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V for Vegas
Sep 1, 2004

THUNDERDOME LOSER
Battle Royale with Chicken

SurreptitiousMuffin -s
Sitting Here -s
Jonked -s
Zack_Gochuck -s
Tender Child Loins -s
sebmojo -s
Ronnie_Long -s
Noah -s
sentientcarbon -s
Seldom Posts -s
Canadian Surf Club -s
Greatbacon
Fanky Malloons -s
LordVonEarlDuke -s

Battle Royale with Cheese

Erik Shawn-Bohner
Etherwind -s
Jeza
Capntastic -s
Bad Seafood -s
The Saddest Rhino -s
Benagain -s
Velyoukai
Found Sound -s
Rose Wreck -s
Peel -s
Bear Sleuth -s
Martello

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SurreptitiousMuffin
Mar 21, 2010
I know how I'm feelin'.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_saUN4j7Gw

Greatbacon
Apr 9, 2012

by Pragmatica
Breast Cancer Awareness Month (479 words)

A digital display hanging above the almost empty square announces in a robo-feminine voice that the time is now a quarter past eleven on this, the third day of Children’s Dental Health month, in the year of Breast Cancer Awareness. A solitary man on a bench checks his watch and looks around with the concerned expression of one kept waiting.

Unlike his last three glances this one yields results. On the opposite end of the square walking towards the bench is a man in a worn blazer with umbrella in hand. As he approaches the bench the other gentlemen stands and they embrace.

“I was worried you weren’t going to make it.”

“I haven’t missed our Sunday meetings for the last ten years, why would I start now?”

“Well there’s always that little tickling in the back of your mind when someone is late that they’ve... that they weren’t aware enough. One of the boys I work with got taken away for enlightenment a couple of weeks ago.”

“Really? That’s a drat shame. That’s why I always wear pink underwear. It’s hard for the state to argue that you aren’t aware of your own underwear, let alone the topic of this year.

The gentlemen take a seat upon the bench and look out over the empty square. The wind blows but does little to stir them to conversation. Only the digital display’s announcement that is now half past the hour brings them back. The man with the umbrella clears his throat.

“Goodness, already eleven-thirty? Where does the time go?”

“Beats the hell out of me. My son turns eighteen on the fifth of Dance Appreciation month.”

“Eighteen?... Do you think he’ll be drafted for this year’s awareness campaign?”

“It’s possible, the draft numbers keep getting closer and closer to his. If he ever does get drafted hopefully he’ll be able to get a discharge due to his medical history.”

“Oh yes, that’s right. He had that little spat with leukemia last year didn’t he?”

“Yeah it’s a good thing the doctors in this country are so aware about cancer. They were able to get him on some pills and the whole thing cleared up within a week. There is always a chance of remission though, so we’re hoping that’s enough to keep him out.”
“God yes. I can’t even imagine how horrible it must be to live in an unaware society. It seems like every year we’re engaged in some campaign against them. Dropping explosive pamphlets and cleansing the unaware.”

“With this last campaign I’ve stopped wearing my yellow ribbon. Replaced it with one for Chicken Cruelty Awareness.”

The digital display interrupts, informing the near dead square that it is now noon and that the state sponsored news report will be beginning soon. The man with the umbrella stands up at that, concern on his face.

“Well friend, it’s been a pleasure but I must be off. See you next Sunday. Be aware.”



This is late by a lot I know. School blew up in my face this weekend. My disgrace knows no end.

V for Vegas
Sep 1, 2004

THUNDERDOME LOSER
I'll allow it.

OK onto some judgin! Now, I've only done a few that I'm up to because I got to Peel's and had to stop because I was laughing too hard.


Etherwind

How funny was it? Pretty funny, I enjoyed the wordplay. No laugh out loud guffaws though.

Was it Satire? I don’t know. Isn’t satire meant to be making fun of its object through argument reductio ad absurdum? I guess saying ‘banks are like dragons’ is kind of satirical, if you squint.

Could it have been 200 words shorter and just as effective? Yep.


Rose Wreck

How funny was it? Not that funny.

