Thanks so much for a wonderful year, and here's to many, many more!

Congrats!

Bon Anniversaire!

I have thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I have only been active I guess for the past few months. I have not written fiction since college when my instructor in a creative writing course would use words like "derivative" and "cliched" to describe my work. Now that I write only for fun, not for a grade or (dread the thought) money, WF has been a perfect venue to stretch my wings in a supportive, friendly, fun environment. After I post a piece, I am on my iPod constantly checking for what my fellow writers have to say and to see what they are putting up. I think my wife suspects I have an online girlfriend. She is right: the Muse of Fiction, whichever one that is. You are right, Alysa, Open Salon does not really support our efforts and I have never seen a fiction piece on the Home page, but that is really a good thing. We have our own quiet corner to support and nurture each other's efforts. And since I mentioned your name, I think you deserve all the credit in the world for taking this on. Your Prompts are spectacular: imaginative and always stimulating. In fact, one of my problems with writing fiction, is thinking of something to write about. You remove that obstacle with your thought provoking prompts. And one of your Monday morning pats on the head is enough to keep our tails wagging all week.
So, here is a cyber-toast to OS Fiction, may it continue to grow and nurture new talent. Who knows where it will lead? R

Alysa, thanks so much for keeping this fiction club going. I think it's one of the best things about Open Salon, even though I'm more of a reader than a poster these days. And to all you fiction writers in the club...you're a joy and delight to follow. Keep writing!!!

It's been wonderful MC'ing the OS FW Club, and also writing here. I can't thank you guys enough for reading and commenting on my stories.

As far as favorite memories from this year, there have been some amazing stories, and many moving comments and thoughts shared here. But if I had to pick, my favorite first-year memory is probably the prompt where I asked people to write stories explaining what had happened to a guy I saw on the Metro who was well-dressed, holding two empty but drunken-out of wine glasses, and wearing a small bandage on his head. It was this perfect collision of real-life and fiction, and it was so fun to read what everyone had imagined.

Thanks so much for such a fantastic year.

My joy is slightly dampened by Gerald's comment here - I'm sorry your teachers had such awful taste, and were so negative. What awful people On the other hand, I am absolutely thrilled you've triumphed in the end, and are here writing and sharing your truly enjoyable, well-written stories with us - we win and those ridiculous teachers lose!

Many thanks Alysa, for taking care of the OS fiction club, and congratulations, it´s very enjoyable to entertain readers here, and to read their posts.

Thank you, Alysa, for organizing the club and for your time and effort in coming up with prompts each week—to say nothing of reading all the stories! That’s no small commitment in and of itself, the reading. My own OSWF anniversary is coming up on June 6; one year of weekly original short stories (provided I can keep’em coming for another three weeks). I definitely feel that, as fun as it is to have a venue and a very giving community of writers to share with, the greatest reward from participating each week has been the improvement I’ve seen in the quality of my work and my understanding of structure, plotting, and the uses of diction. Becoming a good writer is similar to becoming a good athlete or cook or painter or lover: practice, practice, practice. You want to write? Write. You want to write well? Write a lot and try to peel off the blinders. And it is there that OSWF excels: you can come here and try out whatever you want and if you’re writing isn’t all that great, no worries; we don’t have any assholes here who will try to make you feel bad about it. Take your time, next week is another prompt, another chance, another set of characters, another emotion, another bloodthirsty horde of cultists sacrificing humans in the swamps being hunted by . . .but I digress. Congratulations are also due to all our various contributors. I’ve read some of the funniest, most touching, disturbing (you know who you are), and interesting stories I’ve ever come across right here on OSWF. High fives for everyone!

Favorite prompt? Hands down, the one with the Lady Gaga video. I had a blast writing the story for it and I think most of our contributors had a hell of a good time with it, too. Of course I still owe Alysa for getting that song stuck in my head . . .and now it’s stuck again. Curses! Once I find a suitably inescapable song, Alysa, it’s on!

