NEW USERS! INTRODUCE YOURSELVES!

Posted by: @habaneropepper

@wulfmoon Thanks for the warm welcome!

I see what you did there.  

Posted by: @habaneropepper

@wulfmoon Thanks for the warm welcome!

Stay spicy, my friend. ? 

Posted by: @yorgolee

@wulfmoon thanks for the encouragement and the guideposts. I've taken the first of your advice and started the course. Excited to move forward!

You won’t be disappointed. Those teachers are the same instructors I had for the week long WotF Workshop. Simply the best!

Cheers!

Hi everyone!

I’m Teltex, I enjoy writing Sci-Fi, and I found out about this whole competition yesterday! Looking forward to trying my best and submitting something this quarter (17,000 words is way more than I’m used to, but always up for a challenge!)  

@teltex Hi Teltex,

17k words is the MAX - but it is not the goal per se. The editor, David Farland has said the sweet spot is more in the range of 6000 - 8000 words. Call it the strike zone. But you can still hit a home run outside the strike zone...

Remember Gandalf's famous words, "A wizard is never late, he arrives precisely when he means to."

Good advice for your stories. They are not long nor short, they are precisely the length they need to be.  

Welcome to the forum teltex. Read up on Wulf's super secrets and KYD before entering the contest. Best of luck to you.

@axeminister Yeah, I have a penchant for puns. Not doing too hot at the moment, but I'm sure I can get another one out in a few days. ? 

@teltex

Welcome aboard, Teltex!

As noted, 17,000 words is the contest max, but I don’t advise writing in the stratosphere of the accepted word count. Read the many posts on the subject, make friends, and have fun storming the castle!

Wulf Moon
Forum Moderator

I've entered into the Q2 and Q3 contests this year and ran through the writing course. Lots of great guidance and advice here. Apart from reading and writing, I dabble in fantasy cartography, study languages, sketch, play jazz ballads from time to time, and bake stuff. Happy to be here. 

Joshua Dyer

Here is my official Bio -- at least one version of it. I am currently compiling an impressive list of rejections from submittable.com. So far, I have one story accepted and one photo which may be a future cover photo for a midwestern journal.

Pam Wiedenbeck is president and founder of Plans Made Perfect, LLC where she is a Management Consultant and Project Management Trainer for the Caltech Center for Technology and Management Education. She is an active community volunteer and currently serving on the board of the La Canada Flintridge Tournament of Roses Association where she is the Treasurer and an active float builder.

She is the editor of 'With Portia O'er the Door', a memoir collection celebrating the Centennial of The Martha Cook Building at the University of Michigan. She is also the author of ‘Pam, You Not Doing Job’, a collection of personal essays on the art of Consulting and Project Management which was published by Kindle Direct Publishing in 2019.

She studies writing through the UCLA Extension. She also probably could write more, but has not yet learned to say "no" to interesting things to do.

Day job: Project Manager

Night job: Emanuel Grigoras is the CEO – Chief Enchantment Officer – of Asengana the Writing and Project Management for Authors platform. 

I'm into digital projects, startups, writing science fiction and permissioned blockchains. Most of my projects are in the area of online project management, social media, and software development, and being part of making witty and funny tabletop games.

Hello everyone!

It is a pleasure to meet you all.

My name is Sarah, and I will be known as RoastieBean on the forums. Do not ask about the username, as I was at a loss of what to call myself. I looked over, saw the Arctic Coffee latte that sat on my desk and realised it was roasted arabica beans. Hence...RoastieBean. Simple, easy and for a mascot...drawing/viewing a silly roasted beanie character will probably make any person smile. That is the intention at least.

While I am familiar with forums, it is one of the things I did early on in the early years between 2001 and 2006, I haven't been active on forums for a very long time. Therefore, assume that I am a cute roastie bean crawling out of the ground, and in search of the glory of the sun to help me sprout into a beautiful big plant...of...roasties. Yup. That is it. Intro done.

Feel free to say 'hello' and yes, my wit is far more devastating in the written form than in person. In person I am so vanilla that even vanilla is ashamed of me. 😛

Oh... a bit about me.

Digital artist, writer of pretty much nothing beyond imaginary tales that seem to scare people into oblivion, and hard hitter of the truth, no matter who or what I face. It is easy to hide, and harder to stand in the light.

There you go.

Regards,

Sarah.

