CAW 12 - The Story Writing Phase

[CAW SOP]

story_writing.jpg

Welcome to Calling All Writers #12! The CAWs are writing competitions that are open to all members of XNXX.com. If you are not a member and would like to participate by writing a story, simply register and you too can participate.

There are rules contained within the CAW SOP that all participants must abide by. There are some additional rules contained within this thread that too must be followed.

The theme of CAW 12 will be based around the below two paragraphs. These two paragraphs must be the first two paragraphs of your story. The "blanks" strewn throughout the paragraphs are intentional. You are to substitute your own word or words for them.

NOTE: YOU MUST INCLUDE THESE TWO PARAGRAPHS AT THE BEGINNING OF YOUR STORY! If you fail to do so, or if you significantly alter the paragraphs, outside of the "blanks", your story will be rejected and will not be entered in the competition. You can make a minor change or two if needed for your story.

For example: "Off to the left, _________ could be heard..." and let's say that you need for it to be "Off to the right". That's fine.

The best thing, the safest option, is that if you want to make changes to the paragraph outside of the "blanks", your best bet would be to send a PM to the CAW SOP account and ask for a ruling.

Sorry for the minute clarifications, but sometimes it is necessary to do so to avoid confusion or worse.

You are free to begin writing now. DO NOT POST YOUR STORIES PRIOR TO 12:01 AM LOCAL TIME, FRIDAY, AUGUST 10th! If you post your story, either here in the Forum or in the Stories site, you will render it ineligible for CAW 12 entry.

Stories will be posted between 12:01 AM LOCAL TIME, FRIDAY, AUGUST 10th and 6:00 PM UNITED STATES EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, SUNDAY, AUGUST 12th. Stories submitted prior to or after this time period will not be eligible for CAW entry unless you contact CAW SOP via PM PRIOR to the dates with your reasons and ask for a ruling. An unacceptable ruling is that you didn't have time to finish. An acceptable ruling is that you have been selected to go into outer space and need to post a day early.

There is no advantage to being the first to post with regards to your entry listing in CAW 12: The Reading Phase. All entries will be randomized before the listing.

Some further rules in addition to those posted in the CAW SOP thread:

1. There is no minimum nor maximum length required.
2. Sexual content is not a requirement. (NOTE: Well-written non-sexual stories typically receive praise but few votes to date. Food for thought.)
3. Your entry must be a new, unpublished (at this website) story.
4. If you plagiarize and are caught, your entry will be removed, and you may well be banned from future CAWs.
5. If you opt to post in the Forum, you may NOT utilize graphics throughout your story, or publish it as a graphic. You may have one graphic at the beginning as the "cover", but, you cannot do, for example, what I did with "The White".

If you have questions and you seek an official answer, send a PM to CAW SOP.

HERE ARE THE TWO MANDATORY PARAGRAPHS:

The heat waves shimmered in the distance, inexorably rising off the sand in an unmerciful display of mother nature's authority. ________ was nowhere to be found. Off to the left, _________ could be heard, the ___________ signaling the __________ of another ________.

It was the summer of '69. It was the summer of ________.

Feel free to post comments and/or questions below. Good luck and good writing!

[BlackRonin]

Sigh. So many things I want to write. Hell...

[BlackRonin]

By the way, I assume an epigram on the story is fine? I've started trying to use those at the start of every story now. Does that count as an opening paragraph? I've never thought of it as part of the story except in the same way that a title or the "introduction" line in the site form is.

[JayneyRedd]

Hmmmm....

I must admit, I don't feel terribly inspired by this at the moment, and the fact that the story appears to be rooted in one particular season of one exact year appears somewhat restricive.

I'm going to have to go away and have a good think, and see if I can garner some inspiration if I'm going to be able to come up with a story for this one.

As ever though, thanks to those involved in setting the Challenge, and good luck to all the writers.

[BlackRonin]

As someone pointed out to me, "the summer of '69" need not necessarily be the year 1969. In fact, that number might not indicate a year at all. And the story needn't necessarily be set in that year even if it is; it might just be that something happened that that is important or significant to the events of your story, whenever and wherever they happened.

Example: "It was the summer of '69, the summer of my birth. My mother liked to tell me about that day often, but it wasn't until years later that I realized why it was important."

