The 2023 Geek Pride Story Event: Official Support Page

[MisterWildCard]

It's so intimidating seeing everyone's word counts lol.

Also, as long as the story falls in the realm of "geeky" it counts, right? It doesn't have to be explicitly sci-fi or fantasy? Can it be about geeky/nerdy people?

Geeky/nerdy people is absolutely on-topic for this event. Sci-fi/Fantasy is a popular way to go with this event, but so are stories about perfectly normal people who have something they like to geek out over. It doesn't even have to be "geek culture" related (comics, SF, fantasy, etc.), you could have a story about people who are really passionate about trains, or discovering new restaurants, or stamp collecting, or really anything at all.

 

[gunhilltrain]

It can be anything you want as long as YOU consider it geeky. Me - my favorite geek-dom is trackside watching the trains go by, HO scale, O27 scale or 1:1 scale prototype monsters... but there's never any sex in that, not unless you're riding the train.

SF/Fantasy just turns me on, I love it, it's fun and once a year the creative juices really flow. I had to stop tonight but I hope the creative writing finishes tomorrow and we go to editing and clean/up

Hah, that reminds me that the last Geek Pride story I did (four years now?) was set at a streetcar museum in Connecticut - a real one. I think all of the vehicles described are still there. It was in the Romance category, and any sex takes place elsewhere, perhaps several days later.

For the one science fiction story I've done, I lifted the concept from an old Twilight Zone episode. I don't think the late Rod Serling is going to care, but I do admire his imagination. I was able to make explicit what Serling could only imply in 1959.

 

[Duleigh]

Hah, that reminds me that the last Geek Pride story I did (four years now?) was set at a streetcar museum in Connecticut - a real one. I think all of the vehicles described are still there. It was in the Romance category, and any sex takes place elsewhere, perhaps several days later.

For the one science fiction story I've done, I lifted the concept from an old Twilight Zone episode. I don't think the late Rod Serling is going to care, but I do admire his imagination. I was able to make explicit what Serling could only imply in 1959.

You mention the streetcar museum then Twilight Zone, and the possibility of a story appears: a guy who wakes up in a train yard, he's moving from car to car, train to train, he eventually gets on a street car that begins to move, then after a while everything is familiar, he's riding on a friends model train layout. Add spookyness, a hot chick, a zinger for the ending. Your welcome.

 

[EmilyMiller]

Yes, of course it doesn't have to be science fiction or fantasy. Usually "geek" means someone with a lot of esoteric knowledge, to the point where it may hinder them socially. The "pride" part may mean that they have stopped trying to hide it. If it helps, my word count (completed) is only about 11,700.

Heading for 30k. See I’m being geeky AND socially awkward. Two for two. Go Emily!

Em

 

[Duleigh]

Just hit 40K and am slowly sliding into a conclusion... then an epilogue.

 

[gunhilltrain]

You mention the streetcar museum then Twilight Zone, and the possibility of a story appears: a guy who wakes up in a train yard, he's moving from car to car, train to train, he eventually gets on a street car that begins to move, then after a while everything is familiar, he's riding on a friends model train layout. Add spookyness, a hot chick, a zinger for the ending. Your welcome.

In the Twilight Zone movie (1982?), the character played by Vic Morrow wakes up on a train to Auschwitz, I think. Not very erotic. It was also the same movie in which Morrow was killed in an on-set accident. Foreshadowing, perhaps?

Serling's take on trains was A Stop at Willoughby. Of course, the main character's image of the 19th Century leaves out all of the downbeat things going on in that era.

 

[gunhilltrain]

The model train layout idea sounds a lot like Serling. Does the guy then spend the rest of his life trapped as HO sized?

 

[gunhilltrain]

Heading for 30k. See I’m being geeky AND socially awkward. Two for two. Go Emily!

Em

You're going to give Eldritch Brat the jitters!

 

[Kumquatqueen]

I have a story nearly done now, about 9k. It's short but there's a *lot* of bad jokes in it.