Welcome Pam, Joshua, Emanuel, Sarah-Jane! We're happy to have you aboard. No doubt this influx of new users is due to Joni's sinister email, aimed at raising all our heartbeats, and dashing all our hopes. (Alas, I should have known, for it was not Thursday.)

 

(@emanuel)

Wow, day job and night job. Sleeping is only for the mortals among us, I suppose. ? 

 

(@4wiedy)

You have an impressive resume, Pam (made all the more intimidating by that third person!) congratulations on your sale, and may you have many more!

 

(@roastiebean)

Silliness is something perhaps we could all use more of (and yes, I ended with a preposition. Too bad). If your tales are scaring people to oblivion, that's good news. Hopefully, David Farland will agree. Joining the forum has been the first step of many winners here.  

 

Hi all!

I'm glad I finally got around to signing up to this forum. Looks like a great place to interact with fellow writers.

I'm Nick Marone. I write science fiction. My publishing credits include:

• short stories sold to Aurealis, Space and Time Magazine, and Deadset Press (in their Journeys anthology)
• a short story and flash fiction piece published on my website, nickmarone.com
• a post-apocalyptic novella entitled Fire Over Troubled Water (Deadset Press, 2019—a standalone story in the collaborative Drowned Earth Series)
• later this year, I will publish the first two books of my humorous SF Space Trip Series.

I am also an editor, proofreader, and web manager at Andromeda Spaceways Magazine, a wonderful Australian market for short speculative fiction. Send us your best stories!

I have submitted four stories to the WotF Contest. The first reached the Semi-Finalist stage. The second received a Silver Honorable Mention (and was subsequently sold to Space and Time Magazine). At the time of writing this message, I have not yet received results for my third and fourth submissions.

Looking forward to helping each other out in the forum and growing with you all on our writing and publishing journeys.

Regards,

Nick

Morning!

I'm David Hankins, an aspiring writer without a single writing credit to my name, but we all have to start somewhere, right? I found WotF just a few months ago and submitted my first story in 2Q, yet I somehow missed the whole Forum as I was focused on finishing the workshop and writing. I'm just now realizing how many hints and tips I missed. Well, here's hoping!

I've spent the last nineteen years in the Army traveling the world on Uncle Sam's dime doing just a bit of everything. My jobs have ranged from explosives logistics and admin to advising foreign militaries and dabbling in fully-sanctioned international arms dealing. I've taught at Canisius College and University at Buffalo and have always had a penchant for telling stories. Now I'm trying to turn that into a penchant for telling stories well.

I'm excited to be here and am looking forward to learning more about writing!

-David

Welcome Nick and David. You guys should fit right in here at Wotf central. Explore the threads and harvest the knowledge everyone shares.

Posted by: @phantomhill

I've entered into the Q2 and Q3 contests this year and ran through the writing course. Lots of great guidance and advice here. Apart from reading and writing, I dabble in fantasy cartography, study languages, sketch, play jazz ballads from time to time, and bake stuff. Happy to be here. 

 

Joshua Dyer

Welcome aboard, Joshua!

Thank you for introducing yourself! We like knowing our new family members!

Smart guy to take that WotF Online Writing Course. It's taught by the same instructors we had at the actual WotF workshop in Hollywood. Gives you a great start on how to create a story, and what the judges are looking for.

Fantasy cartography sounds like an interesting hobby!

Do post in the quarter you enter. Most of the support happens there.

All the best!

Wulf Moon
Forum Moderator

Posted by: @4wiedy

Here is my official Bio -- at least one version of it. I am currently compiling an impressive list of rejections from submittable.com. So far, I have one story accepted and one photo which may be a future cover photo for a midwestern journal.

Pam Wiedenbeck is president and founder of Plans Made Perfect, LLC where she is a Management Consultant and Project Management Trainer for the Caltech Center for Technology and Management Education. She is an active community volunteer and currently serving on the board of the La Canada Flintridge Tournament of Roses Association where she is the Treasurer and an active float builder.

She is the editor of 'With Portia O'er the Door', a memoir collection celebrating the Centennial of The Martha Cook Building at the University of Michigan. She is also the author of ‘Pam, You Not Doing Job’, a collection of personal essays on the art of Consulting and Project Management which was published by Kindle Direct Publishing in 2019.

She studies writing through the UCLA Extension. She also probably could write more, but has not yet learned to say "no" to interesting things to do.

Welcome aboard, 4wiedy!

