The Great Monk FanFic Challenge

Here's something that CrystalSmith and I have been cooking up for a little while now. There are a lot of us that write/read fanfic, and we thought it would be nice to stew up a friendly challenge.

This is NOT a contest. There will be no judging, no awards, no giving of prizes to the pretty girls or the handsome guys even though they cannot spell 'cat'. (Yes, I'm still bitter from high school.)

Here's how it works: Twice a month (from now until we all get tired of it) we'll give you a topic or a scenario or a required element for a story and a deadline date. Those who wish to can write a Monk story between 800-2000 words and post it in the Monk archives on fanfiction.net. (Please do not post them on the board, and especially not in this thread.) Once you've posted the story, you can place a link to it in this thread so everybody knows it's there. That's about it. Oh, and those who want can read them.

If we've choreographed this right, Crystal will dance in here right after me and post the first challenge. If you've never registered on fanfiction.net before, and you plan on participating (which we hope you do) you might want to do that early, as there is a waiting period between your registration and when you're allowed to put stories up.

The title you use is up to you -- make up something unique for your story. Shippers -- you're allowed to ship, (and at least one of us encourages it) but please identify that in your story description -- we don't want Crystal to throw up on her computer again-- (ex: Monk/Natalie , Randy/Natalie, etc) and rate your story accordingly.

Hope to see you there -
BfloGal

The Great Monk Fanfic Challenge: Challenge 1




Monk and the Gang Celebrate the Fourth of July

For our international memebers, the Fourth of July (also called Independence Day) is a national holiday celebrated on July Fourth, marked by patrioticic displays. Families and Friends take advantage of a three day (hopefully) weekend to spend time outdoors, and have barbecues or picnics, play sports, and tend to drink (alot). Flags are everywhere, and the color scheme is generally 'red, white, and blue".

Also, there are fireworks displays, sometimes large ones put on by professionals, other times families will purchase fireworks kits and set them off in the streets or in vacant lots.

So, happy writing all. Be sure to post your link on this thread.

CrystalSmith

And the deadline for that would be <drumroll please>

July 15th, 2008

(Hmmm... frightened by the fireworks, Monk jumps into Natalie's arms. )

Edited to add: Nice picture, Crystal.

I cannot write my way out of a paper bag when it comes to fiction writing. I could, however, like Ambrose, write a mean instruction manual. So I will sit this one out and enjoy reading what my creative Monk friends come up with!

Oh, the humanity. The humanity!

Feel free to discuss what you've read on this thread.

One of my pet peeves is people not writing a nice comment on what I've written. Which is sad, because I don't always comment on what I read. Mostly because of shipping issues. (But don't tell BfloGal).

Oh, don't take this as an obligation to review what you've read on ff.net although that would be nice. But for the board, I think it's been agreed that this is just sort of...er, a challenge. Yeah. A challenge.

So are you saying you would rather have someone leave a bad comment if they so felt instead of not leaving a comment at all?

BTW, I am a great editor if any of you writers out there need someone to edit their stories.

You know, I would rather have someone leave any comment (even a negative one - or a veiled threat) than nothing. When people don't say anything, I'm pretty sure the story hasn't affected them in any way. That may just be me.

That could be the reason. Or most people just don't bother with leaving comments. But you can be assured that I will leave comments on the stories here!

I am horrible about not leaving reviews.

Sometimes it's because I'm in a hurry, but sometimes it's because I tend to be too critical a reader. As a former English teacher I can shred a lot of people without even trying. And I don't want to slice and dice someone if I don't know that they want that. I also often put off reading long stories until they're complete and I'm in the mood.

But I'm not above begging for reviews myself.

And every time I step away from the board lately, someone starts talking about me.

Don't worry my dear - I'll talk about you to your face.

(feel better now?)

Oh, MJ, you may regret that. I can write like the wind - or some force or element that writes really well - but I am always in need of a good editing.

-M

P.S. - July fourth hunh? Sounds like an interesting choice. I might give it a go...

