Discussion: Q3 Volume 39

Congratulations to everyone who placed! 🎉

Also, to everyone who didn’t place, please don’t give up. Keep trying! The more you enter, the better your chances at winning because with time and experience comes a better understanding of your writing and what works and what doesn’t. You can only get better at your craft if you don’t give up.

So let’s keep entering until we win! 😊

Posted by: @doctorjest

I got my result, and--

And so, my set is complete! 😀 And I'm looking forward to seeing what Jody will say about this piece. I'm glad it placed SF, I really love this story.

(...well, complete apart from a win. I still need to add that one.)

Awesome news.

I'm over the moon since it's my first time submitting and didn't expect anything at all! Huge thanks to GL Bertram and Matthew Chambers for their feedback!

Posted by: @doctorjest

I got my result, and--

And so, my set is complete! 😀 And I'm looking forward to seeing what Jody will say about this piece. I'm glad it placed SF, I really love this story.

(...well, complete apart from a win. I still need to add that one.)

Congrats @doctorjest! You're getting that W this year, I'm certain!

@Amy congrats on the double honorable mentions from a fellow double submitter. It’s not easy getting in for both contests let alone placing.

Posted by: @clfors

@Amy congrats on the double honorable mentions from a fellow double submitter. It’s not easy getting in for both contests let alone placing.

Thanks Cherrie, That means a lot from someone who has placed higher than I have in both contests. Super congrats to you and your SHM in WOTF and SF in IOTF for Q3 (Volume 39).

Hi all,

Well, Joni called and I received permission to shout the news: my story won 3rd place this quarter!! The last nine days or so were nerve racking, joy at finding out I was a finalist (but not being able to tell anyone!), and waiting, waiting, waiting to find out if my story would be selected.

I now follow in the footsteps of the great K.D. Julicher and wonderful Brittany Rainsdon - from published finalist to winner. Kind of weird that's happened three times now, three volumes in a row (Kate a winner in v. 37, Brittany in v. 38 and now me in v. 39)...don't know whether it indicates anything...

And here's something else: I was a finalist when Dave Farland was coordinating judge, and now, this quarter, a finalist under current coordinating judge Jodi Lynn Nye. Also, in the second quarter, I submitted a story that had earned an SHM from Dave and Jodi gave it an SHM too. What does this mean? Similar tastes/preferences? Mere coincidence? 

Anyway, I'm super stoked and happy - couldn't go to the v. 37 workshop due to a family member's health issues. But he's better now and I fully intend to make it this upcoming April...so damn excited!!

Congrats to all who placed and all who submitted!!

@elainemidcoh Congrats!!!!

@elainemidcoh Congratulations! That’s so exciting! I look forward to meeting you in Hollywood.

@elainemidcoh Congrats!!!

@elainemidcoh Congratulations!

@elainemidcoh congratulations 🎊🎉🎈

Thanks all for the congratulations! Most appreciated!! And @DavidHankins I look forward to meeting you at the conference too. Let's have fun!! (And learn stuff too...)

Congratulations, Elaine!! I can't wait to read it! 

@elainemidcoh congrats Elaine! That's brilliant! What do you think differentiated this piece from your SHM?

@elainemidcoh that's marvelous, Elaine! I loved "The Battle of Donasi," and I can't wait to read this one, too. And I also look forward to seeing your byline over and over and over in publications. (and over and over...)

Posted by: @ehonour

@elainemidcoh that's marvelous, Elaine! I loved "The Battle of Donasi," and I can't wait to read this one, too. And I also look forward to seeing your byline over and over and over in publications. (and over and over...)

Thank you, Doc, for the kind words. Glad you enjoyed "The Battle of Donasi" - I am still thrilled when folks other than my family read and like my stories!

Posted by: @elainemidcoh

Hi all,

Well, Joni called and I received permission to shout the news: my story won 3rd place this quarter!! The last nine days or so were nerve racking, joy at finding out I was a finalist (but not being able to tell anyone!), and waiting, waiting, waiting to find out if my story would be selected.

I now follow in the footsteps of the great K.D. Julicher and wonderful Brittany Rainsdon - from published finalist to winner. Kind of weird that's happened three times now, three volumes in a row (Kate a winner in v. 37, Brittany in v. 38 and now me in v. 39)...don't know whether it indicates anything...

And here's something else: I was a finalist when Dave Farland was coordinating judge, and now, this quarter, a finalist under current coordinating judge Jodi Lynn Nye. Also, in the second quarter, I submitted a story that had earned an SHM from Dave and Jodi gave it an SHM too. What does this mean? Similar tastes/preferences? Mere coincidence? 

Anyway, I'm super stoked and happy - couldn't go to the v. 37 workshop due to a family member's health issues. But he's better now and I fully intend to make it this upcoming April...so damn excited!!

Congrats to all who placed and all who submitted!!