Was it Satire? Producers of reality shows becoming reality stars in a reality show so that they become directors of reality shows. If that is satire then well, let’s call it a day and go shoot up.

Did anything worthwhile happen in this story or was the payoff worth the wait? And should Rose Wreck have chosen a more interesting topic? No, No and Yes.


The Saddest Rhino

How funny was it? CHEESE PRIDE MALAYSIA! A four out of five on the ‘low chuckle at my desk-o-meter’.

Was it Satire? Are you kidding me? This satire is sharper than a page of Oscar Wilde witticisms rolled up into a point, dipped in lemon juice and jabbed into your eye!

Is The Saddest Rhino a bad motha - Hey! Shut Yo Mouth!

But I’m talkin’ ‘bout The Saddest Rhino! Then I can dig it.


Zack_Gochuck

How funny was it? Needed more Lebowski jokes! He’s funny!

Was it Satire? I think there was some kind of sports thing going on there. Not really my field but I will give Zack the benefit of the doubt on this one.

Tell us some Lebowski lines! YOU’RE NOT WRONG WALTER, YOU’RE JUST A loving rear end in a top hat. Are you writing this down ZG??



SurreptitiousMuffin


How funny was it? It was funny like a joke that you remember laughing about a few years ago, but when you hear it again, you don’t laugh.

Was it Satire? Definitely satire. Or something. Maybe a sign?

Ah, but wasn’t it Derrida who said “writing is not a sign of a sign, except if one says it of all signs, which would be more profoundly true”? Shutup shutup shutup.




Noah


How funny was it? It was… so-so. :iceburn:

Was it Satire? On balance, I would call it satire, of marketing and focus groups and such. And actually you can get raw chicken sashimi in Japan – so truth stranger than fiction sometimes huh?

Speaking of restaurants, doing anything later on tonight? Drop dead you jerkface.



Tender Child Loins


How funny was it? About this funny.

Was it Satire? I’m assuming this story is set in the future where people have telekene, telepeter, mind reading and people just send bursts of mind crap to each other all the time. You could be there getting married and suddenly a stray thought about the bridesmaid’s rear end could float across your mind and BAM, day ruined.

So what you’re saying is you’re not married? Let’s just say mind-readers live among us already.



Peel

How funny was it? Oh my god I’m dying over here.

Was it Satire? Absolutely.

Was the whole thing funny or was it just a good build up to that line about the credit card and then it fell off after that but not that it matters because it did its job? I’m still laughing at that line. Deary me, that’s classic.



OK, let's keep going! Who's next? Capntastic? Oh Jesus...

Capntastic

How funny was it? Let me put it this way, have you read the Grapes of Wrath?

Was it Satire? Is there a point about GM food in there somewhere?

Sitting down here by the campfire light, searchin' for the ghost of Tom Joad Rock!


sebmojo

How funny was it? On par with a Granny Weatherwax - but it was no Small Gods.

Was it Satire? The birdbrained upper classes?

Did it need more knobs? Rather.


Seldom Posts

How funny was it? I had a small chortle at the poor stupid kid. Your first story was funnier! You should have re-submitted that with a couple of changes here and there, I probably wouldn't have noticed.

Was it Satire? Democracy may be awful, but its better than beating everyone up with sticks to get them to get along.

Would I invite Seldom Posts to a party? Maybe, if it were that kind of party.



sentientcarbon

How funny was it? I was up in my druthers not to like this! Bah, what was funny in inter-war Prague is not funny these days, I'm pretty sure they hadn't even invented irony back then. But what do you know, it was still pretty drat funny!

Was it Satire? They definitely had satire back then. Whoo boy!

What came first, the chicken or the cheese? Seriously, I'm confused on this point.



Bear Sleuth

How funny was it? Bear Sleuth, Bear Sleuth, Bear Sleuth. Let me tell you a russian folktale of a young boy who played too many video games, then started a blog about video games, and then died. It was very sad.

Was it Satire? Maybe the satire here is the fact that there is no satire. I'm going to go lie down.

