Christian Forum Writing Contest: Discussion Thread

Pat~ · Nov 1, 2007

Hi all! This thread is for discussion, or questions about the new Christian Forum Writing Contest.

What think you?

Jenny · Nov 1, 2007

Great theme. I've been trying to write some Easter verses for Blue Mountain Arts (well, I can dream). Their deadline is, from memory, 1 Jan 08. But I'm not sure what themes to go with for Easter - new/renewed life/love; spring; faith; joy? Interesting to see what everyone here writes about. Good luck all!

ALLWritety · Nov 2, 2007

This is good but why do it during Nano?????? I am not sure i will have the time. I will have a think and see what i can do!

Kevvers.

Roger J Carlson · Nov 2, 2007

KCpotatohead said:
This is good but why do it during Nano?????? I am not sure i will have the time. I will have a think and see what i can do!

Kevvers.

Oh, the pressure's good for you. :tongue

Surely you can squeeze out a measley 1800 words!

Actually, that was a concern, but we couldn't delay it any longer. The idea is that folks will have pieces they can submit for publication by Easter. We may be too late for that as it is.

III · Nov 2, 2007

There's a Christian writing contest? Why come there aint no announcement thingy at the top of my login screen like I had for the Pagan writing contest? I'll check out the link now . . .

ETA: Nobody else take Easter Bunny. I've got dibs on the Easter Bunny.

Calla Lily · Nov 2, 2007

[wonders if she can resurrect Haggis, thus tying the horror and Chrisitan contests together...]

[goes off to pray for her depraved soul...]

Pat~ · Nov 2, 2007

We've got our first entry!

:hooray:

Weeee!

(And it's a good one!) Keep those keys clacking, guys! I want to read more!

(And besides, it's so nice getting PMs...)

ALLWritety · Nov 3, 2007

OK OK!! Pat & Roger You got me. I will have a think about what and in what style i will write. I will submit something

BTW III i am still looking for the Easter Bunny in the Bible, haven't found him yet!!!!!
So he/she/it is all yours.

So a PM can take 1000 - 1800 words?? Didn't realise that!

Pat or Roger if you are not going to annouce it like the pagans how about PMing those that expressed an interest in doing the comp!!??

Well gotta get my head in to easter mode now!!!

Kevvers

ALLWritety · Nov 3, 2007

III said:
ETA: Nobody else take Easter Bunny. I've got dibs on the Easter Bunny.

III, SO when are you two going on a date? Be warned the bunny ONLY eats chocolate and expensive ones at that.

"Put the bunny back in the box". Guess the quote and i'll rep ya!

Kevvers

Pat~ · Nov 3, 2007

KCpotatohead said:
Pat or Roger if you are not going to annouce it like the pagans how about PMing those that expressed an interest in doing the comp!!??

Kevvers

Well, I've got a PM in to Mac, and she was going to do the announcement last night...but she might need a friendly reminder.

(Wanna PM her?)

Calla Lily · Nov 3, 2007

KCpotatohead said:
"Put the bunny back in the box". Guess the quote and i'll rep ya!

Kevvers

Con Air.

And I'm devoutly praying that no one takes an idea from those sappy Christmas paintings (Santa kneeling before the Baby Jesus in the manger). Like, um, the Easter Bunny weeping bunny tears at the foot of the Cross, and all the colors dripping off the eggs to mingle with His Blood. Meh. I'm making myself sick.

Or better yet! The Easter Bunny turning into the bunny of Caerbannog (MP and the HG) and offing all the Roman guards and the Sanhedrin.

Although I supose that's more for the Horror forum.

I have a one-track mind...

Pat~ · Nov 3, 2007

Sssh, Callalily! You'll be giving III some ideas...

This just in--our prize pot is growing sweeter!

Our very own Inspiewriter has offered to donate her novella, The Good Samaritan, to the prize list. Thanks, Robin!

ALLWritety · Nov 4, 2007

callalily61 said:
Con Air.

And I'm devoutly praying that no one takes an idea from those sappy Christmas paintings (Santa kneeling before the Baby Jesus in the manger). Like, um, the Easter Bunny weeping bunny tears at the foot of the Cross, and all the colors dripping off the eggs to mingle with His Blood. Meh. I'm making myself sick.

Or better yet! The Easter Bunny turning into the bunny of Caerbannog (MP and the HG) and offing all the Roman guards and the Sanhedrin.

I have a one-track mind...

Con Air - Congrats

I like the 2nd idea better. I would read that!

