# Eight Hour Fiction Half-Month Challenge (August 2014)



## Donald Rump (Dec 10, 2013)

I wasn't sure if I was going to have time this month to do this, but since I've already completed an entry, I decided what the heck? Let's do it!

The notable difference between this month and the last is the late start. Feel free to write whatever you want, and if you put your title in Kindle Unlimited, I'll read it. All participants will have their entries added to the official website. Have fun!

THE IDEA

To write, edit and publish a work of fiction in eight hours or less. Feel free to write whatever you wish, no restrictions. The author is responsible for all aspects of the creative process, including cover creation (whether you do it yourself or have someone else do it) and posting it to at least one major e-book vendor (typically Amazon).

RULES

1. Everyone is welcome to participate in the challenge.

2. You may take the challenge as often as you like.

3. You are free to write whatever you like. No work will be excluded because of its subject matter or genre.

4. The hours worked do not have to be consecutive.

5. Although writers are encouraged to attempt the challenge in eight hours or less, they may use up to 24 hours to ensure quality and completion of their work.

6. E-mail me the following details to [email protected] by *11:59 p.m., August 31st, 2014* (early submissions help tremendously):

Title
Author Name
Genre
Total Words
Completion Time (This is used to determine the 8/12/24 hour categories.)
Book Cover (Please limit this to 350 pixels in width.)
Description
About The Author (No more than a paragraph or two.)
Date(s) free
Link(s) (If it's not on Amazon, a link to one of the other major vendors will do. Affiliate links are accepted.)
Additional Comments (Optional. Tell us what you learned from the challenge, obstacles that you had to overcome, shameless promotion, etc.)

Results will be posted on the official website (http://eighthourfictionchallenge.blogspot.com) the first Saturday following the end of the month. If you're looking to conserve your free days, that Sunday may be your best bet.

COMMENTS

Please don't ruin it for those who are participating. If you disagree with what we're doing, refrain from commenting here and start your own thread instead.

If you read something that you really like, please consider leaving the author a review.

Please, don't be shy or intimidated. Take a chance on yourself. You'll be glad you did!

And yes, I will be taking the challenge at least once more this month.

So what are you waiting for? _Write your masterpiece today!_


----------



## RaeC (Aug 20, 2013)

Yes! I've been waiting for this.


----------



## cinisajoy (Mar 10, 2013)

Donald,
I think you need to either change the deadline or invent a time machine since July 31 was 2 weeks ago.


----------



## a_g (Aug 9, 2013)

I had just sat down after dinner to give you a pm poke to see if you were going to do it this month. 

Here you are! 

#amwriting


----------



## AngryGames (Jul 28, 2013)

You know what? I benched my "Self-publisher's Bible" for the moment, but I did come up with an 8-hour challenge. I've got about one hour left, so I'm gonna have to make a cover in about five minutes or less (about the same amount of time I did the last one heh) so I can have almost an hour to edit the heck out of it. 

And, good news if you liked the first one (Cin ), Eight Hour Fiction #2 is a direct sequel to BOTH stories in #1. Another Gxkxl the hapless alien story (this time he's muscle for a mobster) and another General Megatron (we met the Evil Queen Mother in the last episode, but now we meet the true ruler of the Galaxy, The Doom Lord. 

I'm thinking it will be my first real "KU" story. Also, is the payout still the same if your KU/KOLL book is only $.99? Was something like $1.80 this last month, which sounds kind of cheat-y for $.99 stories.


----------



## Honeybun (Nov 25, 2012)

Folks were telling me about this challenge.  Very neat to catch it!  

But... when are the submissions due?


----------



## swolf (Jun 21, 2010)

I've already published six books this month that meet that criteria, but I'll put the next one in the challenge. 

Thanks!


----------



## Honeybun (Nov 25, 2012)

swolf said:


> *I've already published six books this month that meet that criteria*, but I'll put the next one in the challenge.
> 
> Thanks!


Swolf, you're a beast!


----------



## Donald Rump (Dec 10, 2013)

> Donald,
> I think you need to either change the deadline or invent a time machine since July 31 was 2 weeks ago.


Oops. Thanks, Cinisajoy! That's what happens when you have farts for brains...



> But... when are the submissions due?


The date really is 11:59 p.m., August 31st, 2014.



> LOL! That's better then last month, when the deadline said March instead of July.


Impossible is nothing. You can do it, Eelkat!



> I've already published six books this month that meet that criteria, but I'll put the next one in the challenge.
> 
> Thanks!


I'll be happy to post all six and read them in Kindle Unlimited if you put them up there. If I have extra time, I'll put together another page that lists the all time submissions by each author.



> Yes! I've been waiting for this.


Ha ha. Well, you got it...



> I'll have to try this with a Monster Porn and see if I can write a really short MP in 8 hours. For some reason my Monster Porn takes me longer to write then anything else. It usually takes me 4 or 5 days of writing several hours to write a Monster Porn, of course they are usually longer than my other stuff (13k to 30k, as opposed to 3k to 7k). I've never done a short-short Monster Porn, not sure if I could. Must try it and find out.


Eelkat! Yes, Monster Porn, Succubus Porn, Vampire Porn, Leprechaun Porn, Mermaid Porn, Dragon Porn, Faerie Porn, Unicorn Porn, Cyclops Porn, Godzilla Porn...any porn as long as it's Eelkat porn!!! And please feel free to use the full 24 hours if it runs longer than expected. The eight hour rule is as hard and fast as you want it.



> I had just sat down after dinner to give you a pm poke to see if you were going to do it this month.
> 
> Here you are!


I have mysteriously arrived in a puff of green smoke...God save us all!



> You know what? I benched my "Self-publisher's Bible" for the moment, but I did come up with an 8-hour challenge. I've got about one hour left, so I'm gonna have to make a cover in about five minutes or less (about the same amount of time I did the last one heh) so I can have almost an hour to edit the heck out of it.


If you only knew how capable and talented you are...you'd blow us all out of the water!

Awesome to have you back!



> I'm thinking it will be my first real "KU" story. Also, is the payout still the same if your KU/KOLL book is only $.99? Was something like $1.80 this last month, which sounds kind of cheat-y for $.99 stories.