Yay! Congratulations, Elaine. You are in a very selective club to have two stories published in the volumes. I'm sooo eager to read your story, as I loved your published finalist. Wow! So happy for you.

Congratulations, Elaine!!!!!!!

@prestondennett: BTW, I've been savoring my way through the winners' advice that Jarrid Cantway put together. Your words in particular were marvelous and encouraging to me. I very much appreciated your research about the winning stories and what made them unique. You've given me things to strive for in every story I write. Thank you!

Posted by: @ehonour

@prestondennett: BTW, I've been savoring my way through the winners' advice that Jarrid Cantway put together. Your words in particular were marvelous and encouraging to me. I very much appreciated your research about the winning stories and what made them unique. You've given me things to strive for in every story I write. Thank you!

Very nice of you, Doc. Thank you.

Posted by: @ease

@elainemidcoh congrats Elaine! That's brilliant! What do you think differentiated this piece from your SHM?

Wow, what a question - you really made me think. I think the best response is "damned if I know..." but I'll try... Here are some of the differences btw my 3rd place winner this quarter and my SHM last quarter:

1. Length: SHM was + 12,000 words, 3rd PL was under 4,000 words (But we know that WotF publishes longer works, so I doubt this was a factor. Also, at some virtual session I heard one of the judges say that he prefers longer works because it shows the author's ability to perhaps produce novels later in his/her career. Of course, I've also heard judges mention 'judge fatigue' - being tired after reading multiple stories and glad to get a short one. I say go with whatever length works best for your story.)

2. Emotional Impact: the SHM had strong emotional moments, but it was very much a let's figure out this weird situation story; the 3rd PL had, I believe, strong emotional moments AND a huge emotional punch. It was also more internal regarding the main character's POV, which added to the emotional impact. My guess is that this was the biggest difference btw the two stories.

3. Set-up details: SHM had a bit of a long set-up (but it was a longer story and had room for it). The 3rd PL did not really get into details as to how the situation happened, but just focused on character's plan to deal with situation. To use an example not related to either story: Suppose you wrote a pandemic tale. In my SHM you would have written normal life, first signs of pandemic, bad stuff begins to happen and then the meat of the story as characters deal with the situation. In my 3rd PL you would have started the story six months into a full-blown pandemic and get right to the meat of the story. By the way, I think both stories worked well with their different set-ups. As stated, the SHM was very much a "let's try to figure out what the heck is going on" type of story, so it's fun to watch the characters respond to each new development and try to guess at what's happening. In the 3rd PL story, a long detailed set-up wasn't necessary and, I think, would have detracted. The story was a "here's our situation, let's deal with it." So, as so many have said before, perhaps the best advice is to just go with what works.   

Finally, regarding differences btw SHM's, SF's and winners, maybe there aren't any big differences. This past weekend I signed into a virtual workshop through Fyrecon (I think they called it FyreLite - some free workshops before their bigger Fyrecon event). Anyway, Kary English was giving a talk, "The Slush is Alive" about how she goes through all the initial WotF entries and selects which stories to pass on. Cool talk and, if it is released as a recording, I definitely recommend it. One thing she said was that Jodi had told her how difficult it was to pick SF's and Finalists out of the SHM's - that the quality of the SHM's was so high that she could have swapped out the eight finalists and randomly picked eight SHM's and still would have had top stories. 

Oh, one final bit - I had a WotF R and ended up selling it to an anthology (with zero revision)! The book comes out in a few weeks ("Compelling Science Fiction" - Flame Tree Press). So who knows what works or where....       

@elainemidcoh! Thank you for the thorough analysis. You are too kind!

I know there's no "magic bullet" for these things, but I do feel that info like this helps inform on the wants of the market in general.

Congratulations again!

(@elainemidcoh) Congratulations on winning the contest and your insightful comments.

Congrats @elainemidcoh!!! I'm excited to hear from the rest of the Q3 finalists!!!

@elainemidcoh This is great news, Elaine! Congratulations on your win! And on being able to attend next year! Well done! See you in Hollywood! 

Posted by: @wulfmoon

@elainemidcoh This is great news, Elaine! Congratulations on your win! And on being able to attend next year! Well done! See you in Hollywood! 

 

Thank you, Wulf! And thank you for all the tips you've posted over the years. I have lurked on the forum for a long time and learned much from you and others who so graciously shared their writing wisdom. 'Twas truly helpful and I am most grateful! And yes, (can't believe I'm saying it)...see you in Hollywood!

Blog post is up (and updated to show the list on the original / first post).

https://www.writersofthefuture.com/writers-of-the-future-3rd-quarter-winners-announced-for-volume-39/

Congrats to all!

Side note, that's Cliff Winnig's sixth(!) finalist, spanning three judges, KD Wentworth, Dave Farland, and now Jody.
The dude can write. Dang.

@elainemidcoh I just noticed in the announcement that you're from Florida. Do you mind saying where? I'm in The Villages.