Oh good. So, if I decide to go themeless this week it would totally answer your question “is it worth it?”, right?

Quoted from khamanna Oh good. So, if I decide to go themeless this week it would totally answer your question “is it worth it?”, right?

Not for me to say. Let's see what the reviewers say. =)

So, "winning at any cost" in this context would be doing pure fan service to the SS reviewers, correct?

So bribery is allowed this week, interesting.

Well, considering that I’m going to finish behind some people that haven’t written in weeks, and that I’ll need a 10 out of 5 to take this thing, as Reg Dunlop said at the end of Slap Shot; this is my last game, I’m gonna play it straight.

AJR

AJR, your pigeon face devourer script is still my fave of this whole tourney.  If you can at least equal it in Round 5, I’ll be happy as a pig in shite  

I’m curious to see the remaining genres - what ppl prefer least of all.

Kham, what makes you think that we all left the worst until last?

I'm going to have some fun with the last one. I expect pissers galore lol!

Last one in's a rotten egg. Well, this is the last entry, and it will be a rotten egg.

Quoted from AnthonyCawood Kham, what makes you think that we all left the worst until last?

This looks like a rhetorical question. Can’t believe anyone saves the best for the last especially with this partner situation. I’m stuck with the worst for me genre.

My first draft is done! Everything is in, everything. Beware of it as it's coming.

Oh dear. Oh dear oh dear oh dear.
.
.
.
.
.
Oh dear.
This will be a tough one.

I have three endings, don't like any of them!

Quoted from AnthonyCawood I have three endings, don't like any of them!

How did you fit Clue into five pages?

Quoted from FrankM How did you fit Clue into five pages?

Frank's got a good point. Now, do the roller skates ending.

Love Clue!

There’s not much writing reported here. What if it’s like 5 entries total at the end?

Well, maybe you're number one, Kham!

And, five entries? That'd be some easy reading and reviewing.  
I have a feeling there'll be more than that though...

Quoted from LC Well, maybe you're number one, Kham! And, five entries? That'd be some easy reading and reviewing.   I have a feeling there'll be more than that though...

I'm still in. Just been a little preoccupied.  My story's already done in my head!

Quoted from LC Well, maybe you're number one, Kham! And, five entries? That'd be some easy reading and reviewing.   I have a feeling there'll be more than that though...

Are you writing for this one, Libby?

Quoted from khamanna Are you writing for this one, Libby?

I'm doing my level best. Dreamt it up last night. Depends on how many distractions I get. Hopefully.

Three pages done. Happy with it so far. I just need to have a think and figure out how I want it to all resolve.

I'm at four.

Revised my previous script too.

Script done today.
Review and upload tomorrow.

Quoted from stevie AJR, your pigeon face devourer script is still my fave of this whole tourney.  If you can at least equal it in Round 5, I’ll be happy as a pig in shite

I think that says a lot about both of us lol but thanks!

And submitted.

I'm satisfied with it this round.

An idea finally sparked. Was getting a little worried. This one took a while! I've been setting aside a few hours to write on Sundays. Mulling it over until then.

Quoted from mmmarnie An idea finally sparked. Was getting a little worried. This one took a while! I've been setting aside a few hours to write on Sundays. Mulling it over until then.

My idea is what worries me. First I need to get all the week-4 reads done first, though.

Struggling....

Quoted from JEStaats Struggling....

You're not alone. The struggle is real.

Quoted from mmmarnie You're not alone. The struggle is real.

But, is it, though? I quote Alec Baldwin:

"You think this is abuse? You can't take this, how can you take the abuse you get on a sit? You don't like it, leave."

Nah, I'm just playin'. Although, second prize will get a set of steak knives... Well, probably not, but you never know. =)

Quoted from Mr. Blonde But, is it, though? I quote Alec Baldwin: "You think this is abuse? You can't take this, how can you take the abuse you get on a sit? You don't like it, leave." Nah, I'm just playin'. Although, second prize will get a set of steak knives... Well, probably not, but you never know. =)

I'm actually bummed it's ending. You created a super tough challenge Blondie...and I loved it!! Thank you!!

Quoted from mmmarnie I'm actually bummed it's ending. You created a super tough challenge Blondie...and I loved it!! Thank you!!

In a tortured sort of way, I agree, Marnie.  

And! It's certainly teaching me how to cut cut cut the long-winded stuff.
Having said that we'll see if the story remains intact enough to make the cut.

