The Writer
Late night session.9 total reviews
Comment from Ric Myworld
Congratulations on your contest win! And your post gives proof that a few short words can tell a powerful story. Makes me want to think that maybe in time I can come back to keep writing. LOL. Thanks for sharing.
reply by the author on 24-Feb-2023
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Congratulations on your contest win! And your post gives proof that a few short words can tell a powerful story. Makes me want to think that maybe in time I can come back to keep writing. LOL. Thanks for sharing.
Comment Written 24-Feb-2023
reply by the author on 24-Feb-2023
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Thank you, Ric, but don't wait until you are a ghost. You have serious talent. Spew it forth and share with the world. You only get so many spins on the blue marble, my friend.
Comment from PoemsOfDD
I can see why this won first place. You have left the element of surprise until the last line of this 80 words or less story. The mystery of how to leave this earth without coming back to haunt it - is to willing accept to relinquish all of one's possessions. The writer in the story has done just that... And now I am scared to push submit every time I write. Nightmares ahead I fear. Well done. I enjoyed this short story.
reply by the author on 23-Feb-2023
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I can see why this won first place. You have left the element of surprise until the last line of this 80 words or less story. The mystery of how to leave this earth without coming back to haunt it - is to willing accept to relinquish all of one's possessions. The writer in the story has done just that... And now I am scared to push submit every time I write. Nightmares ahead I fear. Well done. I enjoyed this short story.
Comment Written 23-Feb-2023
reply by the author on 23-Feb-2023
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Thank you! I guess each piece really could be our last. What a haunting thought?
Comment from karenina
I'm late to the party. (This is a common phenomenon, sadly)
The good news is I'm able to congratulate you on your win!
You aptly met all the requirements for a "surprise" 80-world flash.
Do you think every writer would feel this way? Just a few more words to eke out before the great transition?
I do.
Karenina
reply by the author on 23-Feb-2023
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I'm late to the party. (This is a common phenomenon, sadly)
The good news is I'm able to congratulate you on your win!
You aptly met all the requirements for a "surprise" 80-world flash.
Do you think every writer would feel this way? Just a few more words to eke out before the great transition?
I do.
Karenina
Comment Written 23-Feb-2023
reply by the author on 23-Feb-2023
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No worries! I often wonder how different we would write if we knew that we were penning our last piece. Thank you for your kindness!
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My pleasure!
Comment from LJbutterfly
Congratulations on your well deserved win. I have to admit that last night I read this story and didn't leave a review because I wasn't sure about the last line. I though the writer might have become a ghost after he finished writing his story. I just took another look just now, and haha! The writer was a ghost writer, unable to let go of writing. Very clever.
reply by the author on 23-Feb-2023
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Congratulations on your well deserved win. I have to admit that last night I read this story and didn't leave a review because I wasn't sure about the last line. I though the writer might have become a ghost after he finished writing his story. I just took another look just now, and haha! The writer was a ghost writer, unable to let go of writing. Very clever.
Comment Written 23-Feb-2023
reply by the author on 23-Feb-2023
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A shocking win for me. After the first two reviews I nearly deleted it. But a friend in here said not to.
Comment from lyenochka
Great job with your 80 words, even using a list to reduce word count. I liked how you tell us the problem and then show us it was that "ghost writer" who was able to finally let go. Best wishes in the contest!
reply by the author on 22-Feb-2023
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Great job with your 80 words, even using a list to reduce word count. I liked how you tell us the problem and then show us it was that "ghost writer" who was able to finally let go. Best wishes in the contest!
Comment Written 22-Feb-2023
reply by the author on 22-Feb-2023
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I took such a beating in reviews on this last night that I nearly pulled it from the contest. Glad I didn?t!
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I liked it and so I hope it does well in the voting.
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Thank you. Your review felt very re-affirming. Thank you!
Comment from JT traveller
A ghostly figure leaving a final note before he ends his earthly binds. I like it. Surprise indeed.
This could certainly be turned into a much larger piece of prose.
An enjoyable read.
reply by the author on 22-Feb-2023
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A ghostly figure leaving a final note before he ends his earthly binds. I like it. Surprise indeed.
This could certainly be turned into a much larger piece of prose.
An enjoyable read.
Comment Written 22-Feb-2023
reply by the author on 22-Feb-2023
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I took such a beating from reviewers last nights that I nearly pulled this one out of the contest. I was thinking I must have really over sold it or undersold it. Anyways, glad I didn?t. Safe travels!
