Big congratulations to all the winners! I find it is an absolute joy to partake in this challenge and will definitely join again as soon as an idea hits me in the face (or lurks around in the minutes just before my eyes say goodbye to another day).
@Carewren123 I have a rule-related question Is it permitted to Edit more than one screenshot together into a "collage" of sorts? And then, if you do that, does that collage count as just one picture, or more than one?
Like, if you had four small screenshots together into one image, does that technically count as one picture, or four? I'm trying to plan out my screenshots and wanted to be sure!
EDIT: I think @ra3rei did this in her November story, and it was considered okay? But I still want to be sure!
Oh yeah - I did three "memory pictures" as a single picture to show time passing. They were all from the parent story or at least taken back then...I hope that was okay - they were cut down a lot so they just showed faces not the full picture.
Edit: I guess I'm more in the beg forgiveness category rather than ask permission. Oops.
Check out Raerei's Fortress for Builds, Short Stories, and maybe some longer stuff.
Oh yeah - I did three "memory pictures" as a single picture to show time passing. They were all from the parent story or at least taken back then...I hope that was okay - they were cut down a lot so they just showed faces not the full picture.
Edit: I guess I'm more in the beg forgiveness category rather than ask permission. Oops.
I've done the "Many pictures cut into one" thing twice now in Twisted Addiction and Blight. I'm pretty sure I maxed out the photo count on both entries, so considering I placed with Twisted Addiction I don't think it'll be a problem.
Oh yeah - I did three "memory pictures" as a single picture to show time passing. They were all from the parent story or at least taken back then...I hope that was okay - they were cut down a lot so they just showed faces not the full picture.
Edit: I guess I'm more in the beg forgiveness category rather than ask permission. Oops.
That wasn't meant to throw you under the bus, it was just using you as an example! And yes, the pictures I wanted to do "collage style" are from D2D, not original screenshots
Oh yeah - I did three "memory pictures" as a single picture to show time passing. They were all from the parent story or at least taken back then...I hope that was okay - they were cut down a lot so they just showed faces not the full picture.
Edit: I guess I'm more in the beg forgiveness category rather than ask permission. Oops.
I've done the "Many pictures cut into one" thing twice now in Twisted Addiction and Blight. I'm pretty sure I maxed out the photo count on both entries, so considering I placed with Twisted Addiction I don't think it'll be a problem.
Oh, my goodness! Thank you all so much! I hope this doesn't come across as arrogant, but I've been a little down on my writing lately, so this is a very big confidence boost for me. Thank you all so much for reading my story
Congratulations to @CitizenErased14 and @ra3rei !! Very well-deserved! And of course, great job to everyone else who participated. It was really a hard vote, and all the stories showed an awesome amount of talent. I'm excited to read the entries for February
Thanks for voting, everyone! And to @Carewren123 for hosting this great thread!
Congrats to the winners and, as always, all the participants for providing me with so much lovely reading material!
I can say right now, I have a billion and one things I have to get done before I leave on vacay this coming Thursday, and I won't be back until the 15th, so expect my superlatives for January to be fashionably late. I'll get around to them at some point, but I'm fairly certain that some point won't be until after I've returned!
@Rinellie : You know in High School, those "Most Likely to..." or "Best at" kind of awards? They are like that, and anyone can give them and post them to this thread. It became a thing after the October entries, though has kinda steadily declined in participation, sadly. I've actually compiled a list of past Superlatives if @Carewren123 ever wants to archive the links (or just to make it easier for all the newcomers to this thread to find them). Note that reading superlatives to past entries could have spoilerish commentary to past story entries.
Congrats to everyone!! @CitizenErased14@ra3rei@Rinellie You all did an amazing job!!! And everyone, wonderful stories this month!! And I'll try to get to my superlatives this time -- January was a bad month, lol!