Payout is still the same. It's a great opportunity. Take advantage of it!

Edit: I stink at writing! But you already knew that...


----------



## cinisajoy (Mar 10, 2013)

Do I have to publish or can I just write it?


----------



## Donald Rump (Dec 10, 2013)

> Do I have to publish or can I just write it?


The spirit of the challenge is to publish, but if you want to write an entry or two like Angry Games did last month to get some practice, I'll list them as Honorable Mentions.

Either way, I'd love to read what you come up with, Cinisajoy!


----------



## cinisajoy (Mar 10, 2013)




----------



## Donald Rump (Dec 10, 2013)

I put together a page to park all of the incoming submissions. At the end of the month, I'll move these over to the main page. By doing this, I won't leave everything until the last minute and early submissions get additional exposure.

There's one submission there now, a dedication to Robin Williams. If anyone has something to put up, I'll be happy to add it.

http://eighthourfictionchallenge.blogspot.com/p/submissions.html


----------



## AngryGames (Jul 28, 2013)

Once The Wife goes to sleep, I'll burn my last hour and get it published. Once I have a proper link, I'll pm it to you, and I guess once we all get ours published, we can maybe all pick a day to them free at the same time? (I'm not in the KU program since I barely have time to read my own drivel these days).


----------



## SomethingClever (Mar 9, 2014)

I love these challenges. I'm on my honeymoon right now but when I get back I'll see if I can think of something to write for it. It might be under a pen name. It will feel good to write something again. I haven't written in over two months because I've been dealing with wedding stuff.


----------



## AngryGames (Jul 28, 2013)

Ooookay. Uploading right now. Here's the version that doesn't have author's notes, shameless self promotion back matter, and maybe a couple of chapters of a story I'm about to publish as a secret hidden bonus.

This is just the two stories. Both are so terrible that I cannot be responsible for the homicidal rage that will engulf you and possibly make you do rage-y things. So don't read them. I can't afford another lawsuit.

http://www.angrygames.com/angry/files/writing/Eight_Hour_Fiction_2.mobi


----------



## Donald Rump (Dec 10, 2013)

> Once The Wife goes to sleep, I'll burn my last hour and get it published. Once I have a proper link, I'll pm it to you, and I guess once we all get ours published, we can maybe all pick a day to them free at the same time? (I'm not in the KU program since I barely have time to read my own drivel these days).


Awesome! For the Saturday following the end of the month, I've set aside some time to put up the remaining entries. September 6th is the day for me, but I could get everything done earlier depending on the number of entries and how close they are to the deadline.

I'm also looking into promotional opportunities that we can use for the submitted entries. Perhaps we could get a special bulk rate from BKNights? Just a thought...



> that's how I think to. I would write a full story I don't know about quick publishing. I like to think about a story after I write it.


I'm sure everyone would love to see what you come up with. If you need time to think it over, get your entry done early, and then send me a link when you're ready.



> I love these challenges. I'm on my honeymoon right now but when I get back I'll see if I can think of something to write for it. It might be under a pen name. It will feel good to write something again. I haven't written in over two months because I've been dealing with wedding stuff.


_Now that's dedication!_

Pen names can make writing feel fresh and new and fun again--like a get away/retreat from your more "serious" writing. Highly recommended!



> Ooookay. Uploading right now. Here's the version that doesn't have author's notes, shameless self promotion back matter, and maybe a couple of chapters of a story I'm about to publish as a secret hidden bonus.


I love bonus content!



> This is just the two stories. Both are so terrible that I cannot be responsible for the homicidal rage that will engulf you and possibly make you do rage-y things. So don't read them. I can't afford another lawsuit.


My stinky stories haven't killed anyone yet, so I think you're safe.


----------



## CoraBuhlert (Aug 7, 2011)

Not sure if I'll be able to come up with something for this month's challenge, cause I already have a short story and a novella going through editing.

But if I have an idea and do a story, I'll let you know.


----------



## Donald Rump (Dec 10, 2013)

> Not sure if I'll be able to come up with something for this month's challenge, cause I already have a short story and a novella going through editing.
> 
> But if I have an idea and do a story, I'll let you know.


I suspect you'll find away to sneak one in...


----------



## cinisajoy (Mar 10, 2013)

Dwallock,
I don't want to deal with the taxes and stuff like that right now.  Not worried about the story itself.


----------



## AngryGames (Jul 28, 2013)

For you, Cin: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MRZFD08


----------



## Donald Rump (Dec 10, 2013)

> Stay tuned for monthly installments of the ongoing adventures of Gxkxl and General Megatron!


Now that's what I'm talking about!


----------



## AngryGames (Jul 28, 2013)

Donald Rump said:


> Now that's what I'm talking about!


Yeah... you might be regretting saying that...


----------



## Donald Rump (Dec 10, 2013)

> Yeah... you might be regretting saying that...


Never.

BTW, I added your entry to the submissions page:

http://eighthourfictionchallenge.blogspot.com/p/submissions.html


----------



## Donald Rump (Dec 10, 2013)

> So...I set out to write Monster Porn...I don't know what happened but it turned into a Gothic something Horror? maybe? not quite? I don't know yet...I don't think it's Romance... about a mail order bride in a haunted house, in 1814, and some sort of ghost/psychic connection between her and her great-granddaughter in 2014. I'm 2 hours into writing it, and I have no idea where it is headed or how it'll end. Total plotless pantsing it here. Basically it's turning into a YA Ghost Story at this point.


Eelkat!

Ha ha...

I set out to write "serious" literature and wound up writing children's books and fart fiction, among other things.

That's the beauty of trusting the subconscious mind. It will take you places you never dreamed of, all of them interesting.

I look forward to reading your Gothic Horror Paranormal Romantic Bizarro Comedy. And if you can throw some ninja turtles in there, I'm sure my son would be grateful.


----------



## Donald Rump (Dec 10, 2013)

Great, Eelkat! Let me know when your pink-fonted masterpiece is up and I'll add it to the submissions page.  

Edit: I just read Lucky No. 7 and left a review. Ha ha! Very fun. I found a few typos, but they didn't detract from the experience. Perhaps they enhanced the reading experience? Maybe. Who knows? These are twisted tales, after all, right?