Sounds like you're one busy person! I'm happy you are sending your stories out to markets. That's a hard hurdle for many to get past. In fact, I did an entire year on it in my Super Secrets workshop because I saw many only sending stories to this Contest. While this is THE paramount market for any aspiring writer, there are other mountain peaks worth climbing as well. Many of my workshop members obtained some amazing sales when they expanded their horizons. A good market search engine I recommend is the Submission Grinder. https://thegrinder.diabolicalplots.com/

Have fun. 

All the best,

Wulf Moon
Forum Moderator

Posted by: @emanuel

Day job: Project Manager

Night job: Emanuel Grigoras is the CEO – Chief Enchantment Officer – of Asengana the Writing and Project Management for Authors platform. 

I'm into digital projects, startups, writing science fiction and permissioned blockchains. Most of my projects are in the area of online project management, social media, and software development, and being part of making witty and funny tabletop games.

Welcome, Emanuel!

I like your definition of CEO. : )

Sounds like you know your way around a platform. Don't miss the WotF Online Workshop. Great story advice.

Welcome aboard!

Wulf Moon
Forum Moderator

Posted by: @roastiebean

Hello everyone!

It is a pleasure to meet you all.

My name is Sarah, and I will be known as RoastieBean on the forums. Do not ask about the username, as I was at a loss of what to call myself. I looked over, saw the Arctic Coffee latte that sat on my desk and realised it was roasted arabica beans. Hence...RoastieBean. Simple, easy and for a mascot...drawing/viewing a silly roasted beanie character will probably make any person smile. That is the intention at least.

While I am familiar with forums, it is one of the things I did early on in the early years between 2001 and 2006, I haven't been active on forums for a very long time. Therefore, assume that I am a cute roastie bean crawling out of the ground, and in search of the glory of the sun to help me sprout into a beautiful big plant...of...roasties. Yup. That is it. Intro done.

Feel free to say 'hello' and yes, my wit is far more devastating in the written form than in person. In person I am so vanilla that even vanilla is ashamed of me. 😛

Oh... a bit about me.

Digital artist, writer of pretty much nothing beyond imaginary tales that seem to scare people into oblivion, and hard hitter of the truth, no matter who or what I face. It is easy to hide, and harder to stand in the light.

 

There you go.

 

Regards,

 

Sarah.

Welcome Sarah, or RoastieBean! 

No roasting here. Just solid support and encouragement to help you reach your writing goals. Don't miss the WotF Online Writing Course. The best advice you can get is from these bestselling judges of the contest!

Welcome aboard!

Wulf Moon
Forum Moderator

Posted by: @nick_marone

Hi all!

 

I'm glad I finally got around to signing up to this forum. Looks like a great place to interact with fellow writers.

I'm Nick Marone. I write science fiction. My publishing credits include:

• short stories sold to Aurealis, Space and Time Magazine, and Deadset Press (in their Journeys anthology)
• a short story and flash fiction piece published on my website, nickmarone.com
• a post-apocalyptic novella entitled Fire Over Troubled Water (Deadset Press, 2019—a standalone story in the collaborative Drowned Earth Series)
• later this year, I will publish the first two books of my humorous SF Space Trip Series.

I am also an editor, proofreader, and web manager at Andromeda Spaceways Magazine, a wonderful Australian market for short speculative fiction. Send us your best stories!

I have submitted four stories to the WotF Contest. The first reached the Semi-Finalist stage. The second received a Silver Honorable Mention (and was subsequently sold to Space and Time Magazine). At the time of writing this message, I have not yet received results for my third and fourth submissions.

Looking forward to helping each other out in the forum and growing with you all on our writing and publishing journeys.

 

Regards,

Nick

Welcome, Nick!

You have an impressive list of accomplishments there! I know Space and Time magazine. You get a subscription to it when you subscribe to DreamForge Anvil magazine. They work in tandem with their publishing and marketing goals. In fact, they asked me to read their first Best Of anthology as an ARC so I can do a blurb for them. WORLDS OF LIGHT AND DARKNESS, coming out this summer.

Our Aussie and Kiwi friends here will love hearing you edit Andromeda Spaceways. 

Do post in the quarter you are entering for lots of friendly support and early news on INCOMING. 

Which is about to happen for Q1!

Best to your writing! And editing!

Wulf Moon
Forum Moderator

Posted by: @lost_bard

Morning!

I'm David Hankins, an aspiring writer without a single writing credit to my name, but we all have to start somewhere, right? I found WotF just a few months ago and submitted my first story in 2Q, yet I somehow missed the whole Forum as I was focused on finishing the workshop and writing. I'm just now realizing how many hints and tips I missed. Well, here's hoping!