OK, who's the idjit that's been talking about BfloGal behind her back? bristles with clenched fists I prefer the "if you can't say something to their face, keep your piehole shut!"

I don't read fanfiction, sorry guys, I've just never been a fan of it so I won't be leaving any comments behind - that should alleviate any guessing as to whether I left a comment or not.

Happy writing and have fun. If anyone needs ideas...or how to word an especially romantic scene just give me a hollar, I spent my 30's and 40's reading lewd and lush romance. Oh oh, now you'll all think I'm a dirty old great grandma.

Contrary to popular belief, I do know how to spell, I'm just getting lazy fingers....

Okay, Kees_lady -- I have a romance query. Can you think of any good expressions meaning "kissing"? There really are not many good one-word synonyms. We'll send all the shippers your way. LOL!

There really aren't any good one-word synonyms for kiss. Maybe 'bussed her lips with his' would work instead of 'peck.'

How about: He pressed his passion harded lips against her soft, pliant ones, his tongue slowly tracing the outline until her lips parted under the onslaught, his tongue probing the depths of .......?

Did Crystal post the topic?

Ok, I'm new to the board. I just explored it and found the topic.
Sorry. Be patient with my ignorance.

Hey Monkwriter -- welcome to the board.

Frightened by the fireworks, Monk jumps into Natalie's arms. (((Cue music))) ~bow chicka bow bow~
"Oh, Mr. Monk."
"Oh, Natalie...Make it stop!"

Thanky- BfloGal.



Kinda makes you want to stick around. LOL. I don't think that it was intentional. These things happen.




BfloGal posted the topic, but we are working in tandem. Just like those two-seater bikes. BlfoGal pedals, and I kick back and check out the view.

And welcome to the board, Monkwriter. I hope you join in the challenge.

No wonder I was getting tired...

To borrow from kees_lady:

While the fireworks boomed in the sky and echoed across the San Francisco skyline, Monk pressed his passion harded lips against Natalie's soft, pliant ones, his tongue slowly tracing the outline until her lips parted under the onslaught, his tongue probing the depths of .......?

Oh, my.

WIPE. I NEED A WIPE!

I hope that's a wipe to clean up the drool, or maybe the perspiration from the heat of the moment?

I have just posted my short on the FanFic site. I think the link is www.fanfiction.net/tv/monk
I went to that link and it's not there yet, but if you go to one of my other stories and hit my profie, you can probably read it there. title: "Mr. Monk And The Big Bang." For the length it still has a nice flavoring of M/N

Er, no. It's for my eyes...and my fingers. LOL. Although it's in the mid-80's and clear here in Seattle, so...

Oh, why not. I was going there anyway.

Kees_lady, a word of explanation --

CrystalSmith is an avid anti-shipper. I'm an ardent Monk/Natalie shipper. She's not objecting to your prose -- only the fact that I made the 'him' and 'her' Monk and Natalie. (which I did just to irritate her -- she's so funny when her eyeballs are bleeding)

We have to tease each other, or else we erupt into violent conflict.

Ah, good times.

I'm pretty new to this board and I don't know all the terminology used in it! What is a "shipper" and what is an "anti-shipper?"

I'd have to say it's a matter of perspective.

Shippers..(deleted) ...uh, BfloGal, wanna take this...I'm gonna offend the crowd.

I'm sure I'll offend someone too. Seldom a day goes by when I don't. But we'll give it a try.

Here's the wikipedia definition:



When applied to Monk, there are several main groups of 'shippers. When the show first started out, there were many Monk/Sharona shippers, as well as Randy/Sharona shippers.

Now there are many Monk/Natalie shippers, but there are also Randy/Natalie shippers. In addition, it is possible to have other combinations since shipping can be simply what people would like to see exist.

'Non-shipper' and 'anti-shipper' are terms used here in a past debate. In my mind, the non-shipper isn't really interested in the development of any relationships. Often they are more concerned with character development. The anti-shipper is often violently opposed to the posibility of a relationship, and may be bothered when other people "ship."

