whitemosquito:

Hope we get a reply mail when we submit,to affirm to us that our works av been seen?.To avoid multiple submission.

@swifayo, I appreciate your boldness by being the first to submit, your story has the hallmarks of an epic script but unfortunately, it doesn't meet the guidelines.
There is a theme for this Challenge. Please read the detailed instructions in the Challenge thread.
You have the option of retracting your submission and rewriting it to fit the guidelines. If you choose to leave it like this, then Ill have no choice than to disqualify you because you haven't met the rules of the Challenge.
Please rewrite.
Thank you.

EverestdeBliu:

Hope we get a reply mail when we submit,to affirm to us that our works av been seen?.To avoid multiple submission.

See work..

Yes sir, hopefully, by the special grace of God.

whitemosquito:
@anakadrian, Correct me if Im wrong, but wasn't the Minority contest done the same way? A month was given, entries were posted onto the site directly by participants..with a window period(two or three days) to edit before it makes home page.. We were all able to read each other's work..for me it worked the opposite way in that, instead of copying others, I knew what to avoid and present an original and unique piece..both in terms of minority tribe and theme(comic, humour etc).. Personally, I had some issues with the moderations viz Why would works on the same tribe be shortlisted? By two different authors? Or even themes? Most of the shortlists had to do with marriage and its ceremonies or the Akwa Ibom traditions. I felt it wasnt well rounded presentation of entries submitted.
Which was why I just laughed when ppl complained that their work will be stolen. Left to me, any two works that bear similarities in plot or storyline, even syntax will attract my closer attention, the work submitted last will be disqualified. Trust me, a plagiarised piece will not escape my scrutiny.

My initial idea would have worked, Anak, if we all had the patience to wait it out and see it through..Bad as e bad, y'all would simply have waited till the last day, or last two days to submit, to avoid plagiarism.
This new way is doable, yea, though more stressful for me..but hey, like somebody pointed out, If Ive had the patience to organise this, I should have the patience to endure the gruelling, mind boggling, finger paining and mb wasting method of hand-grinding pepper..instead of using a blender.

Okay, first of all... chill. I'm not here to ruffle your feathers, I promise.

Now, we're still saying the same thing.

You wrote "...instead of copying others, I knew what to avoid and present an original and unique piece.. both in terms of minority tribe and theme(comic, humour etc)..."

My point exactly.

P.s ... I didn't participate in the minority contest

For those of us still struggling with the word count, and understanding what flash fiction is, this should make an interesting read- anniemcmahon.hubpages.com/hub/flashfictionforeveryone

@anakadrian, Lol. It takes a lot more to ruffle anything of mine..And I dont have feathers, you do. Thats why you were quacking about your work being stolen. Lol.

whitemosquito:
For those of us still struggling with the word count, and understanding what flash fiction is, this should make an interesting read- anniemcmahon.hubpages.com/hub/flashfictionforeveryone

@anakadrian, Lol. It takes a lot more to ruffle anything of mine..And I dont have feathers, you do. Thats why you were quacking about your work being stolen. Lol.

Well... whatever you say ma'am.
By the way, "ruffling someone's feathers" is merely an expression.

@ The Bolded. Just brilliant..

whitemosquito:
For those of us still struggling with the word count, and understanding what flash fiction is, this should make an interesting read- anniemcmahon.hubpages.com/hub/flashfictionforeveryone

@anakadrian, Lol. It takes a lot more to ruffle anything of mine..And I dont have feathers, you do. Thats why you were quacking about your work being stolen. Lol.

anakadrian:


Well... whatever you say ma'am.
By the way, "ruffling someone's feathers" is merely an expression.

Rotfl. Me and you will go back and forth today...

Ehen, quacking like a duck is an expression too, Sir...

What is it about all the figurative lingos? Lol! The tension of the contest is telling. Just don't blow my innocent head with grammar; I'm too grammatically plain to suffer these 'expressions'. Chai!

@Larrysun,u na boss na...jst camouflaging

whitemosquito:
Rotfl. Me and you will go back and forth today...

Ehen, quacking like a duck is an expression too, Sir...

Not wanting to "ruffle someone's feathers" simply means not wanting to irritate, stress or annoy the person.

Back and forth? Nope. We're done here.

hmmm seriously I don't Knw wat to say or maybe I don't want to cos trouble. actually I asked u all this BT u wia busy greeting n commenting to d ppl u knows comment instead of attending to ppls problems abt d story stuff anyway will u be kind and post d guild lines with the theme if possible topic... discouraged tho BT not retiring

Bhenehdikt:
@Larrysun,u na boss na...jst camouflaging

Lol. Dont mind Larry, he's the baba of figurative expressions and big, big grammar!

swifayo:
hmmm seriously I don't Knw wat to say or maybe I don't want to cos trouble. actually I asked u all this BT u wia busy greeting n commenting to d ppl u knows comment instead of attending to ppls problems abt d story stuff anyway will u be kind and post d guild lines with the theme if possible topic... discouraged tho BT not retiring

Please rephrase. Thank you.

swifayo:
hmmm seriously I don't Knw wat to say or maybe I don't want to cos trouble. actually I asked u all this BT u wia busy greeting n commenting to d ppl u knows comment instead of attending to ppls problems abt d story stuff anyway will u be kind and post d guild lines with the theme if possible topic... discouraged tho BT not retiring

Ayo, ayo, ayo! How many times did I call you??
To ask for clarification over something you read and did not understand is DIFFERENT from asking what a thread is all about.. Shebi you asked permission to publicise the thread? Does it mean that you didnt read what you publicised? That means you prolly posted misinformation on your blog!
Oya, pele, ma binu simi; please read the instructions then come back let's talk about the parts you don't understand.. Will that do??

anakadrian:


Back and forth? Nope. We're done here.