@Rinellie : You know in High School, those "Most Likely to..." or "Best at" kind of awards? They are like that, and anyone can give them and post them to this thread. It became a thing after the October entries, though has kinda steadily declined in participation, sadly. I've actually compiled a list of past Superlatives if @Carewren123 ever wants to archive the links (or just to make it easier for all the newcomers to this thread to find them). Note that reading superlatives to past entries could have spoilerish commentary to past story entries.
Ohhh, okay. That sounds really fun. I'll try to get started on some later tonight Thanks for going through all the trouble of linking me those examples! It was really helpful.
All right, here's my list of superlatives. It was fun re-visiting the stories
Betrayal by @CitizenErased14 Most Deserving of a Re-read
Reading this story for the second time gives a completely different experience from reading it the first time. The first time, it's all suspense and mystery, and then the second time, it's so deliciously campy. It's not even just like, "I know the joke hehe." Every line is so funny the second time because of how over dramatic it is. Makes for a really worthwhile read!
Blight by @Munterbacon Most Gratifying
Blight's journey drew me in so quickly. Her connection to Grim and the seemingly heartless things she was doing made her a fascinating lead character; I was so curious about how it would end. And then when it did end, it was so perfect and so gratifying. I can't say that I relate to Blight or that I would ever want to walk in her shoes heh, but I still definitely hoped for a dark ending, and Munterbacon delivered.
All That Buildup by @IchigoUsagi Most Unsettling (But in a Good Way)
Everything from the screenshots to the language to the point of view in this story make for a very haunting read. When we find out that the narrator has lost her mind, the hopelessness she feels is very real. Her actions before the supposed end of the world feel realistic too. Just talking about the past and avoiding thinking about the present. Eerie in the best way.
Aiden's Freedom by @supernatural103 Most Innovative Countdown
The way the countdown is set up in this story is so perfect for its content. We get an understanding of Aiden's painful history through seeing literal and quantifiable accounts of it. There's something to be said about knowing just how many times a particular kind of harsh event has happened; it really makes Aiden into a very sympathetic character.
The Tower by @Pegasus143 Most Immersive
I really like how this story introduces its readers to one of the author's real life hobbies. It makes it feel very meaningful and personal. Also, the way the dream sequence was set up was so transportive (is that a word? lol). By that, I mean that it takes the reader to a completely different place, outside of The Sims. It really immerses the reader into its world.
Ten Reasons to Leave by @CathyTea Most Human
Although I can't say I've ever considered divorce (because I've never been married ), I can say that Miranda still feels very relatable. Her issue is a very human issue that I find totally believable. It really made me connect with her character and hope that she could find a solution to her problems with her husband.
The Final Final Countdown by @mastressalita Most Suspenseful
It almost feels funny describing an eBay countdown as suspenseful, but I have to be honest and say that I really did feel worried that Dale wouldn't win the bid. And then, when he didn't, I completely felt his disappointment. Really, when you're following a countdown, you're hoping for something at the end, right? eBay countdown, you want your prize. Microwave countdown, you want your food. New Year's countdown, you want a feeling of accomplishment from the past year. This story made me really hope as I followed the countdown.
Countdown to Graduation by @SilverDaybreak Most Nostalgic
This story made me nostalgic for not only The Sims 2 but also for just the feeling of excitement about graduating. Andrew's journey to graduation feels very hopeful, which is just what a college student would feel as they progress through their college career. It reminds me of the weeks before and then the day of my graduation ceremony, making for a very satisfying and comforting read.
What Happens at Zero? by @ra3rei Most Adorable Protagonist
Everything this kid goes through is so reminiscent of young childhood. His wanting to stay up late to play, his being afraid of monsters in the closet, his surrender to the Mom Countdown--they're all exactly the kind of behaviors I would expect from a child and that I remember having myself. He's so darn cute; it makes it impossible not to root for him.
