Discussion: Q3 Volume 38

I did the second out loud read-through tonight, and it went fairly well, though highlighted a couple of details I still want/need to correct. I caught some language problems, and in particular, an issue with the names causing some confusion that I'll need to correct. Otherwise, though, it still went well, and most of the first-read issues were resolved.

(Addendum, though: as a result of the issues found, this probably won't be my final out-loud reading, but just the second, as noted above. I'm planning to make my edits, and then give it one more whirl before I submit.)

@doctorjest

It sounds like you've put in a lot of good writing to get rejection slips of that caliber. So hats off to you on that. You just gotta keep on scribbling. 

Posted by: @corbin-maxwell

@doctorjest

 

It sounds like you've put in a lot of good writing to get rejection slips of that caliber. So hats off to you on that. You just gotta keep on scribbling. 

I think one difference between earlier me, and current me, is that I have a better understanding of what distinguished my better stories from my worse ones earlier on. There was a gulf of quality between my good work and my bad work back when I was first getting going, including when I got that paper rejection. These days, I get friendlier rejections, not least because I think I've understood how to know when a story will or won't be a good one before I write it.

I imagine I had to write some of those worse stories, though, in order to learn some of that. And some of them, bad though they may be, I still like. They may never get published, and probably quite rightly so, but I have a fondness for them all the same. 

Posted by: @doctorjest

I still need to do my final out-loud reading, I've put it back to accommodate other unavoidable things for a spell, but I'm running out of space to make sure I get this done. I'll try to find a window to go through it tonight and give myself the remaining couple of weeks to make sure I deal with any of the feedback that I get.

I wrote “Moongirl” in a day and a half. You can do this, Dr Jest!

And....I'm in for Q3....time to do my quarterly lurk of the forums so people don't think I've turned into a member of the undead.

Good job, Rey Nichols, and welcome back from the dead!

@babooher Thanks. I haven't so much been dead, as I have a book dropping in October, so between edit runs and proofs I have had 'barely' enough time to whip something up for WOTF.

One more reader to go for this one. If she has time. But I could always wake her up early. Won't be happy with me, but that's what coffee and apologies are for.

I just finished up what I believe may be my final edits, and I'm printing out a copy now for what I hope will be the third and final read-through. And if that goes well, I'll be dusting off the edges and submitting my entry by Monday at the latest. Fingers crossed!

"I'll start early," he said. "And when the school semester ends, I'll have loads of time to do revisions!"

The Universe cocked an eyebrow. "Did I just hear a challenge?"

So anyway, things got insanely busy for me during this quarter.  

I made pretty good progress in April but almost none since then because trying to write in a different style/tone requires more energy than I've had in a while.

Rather than rush it and submit a badly thrown-together story, I finally decided this morning to set it aside until next quarter and start fresh with something more in my wheelhouse and much smaller in scope. It worked, too, because I've already finished most of the first draft of the new story! I think writing with pen and paper rather than on the computer might have helped, too.

Regardless, it's been nice to see everyone's updates on how their stories are coming along. DoctorJest, you have my respect for plugging along and finishing your story despite such a crazy schedule!  

And I'm officially in for Q3.

I had a few options on what to submit, but I ended up going with a story that I popped off in like 5 days last week. My beta readers gave glowing reviews and one even said she wanted to see it extended into a full novel. I have a lot of confidence in this one, even though it's my first foray into using first-person perspective in a story.

And I'm in for Q3. Completed my final read-through tonight, caught a couple of details that needed to be corrected (resulting from edits to slightly alter the timeline), and a couple of clumsy steps in the language, but very little compared to what the previous readings threw up. With the revisions all complete, I've put the entry in, and I'm officially signed off on Q3!

With all said and done, no matter how it ends up doing, I really enjoyed working up my Q3 for this one. It's a story I really enjoyed writing, and one of my wife's favourite stories from all the ones I've written to date. One way or another, I'll be hoping to find it a home.

(Also, I really enjoyed doing my out-loud readings, and my voice has apparently gotten stronger or healthier compared to when I last did this. I can see how someone could develop a fondness for narration.)

I'm in for Q3!

Fought off the urge to keep. on. revising knowing it is a rabbit hole when a deadline is approaching and doing so would only lead to greater stress as 30 June loomed closer. I know I'm not the only one who gets that nagging doubt "it's not ready yet, it's not good enough", which is hard to shake but sometimes you just have to do it and click "submit"! It's good to have the story in, having worked hard on it for a few months now and having benefited from very helpful feedback from members of the forum.

And now, the wait for the results...

(And time to start my Q4 entry )

I'm in, for the same reason - to stop myself fiddling with it until I killed it. Best of luck to all!

@corbin-maxwell

Thank you for giving me a chance to read [redacted] Unfortunately, this story didn't work as well for me as I'd hoped, and I'm going to pass on it for The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction. But I wish you best of luck finding the right home for it, and I hope you'll keep us in mind in the future for your other new stories.

Well I guess with my Q2 result in my inbox there isn't any reason to dawdle on getting something in for Q3. Probably the one I just noted the rejection form letter from F&SF. Might tweak the opening though.

Posted by: @czing

Well I guess with my Q2 result in my inbox there isn't any reason to dawdle on getting something in for Q3. Probably the one I just noted the rejection form letter from F&SF. Might tweak the opening though.