Probably a lot (most?) of the stories will take the cited time period as their setting, but we needn't feel hemmed in by it.

[JayneyRedd]

Originally Posted by BlackRonin

As someone pointed out to me, "the summer of '69" need not necessarily be the year 1969. ......Probably a lot (most?) of the stories will take the cited time period as their setting, but we needn't feel hemmed in by it.

Quite true, I don't wish to appear to be knocking the compy, far from it, simply that I usually have a sudden flash of inspiration when I read the OP of a CAW, and I didn't get one this time.

Perhaps that will bode well, and I'll think of an idea that I may actually get around to finishing this time.

While sitting here for the past few minutes I have, in fact, resurrected an old idea for a story which had been stored away in a dusty corner somewhere in the recesses of my mind.

Fuelled by a rather pleasant glass of a jolly decent Pinotage I may well indeed have stumbled upon my story idea.

It's so obvious as to be a blatant cliche, and I suspect that several stories will be delivered on the same (or similar) theme, but what the heck - I may go for it anyway, which will make my initial pessimism appear somewhat misplaced.

[snowleopard3200]

As you stated what the first two paragraphs for each entry are to be, with fill in the blank spaces, would such as this be acceptable as it is slightly modified...

“The heat waves shimmered in the distance, inexorably rising off the sand in an unmerciful display of Mother Nature’s authority. My Princess Jasmine was nowhere to be found. Off to the left, the horns could be heard, the horns signaling the start of another battle.”

It was the summer of 1869. It was the summer of my life ending in India…

[ahorsewithnoname]

Originally Posted by snowleopard3200

As you stated what the first two paragraphs for each entry are to be, with fill in the blank spaces, would such as this be acceptable as it is slightly modified...

“The heat waves shimmered in the distance, inexorably rising off the sand in an unmerciful display of Mother Nature’s authority. My Princess Jasmine was nowhere to be found. Off to the left, the horns could be heard, the horns signaling the start of another battle.”

It was the summer of 1869. It was the summer of my life ending in India…

Yes, that's perfectly acceptable.

[ejls]

You know, horse - I have damn Bryan Adams stuck in my head.

Thanks.

[snowleopard3200]

Originally Posted by ejls

You know, horse - I have damn Bryan Adams stuck in my head.

Thanks.

Could be worse, it could be Agent 86 from "Get Smart."

[snowleopard3200]

A Horse With No Name: Thanks. That will save me a lot of time, for I have a nearly finished story that fits in perfectly. All that needs is probably a half hundred editting sessions.

[ejls]

Originally Posted by snowleopard3200

Could be worse, it could be Agent 86 from "Get Smart."

Secret Agent man.
Secret Agent man.
He's lalalalallalalalallalalalalalalalalal.

Shit - now I have that tune in my head.

[Cheltenham]

Have fun with this premise.

I won't be entering the challenge.

[snowleopard3200]

Originally Posted by JayneyRedd

Hmmmm....

I must admit, I don't feel terribly inspired by this at the moment, and the fact that the story appears to be rooted in one particular season of one exact year appears somewhat restricive.

I'm going to have to go away and have a good think, and see if I can garner some inspiration if I'm going to be able to come up with a story for this one.

As ever though, thanks to those involved in setting the Challenge, and good luck to all the writers.

Give it some thought, and see what outside of the box you can achieve; I will admit, I already have developed my own twist on the matter, which I hope will make the story I craft enjoyable to all who read it.

Originally Posted by BlackRonin

As someone pointed out to me, "the summer of '69" need not necessarily be the year 1969. In fact, that number might not indicate a year at all. And the story needn't necessarily be set in that year even if it is; it might just be that something happened that that is important or significant to the events of your story, whenever and wherever they happened.

Example: "It was the summer of '69, the summer of my birth. My mother liked to tell me about that day often, but it wasn't until years later that I realized why it was important."

Probably a lot (most?) of the stories will take the cited time period as their setting, but we needn't feel hemmed in by it.

Agreed.

Though I do not expect to win the CAW 12, I hope to do better in placement than in CAW 10. With so many good and great authors in the forum who probably will enter, if I take a top ten spot I will figure it to be a boon for practice.