Do you want me to join you? This bicycle weren't built for two bub.



Found Sound

How funny was it? Before reading this, I just want to say Found Sound, for some reason, I don't know what. I am confident this is going to be really, really good. I have nothing to base this on, just a hunch. OK - let's start reading... OK, I grinned at a few lines. Sorry about building up expectations like that.

Was it Satire? Making fun of small-town pride? This is all these people HAVE Found Sound.

You're still thinking about the black and white painted elephant aren't you? Oh man you're right. That's a good image. Hooray for Found Sound!!



Jonked

How funny was it? How about you do humourous instead?

Was it Satire? Bitter, mocking satire. But satire nonetheless.

I was in 'nam you know? Yeah, on student exchange, you couldn't even last a day without puking your guts up.



Ronnie_Long

How funny was it? ಠ_ಠ

Was it Satire? How 'bout dem homoseckshuals?

Working some rough chuckles these days Ronnie? You know it!



Benagain

How funny was it? Amusing.

Was it Satire? I think we're good on this one Jim.

Don't call me Jim. Also, would this have been better with a few jabs at those stupid frenchies? Qui bon!




Sitting Here

How funny was it? Why did Hemingway's chicken cross the road? To die... in the rain. Even tired old tropes can be given new life but it is cold, so cold...

Was it Satire? I hope so!

Would this have been better if, say, the main character was Ghandi? The Mahatma? Well, I guess he was a vegetarian.



Bad Seafood

How funny was it? BS, your feeling was spot-loving-on.

Was it Satire? OK I'm getting some vibes here, I'll pass it.

Should these crits have more guns and violence in them? That seems to be what all the cool kids are doing. You cool baby, you cool.




Canadian Surf Club

How funny was it? Hey, STAR WARS IS SERIOUS BUSINESS!

Was it Satire? I think that was Spaceballs.

No, you fool, star wars is what I meant! It's the greatest movie series of all time you stinking fat baboon. uuhhh...






Fanky Malloons

How funny was it? Funny, but not 'ha ha' funny. I was waiting for the 'fox in charge of the henhouse' line and you let me down FM! :colbert:

Was it Satire? Also he could have said 'I'm a vulpes' and someone says 'does he have lupus?' and have that as a running gag through the piece. Lupus is funny!

How do you pronounce 'vulpes' anyway? That's one of those words I've never said out loud. Also, rastaquouere, nudiustertian and zaftig.


LordVonEarlDuke

How funny was it? LVED, how do you go from writing a funny satirical story for the serious prompt, and a story about death for the second prompt? Maybe your trapped in some backwards time loop and I've only realised it too late because now you're in last Tuesday.

Was it Satire?Is this a comment on outsourcing??

How about another gif? You got it!




Greatbacon

How funny was it? Oy vey! GB you had a great idea here, and it was so close to being funny, but it wasn't. Take it on the road, workshop it in some small comedy clubs for six months and bring it back, it'll knock 'em dead Tiger.

Was it Satire? I hate those stupid ribbons! Fight the Power!



SurreptitiousMuffin
Mar 21, 2010

V for Vegas posted:

Ah, but wasn’t it Derrida who said “writing is not a sign of a sign, except if one says it of all signs, which would be more profoundly true”? Shutup shutup shutup.
I want to pretend I'm comically exaggerating the point I'm trying to ridicule but honestly everything in there is something I've seen written seriously somewhere else. If my story is just a composite of other people's bad opinions, does that mean I have bad opinions? Who is the real author? What is writing, really?

sebmojo
Oct 23, 2010


Legit Cyberpunk









V for Vegas posted:

I'll allow it.

OK onto some judgin'

NOTE FAST JUDGING THIS IS ALSO GOOD JUDGING

And I'll take a Pratchett comparison for my cheap Jeeves/Wooster ripoff, with thanks. I had a vague idea of him inventing battery farming but 500 words was too tight plus it's not actually v funny.

Bear Sleuth
Jul 17, 2011

quote:

Was it Satire? Maybe the satire here is the fact that there is no satire. I'm going to go lie down.

