The Writers Aspirant Accountability Thread

Congrats on the sale, @bon!

Welcome @bon! Delighted to have you with us. A huge congratulations on the sale! In regards to your blunders (and I recommend this to all): either use a Shunn's Manuscript Format* formatted Word doc from the offset, or really master converting from your chosen application to Word. I always use Google Docs (again, with a SMF formatted blank document to start from) which has a straightforward 'Save to Word' option. But also, if the incorrect scene break/more obvious blips aren't in the first 450-words, you could well be safe. The WotF staff, and beta readers, found plenty of errors with my Third Placer. Also, admirable April goals indeed! 20,000 words is an ambitious first goal. I hope you can achieve it, even if I'll be slightly horrified by your prolificness if you do 😊 

Fantastic check-ins, @tiinag, @toddjones, @joel-c-scoberg, @hannya, @gideonpsmith, @kz_richards - so many met goals, and a great set of goals for April. 

(Gideon, add a calendar event with a notification in your phone! Set it to reoccur annually for bonus points.)

K.Z., screw writing for practise. Absolutely write for passion, and for fun. And my personal tip: take a large step out of your comfort zone. Write something in a genre you haven't touched before. Write something of a length you haven't written before (ideally something short, so that you don't feel like you're wasting too much time). Try to surprise yourself with joy in an unexpected place.

@morgan-broadhead - writing out a mille feuille has been on my to-do list for a while, but due to a British tradition of pretending to hate all things en francais and a slight generational gap between you and I, I was going to call them 'level-ups' instead of 'layers.' Many align with your own. I look forward to more closely comparing them when I've got them down on paper.

My March check-in: FAILED. I wrote about 3600 words. Family staying had more of an impact than expected, and I also had a surprise visit from my brother (who is obviously also family, but not the family I knew was coming).

April Goals:

• Attend WotF
• Finish non-fiction article started in February

That's it. A little wimpish, but achievable, I hope!

@ajschultz6, @clfors, @writhmic, @pdblake, @annax, @storysinger, @physa, @pegeen, @kent, @jeschleicher, @sconn, @ericstallsworth, @olivia-ava, @abeona, @bon - what are you doing this April?

Also, a huge well done to everyone that received results for Q1. It isn't easy getting a piece ready and summoning the nerve to submit and face potential rejection. I feel like the results were a lot harsher this quarter than they have been previously, with a big pushback from the contest against resubmits. I've always warned against resubmits (despite @tj_knight's success with them), but now more than ever I recommend writing new, if you can.

*omitting your name on the title page and the header. Maybe we should coin a WotF Manuscript Format? WMF?

Posted by: @hannya

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In other news, I've started as first reader for a semi-pro market, and I've had a little dance when I got the email. 

Hannya! I completely overlooked this before. Congratulations, that's amazing. Let us know how you get on with it. I bet you'll learn so much!

Analysis of Volume 40 has begun! There's still a few aspects of a few stories left to analyze (it takes re-reading them to properly catch everything, and time is fleeting).

However, in the first 450 words, out of twelve stories:

• 100% have an obvious hook: 92% are in the first 90 words.
• 8 stories tell you their MCs name. 4 of them do it the first 20 words. 3 do it in the first 450. One does it on the 455th word.
• 92% include a sound
• 67% include a smell
• 83% include a touch sensation
• but only 25% include a taste - perhaps indicating the departure from Farland's strong preference for taste and food.
• And those 3 stories that included taste, also included ALL of the other senses.
• None of the stories included zero sensory details.
• 100% visually describe the micro-environment (the setting immediately surround the MC)
• 100% describe the macro-environment (the setting around the micro-environment: far off mountain ranges, the era of time, the culture) although two only touched upon it lightly.

Outside of the first 450, you might find it interesting that 2/3rds of the stories were written in First Person, and 1/3rd in Third Person. Again, 2/3rds were written in Present Tense and 1/3rd in Past Tense. These are NOT the same 2/3rds and 1/3rds (i.e., there were First Person Presents, First Person Pasts, Third Person Presents, and Third Person Pasts.) Dissappointly, there were not Second Person or Future Tenses.

Five stories were clearcut sci-fi, two traditional fantasy, one alt. history, one afro-fantasy, one fantasy realisms, and one sci-fantasy. As determined by me... and thus, to be taken with a large grain of salt.

So, there you have it. Despite some of the comments in the WotF workshop that follow the line of 'always write Third Person Past' only 25% of the winning stories actually used that. In summary: you don't have to follow any of the 'rules' to win. But I think they help.

