusions I thought it was standard, not week-to-week.
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Feb 5, 2024 02:11
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There have in fact been whole weeks of poetry! Week 23 comes to mind but there were definitely others
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Feb 5, 2024 05:10
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RIP Poemdome.
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Feb 5, 2024 06:04
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Missed opportunity for Week 575 to be haiku week 
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Feb 5, 2024 06:27
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Sonnet! Week!
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Feb 6, 2024 23:42
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Shall I compare thee to a summer’s ock? Thou art more rageful and more turgid.
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Feb 6, 2024 23:52
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I have abonend the two 18teen boys that were in the bunker and which you were probably saving for the janitor Forgive me
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Feb 6, 2024 23:59
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Latest entry wasn't good but I've hit a point in my life where I've accepted I need to write the stupid stories that come into my head or die old and bitter about not exorcising them.
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Mar 31, 2024 05:30
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Quiet Feet posted:Latest entry wasn't good but I've hit a point in my life where I've accepted I need to write the stupid stories that come into my head or die old and bitter about not exorcising them. This is why Thunderdome is great. Also for forcing you to write even when you're not super stoked about what you're writing, which a lot of us just don't do once we leave school. At least not creative writing. It's good practice and also fun!
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Mar 31, 2024 12:40
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i wasnt confident about my entry either, i normally spend a looot of time working out an entire backstory for everything, but my thunderdome entry was just based on stupid wordplay and feeling inspired one evening. It may be incomprehensible nonsense as a result, I'm not sure edit: it was fun though, and better for me to just get something out instead of honing the idea in my head till the whole thing wears way and i forget why i ever liked it in the first place
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Mar 31, 2024 12:53
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Chernobyl Princess posted:This is why Thunderdome is great. Also for forcing you to write even when you're not super stoked about what you're writing, which a lot of us just don't do once we leave school. At least not creative writing. It's good practice and also fun! yeah i like what ya'll do here i'm in my late thirties and i've never written anything creative-wise basically ever until last week in the thunderdome. i enjoyed it and would like to keep it going. i like the low-stakes but community-driven feel of it so far shwinnebego fucked around with this message at 03:37 on Apr 1, 2024 |
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Apr 1, 2024 03:32
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I'm glad I jumped back in this week even though I'm pretty certain my entry is a load of hot poop
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Apr 1, 2024 03:36
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