Hammer the front 450 words and the last 300--make them gleam if you can. A strong hook and a strong ending goes a great deal of the way to making a strong story feel strong, while wimping out on those details can completely deflate an otherwise superb tale.

Still writing my Q3 entry and it's turned amusing again, so my chances are reduced. Ah, well, I find it funny. Let's see if i can finish it. (I need Eric James Stone to read mine. From his blog post: If it fits your story, a character who is humorous tends to be more engaging.)

My Q2 was a rejection, but I might shop it around to other publications or have some of my writing partners take a look at it to see where I can make it stronger. I definitely feel like it's a strong story, but maybe a few tweaks can give it the shine it needs.

Hey, folks.

Been writing for a while, now, but haven't yet managed to convince an editor that my stories are as good as various critters have thought they were. Active in three separate critique groups, and thoroughly enjoying the ride so far.

Have a submission into Q3. Partway through the workshop now, hoping to finish in time to qualify for the upcoming question session.

Good luck to you all.

Posted by: @czing

@corbin-maxwell

Thank you for giving me a chance to read [redacted] Unfortunately, this story didn't work as well for me as I'd hoped, and I'm going to pass on it for The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction. But I wish you best of luck finding the right home for it, and I hope you'll keep us in mind in the future for your other new stories.

Identical to what I've seen . . . several times, unfortunately!

@earthkeeper78 I’ll have 5 critique slots available in July if you’d like a second pair of eyes on it. Message me after the first if you’d like. 

Posted by: @rschibler

@earthkeeper78 I’ll have 5 critique slots available in July if you’d like a second pair of eyes on it. Message me after the first if you’d like. 

@earthkeeper78 I highly recommend taking @rschibler up on the critique. I thought mine was ready for Q3 and she caught a couple of major issues that would have gotten a quick rejection along with quite a few minor formatting and editing things that neither Grammarly nor Word caught.

While it may have hurt to hear that my story wasn’t as good as I thought, the honest and detailed feedback was invaluable and now I think it should do well this quarter - once I quit fiddling with it and hit submit.  

@lost_bard

I’ve been there many times - send out a story for crits expecting resounding applause only to get back red-splattered pages. I’m sorry it wasn’t fun to see, but it’s a good story and you’re doing the work! I’m glad you found my comments helpful. 

I just got my story back from a reader (after a significant edit on the first draft). I'll have a go tomorrow reading it aloud for the final time, maybe make a few tweaks.

I'm with Doctor Jest - regardless of how this story does (and hopefully it will do well), I've enjoyed writing it and building up some of the characters.

Should have it submitted tomorrow.

Posted by: @rschibler

@earthkeeper78 I’ll have 5 critique slots available in July if you’d like a second pair of eyes on it. Message me after the first if you’d like. 

I'll definitely reach out after the first then. I appreciate the offer. I tend to write stories based within my homebrew fantasy world, so be prepared to see a few things that might make you go, "What is this fool talking about?" 😆 

And I'm in for Q3 with a story that likely isn't right for this market but that I think is pretty great (LOL I always think my stories are great at least at some point in time). It is one that @rschibler gave me an excellent critique on - full of encouragement and suggestions that I used to take the story up many notches (I think).

It would be nice if it hit semi-finalist - putting that thought out into the world that I'd like to get past the SHM level. Let's see if the universe is willing

Posted by: @lost_bard

Posted by: @rschibler

@earthkeeper78 I’ll have 5 critique slots available in July if you’d like a second pair of eyes on it. Message me after the first if you’d like. 

@earthkeeper78 I highly recommend taking @rschibler up on the critique. I thought mine was ready for Q3 and she caught a couple of major issues that would have gotten a quick rejection along with quite a few minor formatting and editing things that neither Grammarly nor Word caught.

While it may have hurt to hear that my story wasn’t as good as I thought, the honest and detailed feedback was invaluable and now I think it should do well this quarter - once I quit fiddling with it and hit submit.  

Yeah, Becky's awesome at this.  

Posted by: @czing

And I'm in for Q3 with a story that likely isn't right for this market but that I think is pretty great (LOL I always think my stories are great at least at some point in time). It is one that @rschibler gave me an excellent critique on - full of encouragement and suggestions that I used to take the story up many notches (I think).

It would be nice if it hit semi-finalist - putting that thought out into the world that I'd like to get past the SHM level. Let's see if the universe is willing

Also worth bearing in mind, as Wulf has commented--sometimes, an SHM may actually be higher in Dave's mind than a SF. While a SF is a great placement and will get you some great feedback from the Man Himself, the SHM, SF and F entries all end up conceptually in the same pile--some of the SHMs are SHMs instead of SF entries because Dave is hoping they may get revised and come back to him with some element or elements improved. So you're already in that mix.  

Posted by: @rschibler

@lost_bard

I’ve been there many times - send out a story for crits expecting resounding applause only to get back red-splattered pages. I’m sorry it wasn’t fun to see, but it’s a good story and you’re doing the work! I’m glad you found my comments helpful. 

I’m was glad to get the honest feedback. That’s one of the best things about this forum-how everyone helps each other grow. You’ve also given me a new goal to get less red ink on the next critique.