It reduced an established institution to its most extreme and stupid. How is that not satire?

V for Vegas
Sep 1, 2004

THUNDERDOME LOSER
Sorry BS, you have chosen to write a boring and unfunny story that apes a boring and unfunny video game person thing. Don't write about stuff I don't like!

Jeza
Feb 13, 2011

The cries of the dead are terrible indeed; you should try not to hear them.
Really busy at the moment, hence the literally last second submission last time. Gonna write something for this right now because I wanted to, even if it is too late :argh:

SurreptitiousMuffin
Mar 21, 2010

V for Vegas posted:

How do you pronounce 'vulpes' anyway? That's one of those words I've never said out loud. Also, rastaquouere, nudiustertian and zaftig.
According to my extensive study of Latin* it's "wull-pays".



*Fallout: New Vegas

Rose Wreck
Jun 15, 2012

Bear Sleuth posted:

It reduced an established institution to its most extreme and stupid. How is that not satire?

It sounds like parody, but a couple of those struck me as more parodic than satirical. That's pretty subjective.

Zack_Gochuck
Jan 4, 2007

Stupid Wrestling People

V for Vegas posted:



Was it Satire? I think there was some kind of sports thing going on there. Not really my field but I will give Zack the benefit of the doubt on this one.



And I thought putting "NHL [sic]" in there was going to beating people over the head with it. Oh well, lol Canadians amiright?


Bear Sleuth posted:

It reduced an established institution to its most extreme and stupid. How is that not satire?

Yours read like a regular episode of Angry Videogame Nerd. No offense. What if someone who reviewed fiscal policy reviewed policies the same way AVGN reviews video games? What does that say about the gaming industry? I think that would be more in line with what someone would consider satire. I think you need the social critism. It's not enough to say, "This is what Angry Videogame Nerd is like. It is ridiculous." You need to be like, "Here's how removed video game culture is from the rest of society. It is ridiculous."

Jeza
Feb 13, 2011

The cries of the dead are terrible indeed; you should try not to hear them.
As Gouda title as any - Word Count: 507

"Now, more on the explosion that has left twelve dead and dozens injured at the Cribbage Cheese manufactory in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

In the early hours of this morning, an unexplained ignition in the Stilton mouldarium created a deadly fireball that ripped through the factory killing and injuring many of the early-shift workers. Police are saying it is too early to rule out foul-play.

The Cribbage Cheese manufactory made headlines last year when British millionaire playboy and cheese magnate, Lord Perceval Cribbage, insisted that all workers in the factory be outsourced from cheesemongers in East London, much to the dismay of the local unemployed in Oak Ridge.

We were unable to reach Lord Cribbage for comment, but a spokesperson for the company said he was 'deeply distressed' at the incident and wished the injured a speedy recovery.

Our on-the-ground reporter has been interviewing witnesses all day, with mixed opinions."

[Interview soundbites.]

#1 Local house-wife.

"Oh it's horrible isn't it, all those British people getting killed? They were always so lovely and polite."

#2 Teen with skateboard.

"Yeah, I saw it. It was like *expansive hand-gesture and sound effect*. Pretty awesome."

#3 Dairy expert.

"I didn't hear nothing 'bout it 'til this afternoon. But I can tell you one thing though buddy - if they'd built American none of this wouldda ever happened. That nancy boy Cribbage wouldn't know a good pasteurizer if it paddled his creamy butt."

#4 Man with rake.

"Yeah, well, all those folks dying is a shame an' all, but I can't say I'm sorry to see that factory gone. You can't even imagine the smell some days when the wind was right. Gee, it was like being gassed in your own home!"

[Cut back to Studio]

"Fascinating. I'm told we can go live to a survivor of the incident, Reggie Perkins."

[Video interview displayed.]

"Hello there Mr. Perkins."

"'Ullo 'guv."

"How are you feeling?"

"'Ow am I feelin'? What d'yo 'fink, I've got a bleedin' wedge of gruyere froo' mah bleedin' arm! You 'fink my insurance is gunna cover that? I miss the buggerin' NHS."

