August 2012 Flash Fiction Contest

**norm** · August 1st, 2012, 02:01 PM

Long-winded nonsense ahead! Feel free to skip to the bottom of this post for this month's theme!

Two years ago, I started looking for something: I looked for a place to share the ideas that I had been storing in my head for so long. I had this lifelong desire to write, and I decided that it was time to take the plunge and try my hand at storytelling. After finding a few places that weren't quite what I was hoping for, I found this place.

I was lousy, but I learned. And learned. And wrote. Over time, I gained the most valuable thing a person can gain: knowledge.This knowledge, and the application of it, has made me a much happier person than the person I was two years ago. For the first time, I have a creative outlet.

I want to keep writing. I want to learn more and apply that knowledge. I want to write something really worth reading. I don't expect to ever make a career out of writing, but even if I don't I'm content; I've gained everything I wanted, for almost nothing.

This writer's forum has been one of the best discoveries of my life. And so, I have chosen a theme dedicated to sffworld, to this fortunate find that has started me down the road I have always wanted to be on.

Your theme is Discovery.

-1000 words maximum
- Your piece must fit into the scifi/fantasy/horror categories

Post your entries in the Stories sub-forum, and post a link here in this thread. Please label your submission properly so it doesn't get overlooked. Your thread title should read something along the lines of:

August Flash Fiction Entry: Title of Story (or) Aug 2012 FF Entry - Title of Story.

Contest deadline will be Saturday, August 25th, Midnight GMT.

May you all find what you are looking for.

(Oh, and mods, please sticky this thread. Thank you!)

**tmso** · August 1st, 2012, 04:00 PM

I think all of us have had this experience. This is a wonderful place. I love it, too.

Great theme. I'm gonna try to actually write a flash this time. And give myself time to edit it. And complete the story in 800 words. (I have to shoot for a lesser amount because I always overshoot.)

I'm off to discover something great!

**txshusker** · August 1st, 2012, 05:01 PM

ditto Norm. good call.

**zachariah** · August 1st, 2012, 06:14 PM

Congratulations Norm! Can't promise anything this month, but it's a brilliant theme.

**Cirias** · August 2nd, 2012, 02:50 AM

Nice theme. I think we can all do something really interesting with it

**Slynt** · August 2nd, 2012, 08:30 AM

If you've read some of my stories the past months you may notice a trend and that's me having a beef with religion. The short story I'm working on has nothing of the sort, however, so bear with me one more time as I explore the topic in "Enemy of the Triumvirate".

**Daddy Darth** · August 2nd, 2012, 10:49 AM

Great theme - I am hopeful I will get some traction with writing this month and enter. Best of luck with your writing everyone!

**Wulfen** · August 3rd, 2012, 12:05 PM

Very cool, looking forward to this.

As to your 'long-winded nonsense', I have to agree that this was a great place to find. I've had trouble finding a local writing group, and this forum has been an absolute joy to be a part of.

You guys have pushed me to be a better writer than I was yesterday, every day.

**SuperFede** · August 6th, 2012, 07:45 AM

This place is endeed a great discovery.

It's been a while since I last submited an entry. So why not try and submit something.

This time I thought of something pretty straight foreward, since I haven't really written something in a while. I hope I am still up to the standards here, which i remember where very high.

I am glad to see familiar faces.

Here it is, my story "Discovering death", I posted in both places so read where you feel more comfortable.

Stories section

http://www.sffworld.com/community/story/4510p0.html

stories forum

http://www.sffworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=35042

SF!

**tmso** · August 6th, 2012, 02:48 PM

Fede! So good to see you are back!

Looking forward to reading your entry.

**norm** · August 7th, 2012, 07:26 PM

Originally Posted by SuperFede

I hope I am still up to the standards here, which i remember where very high.

Tell me about it. Did you get a chance to read some of the stuff submitted last month? Some impressive stories to say the least.

Glad to see some of you are getting some traction with the theme. I've been rolling a few different ideas around in my head, but none of them have really grabbed my interest yet, at least not enough to actually start writing.

**SuperFede** · August 8th, 2012, 04:12 PM

yeah I know, I haven't read any of last month but I know without reading them that they are good.

I hope some more find inspiration to submit.... I don't want to scare anyone away by my return. Not that I am that good. Maybe average at best.

actually one of the reasons I left was that i didn't have time to read all entries, i remember some months having three voting threads.

It felt like reading a whole book just for the flash fiction contest every month.

**norm** · August 8th, 2012, 04:27 PM

I remember that one month where we had something like 33 entries. I don't know how I managed to read all of those, but I did.

**Tristis** · August 8th, 2012, 04:53 PM

The theme this month is darn good for one of my PWIP tales to finally get written out, so despite a really really busy couple of weeks—and against my better judgment regarding the need for a closed priority list to focus on during that time—I submit:

Starting the End

**Tristis** · August 9th, 2012, 05:34 AM

Originally Posted by norm

I remember that one month where we had something like 33 entries

I was all upset with myself for dropping off the boards, but I think I'm way more glad than sorry that I missed that.

Okay, even if there aren't many entries this month, It's going to be hard for me to get reviews in on time. Here's what I can promise:
I wil read.
I will vote.
I will post reviews…but maybe not all before the end of the month. If you hear from me after September, please don't be offended. It's just that kind of madness around here.