Gotta play catch-up too cause ISP was out most of the day.

Submitted the fifth and final one!

I gotta say, although there has been a degree of anxiety and stress involved, especially once I started working again, I have absolutely loved this tournament.

Thank you so much, Blondie, for organising this. Thanks to my writing partner for making each week's selection so easy and thank you to all my fellow writers for your entries and comments throughout. I have at least two scripts I will be taking forward to competitions out of this with more in my back catalogue just in case.

Just think, you have all proven you can write under tight deadline and specific criteria pressure. If some producer down the line asks you to write a story about a gang of trained bank-robbing chimpanzees and the project is being heavily financed by Nike who want their latest trainers featured predominately, and, oh yeah, it has to be a musical - you will say, "No problem. Thank you, sir. May I have another next week?"

I will miss this, even though it means I can move back to my own projects. The Friday family brainstorming session has become a tradition in our house.

Thanks again to everyone. I look forward to reading what you've all come up with this week.

-Mark  

Wonderful sentiments Mark, it has been a superb challenge and great learning curve.
Kudos to everyone who entered in whatever shape or form.
And to my writing partner, well done with your scripts and thanks for making choosing the items each week an absolute dawdle.

Well done everyone.

Ditto on what’s said. I liked it very much and am going to miss it. We practically wrote an entry in a day, I know I did. Which is wow, new thing to do for me. And with all the criteria to squeeze in - that was different to anything I’ve done in the past.

Still struggling.  First attempt trashed. Starting a second...

Quoted from JEStaats Still struggling.  First attempt trashed. Starting a second...

Mine is running long. Which means what people actually end up reading will be cut badly

But in general this has been a great writers tournament. We should turn this into a board game with ludicrously long turns

I echo previous sentiments... I was struggling with writing in the early stages of the pandemic but the last OWC and this challenge have re-invigorated me.

So thanks Don, thanks Blondie, thanks SS and thanks to all my writer friends on here, a great set of writers!

Quoted from MarkRenshaw Submitted the fifth and final one! Thank you so much, Blondie, for organising this. Thanks to my writing partner for making each week's selection so easy and thank you to all my fellow writers for your entries and comments throughout. I have at least two scripts I will be taking forward to competitions out of this with more in my back catalogue just in case. Thanks again to everyone. I look forward to reading what you've all come up with this week. -Mark

I second that. I didn't think the leftovers were easy, I really had to go outside of the box on it. My entry is submitted.
Full on bonkers.

Now i'm back to revising my older scripts. Which is also crazy stuff.

Last one is proving the hardest!

Are we guessing who wrote what in Round 4?

I'll start with "Well, I Just Had to Laugh."

(0:

Seriously though, thanks Blondie. Though I didn't score well, I feel this challenge did me a world of good in shaking me from my doldrums and showing me that I could write each week, every week. I finally feel confident enough to tackle that feature that I've had in the back of my mind.

And though I won't win this, I'm proud of what I wrote. I wrote from the heart, and I wrote to the theme, and I wrote what I felt was important to me.

Well, except for the bird pecking the face script. That's really not important to me. Blame Blondie for giving me horror and bird feeder. And blame Stevie for liking it.

(0:

AJR

ajr, you need to enter it into a horror shirt comp! It’s a great script. As I said on the thread, I don’t watch horror films (or any films actually lol) but I love reading good horror novels (currently reading The Chalk Man) and yours was ghoulishly awesome.

And yeah the tourney has been great. A year ago I was in the writing doldrums - couldn’t be bothered, too tired, too busy gaming and reading etc. Then I got the idea for my shark feature. That took long months of slog but when I finished it in June I was on a roll and zipped straight into the tourney!  Now I’ve already started writing down ideas and scene outlines for a new feature - ironically a horror zombie one set at Everest Base Camp     Oh wow I can use zombie birds pecking trekker faces!!!!  I was set to write a 40 page script about the Beatles stay at a house in Benedict Canyon in LA in August 1965, but that can be done anytime. Maybe I could do a collab with whoever wrote the Abbey Road one? PM me if you are keen!!!    Cheers all



Thanks Don and Blondie and all you peeps for a cool 6 weeks!

You people are scaring me. Hope all of these "thanks" are just thanks and not a bowing out of the last week act.

And Paul is not reporting. Hope everything is alright with him too.

I'm on page 2 and a half and on the 4th India Pale Ale. We'll see if genius or disaster results in the next 6 hours and 1 minute....

