Quoted from ReneC It's a term in North America too. We also have babies.

I lol'd as well. I only said that as I used that term, I think here in a OWC a while ago and no-one knew what I was talking about.

Quoted from Dreamscale Yeah, especially "ghost crabs"!

You are never going to let me live that down are you?

Quoted from MarkRenshaw You are never going to let me live that down are you?

Probably not, as I can't forget that.  Maybe that';s a good thing?  

I've read more than half of them - that's pretty much going to be it as I am strapped for time (will not vote/did not enter)

My observations of those I read:

- Two stood out above the rest.

- A few stretched meeting the vehicle parameter - that surprised me as I thought that this one would be pretty easy to nail (one that I would have DQ'd). Some just seemed like they were a story someone was working on and then squeezed into to fit. I have said in prior OWCs, when I vote I generally give extra credit to those where the parameters were hit cleanly. That's just me.

- Could be something to do with the horror genre. There were a couple that were very well written, but to me seemed incomplete as I had a hard time figuring out the what and whys of what was going on - like I walked into a scene from a feature and missed the first part so I had no clue what that particular scene meant.  Just needed a a line here or there to help me get my bearings. IMO, it would have elevated a couple of scripts from - hey, that was pretty good writing to something that would have resonated with me long after the read. Like I said, could be a horror thing and could be the reason I don't care for horror.

- Surprised by the number of war themed scripts. Nothing wrong with that - just surprising how many peeps landed on the same theme. Equally surprised that there were none (at least from the ones I read) that were based on a UPS/Fed-Ex driver - thought that would be there for sure.

- I thought Zack did a great job with the challenge parameters. Simple and straightforward and allowed something for everyone.

Woohoo! 13 to go!

I finished them all yesterday, an interesting collection for sure and once again showcasing some of the great writers on here.

Quoted from eldave1 I've read more than half of them - that's pretty much going to be it as I am strapped for time (will not vote/did not enter)

I think you can still vote on the ones you read? I think it's all averaged out anyway, but I'm not sure.

Still quite a gap between the most reviews and the least. Lots of time left for that gap to close, so hopefully it does

Quoted from Warren Still quite a gap between the most reviews and the least. Lots of time left for that gap to close, so hopefully it does

Reads ranging from 9 to 18.

The reading turnout seems low, but it was Easter Weekend.

3 more to go for me.

Quoted from Grandma Bear The reason for this unofficial rule is that when it comes to the voting some people's voting might be swayed by thinking someone they like or dislike wrote this or that.

There's one person who used to target me for criticism pretty much any time I popped up on the boards.  No matter what I said or what the subject.  But that person is no longer active, so maybe he was finally voted off the island.  

I still see some glimmers of smart arses on the boards but it's mostly calmed down compared to how it used to be.

I think everyone is coping it this OWC. Brutal.

Also the spread of comments on any particular script is all over the place. From this is brilliant to this is crap in the exact same threads. Obviously people have different tastes. I'm over zombies and WWII stories, but I don't remember it being this varied in the past. Or maybe I just have OWC PTSD and have blocked it all out.

I agree Warren, very varied, I think that's down to Zack and the great criteria - left lots of room for creativity.

Quoted from AnthonyCawood I agree Warren, very varied, I think that's down to Zack and the great criteria - left lots of room for creativity.

That could be it. I'm a bit over the vehicle horror. I did say that early on. This is the 3rd in less than 2 years I think. The only thing that's really different is the specification of minimal gore. I think horrors are inherently suspenseful.

I always find the creativity part of an OWC challenging and a little frustrating. We are trying to get the creative juices flowing and people are encouraged to think outside the box, but it's really hard to know where that line is; when it's too outside the box. I guess that's all part of it, hitting the sweet spot. Then again, I think when it comes to OWC's everyone is generally more critical, and quick to pounce on anything that is vaguely out of the box.

Either way, I'm happy with my script and wouldn't have written it without the OWC.

Quoted Text Either way, I'm happy with my script and wouldn't have written it without the OWC.

Me too.

Next time, can we get a "Very Poor" option for the scoring? we have Good and Very good.

I'm trying to score these entries - some I don't want to put as D/Q, but if I put them as poor they will be rated the same as others which are better - but if I push those to fair.... you get the idea

Quoted from Matthew Taylor Next time, can we get a "Very Poor" option for the scoring? we have Good and Very good. I'm trying to score these entries - some I don't want to put as D/Q, but if I put them as poor they will be rated the same as others which are better - but if I push those to fair.... you get the idea

I don't think any of the scripts you feel like rating as poor will be contenders when they are averaged out. Adding Very Poor won't make a difference.

I tend to use Good as the average. Fair is usually for scripts that are below the average for the OWC but have some potential or something neat about them. Poor is everything else below average, unless I DQ a script which is very rare.