Discussion: Q4 Volume 40

I've only just started writing my Q3.

I have a few prospects for Q4, and haven't settled on which I'd prefer to try. I have a slight lean on one, but nothing definite yet.

Is there any news on the LATEST RESULTS for Jan.-March 2023 Quarter ?...anything at all ?...

Posted by: @jose77sanchez

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Is there any news on the LATEST RESULTS for Jan.-March 2023 Quarter ?...anything at all ?...

No... not yet. You are talking about Q2 results by the way. Good luck,

😊 Thanks ! I will be alert to the results ! So then, I am now finishing my 3rd art entry for Q3 deadline coming soon...

Wow! Q4 window opens up in less than a week. Yikes! Only three more slots for Volume 40 [we know Q1 results but Q2 and Q3 are still pending] ... For those who have a story ready to submit July 1, you could easily have 3 stories pending in WOTF. Good luck to everyone getting those Q4 stories in. As for me, I haven't the slightest clue what story I will submit.

Hmmm…I’m in an interesting position with Q4 opening so soon. I just finished editing an older story that was an honorable mention and am considering submitting that. But I also have one new one in the works and a completely new story idea. Options, options… 

It feels harder to decide with two quarters pending!

OKAY!

[rubbing hands together with the light of creativity in my eyes]

Got my Q3 submission done at the last day. Now to get cracking on a Q4 story! Got to be ready for the last day three months from now.

But wait. There's another chapter or three to write for my second novel. And there's critiques to do for my f2f group. And more critiques for OWWW. And somewhere in here, there's also a life to live, golf to play, quilting to do, business, and...

Maybe I'll wait a week or so to start that Q4 story. It's only a week...

The submission portal is now open for the 4th quarter, cycle 40D! 

https://www.writersofthefuture.com/enter-writer-contest/

Good luck to everyone. 

I'm in, pending x3 for the first time.  This is a rewrite of an RWC based on a great critique from @RETreasure.  It's my third try, which is probably breaking one of Heinlein's rules, and definitely breaking one of Dean Wesley Smith's, but the first time I had no idea what I was doing and violated a lot of unwritten contest rules, so does that count?  In any case, I will not rewrite this story again except to editorial demand.

Now I can focus on my novel until Thanksgiving time.

Posted by: @chwalter

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I had violated a lot of unwritten contest rules, so does that count?  

Could you write down some of those unwritten rules for those of us new here, please?

I would also appreciate seeing these unwritten rules written down here, so long it doesn't create a paradox.

Posted by: @chwalter

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Now I can focus on my novel until Thanksgiving time.

(@chwalter) The next submission period ends on my birthday, 9-30. I need to write the story of my life and win on a story submitted for that quarter.

@undreamedages Open my mouth, and so I am condemned to revisit my foolish past.   

The worst thing I did (and I should note I've only seen Dave Farland complain about this, but he was coordinating judge at the time) was to not name my main character on the first page.  In fact, I didn't name him at all, thinking I was being clever.

The other awful things I did were to not kick off the story or even show any genre cues until the very bottom of page two.

@emlouviere    I don't think there are any unwritten rules. There are some posts with advice/feedback from the screeners. Poke around and you'll find those. Also, follow the RULES. As I recall, the main things are: 1.) Make sure the story is speculative fiction. 2.) Make sure it clearly is speculative fiction on the front page, not later in the story. 3.) Don't go over the word limit of 17K words.  4.) No cuss words. F-bombs get an auto-boot. You can get away with a couple "damns" and "hells." Maybe you can get away with 1 a**, s, c, but maybe not so don't risk it. Maybe invent your own cuss words.  5.) No graphic violence or graphic sex. 6.) No song lyrics & nothing that violates someone else's copyright. So you can't use someone else's world, tv show, movie, or fiction.   Keep in mind these books are found in libraries (maybe even school libraries). Hope this helps.

Posted by: @jason

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The submission portal is now open for the 4th quarter, cycle 40D! 

https://www.writersofthefuture.com/enter-writer-contest/

Good luck to everyone. 

Submitting early was always my choice, especially when I verged on pro'ing out. I highly recommend it!

Posted by: @pegeen

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@emlouviere    I don't think there are any unwritten rules. There are some posts with advice/feedback from the screeners. Poke around and you'll find those. Also, follow the RULES. As I recall, the main things are: 1.) Make sure the story is speculative fiction. 2.) Make sure it clearly is speculative fiction on the front page, not later in the story. 3.) Don't go over the word limit of 7K words.  4.) No cuss words. F-bombs get an auto-boot. You can get away with a couple "damns" and "hells." Maybe invent your own cuss words.  5.) No graphic violence or sex.  Keep in mind these books are found in libraries (maybe even school libraries). Hope this helps.

Thanks, I believe you meant 17k words. But I see most winners are around 7500.

Most of those are written somewhere and easily found. I didn't know about the no F bomb thing. Although, it's not something I would normally include. If f bombs get an auto boot that should be written somewhere.