----------



## Donald Rump (Dec 10, 2013)

Hey, everyone:

I just put together an author page (sorted by last name) listing all of the entries submitted to the Eight Hour Challenge thus far. I will eventually go back and add everything from Konrath's original challenge, but it's a major undertaking and I only have so much time.

This page is a work in progress, and I'll be adding links to the author's blog/Amazon page as well as each individual product. A picture and summary could also be added for each author. I guess that all depends on how far we want to take it. The more promotion the better, right?

If you have any ideas for this page, let me know. You can find it here:

http://eighthourfictionchallenge.blogspot.com/p/authors.html


----------



## a_g (Aug 9, 2013)

You're a machine, dude. Thanks so much for organizing and herding this bunch of cats.


----------



## Donald Rump (Dec 10, 2013)

> You're a machine, dude. Thanks so much for organizing and herding this bunch of cats.


You're very welcome.

Like many of the writers here, I just needed a little encouragement to keep this going.


----------



## a_g (Aug 9, 2013)

Donald Rump said:


> You're very welcome.
> 
> Like many of the writers here, I just needed a little encouragement to keep this going.


Well, I don' t have the legs to carry off being a cheerleader but I can encourage with the best of them.

I didn't want to come off as a pestering pest, so I held off poking at you about this.

Next time, I won't?


----------



## Donald Rump (Dec 10, 2013)

> Well, I don' t have the legs to carry off being a cheerleader but I can encourage with the best of them.
> 
> I didn't want to come off as a pestering pest, so I held off poking at you about this.
> 
> Next time, I won't?


Just hit me over the head next time. That always seems to work. At least, that's what the wife tells me.


----------



## Donald Rump (Dec 10, 2013)

> Thank you...I will go check that... Lucky #7 and Wasted Time both got put up fast (editing was rushed) because they were in the 8hour challenges before. I had intended to go back and do a better editing of them and just didn't do it yet. I usually let stuff sit a few weeks before editing, but those both went up a few hours after I finished writing them. I just sent Wasted Time to my proofreader yesterday, will pass 7 on to him as well.


If you want, I can PM you the ones I found. Keep in mind, it's very minor stuff. Nothing to feel bad about. I only brought it up because I thought you'd want to know.

I intend to read more of your work as I have time. The problem is, I can't find much of it on Amazon. I see a dozen or so under Eelkat/Wendy C. Allen, but nothing under Gwendolyn Wyldes, etc. Ugh! Where are you hiding your stuff? 

UPDATE: I just PM'd them to you, Eelkat!


----------



## Rachel E. Rice (Jan 4, 2014)

Donald, read your book, "Bottling Farts" and I can't stop laughing. I read it to my husband and he's been laughing for days. I want to write something as lighthearted as your books but it will take me longer. It doesn't come natural for me. 
I just discovered your challenge and I will try to get something in by the due date.


----------



## Donald Rump (Dec 10, 2013)

> Donald, read your book, "Bottling Farts" and I can't stop laughing. I read it to my husband and he's been laughing for days. I want to write something as lighthearted as your books but it will take me longer. It doesn't come natural for me.
> I just discovered your challenge and I will try to get something in by the due date.


Thanks for the compliment, but you and I both know it stinks. 

You don't have to do everything in eight hours. If you need to invest more time to ensure a quality product, by all means do it. You can take up to 24, and the hours don't have to be contiguous. Even if it's a little over, I'll still put it up. The point of this exercise is to take you out of your comfort zone and prove that you can still create amazing results.

If your book is free or in Kindle Unlimited I will read it and let you know if I find any typos.

EDIT: Also letting you know that this exists. The cover art isn't final, but the first episode is written. It came out a little flat, so it will need a rewrite before going out the door. (It only took a year for me to get around to doing a sequel of some sort. What a slacker I've been!)


----------



## Carradee (Aug 21, 2010)

Well, my entry *would* have been in 8 hours, if I hadn't decided to create a new formatting template while I was at it. So it ended up taking me 9.42 hours total for my 3200-word short story.


----------



## CraigInOregon (Aug 6, 2010)

I didn't spot this earlier.

I may have to do something for this one. If for no other reason that to celebrate the 1st anniversary of my original 8-hour challenge story (via Joe Konrath's blog), The Devohrah Initiative, which I just gave a new cover to, courtesy of cover genius Victorine E. Lieske.


----------



## CoraBuhlert (Aug 7, 2011)

Love the author page, Donald. BTW, I also wrote a story called Old Mommark's Tale for the original 8-hour challenge last year.


----------



## cinisajoy (Mar 10, 2013)

Should I just review like I did for the Konrath challenge?


----------



## CraigInOregon (Aug 6, 2010)

cinisajoy said:


> Should I just review like I did for the Konrath challenge?




Your reviews are always welcome. Speaking for myself, at least.


----------



## Donald Rump (Dec 10, 2013)

Check out these two new submissions to the Eight Hour Fiction Challenge. We're getting a really good mix, guys and gals. Keep it up!



















You can read more about these marvelous two entries here:

http://eighthourfictionchallenge.blogspot.com/p/submissions.html


----------



## Donald Rump (Dec 10, 2013)

> Should I just review like I did for the Konrath challenge?


Come on, Cinisajoy. You can do it! Take a chance on yourself. You'll appreciate the push afterwards.

I'm also leaving reviews, BTW. It would be nice to trade places for once.



> Love the author page, Donald. BTW, I also wrote a story called Old Mommark's Tale for the original 8-hour challenge last year.


Thanks, Cora. I haven't forgotten about the original challenge entries. I will go back and add all of them, starting with yours.



> I didn't spot this earlier.
> 
> I may have to do something for this one. If for no other reason that to celebrate the 1st anniversary of my original 8-hour challenge story (via Joe Konrath's blog), The Devohrah Initiative, which I just gave a new cover to, courtesy of cover genius Victorine E. Lieske.


We'd love to have you, and yes--I will be adding all of the original entries as well. And if someone knows who Sir Shagalot is, I'd love to invite him/her to partake in this month's challenge.