Many, many thanks to @TheRedChamber who read a draft, observed it was an unholy mess of insane rambling, (they were more polite, but it was true!) and found the threads of story for me to pull out and make into something coherent. It's not there yet but I have resolved the issue of Chekov's Blowjob.

(TRC pointed out that if someone ups the ante in a trading game by offering sexual favours like a blow job, there really needs to be said blowjob later in the story, or readers will be disappointed. Did I get rid of the reference or add the fellatio? Guess...)

 

[Duleigh]

The model train layout idea sounds a lot like Serling. Does the guy then spend the rest of his life trapped as HO sized?

The episode I'm thinking of is Ep 150 - Stopover in a Quiet Town
Kind of a Groundhog Day feeling to it

 

[Rustyoznail]

I'm going to put mine on hold until next year. I can see already it's going to be a long story.

I've done one story where I chopped it short to meet a timeline and it quite rightly got belted by the readers. I won't make that mistake again.

So... I think I'll work on the follow up to that story, which will be a nice fit for the Summer comp.

 

[Rob_Royale]

I'm going to put mine on hold until next year.

As am I. I've got a Point A and Point C, but Point B remains elusive. Besides, I don't think my idea truly celebrates geek pride, so much as takes advantage of the fact that it exists. See you next year.

 

[Duleigh]

Thinking of resting Enchantress for the evening, up to 43K and almost done. So far the biggest single story I've ever written. Shame it's a fan fic, I could easily flesh it out to novel size for sale.

 

[gunhilltrain]

The episode I'm thinking of is Ep 150 - Stopover in a Quiet Town
Kind of a Groundhog Day feeling to it

I'm not sure if I saw that one. There was a Twilight Zone marathon on a couple of years ago, but most of the episodes are not online except for some select scenes. Actually, correction, someone I knew had Apple TV and you could select episodes. I should look it up, but the original series ran for four years, I think?

 

[gunhilltrain]

Heading for 30k. See I’m being geeky AND socially awkward. Two for two. Go Emily!

Em

This sounds very "meta," if I'm using the term correctly. Like a Geek Pride story about somebody writing a Geek Pride story. On second thought, never mind!

 

[Duleigh]

Just finished the first draft of Enchantress, 48.5K I can't wait for tomorrow to start the editing, I know I'm going to pump it up a bit.

 

[EmilyMiller]

Finished first draft of Caputpedes. 28k words now. I suspect I’ll find a need for around 1-2k extra words in editing.

The good news is well in time for the deadline.

Em

 

[Blind_Justice]

Still a ways to go.

 

[Duleigh]

I'm in the midst of a long, long edit. 51K words and a storyline that I love. I could probably have it ready to go tonight but I'm also writing a follow up story that has the potential of another 50K words. Enchantress, a Tale of Discworld will be ready for you on time Chloe.

 

[oneagainst]

Ready to go with a nice pair... love the geek pride event!

 

[SimonDoom]

I've completely switched my focus for this event. There's lots of work to do but the story is pretty well mapped out, and I've actually written the first few pages and the last three paragraphs. It's one of my more ambitious stories. The theme is AI.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

I want to do a bit more polishing, but my story is about ready. It'll probably score terribly because it straddles two categories (BDSM and Humor/Satire), but I think it now works for an admittedly niche audience. I'd like to get more board game references into it if I can.

 

[Duleigh]

it straddles two categories (BDSM and Humor/Satire)

Nothing beats a few one liners between strokes of the cane

 

[EmilyMiller]

Going to submit my Geek Pride story early, just in case @Laurel has any issues with the contents. Assume she’ll hold it if all is OK.

Em

 

[gunhilltrain]

I'm in the midst of a long, long edit. 51K words and a storyline that I love. I could probably have it ready to go tonight but I'm also writing a follow up story that has the potential of another 50K words. Enchantress, a Tale of Discworld will be ready for you on time Chloe.

Again, I salute your ambition. That is a big editing job, about five times longer than I have to deal with.