Recovery: Challenge Results
The results of the current story challenge are here. We're displaying them all, so it's quite a large page. The stories are different and the styles are different. This page lets the authors see and understand how their story affected a readership where another author's story might not have. So this is a positive feedback they are all getting
Best of all, it acts as an encouragement to write more.
Individual story ratings
This is what we have always done. It lets the author see how well they met the brief, according to their readership. There can be very little vanity here! The answers are here, warts 'n all!
For your convenience the stories are linked from the head of each results poll
Full entrants
The full entrants were all submitted before the closing date of the challenge
Making Love
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You may tick as many statements as you wish. Stories my also be discussed in detail on the Literary Merit forum [37 votes total]
|
I will seek this author's work out (28)
|
75%
|
It grabbed my attention early on (31)
|
83%
|
I had to know what happened (31)
|
83%
|
I identified with at least one of the cast (7)
|
18%
|
Gritty - it had an edge to it (25)
|
67%
|
Realistic - it could have happened that way (29)
|
78%
|
I found it hard to follow (0)
|
0%
|
Good characterisation (24)
|
64%
|
I feel better for having read it (20)
|
54%
|
It was romantic (26)
|
70%
|
It was erotic (6)
|
16%
|
Too much explicit sex (0)
|
0%
|
It had the right amount of sex, if there was any (23)
|
62%
|
Not enough explicit sex (0)
|
0%
|
I have read and enjoyed other work by this author (7)
|
18%
|
It was sufficiently dark, but the recovery was missing something (3)
|
8%
|
It was not sufficiently dark, but the recovery was great (0)
|
0%
|
It was both sufficiently dark and had a great recovery (28)
|
75%
|
|
|
The Lottery of Ears and Necks
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You may tick as many statements as you wish. Stories my also be discussed in detail on the Literary Merit forum [33 votes total]
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I will seek this author's work out (25)
|
75%
|
It grabbed my attention early on (26)
|
78%
|
I had to know what happened (27)
|
81%
|
I identified with at least one of the cast (15)
|
45%
|
Gritty - it had an edge to it (15)
|
45%
|
Realistic - it could have happened that way (29)
|
87%
|
I found it hard to follow (1)
|
3%
|
Good characterisation (29)
|
87%
|
I feel better for having read it (19)
|
57%
|
It was romantic (27)
|
81%
|
It was erotic (5)
|
15%
|
Too much explicit sex (0)
|
0%
|
It had the right amount of sex, if there was any (18)
|
54%
|
Not enough explicit sex (0)
|
0%
|
I have read and enjoyed other work by this author (21)
|
63%
|
It was sufficiently dark, but the recovery was missing something (3)
|
9%
|
It was not sufficiently dark, but the recovery was great (4)
|
12%
|
It was both sufficiently dark and had a great recovery (23)
|
69%
|
|
|
Ships Sink
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You may tick as many statements as you wish. Stories my also be discussed in detail on the Literary Merit forum [33 votes total]
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I will seek this author's work out (25)
|
75%
|
It grabbed my attention early on (29)
|
87%
|
I had to know what happened (29)
|
87%
|
I identified with at least one of the cast (7)
|
21%
|
Gritty - it had an edge to it (22)
|
66%
|
Realistic - it could have happened that way (29)
|
87%
|
I found it hard to follow (0)
|
0%
|
Good characterisation (27)
|
81%
|
I feel better for having read it (12)
|
36%
|
It was romantic (15)
|
45%
|
It was erotic (7)
|
21%
|
Too much explicit sex (0)
|
0%
|
It had the right amount of sex, if there was any (23)
|
69%
|
Not enough explicit sex (0)
|
0%
|
I have read and enjoyed other work by this author (20)
|
60%
|
It was sufficiently dark, but the recovery was missing something (1)
|
3%
|
It was not sufficiently dark, but the recovery was great (2)