> Well, my entry would have been in 8 hours, if I hadn't decided to create a new formatting template while I was at it. So it ended up taking me 9.42 hours total for my 3200-word short story.


Got it. It's up on the submissions page and I will purchase a copy from Smashwords when I get a chance.

http://eighthourfictionchallenge.blogspot.com/p/submissions.html


----------



## Donald Rump (Dec 10, 2013)

> ...but I ended up in the hospital in November and then was in bed 5 months (massive back/hip/knee injury - still not fully recovered - had to shut down the animal shelter, because I can't run it anymore, I'm no longer able to lift anything over 20lbs and am currently walking, limited movement with a cane...


Holy crap! Sorry to hear that, Eelkat!



> All the other pennames are being switched over into those two as well - it's a huge project getting everything switched over. It'll be just those 3 pennames once the penname consolidation is finished.) Plus there's A LOT of stuff that never went on Amazon before - large portion of my work was listed on Lulu, not Amazon, so the move involves some reformatting to be Kindle compatible as well. You should start seeing them back online in September/October (some next week).


If you need help, just ask. EPUB/MOBI conversion is what I do at my regular job.



> I've got like *200 stories* that Amazon simply is not going to allow to come back and the work involved in rewriting it major.


That's more than my entire library, and I've published quite a few short stories. Unbelievable, Eelkat!



> All the loli-con had to be taken down too. (even off fan-fic.net) Loli-con being what I'm known for that was a HUGE hit. That's being rewritten as well...that'll be under a new series title "Hymal Keydar", under the EelKat penname.


I look forward to reading it, Eelkat. Perhaps one day I'll have a huge hit, too.


----------



## 77071 (May 15, 2014)

I doubt I'll be participating, but I wish I could.  I just have so many self-imposed deadlines right now.  If I can find the time, you'll be getting some mushy gay romance to add to the pile.


----------



## Donald Rump (Dec 10, 2013)

> I doubt I'll be participating, but I wish I could. I just have so many self-imposed deadlines right now. If I can find the time, you'll be getting some mushy gay romance to add to the pile.


Still give it a shot. Who knows? You might find yourself with free time to work on your book. If not, we'll be doing the challenge next month, so no worries.


----------



## Donald Rump (Dec 10, 2013)

> I'm in! I was only able to spend a few hours on it yesterday, but made a good dent in it. Hopefully I can finish writing it tonight. I'm keeping an hour back out of the eight to publish it, which may not be until next week due to some real life stuff. I'll let you know as soon as it's up, though.


Excellent!

As the old adage goes, _strike while the iron's hot_. Set a goal to make it to the end of your story tonight, and then come back and edit it later. It's easier to make changes once the whole story is out of you. And don't worry about the mistakes you make along the way. Move forward relentlessly and don't look back until you reach your destination.


----------



## RaeC (Aug 20, 2013)

In keeping with the spirit of the contest, I have to ask: does any brainstorming/loose-plotting count when keeping track of the 8 hour time frame? If so, I just used up a couple of hours. 

Not that I'm complaining. 

I ain't scared!


----------



## AngryGames (Jul 28, 2013)

Nope, it's only when your fingers hit the keyboard or your pen hits the page do you start the 'clock'


----------



## Donald Rump (Dec 10, 2013)

> It just FINALLY went through...38 hours, never had one take anything close to that long for approval before ...


Ugh! Sorry that you had to go through that. I also had to wait longer than usual for Unleash Thyself to go through even though it doesn't have any sex, bad language, etc.



> NOTE - if you found it and downloaded it BEFORE 6:34 AM August 19 - re-download it, because you COMPLETELY do not have the right book at any time prior to that. Why? Because When I publish a book - I don't put the edited file in it - I CAN'T, because I put the review page link, book page links, ect in the finished file...so the first file seen (rarely live more than 15minutes) is the unedited first draft with no changes at all - NOT ONE SINGLE EDIT - It's just a place-holder file, that goes in, long enough for Amazon to create a ASIN and book page, so I can add that info to the final draft and than upload it and run the book through the final ACTUAL publish.


Oh, crap! Well...I won't put up anymore links to books until the author confirms it's ready. I was trying to give you a little extra exposure, but that may have backfired. I grabbed your link from another thread that you had commented on. Hopefully I didn't create problems for you.



> This time when I re-published the corrected file, and instead of the quick 15minute update, then go live, it got spun to "in review" status and than stayed "in review" status for 38 freaking hours, which means when the book page DID go live, it went live with the wrong file, staying live with the wrong file for 2 whole days, and in total "in review" lock-down on my dashboard so there was not one thing I could do to fix it, and unfortunately people have been buying it during that 2 day hang time with the wrong file in place.


Sorry to hear that. 



> As the only people who knew to even look for a book by that title were on this thread, I suspect/assume the sales came from folks reading this thread, than looking for it specifically by name, I did not announce this book title anyplace outside of this thread, no one else even knew I wrote it, that's why I'm posting this info here...so if you were one of the folks who bought or borrowed this book at any time within the past 2 days, before 6:34AM August 19th, you need to remove it from your device, and redownload it to get the actual book, not the unedited placement file, that Amazon was not supposed to put live. Sorry for the mix up. Thank you!


I haven't downloaded it yet, but will now. Sorry if I contributed to the chaos in any way.

I updated your submission with the new cover. If anything needs to be corrected, let me know and get it fixed ASAP.

http://eighthourfictionchallenge.blogspot.com/p/submissions.html


----------



## CoraBuhlert (Aug 7, 2011)

Looks like I'll be doing an eight hour challenge this month after all, cause currently I'm approx. 3/4 through a crime short called _The Cork and the Bottle_. I find crime shorts ideal for these challenges, cause they don't require the intensive research and worldbuilding that SF, fantasy or historical fiction require.

I hope the story will be finished tomorrow, but for now here is the cover:


----------



## rachelmedhurst (Jun 25, 2014)

I love the idea of this challenge and I'm really tempted to give it a go. I'm currently a third of the way through a novel that I have a strict deadline for.

Can I write two things at once?


----------



## CoraBuhlert (Aug 7, 2011)

For what it's worth, I have squeezed my challenge story in between edits on two upcoming installments of my SF series.


