Checking to see if a challenge idea is too hard...

[kailhofer]

I have an idea I've been thinking about for the next challenge, but I think it may be too hard, and don't want everyone to bail on it. Entries have been rather light lately as it is.

It's about finding your voice by trying to sound like you're a different writer. That is, each writer would attempt to write a story and mimic the writing voice of a fellow challenge writer so much so that the audience would guess which writer it was supposed to be.

That is, if I were writing a story in the style of Sergio (I picked him as an example because he has a very recognizable style), my job would be to make the voters pick his name from a multiple choice list of previous challenge authors as the one they thought wrote it. The entrant who gets the most correct votes, wins.

On the plus side, it allows the one being mimicked to see things they do that perhaps they didn't realize, as well as the true author learning a lot about what makes a writer "sound" like who they are. It also shakes things up a bit, and keeps the challenge fresh.

However, this is very hard, and may take extra time, say a two-month run. It would require a lot of research and effort reading previous challenge entries, and probably the voters would have to recognize the styles as well, so we'd probably not get many votes from "outsiders" this time. There is also the chance that some attempts to copy the voice could come off as mocking instead of an actual, honest attempt to show their style. I know we're all supposed to have thick skin, but I don't need hurt feelings driving someone off.

There have been approximately 35 authors in the challenges so far, so there are a lot to choose from. I could do that on a first-come, first served basis. Or I could say it would only be from those who volunteer their name, or assignments chosen at random from those who say they'll do it in advance. Something like that.


So, my question to authors out there: Is that too hard? Anyone interested in it?

[Lester Curtis]

It wouldn't work for me, either. The only author I can spot reliably is Sergio, and sometimes I don't get that right either, so trying to mimic anyone but him would just leave me in a fog.

Writing style isn't the only thing that marks our work, either. Some of us (Sergio, again) have signature talent with story elements like plot.

I'm with Rick:

I have a difficult enough time being me.

[Lester Curtis]

Lester seems to be able to shift his style and I don't know how he does it.

I do?!

[Lester Curtis]

Nate, I've had another idea for a challenge -- quite different, but it might be fun to try.

The idea is this: twenty-five words or less.

We all remember the TV contests where viewers were to enter by describing why they liked a product in twenty-five words or less.

I haven't tried this myself, but it might be fun, and it HAS to be damn hard to do. If you want to try it, you could assign a topic (in one word, of course) or just a genre (SF, fantasy, horror). You might have to abbreviate the list of scoring metrics, though . . .

Just an idea.