|
6%
|
It was both sufficiently dark and had a great recovery (27)
|
81%
|
|
|
Crossing Jordan
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You may tick as many statements as you wish. Stories my also be discussed in detail on the Literary Merit forum [39 votes total]
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I will seek this author's work out (22)
|
56%
|
It grabbed my attention early on (35)
|
89%
|
I had to know what happened (31)
|
79%
|
I identified with at least one of the cast (16)
|
41%
|
Gritty - it had an edge to it (20)
|
51%
|
Realistic - it could have happened that way (26)
|
66%
|
I found it hard to follow (2)
|
5%
|
Good characterisation (32)
|
82%
|
I feel better for having read it (19)
|
48%
|
It was romantic (27)
|
69%
|
It was erotic (1)
|
2%
|
Too much explicit sex (0)
|
0%
|
It had the right amount of sex, if there was any (20)
|
51%
|
Not enough explicit sex (0)
|
0%
|
I have read and enjoyed other work by this author (12)
|
30%
|
It was sufficiently dark, but the recovery was missing something (3)
|
7%
|
It was not sufficiently dark, but the recovery was great (2)
|
5%
|
It was both sufficiently dark and had a great recovery (30)
|
76%
|
|
|
Round Here
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You may tick as many statements as you wish. Stories my also be discussed in detail on the Literary Merit forum [33 votes total]
|
I will seek this author's work out (19)
|
57%
|
It grabbed my attention early on (30)
|
90%
|
I had to know what happened (27)
|
81%
|
I identified with at least one of the cast (13)
|
39%
|
Gritty - it had an edge to it (19)
|
57%
|
Realistic - it could have happened that way (28)
|
84%
|
I found it hard to follow (0)
|
0%
|
Good characterisation (24)
|
72%
|
I feel better for having read it (14)
|
42%
|
It was romantic (11)
|
33%
|
It was erotic (1)
|
3%
|
Too much explicit sex (0)
|
0%
|
It had the right amount of sex, if there was any (15)
|
45%
|
Not enough explicit sex (0)
|
0%
|
I have read and enjoyed other work by this author (3)
|
9%
|
It was sufficiently dark, but the recovery was missing something (4)
|
12%
|
It was not sufficiently dark, but the recovery was great (1)
|
3%
|
It was both sufficiently dark and had a great recovery (25)
|
75%
|
|
|
Killing Me Slowly
|
You may tick as many statements as you wish. Stories my also be discussed in detail on the Literary Merit forum [31 votes total]
|
I will seek this author's work out (11)
|
35%
|
It grabbed my attention early on (17)
|
54%
|
I had to know what happened (18)
|
58%
|
I identified with at least one of the cast (2)
|
6%
|
Gritty - it had an edge to it (20)
|
64%
|
Realistic - it could have happened that way (17)
|
54%
|
I found it hard to follow (7)
|
22%
|
Good characterisation (7)
|
22%
|
I feel better for having read it (0)
|
0%
|
It was romantic (0)
|
0%
|
It was erotic (3)
|
9%
|
Too much explicit sex (0)
|
0%
|
It had the right amount of sex, if there was any (12)
|
38%
|
Not enough explicit sex (2)
|
6%
|
I have read and enjoyed other work by this author (8)
|
25%
|
It was sufficiently dark, but the recovery was missing something (21)
|
67%
|
It was not sufficiently dark, but the recovery was great (1)
|
3%
|
It was both sufficiently dark and had a great recovery (4)
|
12%
|
|
|
The Best Christmas
|
You may tick as many statements as you wish. Stories my also be discussed in detail on the Literary Merit forum [19 votes total]
|
I will seek this author's work out (9)
|
47%
|
It grabbed my attention early on (16)
|
84%
|
I had to know what happened (15)
|
78%
|
I identified with at least one of the cast (5)
|
26%
|
Gritty - it had an edge to it (8)
|
42%
|
Realistic - it could have happened that way (11)
|
57%
|
I found it hard to follow (0)
|
0%
|
Good characterisation (17)
|
89%
|
I feel better for having read it (9)
|
47%
|
It was romantic (16)
|
84%
|
It was erotic (10)
|
52%
|
Too much explicit sex (1)
|
5%
|
It had the right amount of sex, if there was any (15)
|
78%
|
Not enough explicit sex (0)
|