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Ah, forget the noise. I too have found some extremely spiteful people on this site. Ignore them and accept the flowers.
I can relate as I poured my heart and soul into a poem about a heart wrenching time in my life. I was mocked and ridiculed, others even quoted the Bible to me! I pulled the poem. Don't let them get you down. This is good writing and I can see it turning into something a lot bigger than it is. Keep up the good work. Jacqueline
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Yes. We seem to have a new breed of naysayers showing up on here. Thank you, my friend!
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I have only recently joined. I will be honest and not everyone deserves five stars but a good read must be recognised and spelling, grammatical errors, lack of flow, symmetry etc, need to be pointed out. I get some nasty replies if I dare hand out a four. I have thick skin. You have to be true to yourself. Have a great day. Jacqueline
Comment from jessizero
This was a very enthralling and entertaining piece. I really loved the surprise twist at the end! Thank you so much for sharing, and best wishes to you.
reply by the author on 22-Feb-2023
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This was a very enthralling and entertaining piece. I really loved the surprise twist at the end! Thank you so much for sharing, and best wishes to you.
Comment Written 22-Feb-2023
reply by the author on 22-Feb-2023
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Thank you, Jessi. I thought this piece was really intriguing then I took such a beating on the reviews last night that I nearly deleted it. Glad I didn?t! It was winning last time I looked! Thank you so much for the validation. You are such a wonderful warm person.
Comment from Lea Tonin1
Interesting! The paranormal is near and dear to my heart since I run a website on that very subject. There are a few reasons why it does not move on. Like then the one you've already in your work. Looks like he's a tired brighter needs to rest a bit. Maybe he's a workaholic. Although well written I feel to see the area where it demonstrates "surprise" as instructed nor can I find where it relates to surprise. Other than "surprise author as it's so titled. Perhaps re-read the instructions unless I'm missing something? If it's your last line. I took it to means hues sleepy.
reply by the author on 22-Feb-2023
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Interesting! The paranormal is near and dear to my heart since I run a website on that very subject. There are a few reasons why it does not move on. Like then the one you've already in your work. Looks like he's a tired brighter needs to rest a bit. Maybe he's a workaholic. Although well written I feel to see the area where it demonstrates "surprise" as instructed nor can I find where it relates to surprise. Other than "surprise author as it's so titled. Perhaps re-read the instructions unless I'm missing something? If it's your last line. I took it to means hues sleepy.
Comment Written 22-Feb-2023
reply by the author on 22-Feb-2023
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So, you?re saying you didn?t like it?
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It was tough that I didn't like it I felt it was more like a story rather than a poem Or the beginning of the story It might be just a preference on my part And to go for the meatier poems honestly with poems, novels or anything else i look for it grab me right away or k turn to something else. I also like to smash words together ones of opposite meaning just to see how they look. I did however think your work was good and so I marked it accordingly.
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Thank you. At least this response was legible. Still, you have been voted off the island.
Comment from giraffmang
Hi there,
it's one of the problems with these kinds of competitions is that you can't get away from the fact that the reader is expecting some kind of twist.
Sadly to say, I knew the ending of this one from the outset. I personally would replace ghost writer in the opening line with an actual name. It's too 'on-the-nose' and telegraphs the ending from the first few words. You need to be cleverer than that to keep the reader unsure.
I'd also look at your title and description line for the very same reason.
All the best
GMG
reply by the author on 22-Feb-2023
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Hi there,
it's one of the problems with these kinds of competitions is that you can't get away from the fact that the reader is expecting some kind of twist.
Sadly to say, I knew the ending of this one from the outset. I personally would replace ghost writer in the opening line with an actual name. It's too 'on-the-nose' and telegraphs the ending from the first few words. You need to be cleverer than that to keep the reader unsure.
I'd also look at your title and description line for the very same reason.
All the best
GMG
Comment Written 22-Feb-2023
reply by the author on 22-Feb-2023
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I only write and read these for the twist. That?s what makes them fun. Who in their right mind would write a story under 100 words for any other reason? Challenge of doing it?maybe. I feel you are correct. I gave too much away. I assumed ghost writer would lead most people to think he was shadow writing for somebody . . . But like you said, everybody is looking for the twist. At least it?s not a three star with unintelligible sentences.
Enjoy your week!