Story I’m proudest of? Probably At least things can’t get any worse, a recent story. Though I don’t often do it in short fiction, most of my novels comment upon social and political topics. I think fiction allows for a cogent response to complex issues with a brevity unavailable to nonfiction or journalism, while simultaneously encouraging readers to examine their own experiences and opinions on the subject through their (hopefully) commiserating with the characters.

Happy Blogoversary, OS Weekend Fiction! Congratulations to all who contribute; thank you thank you thank you to everyone who reads; honorable mention to all who comment. And one last time, thank you Alysa for making the club such a success. Now, on to year two!

What Seth said!
OK, if I have to use my own words here goes.
This has been a great year for all us fiction story tellers. I really feel that Weekend Fiction produces some the best stories, week after week. Sure, none of us has ever made it to the front page, but when the ink is dry, I feel we have some awesome writers in the group.
Also, I'd like to say a Special Thanks to Alysa, for managing this site. You have been on target and on time from the get-go.
R

"Bread" is my offering on this our anniversary. I've been tending to my mother-in-law by taking her to the hospital for a biopsy on her lung today. So I rather hurried this piece but I believe it's readable.

PS: Alysa you've given us a watering hole that was started by Rita Bourland. Many thanks for keeping up with this endeavour.

Happy Blogoversary, OS fiction!

Alas, no story this week I'm getting ready for my art show at my mother's house on Sunday. ANd yes, I'll post a blog and pictures afterwards!

MMM! for fictional e-cake, this is pretty darn good!
Rated.

PS: Thank YOU , Alyssa, for having the courage to take this on, and doing it so well. =o),

I should have read all the way through before I posted which is a shortcoming of mine. The question was, What does this blog mean to me?

Response: Being retired (however, busy keeping my 5 acres tended) I need diversion as I worked most dilligent 12 hour shifts running a a three train engine long printing press making magazines and the last 12 yrs of a 30 career in printing was a trouble shooter who would take the train from Upstate New York into the city to deal with production managers, editors and the likes thereof.

Also, being somewhat scattered and hyper (maybe attention deficit) I found that I need diversion at every turn. In truth life has slown down but the V-8 running my hamster wheel has not so to make a long story longer, I've enjoyed writing along with the usual suspects wonderfully. I wish I could meet each and every one of you in person sometime. That would be a treat in itself to see how skewed the image in my mind is compared to the real soul.

You all water my creativity and that warms my coffee.

nice job and thanks again...

I love this OS Weekend Fiction Club! I wish I was a better writer and yet I like how I keep it simple. The thing I like best is how we wrangle with the difference between fiction and truth. It is a fine line for me and one we can explore as we continue on. Love you guys!!

And my high school French teacher is crying! Bonne Anniversaire!

First off, I want to thank you, Alysa, for this wonderful site. It's a pleasure to have a place to stretch my fiction-writing muscles and take on interesting topics. Through this club, I've had the opportunity to meet a number of people I otherwise would never know existed.

It's hard to single out a particular prompt or story. I'll side-step and say that my favorite is the next one I respond to or write.

I'll end by saying that I can feel a marked improvement in my efforts since I began answering the calls, even if I haven't been diligent about participating every week.

And I have you to thank for it all.

i'm not a writer, i don't even read fiction all that much and i certainly don't speak english on a regular basis, and yet in the past year i've been weaving a bunch of stories about vampires, angels, ghosts, love-child vulcans and girls who barricade themselves in their brother's closets. i don't think i would have made writing short stories a part of my life unless Alysa-san invited me here and everyone involved w/ this page accepted me into the warm, friendly environment that exist here. it's been a fun ride, and i hope it'll continue for a long time. thanks, everyone!

Happy Happy all. It is, all about us, the contributors. So cheers ya'll. tg

Happy Blogoversary! You have done a great job of keeping this club alive. Rated