[Presenter whispers into microphone 'What the hell did he just say?"]

"Not good then sir? Do you know what might have caused the explosion?"

"I 'ent got a bloody clue mate. Say, you 'fink you could sort us out a proppa cuppa? Can't stand the swill they's giving us."

[Reporter looks uncomfortable, headsetted man in shot makes a cut-off gesture.]

"Sorry, that's all we have time for sir. Thank you."

"Oi-"

[Relieved presenter turns to camera and adjusts sheaf of blank papers. Autocue resumes.]

"Now, for a bit of light relief from our in-house pundit, Barry!"

[Camera pans to a jovial looking man in bowtie.]

"Hey folks! This disaster has been so traumatic for the neighbourhood, some people have said that they just Camembert it! Hoo-boy, was that one a bit too cheesy for you all?"

[Camera returns to the presenter.]

"Ahaha, comedy gold as ever Barry. We move on to our top story in international affairs, where thousands have died in serious flooding in Bangladesh."

Fanky Malloons
Aug 21, 2010

Is your social worker inside that horse?

V for Vegas posted:

Fanky Malloons

How funny was it? Funny, but not 'ha ha' funny. I was waiting for the 'fox in charge of the henhouse' line and you let me down FM! :colbert:

Was it Satire? Also he could have said 'I'm a vulpes' and someone says 'does he have lupus?' and have that as a running gag through the piece. Lupus is funny!

How do you pronounce 'vulpes' anyway? That's one of those words I've never said out loud. Also, rastaquouere, nudiustertian and zaftig.


Well, that's what I get for leaving until 11pm to start writing. I wanted to do the henhouse line but couldn't figure out where to put it at the time. I am a failure :negative:

I also wasn't sure if it ended up being satire, or just dumb....and I'm still not sure. Being funny is hard :qq:

Bear Sleuth
Jul 17, 2011

Zack_Gochuck posted:

Yours read like a regular episode of Angry Videogame Nerd. No offense.

None taken, and I can totally understand that's how it reads. Which is a little disappointing because I watched a number of videos to catch the nuances and made sure to really dumb down, simplify, and exaggerate them. But it must be too subtitle to the non-initiated or non-fans because it looks exactly like its the thing it's mocking. I'm not trying to say the story was a work of misunderstood genius, I thought I was being overtly blunt and clumsy of anything, but either I didn't go far enough or assumed to much from a general audience.

The Saddest Rhino
Apr 29, 2009

Put it all together.
Solve the world.
One conversation at a time.



Nvm.

Seldom Posts
Jul 4, 2010

Grimey Drawer

Zack_Gochuck posted:

And I thought putting "NHL [sic]" in there was going to beating people over the head with it. Oh well, lol Canadians amiright?


Maybe I'm just a sucker for all the Atlantic Canadian references, but I thought your last two stories were both really good.

V for Vegas

Thanks for the critique. For added context, the only thing about my story that's not true is the fire and the murder and the death.

Peel
Dec 3, 2007

Thanks V. The restrictions (time, length, cheesiness) cut deep this time and so a couple of jokes ended up on the floor, but even apart from that I wasn't sure how to end it.

This week was gruelling all round.

Rose Wreck
Jun 15, 2012

Bear Sleuth posted:

either I didn't go far enough or assumed to much from a general audience.

I think about everyone here has had some exposure to TGWTG. I'd say it wasn't far enough. Plenty of internet reviewers have pushed well past self-parody already, so even the name felt too recognizable. Given how much self-awareness some have written in, you'd probably have to take a different angle. Like writing about the hard-working Time Police preventing another internet critic from going into the past to beat up some artist in his childhood.

Anyone have any criticism to toss my way? I joined this to write something I'd never written and push my boundaries a little, if I can add onto that I'd like it.

witchcore ricepunk
Jul 6, 2003

The Golden Witch
Who Solved the Epitaph


A Probability of 1/2,578,917

Peel posted:

Thanks V. The restrictions (time, length, cheesiness) cut deep this time and so a couple of jokes ended up on the floor, but even apart from that I wasn't sure how to end it.