Although with Princess Jasmine, practice is the least of the matters...

[snowleopard3200]

Originally Posted by ejls

Secret Agent man.
Secret Agent man.
He's lalalalallalalalallalalalalalalalalal.

Shit - now I have that tune in my head.

Sorry ejls. That was not my intention.

[Hornycountryboy]

Hmm well I did get a couple of ideas, I just hope I will have the time to type one of them out.

[wantsomefun]

I hope you're happy, Horse!

Now all I can hear in my head is Bryan Adams, and I fucking HATE Bryan Adams.

And the rest of you? Now I find myself looking for the theme song for Get Smart to wash the Bryan Adams out of my head!

Maxwell Smart was poorly named. He was at least as inept as the worst of our real "secret agents" of the Cold War Era (remember the Bay of Pigs?)

Look at his cars. He started with a Ferrari, but then downgraded to a Sunbeam tiger, a tinny British sport car (with '60's American-style tail fins) with a Ford Mustang V-8 stuffed in it. From there, he went to a Karmann Ghia, and then to an Opel GT of all things!

He was gadget happy, in a nerdy loser kind of way. There was the rotary dial phone in his shoe, the infamous "Cone of Silence", the Lazer Blazer, and other idiotic stuff.

The only bright spot in the entire series was Barbara Feldon, but, considering she seemed to have the hots for Max, she must have been a few bricks short of a full load herself.



Hmmm. Agents 86 and 99. How about a take-off on that, maybe a male agent codenamed 89, and a female agent known as 69?



The heat waves shimmered in the distance, inexorably rising off the sand in an unmerciful display of mother nature's authority. Agent 69 was nowhere to be found. Off to the left, the "secret" ring sequence on my shoe phone could be heard, the call I dreaded signaling the end of another vacation.

It was the summer of '69. It was the summer of KAOS.



Okay, I just had to prove to myself that it could be done. Don't worry. I won't be writing about that. Somehow, I don't think the readers at xnxx are ready for a Maxwell Smart sex scene.

[Dizzyworks673]

Originally Posted by wantsomefun

I hope you're happy, Horse!

Now all I can hear in my head is Bryan Adams, and I fucking HATE Bryan Adams.

And the rest of you? Now I find myself looking for the theme song for Get Smart to wash the Bryan Adams out of my head!

Maxwell Smart was poorly named. He was at least as inept as the worst of our real "secret agents" of the Cold War Era (remember the Bay of Pigs?)

Look at his cars. He started with a Ferrari, but then downgraded to a Sunbeam tiger, a tinny British sport car (with '60's American-style tail fins) with a Ford Mustang V-8 stuffed in it. From there, he went to a Karmann Ghia, and then to an Opel GT of all things!

He was gadget happy, in a nerdy loser kind of way. There was the rotary dial phone in his shoe, the infamous "Cone of Silence", the Lazer Blazer, and other idiotic stuff.

The only bright spot in the entire series was Barbara Feldon, but, considering she seemed to have the hots for Max, she must have been a few bricks short of a full load herself.



Hmmm. Agents 86 and 99. How about a take-off on that, maybe a male agent codenamed 89, and a female agent known as 69?



The heat waves shimmered in the distance, inexorably rising off the sand in an unmerciful display of mother nature's authority. Agent 69 was nowhere to be found. Off to the left, the "secret" ring sequence on my shoe phone could be heard, the call I dreaded signaling the end of another vacation.

It was the summer of '69. It was the summer of KAOS.



Okay, I just had to prove to myself that it could be done. Don't worry. I won't be writing about that. Somehow, I don't think the readers at xnxx are ready for a Maxwell Smart sex scene.

"Go go gadget penis."

"Aaaaaaah" screams agent 99 as she is electrified.

"Sorry 99, I forgot that's were they installed my gadget taser."

There you go WSF, a cross over sex joke between "Get Smart" and the spin off cartoon "Inspecter Gadget".

[Daddycums]

Originally Posted by ejls

You know, horse - I have damn Bryan Adams stuck in my head.

Thanks.

Serves you right for your CAW 10 entry. That Vanessa Williams song still keeps coming back to haunt me sometimes.

