Discussion: Q4 Volume 39

I'm pretty chuffed with this because my entry was less than 1,800 words so I wasn't expecting much. My last two entries were both an "R", so it's a nice feeling to get a mention  

Congratulations to all who placed!

@rschibler congratulations on pro'ing out (how do I spell that?! )

And thank you for your crits over the past few years. Best of luck in the pro ranks and I look forward to reading your future work.

Surprised and delighted to see these results out so soon!
SHM here.

First submission, and I’m really happy with the result.

Great job everyone! Onto next quarter! 

I'm ecstatic. I've been trying to "level up" my writing for a while, especially after five HMs in a row. Somewhere during the beta reader feedback loop of Q4 I felt the spark of an epiphany begin to unfurl. It related to character arcs and emotions, and while I didn't fully understand it, even that small beginning of comprehension immediately improved the Q4 story.

I knew it was better than any of my previous stories, though I could also tell there was a lot of room for improvement. For it to be my first SHM means my analysis of the story was spot on!

So a huge, boundless, endless thanks to everyone in this forum, but especially those that Beta read my Q4. 

The best part? That comprehension of how a character arc should structure a story is still unfurling, growing, and while I know I have a ways to go, I'm certain I can write something another level better for Q1.

A vast congratulations to everyone. Even those R's are a genuine accomplishment. They mean you wrote something, finished it, and were brave enough to send it out into the world. I'm proud of you, even if you're currently feeling a little deflated.

Get back to that keyboard, Q1 is coming, and we're going to be ready for it!

Ok, rejection… can’t say I didn’t see it comming…

Week after posting it i found fundamental flaws in it’s form and structure, (and all my previous ones as well). 

Cool thing is that since I agree with the verdict—seems i learned/improved.

that being said  but  and:
 MY NEXT ONE WILL STEAL YOUR SLIPPERS!!!  

Congrats to all the rest (even the R-rated) 😀

My third in a row for WOTF. Still waiting on the illustrators results...

I'm super excited to get my first SHM. Thanks to those here who helped critique the piece. @Ease, looks like we both managed it this time. 😀 

Congrats to all who entered!   

Congrats Rebecca on moving up the chain. Look forward to reading your books.

The twitching tent had such fluffy pillows that I fell asleep when results were announced.

This morning I was greeted with…Drumroll please.

I was so nervous on this one because I did not have time for someone to review besides me. This is a level up for me.

[the tent is rocking with email results]

[my main character woke me up]

[wanted to know what my email said]

[I sip my coffee and rub sleep out of my eyes]

[HM, "good job!" I say to my main character]

[my main character skips around the tent]

[there are some still sitting by their phone]

[we should be nice to those who have gone silent]

[may they get that elusive ticket to Hollywood]

[commiserations to the Rs and RWCs]

[remember WOTF is just another market]

[I congratulate the other HMs]

[hats off to the SHMs and the SFs]

[good luck hugs to all the finalists]

[I cautiously exit the tent]

[the lawn chair growls at me]

[I throw it a fresh s'more and run]

[I've got a Q1 story on its last edit]

[it seems really shiny to me]

[of course all my stories seem shiny to me until...]

[bwa,ha,ha,ha.... twitching time]

 Okay. Would you believe, after all these quarters of entering WotF, that I left my byline on the story? Feeling rather stupid and humbled. Have to resubmit it for Q1.

But still smiling, because one of my stories just won 1st place in the Florida Writers Association RPLA contest.

A little bummed but I will try to be positive and keep going at it

Posted by: @jadeankh

And its my first one! 

A great sign, and you’ve only just begun! Congratulations, Jade!

Posted by: @kz_richards

First submission, and I’m really happy with the result.

Great job everyone! Onto next quarter! 

Congratulations, KZ! First time and you received an HM? A great sign!

Posted by: @ease

The best part? That comprehension of how a character structure should share a story is still unfurling, growing, and while I know I have a ways to go, I'm certain I can write something another level better for Q1.

Congratulations, ease! Accurate knowledge is power, and you do sense those level up moments. That’s because you figured out how to apply that knowledge. It often takes time for us to grasp the working principles of story, even after hearing them repeatedly. Sometimes we have to unlearn what we have been taught, sometimes the seed has simply been working it’s way through the gray matter permafrost until it finds the right soil to take root and expand in. Enjoy the moment, and keep applying and expanding on what you have learned. 

We grow with every new story we write!

Cheers!

Posted by: @adrian

I'm super excited to get my first SHM. Thanks to those here who helped critique the piece. @Ease, looks like we both managed it this time. 😀 

 

Well done, Adrian! Same to you as I’ve said to others. That’s a level up sign, and proof positive your skills are growing! Keep pushing the envelope! That’s how we grow. 

Cheers!

Posted by: @craydimensional

The twitching tent had such fluffy pillows that I fell asleep when results were announced.

This morning I was greeted with…Drumroll please.

I was so nervous on this one because I did not have time for someone to review besides me. This is a level up for me.

Another level up moment! Same to you that I’ve said to others, Cray. Congratulations! You have bona fide proof your skills are advancing. It is no small thing to rank in the world’s largest talent search for speculative fiction writers. Well done!

I was so busy writing last night I forgot to check my email.

That's four for me.  I'd been told the story background was a little too esoteric, but I'm glad that didn't keep me from scoring a certificate.  Congrats to those who also scored, and good luck to those folks conspicuously keeping a low profile the next few days.

Posted by: @ehonour

 Okay. Would you believe, after all these quarters of entering WotF, that I left my byline on the story? Feeling rather stupid and humbled. Have to resubmit it for Q1.

But still smiling, because one of my stories just won 1st place in the Florida Writers Association RPLA contest.

Been there, done that, got the follow-up R. 

This time, I got a straight rejection. Guess my mermaid tale didn't stand out enough. And to add lemon juice to the cut, it was my second rejection of the night. 

*sigh* I'd go eat some chocolate if I didn't have a dentist appointment in half an hour.

This is my sixth. I felt like I had a better shot of leveling up this quarter, but oh well. On to Volume 40. Congrats everyone!

Well, another .  I'm not upset, I did better than I hoped with this story.  Still, wishing I could crack back into SHM.

Probably even better, I finished the first draft of my first story for this quarter.  Going to start the second one tomorrow I think.

Posted by: @ehonour

I left my byline on the story

I did that the other day for Q1. Boy did I feel dumb!

RWC- rejected without complaint. No spec up front: doh!

I saw that I had gotten a RWC this morning. That kind of stung as I had tried a story that had previously gotten an HM. New judge, new rule, new score, no problem. It's all part of the process. Write on. Then I got a rejection for a different story I had subbed to BCS. Again, part of the process. Write on. Two rejections in one day. Write on. Getting a single rejection used to burn me up. Now, I shrug and write on. Congrats to those that won. Good job to those who leveled up. And for those who didn't get a come up--write on, write on, write on.

Congratulations to all those who placed.

To those of you who didn't, just keep trying and learning. And remember Kary said that judging was tough this QTR due to rush of getting anthology out.

Congrats Rebecca on being pro'd out. Must be a cool feeling. May we read more of your stories in the years to come!! And congrats Doc Honour for your Florida Writers Association RPLA contest 1st place win - saw it was a revision of a previous RPLA finalist. Terrific. And a big congrats to all who placed and to all who submitted. Write on, write on!!