This week was gruelling all round.

Echoing this. Phew. Satire is definitely not my strong suit, but I'm glad I gave it a shot.

LordVonEarlDuke
Jun 24, 2011



I gladly accept this judgement.

Jeza
Feb 13, 2011

The cries of the dead are terrible indeed; you should try not to hear them.

Rose Wreck posted:

Anyone have any criticism to toss my way? I joined this to write something I'd never written and push my boundaries a little, if I can add onto that I'd like it.

You share a bad habit that I've tried to break myself in that when you write descriptions, you like to take two bites at the apple. What I mean by that is that you often have a repeated clause after a description describing the same thing slightly differently. The premise of your piece is strong, but I found it undermined by overwordy dialogue. Sometimes repetition can be great for a stressing a point, but most times it is redundant.

Some examples from your piece:

quote:

"They filtered apart into a loose triangle, standing further than they had before."

"They’re using it as a publicity vacation, or a launch for their careers"

"We’ve got to find some new way to shake it up, something to get them kicking again."

"They’re a great group but where’s the interest? Where’s the drama? I was hoping to get a bunch of firecrackers for this season of Marooned."


There are other examples of a kind of repetition in the piece, like

quote:

"Sid looked up sharply. Valerie flounced a little as she turned in her chair. Diane gripped her blackberry tightly."

This kind of thing. I find it too much. It works way better to run through characters' reactions to things one at a time to enhance characterisation, rather than go through them all in one go like a cartoon gasp montage.

I'm definitely being overly picky, your piece is pretty solid, I just feel that this sort of thing holds you back from natural flowing prose and dialogue. Makes it a little bit stilted and formal.

gredgie
Dec 9, 2012

Is there any in this rout
with authority to treat with me?
EDIT: I was going to jump right in, but I might lurk a bit first to see if I'd actually survive in this literary environment.

Bad Seafood
Dec 10, 2010


If you must blink, do it now.

V for Vegas posted:

Bad Seafood

How funny was it? BS, your feeling was spot-loving-on.

Was it Satire? OK I'm getting some vibes here, I'll pass it.

Should these crits have more guns and violence in them? That seems to be what all the cool kids are doing. You cool baby, you cool.
THUG LIFE.

Normality in the face of absurdity is funny to me, but even by that standard this wasn't very funny.

This has not been a good week for me.

Sitting Here
Dec 31, 2007

gredgie posted:

EDIT: I was going to jump right in, but I might lurk a bit first to see if I'd actually survive in this literary environment.

Get 'im up against the wall, lads.

Also since I see some crits going around, if anyone could give me some general feedback that would be cool. I feel like my writing has grown a lot because of TD but I am still basically blind to my own frequent mistakes, which I know I still make a lot of.

Saddest Rhino, I like you and the things you write but that picture made me lol.

edit:

V for Vegas posted:

Sitting Here

How funny was it? Why did Hemingway's chicken cross the road? To die... in the rain. Even tired old tropes can be given new life but it is cold, so cold...

Was it Satire? I hope so!

Would this have been better if, say, the main character was Ghandi? The Mahatma? Well, I guess he was a vegetarian.

I was hoping anti-humor was still a kind of humor, I mean the word 'humor' is right in there.

Meis
Sep 2, 2011

Sign me up for whatever the next thing is. I feel like facing some harsh trials.

Also gredgie, please jump right in so that I'm not the only new person. And you'd probably make me look good in comparison!

Benagain
Oct 10, 2007

Can you see that I am serious?
Fun Shoe

V for Vegas posted:

Benagain

How funny was it? Amusing.

Was it Satire? I think we're good on this one Jim.

Don't call me Jim. Also, would this have been better with a few jabs at those stupid frenchies? Qui bon!



Dammit, I'd just heard a radio report on French people dissing American cheese consumption, too. Such a missed opportunity.

Rose Wreck
Jun 15, 2012

Sitting Here posted:

Also since I see some crits going around, if anyone could give me some general feedback that would be cool.

