600!?

[Dozystoat]

Wherever would we be, a contest without someone whinging about the word limit?

I'm worried sick for my poor critters. 600 is almost enough, but just not quite. There are still things left unsaid; things that can't fit. 500 is just plain torture. 600 is doable. 750 is preferred.

With 500 words, you have enough to sketch a rough outline. Because of the nature of the app (not an outright bio), about 200-300 words are given to other characters' action and dialogue, as well as scenery and basic explanation of where when why how who. The other 200-300 focuses more on the character itself, their thoughts and actions. No more than 50 words should be given to description, and only if there's something important. Otherwise just a "the squirrel" here or there will do, along with male/female pronouns.

So, the average app takes 500 words. With 600, what does the other 100 give you? Room to embellish. But that's all. Quirk + Fleshing-outness. Now, with 750, you have 150 more words not only to embellish, but to explain.

Pause. When I say explain, I don't mean "give out every secret about the character idea" - I mean "squash misconceptions". Much too often I see awesome characters that didn't quite make it because the judges didn't pick up on subtleties. Not their fault. I read my own apps and go, "Well, what's so special about this? They're just another [species] that's a [strange occupation] with [bad drug habits]." But then I also know the itty bitty secrets that make them stand out from other like characters. I know this otter's not just a gruff ex-holt leader with a bone to pick against weasels. I know this rat's not a mindless killer who cares naught for food and blood and plunder.

You can't explain your character in 750 words. It's just impossible. All you can hope to do is better give an idea of what they're not. And with 600, even that is difficult ...

And I'm having just oodles of fun finding that out. XD

[Cairn Destop]

Limits must be impossed as some people would submit an entire novel.  I'll be the first to confess my initial application for QB-2 weighed in at 3,735 words.  Had to do a lot of editing work to cut it down to the 500 word limit.

Such limitations are not that hard.  The idea is to maintain a tight focus on a specific scene that highlights what makes your character special.

[Kenner]

I was actually happy with the 600.  It seemed like unlimited freedom almost after 500 words.  
And, as for 'explaining' one's character, I always thought that that should be left to do if you got into the contest.  Just bait them.  Don't explain.

And the small word limit can be a challenge, but...  I imagine it really helps the judges weed out what they want fairly easily.

[Balmafula]

Gotta say that I agree with Kenner.  In the recent RS there was no word limit, and I believe that a lot of the apps suffered because of it, as it allows for more rambling.  They tended to tell little stories and have little to no actual character in them with which to show off. 

While it's a huge pain to have written a great app and then realize you have to cut about 100 or so words, it certainly forces you to make a more polished piece, cutting out anything that's not completely necessary to show just enough of your character to make him or her interesting.  In a way, it's almost fun, actually, and the feeling is awesome when you cut out that last bit to make it just the perfect length.

[Stonewall]

I'm always more impressed with a writer if I can get a clear, if incomplete, conception of their character within fewer words, rather than having a full length biography of, say, 1000. It takes more skill to write smaller, but if I'm interested in that smaller space of time, it means you have a greater chance of holding my attention in the long run.

I do agree about how hard it is to slim down an app that you're really happy with. I was over the limit with Obadiah, and I still didn't include any dialogue.  ;)

[Wolverine]

And, as for 'explaining' one's character, I always thought that that should be left to do if you got into the contest.  Just bait them.  Don't explain.

I dunno. I caught some serious flak with that when Aras was in the top 30. Some reviewers were kind of put off by the fact that I hadn't explained the amnesia or Aras' guilt/innocence fully. (Admittedly, a lot of that could be explained away as residual hatred from his original name...)

That being said, I don't mind 600. It's a lot easier to review. :p

[Airan]

I'm actually sort of nervous about the word limit.  So far it hasnt affected me very much but I'm scared that the app I have written sucks because of it.

[Cricket Argyll]

I found the word limit quite agreeable this go around. 600 seems plenty to work with to present a short, but interesting character sketch. More concerning is the lack of top 30 (27). I'm feeling a bit robbed, Tara. I want my mighty vote of death! *eyes*

[Opal]

Aww, poor Cricky. Don't worry, you'll still get to kill off 2/3 of the contestants! That's good, right? :P

[Cricket Argyll]

*grumbles* The Queen of the Rats finds this an acceptable bargain, wildcat lady.

[Dozystoat]

I don't much like reading Top 30s anyway. If you're in it yourself, it's depressing to see how awesome everyone else is. If you're not in, you just get annoyed when your favourites don't make it in. Spare yourself the irritation and time and just read the story when it starts, I say.

Until those lousy contestants go and reference something in their app without further explanation and you're left going ABUWAH!? >.>

And everyone needs to stop being so ... so reasonable about the word limit! C'mon! Complain a bit more, will ya? XD

[Cairn Destop]

And everyone needs to stop being so ... so reasonable about the word limit! C'mon! Complain a bit more, will ya? XD

Oh I do believe we are all grumbling about the limit, but it is done, so live with it.  Thing is, it is good practice at writing flash fiction.  You must be tight if you are going to be effective.  Naturally, once you get into the competition your writings can become verbose.  Here's hoping nobody challenges the QB record for longest post. 

I didn't have that problem with QB-2.  I read the other two hedgehogs and thought them good, but thought mine no better or worse.  Then the comments started.  Yerb was praised and Cairn got the short end of the stick.  Yes, the other contestant's writing showed promise, but Yerb hit me as a couch potatoe with quills and without a television.  Though a bartender didn't exactly come across as action hero material.

Thing I like to do is write that first chapter for when my character is selected.  I had Cairn's done the same day I got the e-mail saying he was a contestant.  All I had to do was add a few things at the end and my first post was awaiting the contest.

The radical change of settings in Operation Sandstorm allowed me a lot of room for backstory since my initial setting was far from a desert.  That too can give you a lot of potential posting material.  Can still remember Greypaw defending slavery as "proper" and her disdain for Redwall Abbey.  Made for interesting dialogue.

[Nallmian]

I don't know, Balmafula.  Personally, I liked the longer apps.  If there is ever another RS, the absence of word limits is definitely going to be an enduring feature.  That said, shorter limits do have some virtues of their own, and I think most of us should be able to do it.  Besides, it's largely a matter of personal preference for the admins.  I like reading huge applications, Tara does not, and the rules are set accordingly.

[Sycamore]

I wrote one . . .

IT'S OVER 9000!!!!!!

[Cairn Destop]

I wrote one . . .

IT'S OVER 9000!!!!!!

Some helpful hints to pare down that text:

1 ---- eliminate all adverbs usually words ending in "ly"

2 ---- eliminate names from dialogue if the characters are identified in the text.

3 ---- eliminate all superlatives.  Saying "the clear morning air" is the same as saying "the morning air."

4 ---- check your prepositional phrasing.  Many can be eliminated without affecting the sentence's meaning.