Success!

Also to Emery and David and Jeanne and everyone else. Didn't mean to leave anyone out.

Also, on a side note, I just watched parts of the awards ceremony video. That must have been crazy, Emery and Jordan. Definitely made the contest seem more real to me, that winning would mean actually going to LA and doing all this stuff. Scary, too.

Matt

Not enough congrats to Alastair for getting into Analog yet. So I'll add mine. I can't imagine what that would be like, seeing that contract instead of a rejection slip. Haven't you been close at Analog before this, Alastair?

Ha ha, thanks.

It was a bit of a surprise (to put it mildly). I knew the MS had been out longer than usual, but with events like Worldcon and the change of address for the Dell magazines I wasn't getting my hopes up. The return address on the envelope (it wasn't my SASE) was Penny Publications (they do business as Dell) which I couldn't immediately place, although it sounded vaguely familiar. So yes, it was quite the surprise when I opened the envelope.

Yes, I'd had a couple of encouraging personal rejections from Stan Schmidt at Analog before this -- I remember being pretty happy the first time I got one of those, too.

(The story is titled "Light Conversation" and given the lead time, probably won't be out until next summer. I'm especially pleased because I've been reading Analog almost forever, but from most other standpoints, even third place in WotF would be worth a lot more than this sale.)

Congrats Emery!

Thanks all for the congrats . Looking forward to returning the favor soon!

. . . but from most other standpoints, even third place in WotF would be worth a lot more than this sale.)

But you're known at Analog now, known to Stan Schmidt. I wouldn't undervalue that. Our are you just speaking monetarily?

Matt

I'm pumped. I just sold a story to Analog! This is my first pro-level sale (and so the race is on -- will I win WOTF before I disqualify myself?) and to a market that some pro writers try for years before getting into -- not that I haven't been trying for years myself. (I haven't even heard from Stan yet, I just got the contract from Dell in the mail.)

A light hearted short-short, but hey, it's a sale, and to Analog!

WHOA! This is news indead!

Alastair, I'd consider this a *BIG* triumph. Stan has pretty high standards, in terms of spec fic content and technical accuracy. I am not surprised at all that you made the sale, having become more familiar with you and your background since Kris'n'Dean earlier in the year.

Boat drinks, my friend! Boat drinks!!

But you're known at Analog now, known to Stan Schmidt. I wouldn't undervalue that. Our are you just speaking monetarily?

Matt

No, not just monetarily, although it is that. WOTF winners get noticed by editors too, and the annual workshop and awards are valuable for both their educational and networking opportunities. I don't undervalue this sale to Analog, it means a lot to me, but I also recognize the value of the WOTF contest in the broader context.

I have to say that if I had to decide between one or the other, it'd be a painful decision.

Alastair, I'd consider this a *BIG* triumph. Stan has pretty high standards, in terms of spec fic content and technical accuracy. I am not surprised at all that you made the sale, having become more familiar with you and your background since Kris'n'Dean earlier in the year.

Boat drinks, my friend! Boat drinks!!

Thanks Brad. It also raises the bar slightly for me -- he does make some allowances for new writers. Their stories have to be good, of course, but he's been known to send back a story from an established writer that he'd accept from a newbie because he knows the established writer can do better.

Good news! My first published story is now available to the public.

My story is titled "The Utility of Love" and is published in Northern Frights Publishing's Wizard of Oz horror anthology "Shadows of the Emerald City." There are 19 stories in the anthology, all of a variety of different styles and moods.

The gist of my story is well summed up by a review by Sense Five: "One of the most successful alternate mythology pieces, “The Utility of Loveâ€Â

Congrats to Steffenwolf, emery, alastair and all who I've forgotten in my trawl through this thread.

I have two stories out at the moment, one a small but pro sale. "The Door" is up for a few more days at Flash Fiction Online. The other is "Wielding The Knife," not at all a pro sale, but still visible at A Fly In Amber E-zine. I'm feeling hopeful that I can write sellable stories at least some of the time. I'm hooked.

My second published story, The Disconnected, now available as a free a free audio download.
http://pseudopod.org/2009/11/20/pseudop ... connected/

Go, Dave!

Perhaps not a success as most people would think of it but any of you who have ever pitched a novel have some idea what was involved--I signed with an agent yesterday.

Go, Jeanne! I hope that agent opens some doors for you.

Perhaps not a success as most people would think of it but any of you who have ever pitched a novel have some idea what was involved--I signed with an agent yesterday.

That's most definitely a success! And I hope it turns into a sale.

Hey, congrats, Jeanne--well done. Getting an agent is a large part of the battle.

Wow, nice Jeanne! I hope you realize your dreams of getting that big novel deal .

Congrats on getting your agent, JR!

Vital in prose, we all know, but an agent is pretty much life-or-death in screenwriting (they won't even open a spec script unless it's thru an agent, usually--for fear of the lawsuits claiming "I sent XXX my screenplay and a year later their movie ripped off my ideas!" etc)

One of my first motives to enter WOTF was because I wanted to be able to seduce an agent into representing my stuff. Winning WOTF has to be a killer door opener!

Right, you guyz who have won it?

...we hope so.

Thanks. I can't say I'm doing much speculative work these days but who knows... I might go back to it some day. Good luck!

Oh wow, really? What are you writing now JR?

Historical. I have to say I've loved the change in genre.

I noticed that a historical novel won the Booker Award this year so I'm saving a place on my mantel.

(No, not really. I'm not literary, but it's an amusing thought)

I just made my first sale... I'll update when I can say what it was (not a WotF thing, don't worry). Going to dance on rooftops now

In a word: OUTSTANDING!

Was it SFWA minimum rate?

no, semi rate (works out to about 1.5 cents a word).

I'm still solidly eligible for WotF

I'm still solidly eligible for WotF

Congratulations on your sale! AND still in the hunt and the Big Game (WOTF/IOTF)

Historical. I have to say I've loved the change in genre.

I noticed that a historical novel won the Booker Award this year so I'm saving a place on my mantel.

(No, not really. I'm not literary, but it's an amusing thought)

Ah great to hear! I love historical!

Have you ever read Sharon Kay Penman? Here Be Dragons was an amazing novel IMO. Great strong female characters that do a lot of things that really break out of the "medieval" stereotype in a believable way.

I just made my first sale... I'll update when I can say what it was (not a WotF thing, don't worry). Going to dance on rooftops now

Congratulations and hope you're dancing safe on the roof izanobu! lol don't want to break your typing hands! Those are valuable now

I just made my first sale... Going to dance on rooftops now

Yay, congrats! I know the feeling.

Thanks guys.

It's a flash fiction story, will be up at Alienskin magazine in for their Feb/March issue.

I'm pretty stoked