Discussion: Q3 Volume 37

I'm in, too! Submitted a few days ago.
CC, beautiful family photo! Good luck to you.

Thank you!

v35: Q4 - HM
V36: R, R, R, R
V37: SHM, HM, HM, SHM
V38: SHM, HM, HM, HM
V39: HM, R, SHM, HM
Indie author of The Lex Chronicles (Legends of Arameth), and the in-progress Leyward Stones series--including my serial, Macchiatos, Faerie Princes, and Other Things That Happen at Midnight, currently available on Kindle Vella.
Website: http://ccrawfordwriting.com. I also have a newsletter and a blog!
Short story "Our Kind" published in DreamForge Anvil, Issue #5, and also "One Shot at Aeden" published in DreamForge Anvil, Issue #7!

 

I'm in for Quarter 3.

My very best wishes to you all!

I wonder how many people compete each quarter? Does anyone know?

They keep it a secret, I think to keep people from being too intimidated by the numbers to send in a story. But we have heard "thousands" before, and it seems the number grows each quarter.

They keep it a secret, I think to keep people from being too intimidated by the numbers to send in a story. But we have heard "thousands" before, and it seems the number grows each quarter.
SONOFA! (just kidding)

"Art is not a handicraft, it is the transmission of feeling the artist has experienced." ~ Leo Tolstoy

 

They keep it a secret, I think to keep people from being too intimidated by the numbers to send in a story. But we have heard "thousands" before, and it seems the number grows each quarter.

Thousands, yes, but so does every pro paying market and this one is only for fledgling professionals, before you've made many sales. It's anonymous, so it's all based on your work.

If you are consistently getting HMs, you are in the top 10%, or less, of entrants to this contest. That takes it down from "thousands" to "hundreds". Scary, but better!

If you get a SHM or SF, that means you were in the top .5% or so. Someone writing at that level will write publishable stories, guaranteed.

If you (not you, SwiftPotato, obviously!) have never gotten an HM, then step back and try to figure out what part of your writing needs work. Probably it'll be more than one element. See if you can find someone to help you pin it down. If you do get HMs, then keep plugging away. Maybe read Wulf's thread. He's got a ton of suggestions. Maybe go listen to Writing Excuses. They have a lot of suggestions too. Or read Dave's tips. There's a wealth of information at your fingertips. Find what works for you, discard the rest, but write, and submit.

Damn the odds. Full speed ahead!

WOTF: HM x 16, SHMx2, SF x 1, F V31 Q3, V32 Q2, V32 Q4, V34 Q3, V36 Q1
Baen Fantasy Award Winner 2014
V32 Published Finalist
3rd place V37 Q1!

 

I'm almost always good for the 450s.
Meaning I'll read and crit the first two pages.

Not always, but I've been known to write more than two pages for a critique. Not about the specific work, but usually about writing itself or things I've learned, etc.

KD has it right. You aren't competing against the thousands in a quarter--anyone that has read slush knows this. You are competing against about sixty or seventy writers in those higher tiers. And they are very, very good.

You must be better.

Train like an Olympian!

Wulf Moon

Maybe go listen to Writing Excuses.

We rarely talk about Writing Excuses on this forum. But, yeah, this is a brilliant free resource. For any one who hasn't checked this out, you really need to do so.

I just submitted my piece!!

Congrats, Shockhawk!

First time poster, though I read these forums voraciously around the time stories are due to reassure myself that other people are panicking as much as I am.

I have a story I've been working on for this quarter but it doesn't feel ready. On the other hand, I have a story that got a silver honorable mention a few quarters ago that I polished up and I'm tempted to resubmit, but I've turned that story into a novel, and the short story is word for word the first three chapters of the book. Does anybody know if agents/publishers will be less likely to take a book if part of that book has been published in the WOTF anthology?

[quote="somereason"

I have a story I've been working on for this quarter but it doesn't feel ready. On the other hand, I have a story that got a silver honorable mention a few quarters ago that I polished up and I'm tempted to resubmit, but I've turned that story into a novel, and the short story is word for word the first three chapters of the book. Does anybody know if agents/publishers will be less likely to take a book if part of that book has been published in the WOTF anthology?

Possibly more likely. Didn't Patrick Rothfuss struggle to get a publisher until he won WotF with a submission taken from his trilogy? Maybe not word for word - but then if a lot of people like a short story in WotF, aren't they more likely to buy a full novel?

See https://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/03/prweb5152024.htm (for info Rothfuss and his story.)

Hi Some Reason,

I offer an opinion. You have two goals; one short-term, the other long-term. The former is ready and available, hot off the press, and faces a deadline of midnight, June 30th. The latter is nebulous, up in the air, and isn't a final product. If the revised SHM wins, you'll gain notoriety and prestige which will help you towards your long-term goal. If your revised SHM does NOT win, you proceed with the long-term goal of novelization. It's a win-win.

At this point, I wouldn't stress over "What might be, what could be," as the publishing process is unpredictable a year from now. And I'm sure you'll write more than one novel.

Best,

Retro

Q3 for me is coming in, hands on fire, like Neil Young 1977 (DOWN TO THE WIRE) But, I'm loving the story, which I started just a few weeks ago after ditching my first effort. And come Hell or something similar, I'm finishing and submitting it!!!

Good luck to everyone!