A huge thanks to @aryus for helping me fill in the spreadsheet. If you were a Beta reader or have an ARC, please get in touch to find out how you can help get the small remainder of it completed.

Last month's goal of finishing at least one chapter was achieved. I managed two. 

I've got a late start in this month though. I've been on holiday for the past week. 

April's goal is to take a short break from the novel and write a short story. Then have another crack at the novel. 

Congratulations on the sale @bon, exciting times for you! And if you remember, please share the link so we can access it / the anthology  

@hannya sounds like a cool challenge to throw yourself into, becoming a first reader. You will learn a lot I'm sure (and get to read awesome stories too)

@ease very grateful for your analyses (I'm including thanks here to Vol 39 too). Very interesting to read, particularly on word length. I recall Dave Farland saying 5-7k was his ideal length, so I have tried to keep mine around that point. But it seems most of the winners (Vol 39) were well over that (quite a few over 12k).

I'm back on the writing saddle, submitted a few stories I am happy with elsewhere (the rejections have come in, but I've re-read and resubmitted) and working steadily through my intended Q3 entry.

@morgan-broadhead, @ease, @joel-c-scoberg, thanks so much for the encouragement! and yeah I'd love to share the link when it's ready.

@ease thanks for the formatting tips, I’ll be putting them to good use from here on out. Also, the incorrect scene break isn’t in the first 450 words so maybe I can cling to hope after all.

Great analysis of volume 40, much gratitude for sharing it. Reading through some of my stories, I can see things missing… particularly the macro setting.  Now I can focus on that for this quarter’s submission. I may add it to April’s goals  

Good luck everyone for ticking off this month’s goals!

@ease Let’s see…April. I am finishing a cover for rebranding one of my husband’s novels, I need to write two short stories to submit to the superstars cryptid anthology and one for WOTF and then I should be free to get some panels of my graphic novel done. I’ve set a goal of writing at least 500 words a day on my novel in progress but so far haven’t managed so well if I can start implementing that. Oh! And get my copy of Volume 40 signed by you at your gala!!!

@ease Being a slush reader is an adventure lol. I have read more than 200 stories so far, and it does take a big chunk of my free time. But it is such an amazing experience and I cannot thank enough the editor that has trusted me with this. It also, at times, makes my own rejections sting less, and I had quite a lot over the last month.

What I've learned so far--and I'm still learning--is not mind blowing, and I'm sure we all know of all this. But there's one thing knowing, and another watching it happen.

First, I cannot stress enough the importance of the first two pages. The story needs to go to the point fast. Apart from experimental and very competent writing, I would say for most stories, if there is no clarity as to the character, setting, world, motivation, and conflict, it falls flat (for me as a reader.) And yes, DNFs happen quite a lot. I'm a culprit myself, I see it in my own stories. I'm too slow at starting, I like taking my time, I'm confident that the story coming after is strong enough, so it's all fine. Wrong haha. Not saying I know how to fix that, but at least I can work on it now.

Secondly, too many stories starting very well don't have satisfying pay-offs. The story meanders between several side characters and subplots, the ending doesn't offer a resolution to what has been established before, the initial ideas are all but forgotten. Surprisingly enough, there is sometimes no real story (I call them lovely snippets) or the story feels unfinished, like it stops randomly leaving everything still open.

Then there is: know your market. It doesn't matter how great the story is; if there's no way it would fit with the overall tone of the magazine, it won't go through. Read the mag, read the guidelines.

Finally, the story is more important (at first reader level) than the quality of the prose. Sure, a decent writing is expected. But no need to refine and polish endlessly if the story is not rock solid. A great prose will not save a wobbly plot. Of course, I guess that at editor level, between 2 great stories, the better written one might take the lead.

I would encourage anyone with some free time to volunteer if the opportunity comes. It's life changing to me. Not saying I'll become a better writer at all: there's identifying issues, and then there's fixing them (and even identifying issues in your own work is not that easy.) But I start developing a better understanding of what I must work on, also of what types of stories I really like and how they manage to work their magic.

Fingers crossed I can keep on reading for them on a long term basis. I enjoy it so much.

@hannya wow what an amazing opportunity you have in being a slush reader, and it sounds like you’ve gleamed a hefty amount of insight into your writing, and what the readers/editors are after. Thanks so much for sharing some of the insights, soooo helpful. Really happy you’re loving your new role and I hope you’re kept on for a longer term!

Posted by: @hannya

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First, I cannot stress enough the importance of the first two pages. 