I've spent the last nineteen years in the Army traveling the world on Uncle Sam's dime doing just a bit of everything. My jobs have ranged from explosives logistics and admin to advising foreign militaries and dabbling in fully-sanctioned international arms dealing. I've taught at Canisius College and University at Buffalo and have always had a penchant for telling stories. Now I'm trying to turn that into a penchant for telling stories well.

I'm excited to be here and am looking forward to learning more about writing!

-David

Welcome aboard, David!

Glad you found us at last! It sounds like you've got some very specialized skills. Good things to get advice on for authentic stories!

Don't miss the WotF Online Writing Course. It will certainly help. Enter every quarter. Do your best to get someone with some pro sales to crit your work at least once. It will help you the most, because they've actually done the thing you are trying to master!

All the best to your writing!

Wulf Moon
Forum Moderator

A reminder to all the new.

This Saturday we have a special event happening in the WotF Forum. It's an Ask Me Anything AMA event with bestselling writer extraordinaire, TIM POWERS. If you don't know that name, go get a copy of ANUBIS GATES. Or ON STRANGER TIDES, my personal favorite. Tim is one of the most literary writers in speculative fiction. The event will be held here Saturday, April 24th, from 1 pm to 3 pm PST, on this Forum, in the Writers of the Future Online Workshop Topic. 

Don't miss out! Tim Powers is a judge of this Contest and in my opinion, one of the most creative writers alive today! 

See you there!

Wulf Moon
Forum Moderator

Hi. I'm Jan and am a member of David Farland's Apex Writers Group. I live in the Pac NW at the mouth of the Columbia River (Astoria), not too far from Wulf Moon. I'm a novelist at heart and write Historic Fantasy and Epic Fantasy. I love dragons and children. I have eight - children, that is, although Mordechai Fitzhugh Burnswell (my resident dragon) lives in the attic. ! I also received an HM from WOTF for my first attempt at SciFi. I enjoy writing in many genres and love to challenge myself with ones I haven't tried. I look forward to learning from this group!

Posted by: @jannerenberg

Hi. I'm Jan and am a member of David Farland's Apex Writers Group. I live in the Pac NW at the mouth of the Columbia River (Astoria), not too far from Wulf Moon. I'm a novelist at heart and write Historic Fantasy and Epic Fantasy. I love dragons and children. I have eight - children, that is, although Mordechai Fitzhugh Burnswell (my resident dragon) lives in the attic. ! I also received an HM from WOTF for my first attempt at SciFi. I enjoy writing in many genres and love to challenge myself with ones I haven't tried. I look forward to learning from this group!

Welcome aboard, Jan!

I know you well and I'm glad you found us! You won't find a better place for insight into how to win this Contest. In fact, we average two winners a year from here. It seems the serious always find their way, and I know you're serious about your writing--I've edited your work! Thanks for being a valued member of the Wulf Pack!

You also live in a beautiful historic town. I've done a lot of fishing on the Columbia, and caught a prize-winning Coho salmon there. 

May this Forum help YOU catch a prize!

All the best,

Wulf Moon
Forum Moderator

@storysinger Thanks! I’m reading through and there’s definitely a lot of good stuff here. 

@wulfmoon Thanks! I’m excited to be here and will definitely be in the AMA on Saturday. I’m really appreciating your SUPER SECRETS posts. So much to think about as I start my next story. 

@wulfmoon Thanks, Wulf. Finally got things sorted!

@lost_bard

Welcome David! We all start somewhere, and although I won't say I'm professional at all yet, I'm a great deal further down (or up?) than I was when I joined the forum! 

Posted by: @lost_bard

@wulfmoon Thanks! I’m excited to be here and will definitely be in the AMA on Saturday. I’m really appreciating your SUPER SECRETS posts. So much to think about as I start my next story. 

Thank you, David! I wrote the SUPER SECRETS to help people like you. I know what it's like to enter year after year, wondering what you need to fix to craft a winning story. While it's true you have to write a LOT to learn your craft, you can write smarter, saving yourself years of trial and error. I learned much over the years, as well as some idiosyncrasies peculiar to this Contest. The SUPER SECRETS encapsulate that knowledge to help members of the Forum, and anyone visiting, to figure out how to create a publishable story, even a prize-winning story. Glad to hear they are helping you. The books are coming this fall! Cheers!