----------



## Donald Rump (Dec 10, 2013)

> Looks like I'll be doing an eight hour challenge this month after all, cause currently I'm approx. 3/4 through a crime short called The Cork and the Bottle. I find crime shorts ideal for these challenges, cause they don't require the intensive research and worldbuilding that SF, fantasy or historical fiction require.


That is awesome, Cora! I'll be happy to read it and leave a review once you're done. (I'm actually behind on reviews at the moment, but I will catch up. Promise!)



> I love the idea of this challenge and I'm really tempted to give it a go. I'm currently a third of the way through a novel that I have a strict deadline for.
> 
> Can I write two things at once?


Not everyone can multitask like this, but if you can do it, great. All the props to you. Otherwise, I'd recommend finishing your novel first. You could focus on one aspect of your novel that you haven't explored, write a 3,000 - 5,000 short, and use it as a teaser for the full novel. If you feel bad about listing it for 99 cents, you could always set it to permafree as a way to move copies of your novels once it's out. (And you can also mention your novel is coming at the back of your short.) It would be a nice way to build up interest while you're hammering away on your novel, and it might prompt you to set a deadline and use the new preorder feature in KDP.

Just a thought...



> For what it's worth, I have squeezed my challenge story in between edits on two upcoming installments of my SF series.


Well, that's just because you're awesome...


----------



## CoraBuhlert (Aug 7, 2011)

Donald Rump said:


> That is awesome, Cora! I'll be happy to read it and leave a review once you're done. (I'm actually behind on reviews at the moment, but I will catch up. Promise!)





> Well, that's just because you're awesome...


Aw, thanks, Donald. 

Anyway, _The Cork and the Bottle_ is now finished (took me a day longer than expected, because I didn't get a whole lot of writing done yesterday. It's 4400 words long and actually qualifies as a proper mystery under the narrower US genre classification rather than the looser German one.


----------



## ThomasDiehl (Aug 23, 2014)

Hey there. I'm sure there's an introduction thread somewhere (I swear that wording is a coincidence), but Donald asked me to put this here after submitting to the challenge, so I'll just start by putting my entry here.

Reading about the challenge at Cora's/Pegasus Pulp brought me here and I decided to try it. I admit, there being no topic or theme unlike last time threw me off track a little, but then I got the idea to seize the opportunity to just pay a new setting a visit.

So, this is Introduction - A Pacifica Flash Fiction. 2,400 words, 2,100 of which are the story itself. This is pure flash fiction world building and more of a tour around town than an actual story in the usual sense. Still, I had fun and got a couple of ideas out I couldn't work into a full story. It's pure science fiction with a dash of cli-fi.
As a side note, I do not like the cover much, but I couldn't come up with anything better on that front.
Overall, it still was a fun diversion.










Amazon http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MXAVSQA
Smashwords https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/469239 (There's a coupon code for that one at http://eighthourfictionchallenge.blogspot.com/p/submissions.html ;-) )

It's my introduction to the challenge, to the genre (I love sci-fi, but so far have only published non-fiction), to Smashwords, and to the anglophone market, as well as my MC's introduction to his new job and both his and reader's introduction to the floating city of Pacifica. Pick one way to interpret the title as you like.


----------



## cinisajoy (Mar 10, 2013)

Welcome.  If you will look over to your right there is a fully stocked bar.  If you look to your left, there is a buffet with all kinds of food and drinks. If you look in front of you, there is a stack of laptops for your use.  Now you will notice reclining chairs all over the room with small tables.  Those are also for your use.  Just do not wake up the sleeping authors.  They fell asleep waiting on cin to get to their books.  Oh and fully stocked bathrooms are down the hall and to the left.


----------



## ThomasDiehl (Aug 23, 2014)

cinisajoy said:


> Welcome. If you will look over to your right there is a fully stocked bar. If you look to your left, there is a buffet with all kinds of food and drinks. If you look in front of you, there is a stack of laptops for your use. Now you will notice reclining chairs all over the room with small tables. Those are also for your use. Just do not wake up the sleeping authors. They fell asleep waiting on cin to get to their books. Oh and fully stocked bathrooms are down the hall and to the left.


Free food and laptops! I think I like this place.


----------



## CoraBuhlert (Aug 7, 2011)

Welcome, Thomas, especially since one of my posts brought you here.   I see you've already met cin, who's our resident reader and frequent reviewer.

Meg, that's the beauty of the whole thing. If you like the characters, you can use them again in future stories and before you know it, you'll have a series. In fact, I may revisit Detective Inspector Helen Shepherd, PC Walker and Dr. Rajiv again in future stories.


----------



## Donald Rump (Dec 10, 2013)

> I'm close to the finish line! I'm at the point where I'm nervous at writing an ending, which is always a good and a bad thing. As a friend on Facebook said, it's probably that I'm loathe to leave the universe and my characters. I have liked writing this story, and can see opportunities for future shorts with these characters. I've got my cover done, and love it. So it's just a matter of finishing now, instead of procrastinating and browsing KBoards...


Awesome job, Meg! I look forward to reading it.



> Anyway, The Cork and the Bottle is now finished (took me a day longer than expected, because I didn't get a whole lot of writing done yesterday. It's 4400 words long and actually qualifies as a proper mystery under the narrower US genre classification rather than the looser German one.


Great! E-mail me the details and I'll put it up.



> Hey there. I'm sure there's an introduction thread somewhere (I swear that wording is a coincidence), but Donald asked me to put this here after submitting to the challenge, so I'll just start by putting my entry here.


Thanks for dropping by and taking the challenge!

And for anyone who wants to take the challenge, this is a great time to do so. Only a week left!


----------



## Ty Johnston (Jun 19, 2009)

Hmm, I might have to give this a try. My only problem is I'm in the middle of a novel at the moment and I generally don't like to break off when things are flowing well. Have to give this some thought. If not now, maybe in months to come.


----------



## Donald Rump (Dec 10, 2013)

> Hmm, I might have to give this a try. My only problem is I'm in the middle of a novel at the moment and I generally don't like to break off when things are flowing well. Have to give this some thought. If not now, maybe in months to come.


If you're making good progress on your novel, by all means keep going. If not, this could be a fun diversion for you.