Great point. I'm starting to get better at this, but have to keep reminding myself. That an inciting incident and character on their way to solving

Posted by: @hannya

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Secondly, too many stories starting very well don't have satisfying pay-offs.

Guilty. Starting off with heart's desire and inciting incident and then drop the tension. Augh. Having test readers identify that the story is slow in areas helps with KYDs. It is tough to cut, but it really does help. My last submission I cut 25% to make it keep going in the right direction. Most writers can cut at least 10% from their final drafts and the story is better for it. I'm an over achiever I guess with the 25%.  haha 

Posted by: @hannya

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Finally, the story is more important (at first reader level) than the quality of the prose. Sure, a decent writing is expected. But no need to refine and polish endlessly if the story is not rock solid. 

This makes sense. Square peg into round hole thing.

Posted by: @hannya

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I would encourage anyone with some free time to volunteer if the opportunity comes.

Good suggestion. I'll work on offering more reading of others stories moving forward.

Thank you for this post.

Posted by: @writhmic

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This month, my goal is to just write and submit a story for Q2 but I know even that will be a challenge. Worst case, I'll just pull something from the back of the closet where the monsters hide and submit it.

Well, I did submit something to the contest so I count that as a win. Even though it was one of my old stories, it's still new to the contest which is all I really wanted this quarter.

April goals:

1. Come up with and plot a novel idea. It's been soooo long since I focused on a novel and I miss it now. Part of it I think is because I just picked up a book this week to read for fun. It's been a while since doing that as well, and I realized again just how much I love reading fantasy novels over short stories.

Edit: #1 is actually complete as of today! I powered through it this morning thinking to get my rough, sleep-induced ideas down. Just looked back at my notes and saw that I'd ended up writing out the whole plot line.

2. Plot something new for Q3. I already have a short story plotted out (that was supposed to be for Q2), but I realized when I started writing it that I did not yet have the skills to execute the story the way it's playing in my head. So it'll have to wait!

3. Finish reading the book I started. I expect this to be finished by this week.

4. Crit someone else's story (I'm always open for 450s and for this week alone I can critique full stories of any length, ideally fantasy. PM me)

As May starts tomorrow, I'll throw in some goals.

5k per week on the novel. This is my personal gold standard for production. With no travel lined up, I think I can do it. Current word count 35,400.

Crit 2 full stories (for WotF).

Crit 10 450 openings (for whatever).

Read - though not necessarily complete - a new-to-me craft book.

I've not hit a target at all this month. I had a holiday and then, upon getting back, things kind of went pear shaped for reasons I'd rather not go into. 

Anyway, not much writing was done. 

On the plus side my son was awarded quite a hefty bursary at university for, well for being really good at chemistry, I'm going to be a grandad again and my first paid sale was published. 

Goals for this month are to hit the goals I missed last month. That is finish this short story and get a couple of chapters done on the novel. 

I wanted to start a new story (and maybe a flash too) in April, and I did. I have been in the swamp of "every word I write it utter garbage" for several weeks now, so I've tried to find as much joy as possible and just keep writing regardless.

For May I want to ideally have a full draft ready, and also final draft of the flash piece (it is trying to get out of hands but I have an idea on how to make it work in a shorter form so I'll just have to wrestle it down).

I believe my April goal was to write a story and love it (not hate it.) Success!!

Goal for May/June is to write two more stories and love them. 

April goals:

1. Don't forget my sisters birthday. Don't forget my mother-in-laws birthday. lol

They're the same day so either I'm going to win big or lose big on this one.

Success!

2. Produce some drabble. I don't necessarily use them as an end in themselves but they often help brainstorm ideas and help me capture one that is a bigger story and needs to grow beyond that 100 word slice. They're also a really low-committment/momentum way to get me writing again when I'm emerging from that post-wotf-submission fog.

Success!

3. One of the markets I have had acceptance from before has an open call starting 4/15 and I have another story I think may fit for them, as long as I make some market-specific changes to it. So edit that and send it out.

Success!

4. Finish reading volume 40. (some goals can be treats rather than chores, right?)

FAIL. Though I am almost done.

5. Write a review on #4 given that's why I was sent an arc. Got to keep up my side of the bargain 😉

FAIL

6. Start mulling q3?

 Consider it mulled

Now. Is it telling that the one goal I said would be a 'treat' was the one I failed? (okay, i failed two, I can't count - but goal 5 couldn't be done unless I did goal 4, so I'm counting that as one). Maybe I just need to treat myself more?  I like this logic.

