AW WESTERN CONTEST - Discussion Thread

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FrankiiGii

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Oh, yeah, I just voted ;) I'm glad we can't vote for our own. Otherwise I would have been more disappointed my story wasn't in my top three picks :p
 

HarryHoskins

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So, Harry. Can you tell us if the votes are going pretty wide, or if people are generally voting for the same stories? I find that I vote differently a lot of the time. I'm interested to see if there's a trend forming?

I'll have a think about this for when I post the daily vote count update later on tonight. Thank for voting, BTW. :)
 

onuilmar

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I'll have a think about this for when I post the daily vote count update later on tonight. Thank for voting, BTW. :)


Hi Harry,

As much as I too would like to know about trends, I think you should leave us in the dark. Say nothing that might influence voting.

**continues gnawing fingernails down to the quick, wondering about voting patterns...**

lk
 
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WordCount

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Hi Harry,

As much as I too would like to know about trends, I think you should leave us in the dark. Say nothing that might influence voting.

**continues gnawing fingernails down to the quick, wondering about voting patterns...**

lk

I don't think he should tell us which stories are being voted on, but I do think he should tell us the types of patterns. Have the majority of the stories gotten at least one vote, or do about 3 stories all have ten votes?
 

Paul

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hope all pens fully puncture their parchment...

Tell you one thing, never knew there were so many mean drunken, lecherous, mule-headed, rootin-tootin Irishmen in the west....

:D

25 done, 15 to go....
 

Literateparakeet

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I don't think he should tell us which stories are being voted on, but I do think he should tell us the types of patterns. Have the majority of the stories gotten at least one vote, or do about 3 stories all have ten votes?

I like this idea. Either way, if we have no idea which stories it is/are then votes won't be influenced. I'm simply curious. This info would be interesting to ponder and worry over while we bite our nails.
 

HarryHoskins

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Here's the vote total as of today. :)

30 votes total.

23 from contestants

7 from non contestants

With regarding to posting info about the vote spread, I think Onuilmar is right. Everyone wants to know, and it'd be fun to find out -- but people yet to vote could (not saying they would) use that info to their advantage. :)
 

Al Stevens

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Not that it's a big deal, but I'm just wondering how the voting could be influenced without the titles?
They might figure a few stories have such a lock that their vote wouldn't count and decide not to vote.

"Vote early, vote often."
-- Al Capone
 
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Ari Meermans

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I'll admit the tension can be almost unbearable, but we're better off not knowing anything at all about the voting, IMHO.
 

Chris P

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Make that 31 votes! I'm dying to know the spread too, but I agree it's best to keep us in the dark.

But I can't help myself with some analysis. With 31 votes for three stories, then each story on average has two votes for some sort of placing. I wouldn't be surprised if this average is true as of this moment. But where I think things will get lopsided is that certain stories will rack up first- and second-place votes more rapidly than others, so the final point totals will probably shake out heavily to one story's favor.

Dunno. I haven't kept score on a similar contest so I might just be making stuff up as I go. I can make it sound good though, huh?
 

ladyleeona

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32 :) I finally broke the deadlock in my brain for the #2 and #3 spots. It was such a hard decision that mulling it over was driving me to distraction.

I'm curious about the spread, but it is probably best to keep it in the dark. IMO, so many of the stories were neck-and-neck, so I'd imagine the points pretty evenly distributed. I know lots of other people claimed the same problem I had in voting, but who knows how this thing is going to shake out.

Time will tell. :)
(And yes, I'm dying to know too. Dying.)

Make that 31 votes! I'm dying to know the spread too, but I agree it's best to keep us in the dark.

But I can't help myself with some analysis. With 31 votes for three stories, then each story on average has two votes for some sort of placing. I wouldn't be surprised if this average is true as of this moment. But where I think things will get lopsided is that certain stories will rack up first- and second-place votes more rapidly than others, so the final point totals will probably shake out heavily to one story's favor.

Dunno. I haven't kept score on a similar contest so I might just be making stuff up as I go. I can make it sound good though, huh?
 
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Puma

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Didn't I warn everyone the tension in the voting period was going to be awful? And we still have a week to go!

So, if you've voted. why not try your hand at a western mystery for the March prompt. Or take a look at some of the previously posted stories in western SYW. OR - April's only three weeks away, and there's no prompt or topic for western in April and if we're going to keep the tumble-weed rolling, we need one. The floor's open to suggestions or someone volunteering to take it upon themselves to come up with a topic for April. And after April there's May, and June, and ... Puma
 

Puma

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Speaking of future months, the Western Writing Prompts thread has now been bumped back up here near the top of the page. If you have suggestions for upcoming months or would like to nominate yourself to pick the prompt for a particular month, that's where to do it. Puma
 

Flowerfairy

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Only three more to go! I've been busy all day reading the entries here. And I must say I am proud of all those who have entered for this western contest. The stories here mirror talent and ideas. I think have to take a day after tomorrow to decide. I think I have to be reading more of western stories from now on! Good work, people. :)
 

HarryHoskins

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Only three more to go! I've been busy all day reading the entries here. And I must say I am proud of all those who have entered for this western contest. The stories here mirror talent and ideas. I think have to take a day after tomorrow to decide. I think I have to be reading more of western stories from now on! Good work, people. :)

Brilliant stuff, FF.

Not only are you supporting the writers in the contest, but also dipping a toe in Western, too.

And that warms the cockles of my heart. :)
 

HarryHoskins

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Daily vote count and week to go reminder. :)

If you've entered the contest, don't forget you have to vote to be eligible to win. I'll send out reminders to those who haven't yet cast their vote in the morrow. :)

In the meantime, total votes so far:

37

Entrants 27

Non entrants 10

I'm stoked to see the people without a dog in the race voting. 10 was about the number I reckoned we'd get at the end of voting (11:59 on the 15th March) and we've reached it with another week to go.

Still plenty of time to give a good read to each entry and make your three choices. I will have finished reading tomorrow and let me tell you its an enjoyable and rewarding process throughout.

Well done everyone. :)
 

Ari Meermans

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I'm thrilled about the ten non entrant votes even though I'd hoped more folks would explore the possibilities of the genre. But, yeah, I'll take those ten and say, "Yeehah!" (Anybody sayin, "Yeehaw" is beggin' fer a swift kick from this Texas gal's size 3 1/2 boot!)
 
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