- Feb 3, 2024
- LitBits
- 0
New blog post by mickleinapickle – discussions in this thread, please
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As you’ll know if you drop by the Colony between the 7th of each month and the 21st, we run a monthly contest between those dates in which you’re challenged to write One Perfect Sentence… It might be the first sentence to a book, the very last sentence – or something else entirely.
It’s fabulously easy to enter and isn’t a drain on your precious writing time. Entries are made anonymously, so there can be no favouritism.
Last month, I challenged you to write “A Great Opening Sentence To A Political Thriller”. The aim, of course, is to hook your reader from the outset.
The responses were all terrific! And now, here are the winners…
The undisputed winner by popular vote – and remember all entries are anonymous – is @Barbara with:
“The bullet punched a hole in the president’s wife at precisely 8 57 AM.”
It’s hard-boiled, it’s straight into the action and it’s an effective hook!
Two writers tied for second place… @E G Logan with this zinger:
“Shame about the baby, of course, she mused, as the wailing finally drew to a close – but if you’re carrying a bomb in your buggy, you can’t draw attention to yourself.”
Again – pretty hard-boiled, and you know it’s going to be a wild ride of a story.
Together with this doozy of an opener from @Sedayne: “The Beginning of the End, read the headlines the morning after the election that voted in a dictator as leader of the free world, but for MI6 agent, Christine Peel, it was just the end of the beginning.”
In third position we have no less than seven writers!
@Aethalope
The world’s journey to the precipice began when Didem Üzümcü turned to the silver-haired client, buttoned her blouse and said, “Actually, no.”
@KRRedmond
Legacy, three syllables, one for each bullet.
@Ed Simnett
“Coup is such an ugly word, we prefer to consider our action simply a pre-election security move.”
@Geoff
Even before all the votes had been counted, I knew that bastard had won. I picked up my gun, checked it was loaded and placed it on my desk. It was going to be a long night.
@Bloo
Radar operator Corporal Shufen Lin was the first to see them over the Taiwan Strait.
@Jethro
As staunch believers of democracy, our party have always believed the people’s will must come first, every voter’s vote matters, and it is our duty to ensure a fair ballot, by vetting every vote before it is counted, remember – not voting is a criminal offence.
@Rich.
Junior Minister for Rural Affairs Rob Freedman-Reed had never been shot before, but he was curiously unsurprised when he was.
Finally, I get to choose my own “Special Mention” award to an entry that tickles my fancy… this month, I’d like to commend @tyes for the following:
“The revelation of a secret sex tape was just another day in the office for the President—that it was with his Russian counterpart made it more problematic.”
Starting off in depressingly familiar territory, it twists at the end, intriguing me and actually brining a smile to my face! Which in these bizarre times, we surely all need.
Make sure you join in – and vote – next month!
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Get the discussion going – post your thoughts & comments in the thread below…
For more posts by mickleinapickle click here One Perfect Sentence – Litopia
---
As you’ll know if you drop by the Colony between the 7th of each month and the 21st, we run a monthly contest between those dates in which you’re challenged to write One Perfect Sentence… It might be the first sentence to a book, the very last sentence – or something else entirely.
It’s fabulously easy to enter and isn’t a drain on your precious writing time. Entries are made anonymously, so there can be no favouritism.
Last month, I challenged you to write “A Great Opening Sentence To A Political Thriller”. The aim, of course, is to hook your reader from the outset.
The responses were all terrific! And now, here are the winners…
The undisputed winner by popular vote – and remember all entries are anonymous – is @Barbara with:
“The bullet punched a hole in the president’s wife at precisely 8 57 AM.”
It’s hard-boiled, it’s straight into the action and it’s an effective hook!
Two writers tied for second place… @E G Logan with this zinger:
“Shame about the baby, of course, she mused, as the wailing finally drew to a close – but if you’re carrying a bomb in your buggy, you can’t draw attention to yourself.”
Again – pretty hard-boiled, and you know it’s going to be a wild ride of a story.
Together with this doozy of an opener from @Sedayne: “The Beginning of the End, read the headlines the morning after the election that voted in a dictator as leader of the free world, but for MI6 agent, Christine Peel, it was just the end of the beginning.”
In third position we have no less than seven writers!
@Aethalope
The world’s journey to the precipice began when Didem Üzümcü turned to the silver-haired client, buttoned her blouse and said, “Actually, no.”
@KRRedmond
Legacy, three syllables, one for each bullet.
@Ed Simnett
“Coup is such an ugly word, we prefer to consider our action simply a pre-election security move.”
@Geoff
Even before all the votes had been counted, I knew that bastard had won. I picked up my gun, checked it was loaded and placed it on my desk. It was going to be a long night.
@Bloo
Radar operator Corporal Shufen Lin was the first to see them over the Taiwan Strait.
@Jethro
As staunch believers of democracy, our party have always believed the people’s will must come first, every voter’s vote matters, and it is our duty to ensure a fair ballot, by vetting every vote before it is counted, remember – not voting is a criminal offence.
@Rich.
Junior Minister for Rural Affairs Rob Freedman-Reed had never been shot before, but he was curiously unsurprised when he was.
Finally, I get to choose my own “Special Mention” award to an entry that tickles my fancy… this month, I’d like to commend @tyes for the following:
“The revelation of a secret sex tape was just another day in the office for the President—that it was with his Russian counterpart made it more problematic.”
Starting off in depressingly familiar territory, it twists at the end, intriguing me and actually brining a smile to my face! Which in these bizarre times, we surely all need.
Make sure you join in – and vote – next month!
---
Get the discussion going – post your thoughts & comments in the thread below…
For more posts by mickleinapickle click here One Perfect Sentence – Litopia