May goals:

1. Really finish reading volume 40. 

2. Really write a review on #4 given that's why I was sent an arc. Got to keep up my side of the bargain 😉

3. I have a non-fic piece I am working on and I would like to get that finished. Especially given the deadline is May 13th. (wow, that's creeping up on me...)

4. Write something fiction-based. I'm not going to specify what yet though I want to hit all my goals this month.

Posted by: @toddjones

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April 2024 Goals:

• Revisit the new story I couldn't get right for Q2 submission and put aside - COMPLETED
• Finish new story draft with the ideas I got the day after I submitted Q2 and my mind freed up processing power - 80% COMPLETED
• Jot down notes for a new story I've been thinking about for Q3 submission backup - COMPLETED
• Have fun and write - FAIL (Life got in the way)

 

May 2024 Goals:

• Finish draft story with ideas from April revisit of story
• Jot down notes for a new story
• Have fun and write

April goals…

1. I just finished the story structure and character development for a novel so I’d like to complete at least 20,000 words towards the first draft. (Only managed 5000 words, but I'm ok with it because I completed #2 goal and in the spirit of 'striking while the iron is hot', I finished a 15000 first draft of my Q3 story... which I need to cut down to 12000/13000)
2. For Q3 - Unpack my story idea + Character development for protagonist and supporting characters + Story structure. 
3. Make sticky notes from my new learnings from Wulf Moon’s super secrets to stick on my desk and work spaces. 
4. Buy some damn printer ink so I can actually print my stories again to do the final edit. Helps me so much.
5. Edit one of my short stories using #3 and submit to a magazine

May goals:

1. Q3, check for plot holes and major edits, consolidate scenes, KYD, check pacing. Ensure first 450 words contains all the essential elements.

2. Once revision of Q3 is complete, put it aside for at least 3 weeks and resist reading it. Then read through with fresh eyes for next revision.

3. 20,000 words towards first draft of novel.

4. Edit an existing short story and submit to a magazine.

I'm late, but my Internet has been too frustrating these past few days. Hopefully it's fixed now.

April goals: meh. I did manage to write 20k to add to my ongoing WIP (YA fantasy). But I didn't write more than 2 short stories. I still have that writer block. It feels kind of fine to add to a draft or edit, but I completely dry out at starting something new.

May goals: edit 2 short stories and submit. Do what I can in terms of drafting new ones, no pressure. Do more writing exercises. Read a lot.

I've also finished reading all subs for the mag (450+ over a month) and the window is now closed. I really enjoyed the process and was feeling a bit lost after that, as they don't reopen before September. So I've joined, in parallel, another wonderful team at a pro mag publishing flash fiction. I've started reading this week for them and I hope I'll learn a lot about flash. This fits my writing schedule perfectly: 1h a day reading + 2h a day working on my own projects. Life is bliss.

Dang, I had some lofty goals...

Mid-Month:

So I switched novels on like May 2. Not a bad thing as I'm at 13k new words. Only 7 more and I make this goal. Only problem, I'm likely to write the end prior to 7k. If that happens, then I edit, and will count editing time as pseudo word count and call it complete.

I didn't crit anything, but I have one on my desktop and hope to get to it soon!

I missed some 450s and begged (begged? Well I'm begging now) for a 2nd chance. AKA, after the other feedback/edit, lemme see!

And I did start a craft book, but it's annoying me. I'll try to be patient and get further in.

Life's crazy. Work's crazy. I have not forgotten y'all, and will be back with a better response. But just wanted to quickly pop in and say that you're all awesome and you're all doing awesome and I miss ya  

Nice goals @tj_knight - make sure y'all help him achieve those crit goals by sending him your stories! It's more for you than for him 😉 

Sorry about your April writing, @pdblake, but a huge congratulations to your son. That must be a huge weight of his/your shoulders. I hope your short story is coming along well, now that we're halfway into the month.

I thought your post was well written, @tiinag, so "every word I write it utter garbage" is boo-hickey! I hope you're getting on better with your short and your flash now.

@kz_richards - loving all the love. Loving your work is such a good sign that you're writing to the best of your abilities.

Those are some pretty minor fails among some great successes, @gideonpsmith. And those are some awesome goals. I hope you find the first one pleasurable, and the second one includes glowing praise for at least one of the fifteen stories 😉

I like the comment on having fun, @toddjones. That's the whole point of this, isn't it? I hope your May is going well.

