NEW USERS! INTRODUCE YOURSELVES!

Welcome aboard, DeLaMer! Good luck in Q4!

And thank you for speaking up. I was just starting to notice how quiet the Forum has been (no doubt because people are hard at work on their Q4 entries, while Q3 Finalists *twitch* quietly in the corner). It's never a good idea for me to notice that...

Hi,

I'm new to this forum, not so much the contest; have entered a couple of times and just subbed a story to Q4. I've been writing for years and love it, but only recently have I thought that some of it might be worth reading by other humans. I love all the sci-fi (but especially space opera and cyberpunk), dark fantasy, horror…I'm up for reading and writing anything with a speculative element really!

Welcome! Things are a bit quiet at the moment, but we'll perk up soon.

Good luck in Q4!

Hello!
I'm fortis, and I love to write, as is pretty obvious from my presence here. I'm 16, and I'm taking my first creative writing class this semester in high school. ^_^ I did a double-take when I first saw this forum because it looks just like my other writing forum except the smilies are different. At least I don't have to relearn the code.
I write mostly poetry, but that's probably because I'm too lazy to actually think up a plot.
I'm at about 24k words in my current fantasy novel (about halfway done if I'm guessing, so since I started in March, I should finish with the first draft about that time next year). I heard about the WOTF contest a few months ago? I think anyway. And then I closed the tab and forgot about it. Now I've found it again. I have no idea what I'm going to submit for this quarter though. I'm glad there's a nice community surrounding this. c:

Welcome, Fortis!

Pat Rothfuss won with an excerpt from his fantasy novel, so it's doable as long as the excerpt is a complete story by itself and doesn't leave a lot of loose ends hanging.

I got a semi with a novel excerpt, and since semis get critiques, the judge told me that there was a story that the finalist spot for that quarter went to a slightly better story, and mine felt a bit too much like the opening of a novel.

Good luck in the contest!

And thank you for speaking up. I was just starting to notice how quiet the Forum has been (no doubt because people are hard at work on their Q4 entries, while Q3 Finalists *twitch* quietly in the corner). It's never a good idea for me to notice that...

I am definitely more of a lurker than a poster on these kinds of boards, but thought I'd get the ball rolling for all those Q4 entrants who need encouragement to dive into the forum.

DID SOMEONE SAY PAT ROTHFUSS?
I didn't know he did this contest! He's my favorite author! I have his books all highlighted and stuff~
Thanks for telling me about the excerpt thing, I didn't know that. ^-^

DID SOMEONE SAY PAT ROTHFUSS?
I didn't know he did this contest! He's my favorite author! I have his books all highlighted and stuff~
Thanks for telling me about the excerpt thing, I didn't know that. ^-^

A-ha! OK, so - Pat's winning story, The Road to Levinshir, comes from book two. My suggestion is to read it and study how it works. How did he make it feel complete? How did he manage to give enough info about the characters and the world without overburdening the needs of the short story format? There are probably some subtle changes between the winning short (I think the title was slightly different) and the bit in the novel, but the part in the novel is probably sufficient for study.

Also, I did this same sort of study before I wrote my first finalist entry, so I can attest that it works.

ETA: I will try to find my process post on this topic, but it may take awhile.

ETA2: Got it! viewtopic.php?f=1&t=1123&p=42364&hilit=levinshir#p42364 But seriously, you'll still need to read the chapter in question to really understand how Rothfuss did it.

Welcome to the group Fortis and DeLaMer! And best of luck in Q4.

Hi all.
Well.
I did it. I started writing a short story on July 1st with the intention of submitting by the Oct 1 deadline and it is done. Off you go little story. Go make momma proud. I'm in my late 20's and have been, as of this year, getting serious about my writing habit. Hopefully this is the start of some good experience. Even if it's a rejection AT LEAST I FINISHED A THING WOOT.

I've been lurking the forums for the last few months and now that I've actually managed to complete a thing I feel like I can talk lol.

Hello, lovely people!

So, intro:

I decided that I wanted to be a professional writer when I was in high school, but I got discouraged pretty quickly. (Ironically, the "last straw" for me was getting a personalized rejection, which I didn't know was a good sign.) Writing and I have had a spotty relationship in the intervening decades, with the writing constantly getting put on the back burner. For the past couple of years, though, I've focused on lots of little (and big) life changes to help recover my writing focus. I'll admit that my current writing pace is akin to that of a baby tummy-scooting across the floor, but at least I'm moving again. =)

After 5 whole years of not submitting anything anywhere, I submitted a fresh story to the Baen Fantasy Contest this past summer, and I just today submitted a rewritten older story for Vol 31 Q4! (Because of my time zone, I was able to submit my story just before 3pm on Oct 1st. Even though it's actually at the same time as everyone else's deadline, I still feel privileged. ) This evening I started writing my story idea for the next quarter. I'm also in the middle of outlining a novel for the first time, which I'm planning to draft during NaNoWriMo. Here's to the hope of my getting up to crawling speed by the end of 2014!

As for the day job, I currently teach English at an elementary school on a small Taiwanese island. It's not nearly as romantic as it sounds, but it pays the bills and buys the dog food. And, yep, I have two furbabies that I was crazy enough to bring with me from the States when I moved here last year. Esme is an Aussie/Golden/maybeHusky? mix with different colored eyes, and Mustrum is some-sort-of-tall-black-wavy-haired-mutt-that-sheds-every-second-of-every-day. I promise not to talk about them in every single post. I'll give you brownie points, though, if you know the two speculative fiction characters they're named after. (Hint: They're not from Twilight.)