Lol. Cant take a few friendly jabs? Just proves ur the one with the ruffled feathers..and quacks..
Relax anak, im just teasing.

Dictionary please!..this girama iya want to break ma head.
I'll need some lecture from u guys o
@Larrysun
@Whitemosquito
@Anakz
even from @Swifayo

OK so d story should be abt new year n d goodies it promises? if nt Abeg enlighten me

whitemosquito:
Lol. Dont mind Larry, he's the baba of figurative expressions and big, big grammar!

Did you receive my entry in ur mailbox?

whitemosquito:
Lol. Cant take a few friendly jabs? Just proves ur the one with the ruffled feathers..and quacks..
Relax anak, im just teasing.

Aunty whitemosquito, I just want to know if u got my work in ur mail. Plssss say yes, I take God beg u.

whitemosquito:
Ok. Caracta's solved your debacle..

Entries should be sent to white.mosquito@yahoo.com, with monickers and titles attached.
E.g,
Title: The promise of Tomorrow by White mosquito
Please Word docs only o. If possible type onto yahoomail straight. Before some special children of God start sending jpeg formats.
At the expiration of the deadline, I will post them on the Challenge thread WITHOUT monickers attached. The moderations will continue from there.
Happy now?

sorry to disturb you ma'am,but can you please explain what this means
". Also, stories
must depict the African culture - beliefs,
festivals, systems etc - both in narrative and
plotting."
Thanks.

swifayo:
OK so d story should be abt new year n d goodies it promises? if nt Abeg enlighten me

REB3L:

sorry to disturb you ma'am,but can you please explain what this means
". Also, stories
must depict the African culture - beliefs,
festivals, systems etc - both in narrative and
plotting."
Thanks.

Okay, to the best of my knowledge, this is what she is saying;

Narrate an event that depicts traditional culture ( in other words, talk about a village culture. Shey you have watched village films before? Ehen, something like that). It could be real or imagined, narrate the superstitious beliefs of ur village. For example, it could be the ceremony that takes place when a male child passes from boyhood to manhood. Talk about the sacrifices done, what it signifies among the elders. Or you could narrate a traditional wedding, giving detailed description of the account. What it means to the man, and lady alike. Or you could narrate what ceremony is done when a male child is born to a family. It must be a village setting and must have a good storyline. Your description must be un-verse and not verse ( what I meant was that ur description must be in a prose and not a peom). First you must knw the difference between the two and once that is done then the work become easier. It's like trying to woo a lady, only that this time your normal poem lines becomes more like a sentence, saying how you feeling and making your readers feel the same way you do. All these you must do in 400 words, yea, 400 words. Remember, it must be a village ish stuff. Whether it is real or crazy, just write.

Aunty whitemosquito, I don't knw if I spoke your mind or heart. I stand corrected.

At this point, like Larrysun would say, Think, Write, Create.
Let your mind create and your pen do the work.

Happy Writing.

Let me just add a little based on my own understanding.It mustn't be just a village setting but anything at all that can centre around the culture,traditions and the Nigerian system entirely.
The location of the story should be one that anyone can easily relate with i.e it must be such that someone knows about which has not been written about before,that's where the originality comes into play.For example,if i'm from the North and a story was told of the general system or traditions of northerners,without being told i'll know that this story is talking about the people of that place because i can relate with it.So also for other parts of Nigeria.
You can be so original and organise a master piece using science fiction to depict the culture of Nigeria,its allowed and this time its not a village setting but yet you were still able to sandwich the culture of the land into a modern setting without it losing its content.Imagine yourself writing on 'The possibilties of having aliens in Nigeria' or 'how Nigerians are dying to see aliens' if it can centre on the peoples way of life,system and tradition then who says it must be about a village or the conventional write-ups we've had in the past.
I hope i've been able to clear your mind based on my own understanding.
If the jugdes wants Originality and Creativity,whilst hitting the nail around the systems of Nigeria,its culture and tradition;we'll give them an over-dose of it.
Joie de vivre.

Hi whitey, just dropped my short piece into your mail, lemme know if u'v gotten it, had to send it twice.

swifayo:
OK so d story should be abt new year n d goodies it promises? if nt Abeg enlighten me

Yes dear, PLUS include something about the African culture..

@theorbiters, Bhenedikt, both of you are right. Don't forget to include the promise and excitement of the New Year in ur plots.
I cant explain further than that, Il practically be helping you write...Best of luck.

@ashakemi et al, Ill check my mail once I get to the office please.
Morning.

Royver, check in now! The Christmas break is over, and you've been on other threads. *large frown*

Hmmm.

For all contestants, here's another freebie..

Google up what "culture" means, you'll discover that it has to do with a lot more than festivals, ceremonies, beliefs, language etc...Someone is yet to wow me..

Happy writing!

Hmmm, something exciting about the new year and its goodies, african culture and its beliefs, chai. This is taking a different twist and one must do it in 400 words. Daris work ooo.

So I must retract my earlier piece and produce another, Chai.

Just sent mine and I hope it falls within your instructions.

@theorbiters, I'm sorry you cannot retract your first submission, if you had submitted on nl, you would have the option of editing your post. Since you submitted through the mail, that is not possible. Only one entry per participant.

NOTICE TO ALL CONTESTANTS
PLEASE,
Kindly read the frigging rules before submitting.
Thank you.