My Mary Jane by @lovesstorms Most Heartbreaking but Simultaneously Heartwarming
It's so sad to see Henry dealing with the sorrow of losing his true love. You can really feel the weight of that loss from how he thinks and acts throughout the story. But then, once he's reunited with Mary Jane in the end, you forget about that sadness and feel gratified to see him with his Mary Jane again. A very powerful love story. (Also, I still can't get over that screenshot of him collapsed near Mary Jane's gravestone. IT'S SO BEAUTIFUL!)
And the winner is... by @Twiggy Most Thought-Provoking
Reading this story really makes you stop to think about any assumptions you've made about people and circumstances around you. You can never know exactly what another person is going through, just what they choose to tell you. The final part of this story is truly sad, and it makes you want to go check on all of your friends and family.
"First Love Countdown" by @RebornMonster Best Realization of the Medium
I don't know if that makes sense. What I mean is that the format of SimLit is really embraced in this story. There are so many small details in the screenshots that add so many extra layers to this story that would be hard to portray outside of SimLit. RebornMonster really embraced both the limitations and the possibilities of the medium and created a beautiful product.
Time to Perform by @spottydog714 Most Likely to Make me Bite my Nails (And I Don't Usually Bite my Nails) and/or Most Relatable
Stagefright is a nasty beast and something I struggle with greatly. (Ugh, traumatic flashbacks of speech class.) Watching Lizzie try to prepare herself for her performance was so relatable for me and made me want to fidget in some kinda way just to ease my nerves. Captured the feeling of pre-performance nervousness so well.
The Warning by @Julyvee94 Most Creative Backstory
The story of the Timekeeper is so inventive and such a great way to represent the ticking of the biological clock. And the fact that the time left can change depending on your actions is such a great addition. You've gotta be really conscious of what you do in a world like that. Knowing that as the reader made me feel so wary of everything Emmery did. It kept me on the edge of my seat!
Major Tom by @sabreene Most Atmospheric
The tone of the story was so perfect for the subject matter. It really made me understand all of the emotions Spider was going through. I felt hopeless right along with him, and that was thanks to his voice and the screenshots. Everything about the setting and tone connected and made for a very focused story with a lot of mood and ambience.
Congratulations to everyone for all the amazing entries! It was really an incredible month and even though not all my favorites got placed (kind of difficult since I have more favs than there are places xD) I'm sure I'll end up re-reading most of them; hard to resist so much awesomeness after all!
Also, I may actually have an idea for this month! No idea if it'll lead anywhere but at least it's a start, right?
Thanks @mastressalita for putting together that list of the superlatives. I think what I might do is add links to each months entry lists. That should make it easy to find the superlatives without worrying about maxing the character limit on the front page.
@CitizenErased14@ra3rei and @Munterbacon I think those collage style photos are fine. I'm not looking to police the rules too much. As long as no one uses all (or a lot) of collages for one story I think it's fine. If someone did go overboard with it I think it would feel like they were trying to get around the rules, but I haven't seen any of that.
Comments
@Carewren123 will you tell us how close the places were? Or at least how far 3rd place was from 4th place? ^^
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Also welcome to everyone one who joined the thread while I've been busy and didn't have time to welcome you at the time.
Wren's Nest * * * Get a CLUE
Completed Stories: Ana Pringle
My Main Site: Carewren123 Sim Stories
YouTube Channel: Carewren123 Sims
Monthly Short Story Challenge Thread: Current Theme: April: Choose your screenshots.
1st and 2nd places were pretty well defined, but beyond that the votes were way more evenly divided.
Wren's Nest * * * Get a CLUE
Completed Stories: Ana Pringle
My Main Site: Carewren123 Sim Stories
YouTube Channel: Carewren123 Sims
Monthly Short Story Challenge Thread: Current Theme: April: Choose your screenshots.
Yay, the rest of us!
Do you also play The Elder Scrolls Online? You can find me there as CathyTea, too!
We all did a magnificent job! I'm just happy I got it in within the time frame. Looking for the positive accomplishments. lol
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Like, if you had four small screenshots together into one image, does that technically count as one picture, or four? I'm trying to plan out my screenshots and wanted to be sure!