I have another entry to add to the list, but I'm too tired to look it over one last time and create the e-book. Here's the cover:


----------



## CraigInOregon (Aug 6, 2010)

I'm working on something.

Not sure I'll finish by deadline. Or that it'll take only eight hours. Like all ideas that are half-decent... for me, anyway... it's growing...

Working title is SPOILED and it's a suspense/horror bit....


----------



## CoraBuhlert (Aug 7, 2011)

Amazon is dragging its feet getting up _The Cork and the Bottle_. Ditto for B&N, Apple, Scribd and a few smaller ones.


----------



## Donald Rump (Dec 10, 2013)

> Amazon is dragging its feet getting up The Cork and the Bottle. Ditto for B&N, Apple, Scribd and a few smaller ones.


I just got Five Reasons Why Dating Hot Chicks Is A Bad Idea out the door. I'm curious to see if there will also be a delay. Everything that I've submitted for the past month that wasn't a children's book has been delayed but eventually went up. Perhaps they're using new plagiarism detection software?



> I'm working on something.
> 
> Not sure I'll finish by deadline. Or that it'll take only eight hours. Like all ideas that are half-decent... for me, anyway... it's growing...
> 
> Working title is SPOILED and it's a suspense/horror bit....


No doubt you'll finish in time. Still six days to go!


----------



## 77071 (May 15, 2014)

Just hit Publish on my 8-hour challenge story!  It took a bit longer: approx. 8 hrs and 45 minutes (editing and publishing took their toll!).

It's 15,000 words long, which I'm happy with.  But, as I just wrote the thing, instead of second-guessing and wondering if the idea was any good or not, I'm still emotionally where I normally am at the beginning of a story, in other words, "Is this even worth bothering with?"  But, well, I did bother, and it's out there somewhere now...

Will post the link when it's live.


----------



## CoraBuhlert (Aug 7, 2011)

B&N, Scribd and even Apple got their backsides in gear, but meanwhile _The Cork and the Bottle_ is still stuck in publishing at Amazon.


----------



## Donald Rump (Dec 10, 2013)

> Just hit Publish on my 8-hour challenge story! It took a bit longer: approx. 8 hrs and 45 minutes (editing and publishing took their toll!).
> 
> It's 15,000 words long, which I'm happy with. But, as I just wrote the thing, instead of second-guessing and wondering if the idea was any good or not, I'm still emotionally where I normally am at the beginning of a story, in other words, "Is this even worth bothering with?" But, well, I did bother, and it's out there somewhere now...
> 
> Will post the link when it's live.


Wow! 15,000 words in eight hours! I can't even do a rough draft of 10,000 words in the same amount of time. Very impressive and good job!



> B&N, Scribd and even Apple got their backsides in gear, but meanwhile The Cork and the Bottle is still stuck in publishing at Amazon.


Yeah, mine is still in review, but I only submitted six hours ago. I wonder what's going on with Amazon? If you want, go ahead and give me what you have and I'll add the Amazon link later.

*Update*: My book is up now, and I didn't have to wait longer than 8 hours. My apologies to those who have had to wait days to get their content up. Will keep an eye on this.


----------



## 77071 (May 15, 2014)

Thank you!    I can write about 3500 words an hour going full crack.  Of course, no telling if any of those words are any good.  That remains to be seen.


----------



## ThomasDiehl (Aug 23, 2014)

HSh said:


> Just hit Publish on my 8-hour challenge story! It took a bit longer: approx. 8 hrs and 45 minutes (editing and publishing took their toll!).
> 
> It's 15,000 words long, which I'm happy with. But, as I just wrote the thing, instead of second-guessing and wondering if the idea was any good or not, I'm still emotionally where I normally am at the beginning of a story, in other words, "Is this even worth bothering with?" But, well, I did bother, and it's out there somewhere now...
> 
> Will post the link when it's live.


Impressive indeed. I can do 1,000/hr when I hit a note, anything beyond that is just impressive to me, especially when done consistently. Kudos!


----------



## swolf (Jun 21, 2010)

Donald, just PMed you my submission.  Thanks for doing this.


----------



## Donald Rump (Dec 10, 2013)

> Donald, just PMed you my submission. Thanks for doing this.


Great job, and over 9,000 words! Wow, I feel slow.

I downloaded a copy as well, but I'm behind on reviews. I still need to finish reading Angry Games' entry, but I keep getting interrupted.

Again, thanks for taking the challenge. If there's anything you want to add or change to your entry, just let me know.

http://eighthourfictionchallenge.blogspot.com/p/submissions.html



> Impressive indeed. I can do 1,000/hr when I hit a note, anything beyond that is just impressive to me, especially when done consistently. Kudos!


Big kudos! 1,000 words/hour is about my rate, too.



> I can write about 3500 words an hour going full crack.


I can hit 3,000 words/hour in my journal, but not with fiction. I'm not sure why that is, but I am trying to get faster. All the more power to you, man!


----------



## 77071 (May 15, 2014)

Thanks!

Here 'tis:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N1LNFRK

I may have been overly optimistic about when I'd be able to set its free dates. Amazon still hasn't officially approved it so I can't yet. 

Also, I need to learn to spell "optimistic" because I get it wrong every time.


----------



## a_g (Aug 9, 2013)

Well, it's almost the end of the month and I hit it hard and fast this time, ready for the challenge from the jump. Ended up with two, both erotica, both ~3k in length. 

Should I just pick one and send it to you?


----------



## CoraBuhlert (Aug 7, 2011)

Amazon finally got its backside in gear and published my eight hour fiction story. Took only 48 hours, i.e. 6 times the time it took to write, edit and format it.

I just sent you the info, Donald.


----------



## Donald Rump (Dec 10, 2013)

> Thanks!
> 
> Here 'tis:
> 
> ...


Aw, crap. I knew I forgot something!

I'm at work now, so I'll put it up tonight. No more commenting on other threads for me.



> Amazon finally got its backside in gear and published my eight hour fiction story. Took only 48 hours, i.e. 6 times the time it took to write, edit and format it.
> 
> I just sent you the info, Donald.


