Contest Questions

@lost_bard Thank you!

@morgan-broadhead thank you for your help and encouragement!

Has anyone ever seen a dark fantasy story win this contest?

I finished a dark fantasy  that I'm considering for Q4, but I'm worried it'll get disqualified. It's not incredibly bloody, but a fair amount of people (and goats) die, and it has a pretty strong horror element.

I've read recent WotF publications, and I've only seen a few I'd consider dark fantasy. Something tells me that even if my story is "good," it may not be the right fit for this market.

Let me know your thoughts!

If you're extra ambitious, PM me and I'd love to have you skim over it to check whether it's WotF worthy...

Posted by: @g-l-bertram

Has anyone ever seen a dark fantasy story win this contest?

I finished a dark fantasy  that I'm considering for Q4, but I'm worried it'll get disqualified. It's not incredibly bloody, but a fair amount of people (and goats) die, and it has a pretty strong horror element.

I've read recent WotF publications, and I've only seen a few I'd consider dark fantasy. Something tells me that even if my story is "good," it may not be the right fit for this market.

Let me know your thoughts!

If you're extra ambitious, PM me and I'd love to have you skim over it to check whether it's WotF worthy...

Two thoughts occur to me on this question. First, the contest doesn't specify what kind of science fiction and fantasy it's looking for. Alternate history, apocalyptic, dystopian, slipstream, weird, urban, mythic, heroic, dark , contemporary ... it's ALL on the table.

Having said that, the published anthology also has a target audience in mind. I've heard (from my brother's friend's cousin's step-mom's ex-husband's grandson) that the anthology has been known to get picked up by middle schools across the country. That being the case, the content of your story needs to be appropriate for that audience range.

You're probably okay with, "An evil mage requires a sacrificial goat, and some of the goat's blood spills down the altar..." On the other hand, if the evil mage goes to the school dance with the Homecoming Queen, and a group of pranksters drops a bucket of goat's blood on the Queen's head and kills her...probably not gonna make it to the top 5%.

Posted by: @morgan-broadhead

Having said that, the published anthology also has a target audience in mind. I've heard (from my brother's friend's cousin's step-mom's ex-husband's grandson) that the anthology has been known to get picked up by middle schools across the country. That being the case, the content of your story needs to be appropriate for that audience range.

You're probably okay with, "An evil mage requires a sacrificial goat, and some of the goat's blood spills down the altar..."

Haha got it, not a spot for channeling Stephen King.

Those are great points. Yeah, I think I'll send this story elsewhere.

I think a similar question to this may have been answered on the forum, but I couldn't find an answer to mine. With WOTF, are you allowed to specifically refer to the title of a song in your story submission, without quoting the lyrics? Is that allowed?

For example, 'Johnny walked into a diner. Blue Suede Shoes played as he made his way to a table.'

Posted by: @g-l-bertram

Posted by: @morgan-broadhead

Having said that, the published anthology also has a target audience in mind. I've heard (from my brother's friend's cousin's step-mom's ex-husband's grandson) that the anthology has been known to get picked up by middle schools across the country. That being the case, the content of your story needs to be appropriate for that audience range.

You're probably okay with, "An evil mage requires a sacrificial goat, and some of the goat's blood spills down the altar..."

Haha got it, not a spot for channeling Stephen King.

Those are great points. Yeah, I think I'll send this story elsewhere.

Dark fantasy is fine. Straight horror is out. PG-13 is fine, R is out. (Good luck defining the lines between these.)

Posted by: @scott_m_sands

I think a similar question to this may have been answered on the forum, but I couldn't find an answer to mine. With WOTF, are you allowed to specifically refer to the title of a song in your story submission, without quoting the lyrics? Is that allowed?

For example, 'Johnny walked into a diner. Blue Suede Shoes played as he made his way to a table.'

Song titles cannot be copyrighted. You're fine.

Caveat: Some artists can be assholes. Kevin J. Anderson tells of a group who threatened to sue over a title. They wouldn't have won, but they would have cost him and the publisher significant time and legal fees. Kevin decided he didn't want to promote assholes like that, so he changed to a different song.

@martin-l-shoemaker 

Perfect. Thanks for your response, Martin. I really appreciate the clarification.

@morgan-broadhead Thank you!