EDIT: I think @ra3rei did this in her November story, and it was considered okay? But I still want to be sure!
Edit: I guess I'm more in the beg forgiveness category rather than ask permission. Oops.
I've done the "Many pictures cut into one" thing twice now in Twisted Addiction and Blight. I'm pretty sure I maxed out the photo count on both entries, so considering I placed with Twisted Addiction I don't think it'll be a problem.
You have made me feel better now
Congratulations to @CitizenErased14 and @ra3rei !! Very well-deserved! And of course, great job to everyone else who participated. It was really a hard vote, and all the stories showed an awesome amount of talent. I'm excited to read the entries for February
Thanks for voting, everyone! And to @Carewren123 for hosting this great thread!
I can say right now, I have a billion and one things I have to get done before I leave on vacay this coming Thursday, and I won't be back until the 15th, so expect my superlatives for January to be fashionably late. I'll get around to them at some point, but I'm fairly certain that some point won't be until after I've returned!
Have a Sim story site? Please submit your link to the Stories and Legacies Index!
Check out my Simlit at Sim Stories: Hijinks from the World of Sims 3!
My Simlit Discussion/Updates | The Fringe | Short Story Challenges
October Entry Superlatives
Given by @Carewren123
Given by @CathyTea
Given by @mastressalita
Given by @sabreene
Given by @Spottydog714
Given by @Julyvee94
Given by @BBQPenguinWings
November Entry Superlatives
Given by @mastressalita
Given by @ra3rei
Given by @Spottydog714
December Entry Superlatives
Given by @CitizenErased14
Given by @Munterbacon
Given by @Spottydog714
Given by @mastressalita
Have a Sim story site? Please submit your link to the Stories and Legacies Index!
Check out my Simlit at Sim Stories: Hijinks from the World of Sims 3!
My Simlit Discussion/Updates | The Fringe | Short Story Challenges
Ohhh, okay. That sounds really fun. I'll try to get started on some later tonight
Betrayal by @CitizenErased14
Most Deserving of a Re-read
Reading this story for the second time gives a completely different experience from reading it the first time. The first time, it's all suspense and mystery, and then the second time, it's so deliciously campy. It's not even just like, "I know the joke hehe." Every line is so funny the second time because of how over dramatic it is. Makes for a really worthwhile read!
Blight by @Munterbacon
Most Gratifying
Blight's journey drew me in so quickly. Her connection to Grim and the seemingly heartless things she was doing made her a fascinating lead character; I was so curious about how it would end. And then when it did end, it was so perfect and so gratifying. I can't say that I relate to Blight or that I would ever want to walk in her shoes heh, but I still definitely hoped for a dark ending, and Munterbacon delivered.
All That Buildup by @IchigoUsagi
Most Unsettling (But in a Good Way)
Everything from the screenshots to the language to the point of view in this story make for a very haunting read. When we find out that the narrator has lost her mind, the hopelessness she feels is very real. Her actions before the supposed end of the world feel realistic too. Just talking about the past and avoiding thinking about the present. Eerie in the best way.
Aiden's Freedom by @supernatural103
Most Innovative Countdown
The way the countdown is set up in this story is so perfect for its content. We get an understanding of Aiden's painful history through seeing literal and quantifiable accounts of it. There's something to be said about knowing just how many times a particular kind of harsh event has happened; it really makes Aiden into a very sympathetic character.
The Tower by @Pegasus143
Most Immersive
I really like how this story introduces its readers to one of the author's real life hobbies. It makes it feel very meaningful and personal. Also, the way the dream sequence was set up was so transportive (is that a word? lol). By that, I mean that it takes the reader to a completely different place, outside of The Sims. It really immerses the reader into its world.