That is very good news. Sorry you had to wait so long. I'll do yours right after HSh.



> Well, it's almost the end of the month and I hit it hard and fast this time, ready for the challenge from the jump. Ended up with two, both erotica, both ~3k in length.
> 
> Should I just pick one and send it to you?


Send both. That will put us up to a baker's dozen of entries for the month.

And, of course, anyone else who still wants to take part in the challenge, *you have until 11:59 Sunday evening*. I look forward to (eventually) reading all of your entries!

*Update*: Ok, Hollis Shiloh and Cora Buhlert's entries have been added to the submissions page here: http://eighthourfictionchallenge.blogspot.com/p/submissions.html. We're up to 11 total works with 2 more on the way from Anderson Gray. This is our best turnout yet despite the late start. _Congratulations to all of you!_


----------



## CraigInOregon (Aug 6, 2010)

Sir Donald of Rump,

My project is ... growing out of control.

I've invested roughly four hours in writing, thus far, and have about 5,200 words or so to show for it, but the story's not done yet and it's gonna take at least another couple hours of writing to really get the story to a point where I feel I can tie a bow on it and call it "The End" (or, at least, "The End of Part 1.")

That means six hours invested in writing alone, minimum.

How bad are you gonna hate me if I come in at more like 9-10 hours?


----------



## Donald Rump (Dec 10, 2013)

Per the rules, you can use up to 24 hours, so no problem there. One of my books took 18 hours to complete. (Ugh!)

For books that go over 24 hours, I'll still add it as an Honorable Mention. Next month there will be one notable addition, but more on that later.

Keep going and I'll read it once it's up. If it's in Kindle Unlimited, you'll get a borrow and (possibly) a review.


----------



## CraigInOregon (Aug 6, 2010)

Donald Rump said:


> Next month there will be one notable addition, but more on that later.


It won't go past 24 hours or even close.

But it could end up closer to 9-10, as I indicated.

Good to know next month there will be another one; that'll allow me to do part 2 for that month, if I decide to break the story into parts.


----------



## CoraBuhlert (Aug 7, 2011)

I now put up a post about how I wrote my eight hour challenge book on my publishing blog:

http://pegasus-pulp.com/2014/08/29/the-eight-hour-fiction-challenge-for-august-and-the-cork-and-the-bottle/


----------



## Donald Rump (Dec 10, 2013)

> I now put up a post about how I wrote my eight hour challenge book on my publishing blog:
> 
> http://pegasus-pulp.com/2014/08/29/the-eight-hour-fiction-challenge-for-august-and-the-cork-and-the-bottle/


Thanks! I added it to your submission.

Anyone else besides anderson_gray and CraiginOregon have an entry to submit? This weekend is your last chance before this month's challenge is over.


----------



## Donald Rump (Dec 10, 2013)

> I just hit publish on Amazon and D2D! We'll see how long it takes to go live. I set it as $2.99 on Amazon for now, but I'm going to try for perma-free. Do you want me to wait until it's live everywhere before submitting the form on the website so I can give the links?
> 
> I like how the cover turned out, but I'm open to tweaking it if anyone has any suggestions...


Congratulations! I love the cover! I think this will do well with as a permafree.

Go ahead and send me the information and you can follow up with the links later. I'll keep an eye on Amazon as well.

*Update*: It's up!


----------



## rachelmedhurst (Jun 25, 2014)

I've just not had the eight hours away from my current WIP so will def do it next month.

Well done to everyone who did it.


----------



## Donald Rump (Dec 10, 2013)

> I've just not had the eight hours away from my current WIP so will def do it next month.
> 
> Well done to everyone who did it.


Come on, now. There's still a little time left.

I'll tell you what. If you take the challenge, I'll also do it one last time.

*Update*: Sonny Gray's Intuitive Fate has just been added to the submissions page, bringing our tally to 13 for the month. Outstanding participation, everyone!


----------



## Cege Smith (Dec 11, 2011)

Ok- I'm in. I just hit publish on the latest entry in one of my serials, and found that I still have a whole day left to participate before the month ended. So I'm going to do it. I've had a pre made cover languishing in my files since last October with the intention (then) of writing a Halloween short. I'm starting tonight- so here goes nothing!


----------



## Donald Rump (Dec 10, 2013)

> Ok- I'm in. I just hit publish on the latest entry in one of my serials, and found that I still have a whole day left to participate before the month ended. So I'm going to do it. I've had a pre made cover languishing in my files since last October with the intention (then) of writing a Halloween short. I'm starting tonight- so here goes nothing!


All right, it's on! I'll try to sneak another entry in as well.


----------



## revolver (Aug 27, 2014)

Donald,

I e-mailed you all the pertinent info. Thanks for this. I hadn't written hardly anything in about a year, and this challenge intrigued me enough to get me back to a keyboard.


----------



## Donald Rump (Dec 10, 2013)

> I e-mailed you all the pertinent info. Thanks for this. I hadn't written hardly anything in about a year, and this challenge intrigued me enough to get me back to a keyboard.


First off, I've got to mention your awesome profile pic. Army of Darkness is one of my favorite movies of all time, and Ash's character has been a huge influence on my writing.

I've added your challenge entry here and am impressed that you were able to hit 12,000 words in an 8-hour timeframe. That's an accomplishment all in itself.

I'd also like to highlight a few things from your entry. In your Author summary you wrote:



> Rob Volver is retired, raising chickens and shooting targets in his spare time. _*He writes for the pleasure and hopes others find pleasure in his writing*_.


I wish more people wrote for the pleasure of writing. There's no guarantee of making money anyways, but if you write something that you enjoy, at least you obtain a level of personal fulfillment. Some ideas linger for years, and I myself have avoided them because I did not think they would sell. It's nice to finally get them out and move on to something new.



> This was just what I needed to get me writing again after a long while off. It's my homage (i.e. blatant rip-off) to 80s horror movies. *I am considering a sequel, maybe even a series if readers show interest*.


I'm interested, the people who follow the Eight Hour Fiction Challenge are interested. Please consider continuing the series for next month's challenge.

I noticed that you have a slew of books. I'll check them out as I have time. At very least, I will read this book, which will earn you a borrow. Please also consider setting up an author page for your various books.