On a positive note, reading the official theme gives me a great deal of relief. I try to make my stories as timeless as possible, so when I read your "summer of '69" teaser, I was worried that putting an actual year in the story would be too specific. I even considered not entering this contest.

I'm happy to say, though, that upon reading the entire 2 paragraphs and some of the comments here about bending the rules, I will not have any problem writing a story for this challenge. As usual, I'm not going to go with a typical interpretation of the theme. No, I've got one hell of an idea to turn the theme on its head. (Fortunately, 69 upside-down is still 69, so I'll still be following the rules)

[snowleopard3200]

Oh brother I seem to have started something here with the "Get Smart" mention. At least I didn't say "Dragnet."

THAT would have caused more problems than anything.

[Dizzyworks673]

Originally Posted by snowleopard3200

Oh brother I seem to have started something here with the "Get Smart" mention. At least I didn't say "Dragnet."

THAT would have caused more problems than anything.

"Don't you mean the virgin Connie Swail?"

Line from the movie for you film buffs out there.

[wantsomefun]

Originally Posted by snowleopard3200

Oh brother I seem to have started something here with the "Get Smart" mention. At least I didn't say "Dragnet."

THAT would have caused more problems than anything.

See what you started?

[wantsomefun]

Okay, I'm on page three. PM'ing CAW SOP with my interpretation of the first two paragraphs to see if what I'm doing is acceptable.

Sure hope so!

[JayneyRedd]

I have no idea what "Get Smart" is or was, and I have only heard of Dragnet, and judging by the reactions of people above I'm quite glad

However, I absolutely adore Bryan Adams, I've been to see him in concert three times.

So for all you nay-sayers.....

[thatcuriousone]

Hrm. I have a week off from work... Perhaps, while I'm holed up with my laptop, I'll find some inspiration.

[WebCam]

I like the idea of having to include those two paragraphs. It leaves it completely open in terms of the type of story you want to write.

I will not be entering for reasons which I have stated before but I will be following closely and reading some if not all of your stories. Good luck to everyone who is planning to enter!

[wantsomefun]

I have to be up before the chickens, and I'll be away for a week. But I've got a start on a story. All right, I have about 5800 words. But there's a hole in the middle of the thing where the first sex scene belongs.

Hmmm. Do I want to write sex scenes in this one?



Happy writing, gang!

[BlackRonin]

Settled on a plot. Think it's a good one. 1769; soldiers, spies, monsters, fugitives, curses, war, intrigue, blackmail, and a few famous names for authentic flavor. Also, one of my favorite titles in quite some time. It's going to be a long one though, very long...

[badbabysitter]

One question, does there have to be sex in the story?

[BlackRonin]

Nope, you can write whatever you want. Most people will point out that the non-sex stories tend to be less popular in the voting, but you should really just write whatever story you feel is best and leave the rest up to the readers.

[darthel0101]

Originally Posted by badbabysitter

One question, does there have to be sex in the story?

There does not have to be any sex scenes included but remember that if you do not include at least one sex scene then the story might become troll bait ---- ain't that right, Joe?

[Prurient Purveyer]

Wasn't going to be, too rung out after the last one and in any case how the heck do you start a story with those two paragraphs?

Then I got an idea (don't you just hate ideas?) and now I'm flat out writing.

Feels good too.

[BlackRonin]

Can't argue with an idea.

[snowleopard3200]

Fairly well finished here with my entry; only one last proof to do, and it will be done.

[ejls]

I had some time at work, grabbed a pad and started writing. I probably won't key any of it before I go away for the weekend. These characters are taking me places I'm not sure I want to go.

[clairebare]

So I have approx. three weeks to get my finger out and actually start writing?

Jeezo, I don't think I'm gonna make it. All I have is my idea and it is really not going anywhere. I have the beginning and the ending but the middle is alluding me thus far.

May need to meditate on this and contemplate whether or not to enter.

[Prurient Purveyer]

Originally Posted by clairebare

So I have approx. three weeks to get my finger out and actually start writing?

Jeezo, I don't think I'm gonna make it. All I have is my idea and it is really not going anywhere. I have the beginning and the ending but the middle is alluding me thus far.

May need to meditate on this and contemplate whether or not to enter.