First, I've read through this entire thread, and I'm very grateful for all the insights I gleaned from doing so.

Second, I'm fairly new to WotF, so forgive me if this is a foolish question, but is there a theme or anything of the sort for each quarter/year? Or can literally any story be submitted?

@thewritingwolf no themes. Just speculative fiction. 

@thewritingwolf The only foolish questions are the unasked ones 😉 And no, there's no theme beyond speculative fiction. Science fiction, fantasy, and speculative horror..

This quarter's theme is: Be awesome!

That was last quarter's theme as well, and the quarter before that. They're in a rut... ?

@martin-l-shoemaker  

@g-l-bertram I SF with a dark fantasy (high medieval with werewolves).

Can anyone advise on when submissions made by the end of March will be announced? It feels like this is just about the time, am I right?

@elmontague We are currently expecting Quarter 2 results, but were told a few days ago that it could be a few weeks yet.

@elmontague think on the q2 thread two weeks was mentioned. 

After submitting to the last quarter, I got an acceptance for a novella, which is being run in 3 parts by the Grantville Gazette in the Baen's Universe Annex.  That puts me at 2 pro short story sales (Also in the Annex) and one novella.  Each part of the novella is getting its own contract, for accounting purposes I assume.  So, does that put me over the 3 Pro Sales bar?

Posted by: @jkenton

After submitting to the last quarter, I got an acceptance for a novella, which is being run in 3 parts by the Grantville Gazette in the Baen's Universe Annex.  That puts me at 2 pro short story sales (Also in the Annex) and one novella.  Each part of the novella is getting its own contract, for accounting purposes I assume.  So, does that put me over the 3 Pro Sales bar?

Congratulations on the sales! Woot!

From what I've heard before, you're DQ'd once you make your 4th sale, and only after each of the previous sales exceeds 5,000 copies sold or 5,000 hits (online readers). But you can clarify that with Joni just to be sure.

Posted by: @morgan-broadhead

Posted by: @jkenton

After submitting to the last quarter, I got an acceptance for a novella, which is being run in 3 parts by the Grantville Gazette in the Baen's Universe Annex.  That puts me at 2 pro short story sales (Also in the Annex) and one novella.  Each part of the novella is getting its own contract, for accounting purposes I assume.  So, does that put me over the 3 Pro Sales bar?

Congratulations of the sales! Woot!

From what I've heard before, you're DQ'd once you make your 4th sale, and only after each of the previous sales exceeds 5,000 copies sold or 5,000 hits (online readers). But you can clarify that with Joni just to be sure.

 

I believe they judge it by the date of publication, not the date of sale. Congrats @jkenton on your novella sale to Grantville Gazette! You'll be over the pro sales when your 4th publication paid at pro rates hits shelves (Baen/Grantville definitely will get over 5k hits). Until that 4th part publishes, you're eligible to enter I believe. Congrats!

The first part of the novella went live in the current issue (July/August.)  The second will presumably run in the next issue, (Sept/Oct.)  Sounds like I should consider that 2nd part of the novella as my 4th pro sale then, I'd rather err on the side of not being shady.  (The Gazette pays pro rates, $0.09 a word.)  Well, I'll have to see if I have anything that's fit to fight before that window closes.  Thanks!

Posted by: @jkenton

After submitting to the last quarter, I got an acceptance for a novella, which is being run in 3 parts by the Grantville Gazette in the Baen's Universe Annex.  That puts me at 2 pro short story sales (Also in the Annex) and one novella.  Each part of the novella is getting its own contract, for accounting purposes I assume.  So, does that put me over the 3 Pro Sales bar?

Congratulations! ?

@annax Thanks!

@rschibler Thank you!

@morgan-broadhead Thank you!  It's been a great year.

@jkenton - Wow. Dude. Excellent. Congratulations on the sale(s). Sky is the limit - or should I say . . . deep space?

Not sure if this question has already been addressed...Have alternate history stories seen success in this contest? I've heard Kary say on a podcast that they're accepted, but is there anything you have to keep in mind when writing that specific genre?

@wildkardde- alternate history

< is there anything you have to keep in mind when writing that specific genre?>

I think as long as there is a speculative element of some sort: magic (fantasy) or steampunk machinery (sci-fi...maybe) throughout the story you'll be good with it.