0%
|
I have read and enjoyed other work by this author (9)
|
47%
|
It was sufficiently dark, but the recovery was missing something (1)
|
5%
|
It was not sufficiently dark, but the recovery was great (1)
|
5%
|
It was both sufficiently dark and had a great recovery (13)
|
68%
|
|
|
The Steven Roberts Stories - It Takes a Village
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You may tick as many statements as you wish. Stories my also be discussed in detail on the Literary Merit forum [50 votes total]
|
I will seek this author's work out (35)
|
70%
|
It grabbed my attention early on (42)
|
84%
|
I had to know what happened (44)
|
88%
|
I identified with at least one of the cast (9)
|
18%
|
Gritty - it had an edge to it (26)
|
52%
|
Realistic - it could have happened that way (41)
|
82%
|
I found it hard to follow (0)
|
0%
|
Good characterisation (42)
|
84%
|
I feel better for having read it (31)
|
62%
|
It was romantic (19)
|
38%
|
It was erotic (3)
|
6%
|
Too much explicit sex (0)
|
0%
|
It had the right amount of sex, if there was any (28)
|
56%
|
Not enough explicit sex (3)
|
6%
|
I have read and enjoyed other work by this author (30)
|
60%
|
It was sufficiently dark, but the recovery was missing something (2)
|
4%
|
It was not sufficiently dark, but the recovery was great (2)
|
4%
|
It was both sufficiently dark and had a great recovery (35)
|
70%
|
|
|
The Messenger of All Things
|
You may tick as many statements as you wish. Stories my also be discussed in detail on the Literary Merit forum [44 votes total]
|
I will seek this author's work out (32)
|
72%
|
It grabbed my attention early on (35)
|
79%
|
I had to know what happened (37)
|
84%
|
I identified with at least one of the cast (12)
|
27%
|
Gritty - it had an edge to it (31)
|
70%
|
Realistic - it could have happened that way (28)
|
63%
|
I found it hard to follow (2)
|
4%
|
Good characterisation (34)
|
77%
|
I feel better for having read it (27)
|
61%
|
It was romantic (31)
|
70%
|
It was erotic (14)
|
31%
|
Too much explicit sex (0)
|
0%
|
It had the right amount of sex, if there was any (29)
|
65%
|
Not enough explicit sex (1)
|
2%
|
I have read and enjoyed other work by this author (7)
|
15%
|
It was sufficiently dark, but the recovery was missing something (2)
|
4%
|
It was not sufficiently dark, but the recovery was great (1)
|
2%
|
It was both sufficiently dark and had a great recovery (37)
|
84%
|
|
|
A Storm Named Zach
|
You may tick as many statements as you wish. Stories my also be discussed in detail on the Literary Merit forum [54 votes total]
|
I will seek this author's work out (37)
|
68%
|
It grabbed my attention early on (43)
|
79%
|
I had to know what happened (45)
|
83%
|
I identified with at least one of the cast (8)
|
14%
|
Gritty - it had an edge to it (23)
|
42%
|
Realistic - it could have happened that way (32)
|
59%
|
I found it hard to follow (0)
|
0%
|
Good characterisation (38)
|
70%
|
I feel better for having read it (13)
|
24%
|
It was romantic (9)
|
16%
|
It was erotic (2)
|
3%
|
Too much explicit sex (0)
|
0%
|
It had the right amount of sex, if there was any (18)
|
33%
|
Not enough explicit sex (2)
|
3%
|
I have read and enjoyed other work by this author (13)
|
24%
|
It was sufficiently dark, but the recovery was missing something (20)
|
37%
|
It was not sufficiently dark, but the recovery was great (3)
|
5%
|
It was both sufficiently dark and had a great recovery (5)
|
9%
|
|
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Overall rating
Recovery
|
Click each tale which made you think, or made you pause, or created a picture of someone's desolation in your head [17 votes total]
|
The Lottery of Ears and Necks (4)
|
23%
|
Making Love (6)
|
35%
|
Ships Sink (7)
|
41%
|
Crossing Jordan (6)
|
35%
|
Round Here (3)
|
17%
|
The Best Christmas (4)
|
23%
|
Killing Me Slowly (2)
|
11%
|
The Steven Roberts Stories - It Takes a Village (7)
|
41%
|
The Messenger of All Things (6)
|
35%
|
A Storm Named Zach (11)
|
64%
|
|
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