Actually the middle is probably eluding you. Write the start down anyway and leave it; don't try and force a plot just let it come to you.It will and you'll write a little cracker of a story, just see if you don't.

[BlackRonin]

I really ought to learn not to "finish" my first draft before I've finished my research, as this is obviously just borrowing trouble.

[ahorsewithnoname]

Originally Posted by BlackRonin

I really ought to learn not to "finish" my first draft before I've finished my research, as this is obviously just borrowing trouble.

Heh, I hear ya.

I find when I write a story, I just write it and I don't worry too much about how it works. Then, after it is "done", I go back and read it, slowly. And that's when I find little ways to tie things together, or places to insert paragraphs that totally make a chapter work. Sometimes it is just a matter of a few added or changed words here or there that really makes a difference.

Nothing new...first draft, second draft, all that...each person has their style and what works best for them. Like you, I try to do my research if it is a period piece. Being that I'm from the pre-Internet era, I remember having to do research that didn't involve Google. It was tedious. Now it is so simple to look up the most mundane stuff. For example, in a story I needed a theatre that was operating back in 1970 on Broadway in NYC. Found it. Then I needed an actual play that was starting at that theatre. Found it. Then I decided that I wanted a real, well-known actress, so I found one, and found that it was at a different theatre. Made the changes, and was happy. Would have been pulling teeth to do that without the Internet.

Glad that you are doing research. Not that you would, but, I'd hate to see a piece about 1969 and having the people driving around in their Hummer!

[blueheatt]

"Not much was happening in the summer of 1969 BC......

[ejls]

Originally Posted by clairebare

So I have approx. three weeks to get my finger out and actually start writing?

Jeezo, I don't think I'm gonna make it. All I have is my idea and it is really not going anywhere. I have the beginning and the ending but the middle is alluding me thus far.

May need to meditate on this and contemplate whether or not to enter.

Butt glue. You need butt glue. Apply it liberally to your ass, sit down and write. That's what I've found works the best for me.

[BlackRonin]

Originally Posted by ahorsewithnoname

Glad that you are doing research. Not that you would, but, I'd hate to see a piece about 1969 and having the people driving around in their Hummer!

Yes, that would be even more out of place in 1769. :P And 1767. And 1794. Yeah, the story ranges around a bit.

[clairebare]

I am contemplating going out a buying some butt glue!
Still nothing!!!

[F-Star]

I love the set up. I'd had a ridiculous concept I'd wanted to write for a while, and as soon as I paired it with this opening, I had a wellspring of ideas.

I mean, it's going to be awful, so awful, but it will be nice to get it out of my system.

Originally Posted by BlackRonin

I really ought to learn not to "finish" my first draft before I've finished my research, as this is obviously just borrowing trouble.

Alternate history fiction is a growing genre.

[Dizzyworks673]

Started my entry, I wrote my first 8 pages this morning but I'm not sure I have anything usable yet.

"It was the sumer of 69. It was the summer of my first love and heartbreak." I think is all the usable matterial I have so far.


I have a fun new concept I'm working on for this CAW. Most of the stories I work on and have posted so far have been concepts I came up with a long time ago but never wrote, but I have a whole new idea for what I will submit for this contest.

I think the last CAW really raised the bar for entries or at least it did for me. It really showed me the level of stories you guys can write and I'm coming in swinging this time, or at least I hope so.

Good luck everyone during the writing phase and I can't wait to read all the stories this time around.

[ejls]

How many people think I'm going to write a romance? Raise your hands.

[Cheltenham]

I changed the word 'signaling' to sign and omitted the second 'the'. Other than those adjustments, I've left the paragraphs as they were.

And *hand raised*.

[Dizzyworks673]

Originally Posted by ejls

How many people think I'm going to write a romance? Raise your hands.

I DO! I DO!

[Sahara907]

Originally Posted by ejls

How many people think I'm going to write a romance? Raise your hands.

I would have...until I read your comment: "...These characters are taking me places I'm not sure I want to go."

Wondering if those are places that I might want to go.

[Hornycountryboy]

Well been tinkering with mine and came to the conclusion its going to take me longer than the time allowed, so I might be out of this one.

I look forward to reading what everyone else will be bring to the table. Good luck to everyone.