(0:

AJR

Kham, I had my round 5 written last week as I saved the variables for it specially lol. It meant though I had to use the other variables in extremely uncomfortable positions  

ajr, when in doubt, attach bird feeder to face. You know you want to...

Quoted from stevie Kham, I had my round 5 written last week as I saved the variables for it specially lol. It meant though I had to use the other variables in extremely uncomfortable positions   ajr, when in doubt, attach bird feeder to face. You know you want to...

If only I could use the bird feeder twice...

Woohoo! That which does not kill us makes us stronger. Nailed this bitch! Well, okay, I finished and am satisfied. Submitting in mere moments.

So much said already to Don and Blondie but never enough thanks for all you do and have done. This WT rocked! I feel like I've had a few breakthroughs and am way into writing again.

As for week 4 guesses, you'd think we'd have a better handle on who wrote what but I'm still at a loss.

Any hangin's in week 5?

Quoted from khamanna And Paul is not reporting. Hope everything is alright with him too.

I'm out here. This week is a slog. I mean... just fighting every single word. Definitely going to be at the mercy of reviewers this week.

I think I have a decent idea... but, it'll take a pretty serious rework after the tourney to make it what it could be.

Really wanted to go out strong, too. Oh well.

Maybe ya'll will see something in it that I don't, yet?

Quoted from ajr If only I could use the bird feeder twice...

Top marks if you can wedge it in there, bro

I sent mine in. Now, to win the round at any cost, I need everyone's home address so I can send them Edible Arrangements.

Any allergies I should be aware of?

Quoted from ajr Are we guessing who wrote what in Round 4?

I am reasonably sure I know which one I wrote.

Quoted from FrankM I sent mine in. Now, to win the round at any cost, I need everyone's home address so I can send them Edible Arrangements. Any allergies I should be aware of?

I just ate a metric ton of strawberries in my salad, so I'm reasonably certain on that. I prefer dark chocolate, though.

AJR

Submitted. I couldn't look at it any more.

Good luck, my friends!

I fear Blondie's not going to be pleased... For the final round, you're all too happy and upbeat and no-one's gnawing their own leg off.  

The methadone hasn't worn off yet.

Quoted from LC I fear Blondie's not going to be pleased... For the final round, you're all too happy and upbeat and no-one's gnawing their own leg off.

It's over. He no longer has any power over us! Muuuuhaaahahhahhhah!!

AJR

How long have I got left?

4 hours.

Shit!

Quoted from LC I fear Blondie's not going to be pleased... For the final round, you're all too happy and upbeat and no-one's gnawing their own leg off.

Worst 5 pages I've written in years. Hands down.

2 hours to fix it. But, I don't think it can be done.

If I didn't feel like I owe it to everybody, I think I'd skip this round.

Quoted from PKCardinal Worst 5 pages I've written in years. Hands down. .

Aa empty promises! You’ll end up on top! But let’s see

Yeah, we've heard that one before, right, Kham?  

Quoted from khamanna Aa empty promises! You’ll end up on top! But let’s see

I don't think so.

And, this thing (the tourney) is real close. Bad time for me to write a stinker.

I'm trying to salvage it right now. But, I keep distracting myself on here.

I think I'm hoping that the scores will post from last week and I'll be spared. If I don't score well in week 4, then there's no pressure, right?

Okay. It is what it is. Gonna submit.

No longer dreck, but, it's definitely not the story it could be. We'll see what everyone thinks.

I'll say, today was the most difficult writing day I've had in a long time. So, there you go, Sean. Your plan worked.

I'll tell you how wonderful you are, and how thankful I am, tomorrow. Today is for cursing.

So far, so good. Some A-game in this final round. Impressive.

Very sorry, everyone, for my disappearance (although I'm sure you all had a nice reprieve). Due to the heat here, I lost access to my internet, except for when I were at work. I'll try and catch up and I hope this didn't cause any issues for anyone.

Quoted from Mr. Blonde Very sorry, everyone, for my disappearance (although I'm sure you all had a nice reprieve). Due to the heat here, I lost access to my internet, except for when I were at work. I'll try and catch up and I hope this didn't cause any issues for anyone.

We all know that Sean likes to torture us, but scuttling his own Internet Service Provider is taking things to the next level

Quoted from Mr. Blonde Very sorry, everyone, for my disappearance (although I'm sure you all had a nice reprieve). Due to the heat here, I lost access to my internet, except for when I were at work. I'll try and catch up and I hope this didn't cause any issues for anyone.