"A one track mind" still goes in two directions!!!!

Kevvers

Robin Bayne · Nov 4, 2007

Pat~ said:
Sssh, Callalily! You'll be giving III some ideas...

This just in--our prize pot is growing sweeter! Our very own Inspiewriter has offered to donate her novella, The Good Samaritan to the prize list. Thanks, Robin!

My pleasure. :Sun:

Now someone remind me why I volunteered to work on our church's devotional project due in 2 weeks? :Shrug:

III · Nov 4, 2007

I actually gave up on the Easter Bunny theme, but now that Lily's given me some ideas I might have to resurrect it (get it?). Actually I have spent the last several days working on my entry and vascillating between loving it and hating it for being overly sappy. My secret hope is that everyone else's entries are really, really, really bad and I'm praying and fasting towards that end. I'm determined to polish my entry by the end of the week or chuck it and start another.

Calla Lily · Nov 5, 2007

Is anyone here artistic? I'd looove a cool sig jpeg like the Horror contest one. *bats eyes at whomever has oodles of spare time* [spare time! ha ha ha ha ha]

Lavinia · Nov 5, 2007

New to this thread but I'm interested in the contest. And between another forum contest and nanowrimo, I'll be hoppin'...just like the...uh...Easter Bunny...hahaha!

Karen

Pat~ · Nov 6, 2007

Welcome, Lavinia! So glad you're going to get hoppin' on this contest.

All kidding aside, folks, what we are looking for IS a contest entry with Christian Easter themes of death/resurrection, new life, victory over death, etc. If you're not sure if your piece qualifies, feel free to run a portion past Roger or me.

I think it'd be really helpful in this thread to talk about what kinds of Christian writing are most effective--and maybe, what kinds of Christian writing are less effective--in getting the message across. What type of writing moves you, and leaves you wanting more? Have you run across any Christian writing that makes you put the piece down, unfinished?

Any thoughts on this?

Calla Lily · Nov 6, 2007

Pat~ said:
Have you run across any Christian writing that makes you put the piece down, unfinished?

Any thoughts on this?

The Left Behinds.

2-D characters and agendas so obvious it's like the author is hitting me with a mallet every other page. The LBs struck me that way (no pun intended!) but I've had the same reaction to other Christian fiction.

Anything by Max Lucado. Sorry! But he's way too sweet for me. I don't do sweet.

I keep trying to find Chrisitan fiction that appeals to the fringe. I'm fringe. We ain't popular. :Shrug:

Pat~ · Nov 6, 2007

Yes, I have to admit, I put the LB book down before I was done with ch. 1.

For me, another big turn-off is preachy writing...articles that sound like the writer is doing this :rant:

or even just this :Lecture:

make me do this :gone:

To be specific...articles that imply a lot of "shoulds", and use a lot of "always" and "never" tend to risk being preachy:

"Christians should never tell their children about the Easter bunny..."

"Christians should always go to church on Easter..."

I guess the exception might be if you're writing an opinion piece, like an essay. Or writing something tongue-in-cheek.

III · Nov 6, 2007

Anything that doesn't have an actual story, regardless of how excellent the writing is or how revelatory the content is, is very difficult for me to read. Knowing God by J.I. Packer and Jesus Among Other Gods by Ravi Zacharias would be two examples. FANTASTIC content, but I had to force myself to read them and even then I'd usually only read 2 - 3 pages at a time. I've been reading I Am Not, but I know I AM by Louie Giglio for about three months and it's only 150 pages.

III · Nov 6, 2007

Btw, since this is the first contest on AW that I plan on participating in, do you guys use beta readers from the AW community for your entries or is that dipping into the voting pool? Not sure what the protocol is.

Pat~ · Nov 6, 2007

Ooh, that's a good question, III.

I think that we'd probably have to advise no AW beta readers for your entry...in that we'd like to preserve anonymity for the voter pool, which will be any AW member in good standing.

Calla Lily · Nov 6, 2007

III, you put me to shame. Betas? Wow. I just wrote, proofed, and sent it to Pat.

[slinks away, feeling inadequate]

Pat~ · Nov 6, 2007

A favor...

By the way, I'm thinking Mac may be a bit overwhelmed with the number of contests in AW right now as far as posting this in the Announcement banner...but if you all would cut and paste the "Join Our Christian Forum Contest" to your signature, it sure would be appreciated! It will help spread the word to others that might not have seen this thread.

Christian Forum Writing Contest: Discussion Thread

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