Sitting Here posted:

I was hoping anti-humor was still a kind of humor, I mean the word 'humor' is right in there.

I didn't get what you were satirizing. If I had to take a guess it'd be projects like the giant salmon, where people genetically alter their food.

I thought you got the ruin of the setting across well without much fuss. When it got to the threat itself, you use some evocative description, but some of your images are a tad redundant or conflict. The chickens are described as "dumb" like the progenitor, which is a reasoning, talking chicken. It's not until after we know that chickens are patrolling in army units that we learn they're not very big. I had the impression they were tall because he was hiding behind something much bigger than him. The proto-chicken is so huge that it rests in pillows of its own flesh but is capable of lunging? (And chickens don't have webbed feet, that's ducks.) So I had to read it twice before it read smoothly.

The muumuu wasn't a problem, I was confused by it but nothing suggested abominations wouldn't drape themselves in festive wear, so I think that worked fine.

Canadian Surf Club
Feb 15, 2008

Word.
Well I guess we learned that Thunderdome isn't the place for girly laughter. A 'domer says what he means to say in only the most serious and soul-wrenching manner. Let this be a warning to future prompt-prompters :butt:

Sitting Here, I thought your piece was well written and had a funny premise but the humor didn't click in the reading of the story. Being an unfunny person myself, I'm not sure what could have been improved.

Can't really make heads or tails of my critique but I deserve that. I had watched Empire Strikes Back the day before so Star Wars was all I had on the brain. Was going for the satire on nerd dating becoming more the norm but the low word count hurts in fleshing out things (take THAT "low-word-counts-are-the-best :qq:" restrictivists).

Sitting Here
Dec 31, 2007

Thanks for this. I feel a bit silly about the feet thing! But the rest...yeah, it's always good to know how the picture I had in my head is different than the one the reader gets.

For what it's worth, I was thinking about this scary-rear end poo poo and what would happen if it went Terribly Wrong, because that never happens when man plays god.

It is amazing how hard it is to be funny on command. Does anyone know any good articles/books/pamphlets on humorous writing or is it sort of one of those things you're born with? People say I'm a funny person but that mostly relies on responding to an existing situation. Much harder to set one up.

gredgie
Dec 9, 2012

Is there any in this rout
with authority to treat with me?

Meis posted:

Also gredgie, please jump right in so that I'm not the only new person. And you'd probably make me look good in comparison!

These fighting words taste like bait!

Ultimately, where I'm new to SA in general, I wouldn't mind ensuring I don't get lost in a forum sea and forget to submit something here and waste folks time.

From what I've read, being that guy in the Thunderdome is not a path to victory.

Rose Wreck
Jun 15, 2012
Dave Barry has written repeatedly about putting words together to make people laugh. Some of what he says on it is in his books but he has a few interviews online.

I think a lot of humor ends up being surprisingly formulaic. If you read a couple PG Wodehouse anthologies back to back, you can see the flips and reversals coming, even in one-sentence jokes. He does the same thing more than once, he's just creative in the variations, and he does it well enough to keep the reader looking for a new payoff.

It's definitely something that can be learned but I'm not confident enough in mine to give advice on where to start.

Ronnie_Long
Jun 7, 2003

cock of the walk

Sitting Here posted:


It is amazing how hard it is to be funny on command. Does anyone know any good articles/books/pamphlets on humorous writing or is it sort of one of those things you're born with? People say I'm a funny person but that mostly relies on responding to an existing situation. Much harder to set one up.

I don't think humor is innate, but rather than looking for a how-to: Ronnie_Long's Official Guide to Humor and The Funnies TM.
"Step 1: Set up a normal situation. Step 2: Add a pickle in a surprising location. Step 3: HAHAHAHA"

I think I would try listen to/read good comedy, humorous stories etc. so you can start to develop a feel for the genre and what works for you.
Good input + practice = hopefully good output.

(You can trust me on this, I have a MFA in posting twice in Thunderdome.)

Meis
Sep 2, 2011

gredgie posted:

These fighting words taste like bait!