I had an issue with myself and I got in trouble. It’s hard not to when you’re in trouble with yourself. I mean - who wins that fight

I’ve read all and submitted my scorings.

No new theme tomorrow.

Quoted from Mr. Blonde Very sorry, everyone, for my disappearance (although I'm sure you all had a nice reprieve). Due to the heat here, I lost ...

I thought when reading this you were going to end that part of the sentence with 'lost my mind'.  

Quoted from khamanna No new theme tomorrow.

Correct. No new theme tomorrow. Thursday, on the other hand...

Quoted from Mr. Blonde Very sorry, everyone, for my disappearance (although I'm sure you all had a nice reprieve). Due to the heat here, I lost access to my internet, except for when I were at work. I'll try and catch up and I hope this didn't cause any issues for anyone.

No problem. As you can see, we tortured ourselves in your absence.

Read all and voted. Can't believe it's all over.

I think we should just carry on... Blondie - set some new criteria and themes!

^ That's hilarious, Ant.

Voted.

So my votes are in. If I didn't comment on your script, it doesn't mean I didn't like it, only that the comments I had added nothing beyond what was already on the thread.

Except for my script... I have a real bone to pick with the writer on that one.

Awesome competition Sean and Don! Particularly funny watching everyone scrape the bottom of the variables barrel in Week 5.

I really hope someone picks this up and runs with it next year. Perhaps we can convince Sean?

Quoted from FrankM Awesome competition Sean and Don! Particularly funny watching everyone scrape the bottom of the variables barrel in Week 5. I really hope someone picks this up and runs with it next year. Perhaps we can convince Sean?

Ditto on the awesomeness of the competition. And I will back you up on the idea of having this again. In the same mode - crazy variables and partnerships. And we can have everything tossed up - that's all. Nothing new, just a toss up.

I enjoy a good toss... up.

Has everyone tossed their votes yet?

Yep. Voted. Votes tossed, I should say.

Bones to pick on mine with reviewers when all is said and done, tempered with a little bit of sucking it up as well, but nevertheless...

Quoted from JEStaats Has everyone tossed their votes yet?

Read and reviewed ALL. And voted.

Voted.

Been following this tournament… kind of. Read quite a few over the last 5 weeks, but obviously no comments. I’ve actually been jonesing to write something; kind of bummed I missed out, but alas… life just keeps getting in the way.

That said, I’ve noticed a bucket o' threads for this that I’m not sure how to see how everyone fared in total, if it’s posted at all?

Simply put, does everyone have a basic consensus of who’s gonna take the whole thing? Do you have to wait till the end, or is there a link re: tourney standings? Simply curious how everyone did overall.

… and of course -  if Sean finally suffered a well-deserved aneurysm or not.

Total scores are not out yet, Rick. Votes for the final round (5) pretty much just in for tally I suspect.

Blondie likes to retain an enigmatic presence which means he oversees but pretends he's not, then just springs results on people when they least expect it.

I have a feeling I know who the front runners are.... Sadly I'm not amongst them - my bribing with chocolates and flowers fell on deaf ears. Oh, well, next time maybe.

Quoted from Gum … and of course -  if Sean finally suffered a well-deserved aneurysm or not.

I did not, although I did end up with both a migraine and a two-day nosebleed in week 5, so it's close...

Quoted from LC Blondie likes to retain an enigmatic presence which means he oversees but pretends he's not, then just springs results on people when they least expect it.

Seen and not heard... unless it's torturing everyone some more. But, I can't torture anybody anymore, unfortunately. Gives me a slight empty feeling inside.

Quoted from LC ... my bribing with chocolates and flowers fell on deaf ears. Oh, well, next time maybe.

Yes, because you've learned your lesson, and 'next time' you know to bribe with weed and beer, lol.

Actually: Wayne Gretzky Red Cask Whisky is neat and smooth. Yes, I cannot make this up… Wayne Gretzky, the greatest ice hockey player in the history of the game makes a kick ass whiskey. Well, I doubt he actually brews it in his basement, but… y’know. Where am I going with this… I have no idea.

OK, I’ll check back at a later time/date for grand tally. Thanks for the info (*this space reserved for a thumbs up emoticon... somehow*)!

Quoted from Mr. Blonde I did not, although I did end up with both a migraine and a two-day nosebleed in week 5, so it's close...

Aha! … a cure all is (err, see above post): Wayne Gretzky Red Cask Whisky