Alright, I just put my story in for the first time. This was an idea I've had for years but never could wrap a story around it - and this time wrote it and polished it in 2 weeks.
Good luck to everyone else!

First time poster, though I read these forums voraciously around the time stories are due to reassure myself that other people are panicking as much as I am.

I have a story I've been working on for this quarter but it doesn't feel ready. On the other hand, I have a story that got a silver honorable mention a few quarters ago that I polished up and I'm tempted to resubmit, but I've turned that story into a novel, and the short story is word for word the first three chapters of the book. Does anybody know if agents/publishers will be less likely to take a book if part of that book has been published in the WOTF anthology?

If you're pretty sure the SHM is improved, submit it! I won last quarter with a revised and resubmited HM. It happens!

If the agent/publisher loves your book, they'll publish it. The WOTF contract does not claim any rights over the story that would prevent this from happening. Plenty of books are based on expanded short stories. Look at Ender's Game. Or Dragonflight. Or Childhood's End. Or, or, or...

First time poster, though I read these forums voraciously around the time stories are due to reassure myself that other people are panicking as much as I am.

I have a story I've been working on for this quarter but it doesn't feel ready. On the other hand, I have a story that got a silver honorable mention a few quarters ago that I polished up and I'm tempted to resubmit, but I've turned that story into a novel, and the short story is word for word the first three chapters of the book. Does anybody know if agents/publishers will be less likely to take a book if part of that book has been published in the WOTF anthology?

If you're pretty sure the SHM is improved, submit it! I won last quarter with a revised and resubmited HM. It happens!

If the agent/publisher loves your book, they'll publish it. The WOTF contract does not claim any rights over the story that would prevent this from happening. Plenty of books are based on expanded short stories. Look at Ender's Game. Or Dragonflight. Or Childhood's End. Or, or, or...

I've had mixed luck with resubs myself (turned an R into an SHM, but my two revised SHMs... stubbornly remain SHMs). Even so, I endorse this idea, because SHMs are super close to the mark and if you think you've made yours better this is a great way to find out.

KD's right about the short-story-to-novel expansion, too. Nothing wrong with that. If sending this revised SHM is what you feel gives you the best chance of winning, go for it.

It's been a long time coming but I'm in for this quarter too, and have a story ready to submit on the 1st of July (homeworking permitting).

I have a revised HM ready to go. It's a better story, but I'm holding back on submission as I still don't think I've made the premise believable enough for it to level up.

Alex H, I read your post.

It's your writing craft, entirely your decision, and only you know whether something of yours should be submitted.

That said, personally, I believe it's better to go down swinging, than be called out on strikes.

Best,

Retro

Never self reject.

Oops - my post was worded poorly. I will submit the story, I'm just waiting until closer to the deadline in the hope inspiration strikes in the meantime.

I agree: never self reject!

I've slipped behind, and won't quite make it in for this quarter. A bunch of little things killed my momentum and energy, so while I'm close, I'm going to look to punt this back, get it ready for Q4, and then get an early start on my next Q1.

It's been a long time coming but I'm in for this quarter too, and have a story ready to submit on the 1st of July (homeworking permitting).

Great to see you me ol' friend! (Axeminister here)

I've slipped behind, and won't quite make it in for this quarter. A bunch of little things killed my momentum and energy, so while I'm close, I'm going to look to punt this back, get it ready for Q4, and then get an early start on my next Q1.

Do you have an older story you might be able to polish up real quick so you can still get in this quarter? (If not, no worries. I totally get how life pressures can impact this kind of thing. Just figured it's worth a shot if you have the option. )

I am in for Q3v37

I'm in. I was working on a new story but am not going to be able to finish it. Lying in bed last night, I realized how I could improve a story I just got back from one of the zines. The editor was kind enough to comment on it but it took me a while to figure out a way to address what he was talking about.

I've slipped behind, and won't quite make it in for this quarter. A bunch of little things killed my momentum and energy, so while I'm close, I'm going to look to punt this back, get it ready for Q4, and then get an early start on my next Q1.

Do you have an older story you might be able to polish up real quick so you can still get in this quarter? (If not, no worries. I totally get how life pressures can impact this kind of thing. Just figured it's worth a shot if you have the option. )

I just took a look at this, and there may possibly be exactly one such that I would be okay with doing so with. I'll take a look and see if I can do anything to tighten or improve it.

(P.S. -- thanks for the nudge, as I looked at the same thing a few days ago, and had convinced myself I had nothing to work with in my backlog, and would probably have just rested on that if I hadn't taken a second look.)

I've slipped behind, and won't quite make it in for this quarter. A bunch of little things killed my momentum and energy, so while I'm close, I'm going to look to punt this back, get it ready for Q4, and then get an early start on my next Q1.

Do you have an older story you might be able to polish up real quick so you can still get in this quarter? (If not, no worries. I totally get how life pressures can impact this kind of thing. Just figured it's worth a shot if you have the option. )

I just took a look at this, and there may possibly be exactly one such that I would be okay with doing so with. I'll take a look and see if I can do anything to tighten or improve it.

(P.S. -- thanks for the nudge, as I looked at the same thing a few days ago, and had convinced myself I had nothing to work with in my backlog, and would probably have just rested on that if I hadn't taken a second look.)

No problem! Glad to help.