Ultimately, where I'm new to SA in general, I wouldn't mind ensuring I don't get lost in a forum sea and forget to submit something here and waste folks time.

From what I've read, being that guy in the Thunderdome is not a path to victory.

If you think there's a chance you'd forget to submit something, that kind of implies you don't really care about this thing, like it's not really worth your time. I mean that's the impression you'd give. To be honest, it's easy enough to not forget something like this (at least to me), and besides, any thread you post in gets added to your bookmarked threads viewable from the user control panel.

Basically, I get the impression you shouldn't enter if you're not serious with the commitment. Or do, if you want to be relentlessly berated. You could always join that monthly short story contest instead I guess?

Bad Seafood
Dec 10, 2010


If you must blink, do it now.

Sitting Here posted:

It is amazing how hard it is to be funny on command. Does anyone know any good articles/books/pamphlets on humorous writing or is it sort of one of those things you're born with? People say I'm a funny person but that mostly relies on responding to an existing situation. Much harder to set one up.
A lot of humor relies on a sense of immediacy that can be difficult to cultivate when it's not there.

Stop me and stay awhile, forced to think on my feet I'm told I'm pretty entertaining. Give me a piece of paper and an hour though and I've got nothing.

Rose Wreck
Jun 15, 2012

Ronnie_Long posted:

I think I would try listen to/read good comedy, humorous stories etc. so you can start to develop a feel for the genre and what works for you.

I was thinking more about this, and this, as usual, is the best way.

The other thing I'd say is search out a good cross-section and then do what does and doesn't work for you. I said Wodehouse was formulaic; so is Dave Barry; so is any other humor columnist. Once you've read them, you can recognize their humor later because they'll use the same knack. It works for them because they're established, but being predictable before then isn't funny.

Based on how you've written, you might like Twain's satire and short stories. His Leatherstocking criticisms are his attempt at bitter career assassination, but they're still funny.

SurreptitiousMuffin
Mar 21, 2010

gredgie posted:

These fighting words taste like bait!

Ultimately, where I'm new to SA in general, I wouldn't mind ensuring I don't get lost in a forum sea and forget to submit something here and waste folks time.

From what I've read, being that guy in the Thunderdome is not a path to victory.
Develop a thick skin. Not just for Thunderdome but if you want to write professionally. The trash talk is basically the usual thing up to 11 and if you can't deal with that, you won't fit in.

Good news! That's it, really. Even if you're the worst writer on the planet, if you're willing to take advice you'll do fine here. Look at Chairchucker: dude has lost more times than any other 'domer but we love him because he keeps coming back and he's been improving his writing the whole time.

Stick with us and you will become a better writer. I know I have. Hell, look at the quality of week 1 vs the current stuff and you can see that being a bit rough with one another is an amazing way to improve, if you've got the stomach for it.

Zack_Gochuck
Jan 4, 2007

Stupid Wrestling People
It's really valuable to have a group of guys who will call your writing out on its bullshit too. That can be incredibly hard to find.

gredgie
Dec 9, 2012

Is there any in this rout
with authority to treat with me?
I've bookmarked this thread next to the browser bookmark, as well as bookmarking it on SA itself.

So I shall give it a whirl! I'm usually swish with commitment, plus I'm unemployed at the moment so I have time coming out of all kinds of orifices.

Admittedly, a lot of the trash talk here has made me chuckle, so it's all gravy :>.
And self-improvement is always good.

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SurreptitiousMuffin
Mar 21, 2010

Zack_Gochuck posted:

It's really valuable to have a group of guys who will call your writing out on its bullshit too. That can be incredibly hard to find.
This. This times a million. Jesus, every internet writing circle seems to be this terrible hugbox where you could poo poo on a paper plate and have them scream "ART!" I need brutal honesty to develop as a writer. If I put something up for crit, it's because I know it's terrible but I'm not a good enough writer to figure out why. That's why CC is great and you guys are all awesome.

speaking of, how was my story? I was trying to riff off Anthem but I don't think I was hugely successful. Vonnegut already got there first.