I'm also a student of Mandarin Chinese right now. Because survival.

Hi Elen!

Glad you're back into writing.
I followed a somewhat similar path, but only had about 10 years between my discouragement and my back on the horse.
And you've already received an honorable mention, that's great!

I work with lots of folks in TW for my international shipping company. Although I can't speak for a tiny island, I can say I have several friends on the "big" island.

Good luck in Q4, and keep up the great pace!

Hi Elen!

Glad you're back into writing.
I followed a somewhat similar path, but only had about 10 years between my discouragement and my back on the horse.
And you've already received an honorable mention, that's great!

I work with lots of folks in TW for my international shipping company. Although I can't speak for a tiny island, I can say I have several friends on the "big" island.

Good luck in Q4, and keep up the great pace!

Thank you, Dustin!

The story I reworked and submitted this quarter is actually the one that got that one honorable mention. I almost decided not to submit it today, because I'm afraid it'll get outright rejected this time, and then I'll know that I just made it worse, ha ha! I'm hoping the intervening years have given me some good perspective, though...

That's awesome that you have friends on the big island! The little island I'm on is called Kinmen, and from here you can see China with the naked eye. It used to be known in the States as "Quemoy," back when it was being bombed by China on a daily basis. (And now bomb shells are actually listed as a natural resource for the island. The knives produced here from the gathered bomb shells are a part of the island's tourism revenues -- and they're great in the kitchen to boot!)

A warm welcome to the new forumites. You've found a good place to spend some time. Enjoy.

Welcome, fortis, DeLaMer, Dracoangelica and Elen! (And I hope I'm not forgetting anyone.)

This forum is one of the greatest places for companionship and writing advice, and it's lots of fun too.

Thanks!
Everyone here is really nice. I'm excited to get through to the next quarter with everyone and to see who struck gold this time around.

Thank you, story singer and George!

Hi! My name's Amy and I just placed 2nd in the 3rd quarter. I've lurked the forums, but never joined in. I suppose now would be a good time for it huh? I'm really excited to be here! I've known about the contest for years, but this was my first entry so I'm still sort of reeling. can't wait until April!

Hi! My name's Amy and I just placed 2nd in the 3rd quarter. I've lurked the forums, but never joined in. I suppose now would be a good time for it huh? I'm really excited to be here! I've known about the contest for years, but this was my first entry so I'm still sort of reeling. can't wait until April!

Wow, congrats, Amy! I'd be reeling, too!

First entry!? Way to go!
I'm insanely jealous, but also excited. Huge congrats to you!

Congrats, Amy!

Welcome to Elen and Amy. Woo hoo - fresh mea- er, members!

Hi! My name's Amy and I just placed 2nd in the 3rd quarter. I've lurked the forums, but never joined in. I suppose now would be a good time for it huh? I'm really excited to be here! I've known about the contest for years, but this was my first entry so I'm still sort of reeling. can't wait until April!

Congrats and welcome!

All these first-timers...enough to makes some of us slow learners just a little bit jealous.

Way to go. Now on to the next story!

Congrats and welcome!

All these first-timers...enough to makes some of us slow learners just a little bit jealous.

Yeah, so if someone's bed gets sort of accidentally short-sheeted at the workshop, it's all meant in the friendliest possible way. Not that I would ever do such a thing. Not alone, anyway.

I'm Dan, and I'm the 1st place winner of Q3.

I lurked here for a little bit, mainly to finds answers to my questions in regards to the contest (side note: the link to Dave's daily kicks was a lifesaver). I figured I'd join to connect with the other winners and to offer some support to the Q4 contestants. Like Amy, I'm a first timer in the contest.

I look forward to getting to know the people here. You all seem like a fun bunch.

Congrats, Dan!

It's nice to know that even when forumites don't win, the winners become forumites!

I'm Dan, and I'm the 1st place winner of Q3.

Congrats!!!

I'm Dan, and I'm the 1st place winner of Q3.

I lurked here for a little bit, mainly to finds answers to my questions in regards to the contest (side note: the link to Dave's daily kicks was a lifesaver). I figured I'd join to connect with the other winners and to offer some support to the Q4 contestants. Like Amy, I'm a first timer in the contest.

I look forward to getting to know the people here. You all seem like a fun bunch.

Welcome! And yes, this is a great bunch to hang with.

Howdy, all. I'm technically not new here, but just returned after a hiatus.

I've been really lazy about writing lately, so I've decided to enter next quarter for the first time (and every quarter after that), just to give myself a kick in the pants to write more (and finish more!). I don't expect to do well, but at least if I have a goal it'll push me to improve. Here's looking forward to my very first rejection!

cheers!

Howdy, all. I'm technically not new here, but just returned after a hiatus.

I've been really lazy about writing lately, so I've decided to enter next quarter for the first time (and every quarter after that), just to give myself a kick in the pants to write more (and finish more!). I don't expect to do well, but at least if I have a goal it'll push me to improve. Here's looking forward to my very first rejection!

cheers!

Welcome back!
Getting back into the writing habit is hard work. Glad you I invade it back on the forums.