Great job and enjoy the rest of your weekend!


----------



## Donald Rump (Dec 10, 2013)

> How did I miss this post? I really wanted to do a quick fiction challenge, but I don't think I can get one done by tonight's deadline. It would have been great incentive to get something published before my birthday. Then again, the house is pretty clean. I have nowhere to go. If I don't shower and take minimal bathroom breaks, I could be done by 5:00 p.m. barring any glitches with creating a cover and uploading.


Go for it! I'm right there with you, trying to get a book done before the deadline.

Here's what I'm working on:


----------



## CraigInOregon (Aug 6, 2010)

Donald,


I'm on West Coast time. PDT.

It's 3:30 PM here as I write this and I'm hoping to be done with the writing and proofing shortly, slap together a cover, and hit upload soon.

But, given KDP's speed, I doubt it will be Live! On Amazon! before the clock strikes midnight.

Will mine still count?


----------



## Donald Rump (Dec 10, 2013)

> But, given KDP's speed, I doubt it will be Live! On Amazon! before the clock strikes midnight.
> 
> Will mine still count?


It doesn't have to be live to count. It just needs to be submitted.


----------



## revolver (Aug 27, 2014)

Donald Rump said:


> I've added your challenge entry here and am impressed that you were able to hit 12,000 words in an 8-hour timeframe. That's an accomplishment all in itself.


Ha! I couldn't have written that fast a month ago. My recent purchase of an Alphasmart Neo has more than doubled my writing speed. But then, I was writing on an old Smith Corona electric. Don't even have a computer at home, and have to depend upon a friend's PC when I can visit.


----------



## Cege Smith (Dec 11, 2011)

Just hit publish about 10 minutes ago and sent you an email with the preliminary details. 8450 words in just under six and a half hours. And my goal to get a short ready for Halloween is now accomplished.  

Thanks for getting this organized, Donald!


----------



## Donald Rump (Dec 10, 2013)

> Just hit publish about 10 minutes ago and sent you an email with the preliminary details. 8450 words in just under six and a half hours. And my goal to get a short ready for Halloween is now accomplished.
> 
> Thanks for getting this organized, Donald!


Congratulations! I added a placeholder for your book on the submissions page. Over 8,000 words is excellent for 6.5 hours. I can't even touch that speed!


----------



## CraigInOregon (Aug 6, 2010)

Donald,

I've sent you everything but the Amazon link (won't have it until tomorrow) and the cover (Yahoo troubles) but here is the cover:


----------



## CraigInOregon (Aug 6, 2010)

Donald.

The book's pre-order page just went live, so I emailed you the link and you should now have everything from me. (I sent the cover via Gmail to get past the Yahoo problem.


----------



## Donald Rump (Dec 10, 2013)

> The book's pre-order page just went live, so I emailed you the link and you should now have everything from me. (I sent the cover via Gmail to get past the Yahoo problem.


Congratulations! I just added it to the submission page.

If anyone else has a submission, please get it to me today.


----------



## Donald Rump (Dec 10, 2013)

Thanks, Meg. I've updated your entry and added a link to Versent as well.

Thanks again for participating and hope to see you next month!


----------



## Cege Smith (Dec 11, 2011)

Donald Rump said:


> Congratulations! I added a placeholder for your book on the submissions page. Over 8,000 words is excellent for 6.5 hours. I can't even touch that speed!


I just emailed you the rest now that the book is live.
Since I've started putting Rachel Aaron's advice into practice (from her book 2K to 10K), I've seen a nice uptick in how fast I can get a story down on paper.


----------



## Donald Rump (Dec 10, 2013)

> I just emailed you the rest now that the book is live.
> Since I've started putting Rachel Aaron's advice into practice (from her book 2K to 10K), I've seen a nice uptick in how fast I can get a story down on paper.


It's funny, I bought that book but still haven't implemented the advice. I remember reading it first as a blog post before readers convinced Rachel to monetize it. It's a really good tool for authors.

I've added the rest of your entry and also added your thank you note from the first e-mail in the Additional Comments section. If there's anything else you'd like to add, let me know. Good luck in September's challenge!


----------



## Donald Rump (Dec 10, 2013)

A special thanks to everyone who participated in the Eight Hour Fiction Half-Month Challenge for August 2014. We had 16 entries in all, a significant increase over previous months. You can see the results here, sorted by Completion Time:

http://eighthourfictionchallenge.blogspot.com

I hope that everyone who participated got something out of it. And for those of you who would like to read the entries, many are in the Kindle Unlimited program or available for a reasonable price. Check them out, leave a review, and see what these magnificent writers come up with next month.

To participate in September's challenge, please refer to the following thread:

http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,193770.msg2731153.html


----------



## swolf (Jun 21, 2010)

Thanks for all the work you put into this, Donald, and also thanks for the great reviews.


----------



## Donald Rump (Dec 10, 2013)

And thank you for participating.

I'm glad I got the opportunity to read your books. I've read five now, and I still like your challenge entry the best. I owe you one more review, and will get it up tonight or over the weekend.

See you next month!


----------



## CraigInOregon (Aug 6, 2010)

Wow... I've never seen a flash fiction defined as 2,100 words before. So, that's new to me.

Usually most folks who write it define it as being somewhere between 300 - 1,000 words at most.

Interesting. Learned something new.


----------



## ThomasDiehl (Aug 23, 2014)

CraigInOregon said:


> Wow... I've never seen a flash fiction defined as 2,100 words before. So, that's new to me.
> 
> Usually most folks who write it define it as being somewhere between 300 - 1,000 words at most.
> 
> Interesting. Learned something new.


  It's more of a statemnt on style than length, really. I used to learn the diffference between these kinds of fiction is the way they are written. I was unfamiliar with categorizing them by length before getting in contact with the anglophone publishing world.
So, if I write something stylistically closer to flash fiction than a short story, I come back to describing it as a long piece of flash fiction.

@Donald BTW, I'm fairly certain I am _not_ Cara Lee


----------



## Donald Rump (Dec 10, 2013)

> @Donald BTW, I'm fairly certain I am not Cara Lee


Oops. How embarrassing!

It's fixed.


----------