@bon - 20,000 words is 20,000 words. Great work! Hope your next 20,000 are going well. If you want an extra pair of eyes on those 450, feel free to send them my way. I'm sure @tj_knight would love to look over them, too.

@hannya, how COULD you be 5 days late?! Unbelievable... writer's block is the worst, but managing 20k words despite it is incredible. And I'm very glad life is bliss. I hope it stays that way.

@ajschultz6, @clfors, @writhmic, @annax, @joel-c-scoberg, @storysinger, @physa, @pegeen, @kent, @jeschleicher, @sconn, @ericstallsworth, @olivia-ava, @abeona - how go your Mays? I hope all the words you want to write and art you want to make are being/have been written/made.

For myself, I successfully finished and submitted my non-fiction piece and attended WotF. It was pretty awesome. I also wrote a story in 24 hours, submitted a different story during the workshop (and it has already received a personalized rejection), and have submitted to a few magazines and a few agents since returning. No acceptances yet, but that's okay by me.

Given that we're halfway through May, and work is ridiculous, my goal for the next two weeks it to query five more agents, and work out enough setting/speculative rules for my novel (a sequel of 'Ashes to Ashes' (and if you want a free eBook of Ashes you can get it by signing up to my newsletter, or PMing me if you don't want that spam)) so that I can plot and start writing in June.

Looking forward to hearing how we all did in a couple weeks.

@ease First off, I got my copy of Vol 40 the other day and went straight for your story. Loved it. Really enjoyed, very clever and thought provoking tale. Well done, a very deserving winner. I hope you enjoyed the gala too, I am catching up on the blog.

In terms of my goals, I can't really remember what they were (this is becoming standard now, I should write them down in a notebook so I remember). I had a string of agent rejections for my picture book (non sci-fi and fantasy), and was struck down by a nasty chest infection which sidelined me for a fortnight. I recovered just in time to go on holiday for a week, so my writing has been very limited. Although, on the plus side, I had a story published this month in Gwyllion Magazine, and it is available in hard copy. That checks off one of my writing goals, and was a pretty awesome feeling to have a physical magazine with one of my stories in it. I think that makes up for my lack of writing and my rejections.

Moving forward, I hope to finish my WotF entry for this quarter in the next few weeks. I need to get back on the saddle and get some words down. Then, I plan on revising a completed story and trying to find a home for it (a HM from WotF).

I hope you all are having productive writing months.

Posted by: @joel-c-scoberg

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I had a story published this month in Gwyllion Magazine, and it is available in hard copy. That checks off one of my writing goals, and was a pretty awesome feeling to have a physical magazine with one of my stories in it.

That is incredible! Congratulations. I assume you have a copy and have held it in your hands? Cos man, don't that feel good? And that cover art is gorgeous.

And your comments on my story are very kind. I'm glad you enjoyed it. 

May goals:

1. Really finish reading volume 40. 

SUCCESS

2. Really write a review on #4 given that's why I was sent an arc. Got to keep up my side of the bargain 😉

SUCCESS

3. I have a non-fic piece I am working on and I would like to get that finished. Especially given the deadline is May 13th. (wow, that's creeping up on me...)

SUCCESS

(there are still proffreading corrections to do but it was completed, submitted and all corrections per editor and line editor done, so I have done everything on time and am only not complete as waiting for proofreader comments)

4. Write something fiction-based. I'm not going to specify what yet though I want to hit all my goals this month.

SUCCESS

I did not write a 'complete thing', but I did write scenes, and so I think that counts as 'something'. I was specifically trying not to state what, so any fiction writing completed this goal.

I think I will have to ponder on what my June goals are and will post those in a couple of days, but I'm counting May as achieved even though there's still a few days left 😉

Posted by: @toddjones

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May 2024 Goals:

• Finish draft story with ideas from April revisit of story - DIDN'T WORK ON
• Jot down notes for a new story - COMPLETED
• Have fun and write - FAILED (Note: Life got in way and my mind isn't on writing.)

 

June 2024 Goals:

• Finish draft story with ideas from April revisit of story
• Have fun and write (Kick this mind fog and write)  

Look at all that SUCCESS! Way to go, @gideonpsmith. And I enjoyed the review, too (yes, I hunted it down). @toddjones, I'm sorry to hear that life got in the way. We're all very familiar with how it has a tendency to do that. I would really love to see you have fun writing this month, though. Have you considered writing something outside of your wheelhouse, or really short? Or really specific, like for a niche anthology?