Most of the time we all get along. Every now and then a "shipper war" can develop, in which case Crystal and I can be found rolling in the mud trying to bash each other's brains in. Until then -- we're good friends.

Did I get that right Crystal? Or do you have anything to add?

Er. Well, let's see. Hmmmm. Reading...Well Said, BfloGal. I think I tend to float somewhere between non-shipper and anti shipper. I'm violently opposed to one ship, and just strongly opposed to some ships. (And was totally FOR one ship, until that ship sailed.)

And, I think instead of us going rounds as we once did, one of us will make a joke and the 'war' will end. I believe the last battle was ended when I got too sick to care anymore. LOL. Anyway. I have these shipper deflecting glasses. I'm not sure if my new pair will contain the secret deflector agent.

Oh, and I remember now that I was equally opposed to Monk/Sharona. Just so you know.

It doesn't really say an ongoing relationship -- it says that the shipper is emotionally or intellectually involved in the ongoing development of a relationship, and this would included relationships of varying degrees of probability including the blatantly impossible.

And therefore "fans who simply want to have a romantic relationship evolve but acknowledge that such feelings currently do not exist and only hope that they will" would be called shippers.

Yeah, you're outed. You're a shipper.

If you require my editing services, shoot me a PM. That goes for anyone, I'd be happy to help ya.

Is fanfiction.net non-negotiable? If I wrote something and posted it somewhere, like maybe the RP thing I set up and haven't deleted yet, and then posted the link here, would that do? I'm not even sure that I would be able to write anything and I kind of... I don't want to mess with fanfiction.net is all. I don't want to set up an account I might not use.

I may be completely and totally wrong about this, (BfloGal can redirect me if I am completely and totally wrong) but I believe as long as you can link the story to this thread, it should be fine. As long as the guideline of the challenge (the actualy topic, word count, etc) are followed, where you posted it isn't a problem, because we will talk about them here.

Cool, because I have a few ideas of non-shipper dialogue that might fit with the challenge, I just don't know if it will be enough words. Maybe I will write something in the form of a Monk journal entry with the other characters posting comments. Or maybe not. Hell, I don't know.

This sounds fun. I'm really not that good of a writer when people tell me what to write because I feel pressured. But, I will gladly read what everyone else has written, and if an idea does spark, post some of my own.

!chik!

Crystal,
I don't think you'll like my stories. Too much Mon/Nat. Sorry I'm a definite shipper. I go so far then back again. Go ahead, rip me to shreds! it builds character! Ask my readers!

I started mine today, so I'm bumping this up, in case anybody missed it.

I would never 'shred' anyone's fanfic. Ever.

I'm still working on mine. I'm splitting my free time between 3 fics.

Thought I'd shoot this to the top seeing as the first challenge has to do w/ the Fourth.

Thank you so much for the excellent definition of what a shipper and an anti-shipper is. That was great and now I get it! I couldn't say thank you sooner because I couln't find where I had asked the question!! I found it today! Thanks again.

My entry:

Mr Monk and the Fourth Man by BfloGal When Natalie awakens to what she thinks is a fire-cracker in her back yard, will the dead body she finds ruin her Fourth of July? Written for the USA message board challenge. Complete - Fiction Rated: K - English - Mystery/Humor - Chapters: 1 - Words: 2,000

Surprisingly ship-free (well -- there's some friendship stuff that could be taken either way)

Happy 4th, everybody!

I finished mine as well. Challenges are fun. I hope you enjoy...btw, my fanfic is slightly shippy. LOL.

Happy Independence Day, Mr. Monk.

Oddly enough -- I think yours is shippier than mine.

Is your clock moving backward?

It was just a little innocent Jared/Julie. Anything else is due to shippy-vision. (Which is why I have these boss glasses...)

I'll leave reviews (on ff.net for the other challenge entries, after I've carefully read them. (I skimmed them earlier, but I didn't want my fic to be influenced by the others. Off to read.)

Up...check em out.