Ten Reasons to Leave by @CathyTea
Most Human
Although I can't say I've ever considered divorce (because I've never been married
The Final Final Countdown by @mastressalita
Most Suspenseful
It almost feels funny describing an eBay countdown as suspenseful, but I have to be honest and say that I really did feel worried that Dale wouldn't win the bid. And then, when he didn't, I completely felt his disappointment. Really, when you're following a countdown, you're hoping for something at the end, right? eBay countdown, you want your prize. Microwave countdown, you want your food. New Year's countdown, you want a feeling of accomplishment from the past year. This story made me really hope as I followed the countdown.
Countdown to Graduation by @SilverDaybreak
Most Nostalgic
This story made me nostalgic for not only The Sims 2 but also for just the feeling of excitement about graduating. Andrew's journey to graduation feels very hopeful, which is just what a college student would feel as they progress through their college career. It reminds me of the weeks before and then the day of my graduation ceremony, making for a very satisfying and comforting read.
What Happens at Zero? by @ra3rei
Most Adorable Protagonist
Everything this kid goes through is so reminiscent of young childhood. His wanting to stay up late to play, his being afraid of monsters in the closet, his surrender to the Mom Countdown--they're all exactly the kind of behaviors I would expect from a child and that I remember having myself. He's so darn cute; it makes it impossible not to root for him.
My Mary Jane by @lovesstorms
Most Heartbreaking but Simultaneously Heartwarming
It's so sad to see Henry dealing with the sorrow of losing his true love. You can really feel the weight of that loss from how he thinks and acts throughout the story. But then, once he's reunited with Mary Jane in the end, you forget about that sadness and feel gratified to see him with his Mary Jane again. A very powerful love story. (Also, I still can't get over that screenshot of him collapsed near Mary Jane's gravestone. IT'S SO BEAUTIFUL!)
And the winner is... by @Twiggy
Most Thought-Provoking
Reading this story really makes you stop to think about any assumptions you've made about people and circumstances around you. You can never know exactly what another person is going through, just what they choose to tell you. The final part of this story is truly sad, and it makes you want to go check on all of your friends and family.
"First Love Countdown" by @RebornMonster
Best Realization of the Medium
I don't know if that makes sense. What I mean is that the format of SimLit is really embraced in this story. There are so many small details in the screenshots that add so many extra layers to this story that would be hard to portray outside of SimLit. RebornMonster really embraced both the limitations and the possibilities of the medium and created a beautiful product.
Time to Perform by @spottydog714
Most Likely to Make me Bite my Nails (And I Don't Usually Bite my Nails) and/or Most Relatable
Stagefright is a nasty beast and something I struggle with greatly. (Ugh, traumatic flashbacks of speech class.) Watching Lizzie try to prepare herself for her performance was so relatable for me and made me want to fidget in some kinda way just to ease my nerves. Captured the feeling of pre-performance nervousness so well.
The Warning by @Julyvee94
Most Creative Backstory
The story of the Timekeeper is so inventive and such a great way to represent the ticking of the biological clock. And the fact that the time left can change depending on your actions is such a great addition. You've gotta be really conscious of what you do in a world like that. Knowing that as the reader made me feel so wary of everything Emmery did. It kept me on the edge of my seat!
Major Tom by @sabreene
Most Atmospheric
The tone of the story was so perfect for the subject matter. It really made me understand all of the emotions Spider was going through. I felt hopeless right along with him, and that was thanks to his voice and the screenshots. Everything about the setting and tone connected and made for a very focused story with a lot of mood and ambience.
Also, I may actually have an idea for this month! No idea if it'll lead anywhere but at least it's a start, right?
Discord: #5153
@CitizenErased14 @ra3rei and @Munterbacon I think those collage style photos are fine. I'm not looking to police the rules too much. As long as no one uses all (or a lot) of collages for one story I think it's fine. If someone did go overboard with it I think it would feel like they were trying to get around the rules, but I haven't seen any of that.
Wren's Nest * * * Get a CLUE
Completed Stories: Ana Pringle
My Main Site: Carewren123 Sim Stories
YouTube Channel: Carewren123 Sims
Monthly Short Story Challenge Thread: Current Theme: April: Choose your screenshots.
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