Ease's May Goals:

• Query five agents - I did eight! And got six rejections and two not-heard-back-from-yets-but-it-doesn't-look-goods.
• Develop setting/speculative rules - success! Because I cheated; I asked others for help. Which, by the way, is the kind of cheating I don't just approve of, but whole-heartedly endorse. Thank you to all the wise friends (many of whom are here) who helped me flesh this out.
• Bonus points - I have the top-level plot written for the novel! 

Ease's June Goals:

• Write half or more of the mid-level plot. One bullet point per scene. 
• Revise alien hermit crab story for an anthology, and submit it.
• Submit a story to Intergalactic Rejects anthology call (this one's easy because the story has to be already written).

And that's it. I have a 'public-facing Zoom call' or two, a signing (at a freakin' Barnes and Noble!), Father's Day, and my birthday this month, so I'm not expecting to achieve a whole lot, though I am hoping to finish the mid-level plot (rather than just half of it) and hopefully get some actual prose written.

@ajschultz6, @clfors, @writhmic, @pdblake, @annax, @kz_richards, @joel-c-scoberg, @storysinger, @physa, @pegeen, @kent, @jeschleicher, @sconn, @ericstallsworth, @hannya, @tiinag, @olivia-ava, @abeona, @bon, @tj_knight - how went your Mays? How will goeth your Junes?

As a selfish aside, to those who have read Ashes to Ashes, Blood to Carbonfiber, do you have any comments that might inform a sequel? Ideas for how you'd utilize a fabricator, build a hidden colony, terraform a salted planet? I'd love to hear them, and can pay you in gratitude here and in the acknowledgements section of the novel.

June 30th is the deadline for Q3! You can't win if you don't submit.

As always, my inbox is open to the first ~2 pages of any story, and you'll skip right to the top of my critique queue. PRO BONO. No return favor expected (though I recommend doing all the critiques you can as practise for yourself, you just don't have to critique my work (though you're welcome to if you want to)). @tj_knight also looks at openings, I forget of what length.

/Edit - I've been encouraged to clarify that TJ will look at story openings. Don't send him other types, regardless of length.

Also, some tips on making it through the WotF slush-pile, that I extorted from Kary and Jody and Martin over the week in Hollywood:

The process:

1. First visual scan - checks that it’s totally nonsense or not.
   1. Rejects cookbooks/poems/lightgray font/4pt font, etc. Easy mistakes (i.e., single lined) will not be rejected on their own.
   2. Checks that its a short and not a novel or even a series. [Don't laugh. They've received entire trilogies before.]
   3. Drabbles can’t win.
   4. Flash is unlikely to win. 1500 might be the shortest that's ever won. 2500 is more likely the minimum. [I think the amazing Mica Scotti Kole's "Are You the Life if the Party?" might hold the record? If not, V40's Nonzero was 2920!]
2. Then they read the title and first two paragraphs.
   1. Rejection here comes from BAD grammar
3. Then they ‘read to reject’ over the first two pages. Speculative element must be there unless it [strongly] ‘feels’ spec or the writing is immaculate.
4. Hint of plot, AT LEAST, must be in the first four pages. If spec still isn’t there, slusher might skim the whole story looking for it. [If it's not found, almost guaranteed rejection. Note: 'found' not 'present.']
5. After reading the first pages, the slusher skips to the end. Does beginning and end match? If not, skim through the end to ensure it makes sense.

It’s very rare the entire story is read by slushers.

If it’s good enough it’ll be passed up to the coordinating judge with a comment like "this feels like HM/SHM" or "this better be Finalist!” or "it has SENTIENT LAWNCHAIRS, you have to read it."

Very occasionally, slushers issue HMs. Normally for nice, good stories that are not amazing. Perhaps tropey, or not original enough, or writing is good but not great. 

As we already know, HMs go to the top 10-15%, SHM 2-3%, then 10 semi, 8 finalists. This means that the best SHM is only a hair 'worse' than the 'worst' semi. If you get an SHM then you are so close.

And most importantly: never threaten a kid or a cat.

@ease Super helpful, thanks James! Very jealous of the experience, hope it was fun! I also very much enjoyed your story in the book. I haven't read them all yet, but of the ones I have, yours is still my favorite. I like the concept a lot. In terms of sequel ideas, I assume the billionth folks would try to mess up the new colony with a traitor sneaking in or a full out attack. Maybe offer membership to certain folks in return for betraying the trust of the others. Lots of conflict potential. In terms of working in the machinery piece, maybe there is a temptation to make something that should be off limits, whatever that might be.