The other things you mention like graphic violence and sex are subjective. What exactly constitutes graphic violence? Or sexual depictions? There are plenty of extremely graphic books in libraries.

After reading this I'm figuring that my story will get booted because I have some violence that some people may consider "graphic." I mean, it's extremely common in a lot of fantasy.

@undreamedages  Yes, derp.  I meant 17K not 7K. I went back and fixed it.  Thanks!

@undreamedages reading a few anthologies really helps see what they’re looking for.

Violence and sexuality tends toward a PG-13/YA rating. There’s some pretty graphic stuff in YA, but it’s not usually gratuitous. If a story is horror-themed, they prefer psychological horror with a touch of blood rather than mostly blood. There’s a great story in the last anthology that is psychological horror.

They also tend to prefer an uplifting or satisfying ending. It doesn’t need to be a happy ending, but it does generally need to have a bit of an upbeat at the end or, baring that, a twist that makes you go ‘ohhhh’.

Solid stories get further than experimental styles. Pieces with a beginning, middle, and end, with decent story arcs tend to make it far.

They also like stories that have active characters, not passive ones.

Think of it this way- your story has to stick out in a slush pile, hook that first reader, and not let go. Putting markers that your characters are engaging and your story is full of wonder early in the story will help that reader keep turning the page.

At the end of the day, this contest is subjective just like any other. Your piece is not just competing for the judge’s attention, it’s also competing against the other pieces submitted. And everything is anonymous.

Based on interest above, I've created a new topic: Martin’s OPINION on the Unwritten Rules | The Contest – Quarterly Topics, and Other Items | Writers & Illustrators of the Future Forum (writersofthefuture.com).

Posted by: @chwalter

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The worst thing I did (and I should note I've only seen Dave Farland complain about this, but he was coordinating judge at the time) was to not name my main character on the first page.  In fact, I didn't name him at all, thinking I was being clever

My first HM was the same way. I never named my mc at any point in the story. Dave shocked me with a certificate.

I'm In, not sure about this one. It's a bit weird, but then I had good vibes about the last quarter so maybe this is the one 🤣 

Ah (see my Q on shorties, else-forum) @shoemaker's memo on the "unwritten" has:
"There’s no lower limit, but it’s difficult to win with something under 2,000 words. Extremely difficult under 1,000."

I'd seen a Joni interview where she said "flash is ok" which can't be described as encouragement.
But it looks like I won't get yoinked —not for comin in low on tha ol' wordcount, anyway.

Rebecca Birch had a finalist at 2k a few years back. And at that length, she sold/reprint three times. Rob's (Dr. Jest) finalist was 2400. Those were both with Dave, however.

As for more data on Jody's finalists, I haven't been able to reach as many as the non-winners as I'd like, so there may well be 2 - 3k finalists even now.

I might suggest 2k as the absolute minimum, however, the contest has been known to surprise us. If you wrote an undeniable 1k, you may get there.

I'm a big fan of a story being the length it needs to be, and some stories do definitely belong within that 1k boundary. However, I also think it's extremely challenging to write a complete, finished speculative fiction story inside of that 1k limit that can also successfully compete against longer stories for transported wonder, the complete story arc of the main character's emotional journey, the emotional impact on the reader, and all the little sundry details that make a story truly memorable.

Perhaps more than anything else, when you give a reader characters they love and put them in a place that fills them with wonder, dread, or awe, the flash length means they get to spend less time there with those things than they would with a longer story. My wife really hates flash for basically that reason. The longer a story is, the more she enjoys it, almost without exception.

Part of me would argue that you can get away with short sci-fi more than short fantasy, especially idea-driven sci-fi, because fantasy is often more reliant upon wonder and transportation, while idea fiction tends to use just the few sketched lines it needs to define the story space. However, my finalist was 2.4k fantasy, so I would definitely take that thought snippet with a pinch of salt. After all, there's always a story in the WOTF anthology that just seems to take every contest "rule" and throw it out the window. As many before me have said, they're more like guidelines than actual rules.

Q40 V4 due September 30th. I better get moving. I have one new story done, but I hate it. Is it fixable? I don't know. I have a new, exciting idea and just started another story. The first few scenes are juicy. But can I finish it on time and make it work, or should I fix the stinky story? Ack! I guess I will try to do both things and see which story I like the best. The pressure is mounting. Is anyone else in a predicament for Q4?

Three months always seems like PLENTY of time to finish a story. Then I get into writing it, and three months feels more like three hours. I need more time!

I'm in a predicament for most quarters! In this case, I'm just waiting on feedback for one, while also brainstorming possible ideas for a second that I haven't written yet. The latter, I'm going to try approaching in a different way than I have in the past, to see what I get out of it--and if I decide not to go with it for Q4, maybe I'll just have something handy for the upcoming Q1 instead... 

I'm in a predicament too. The story I'm writing is magical realism. When I google magical realism, half the entries say it is fantasy and half say it is not.  There are visions and fantastical elements but it's not clear these are independent of the main character's imagination. Does WotF consider magical realism to be fantasy? Thanks.