Discussion: Q1 Volume 38

SHM here!

Just received the status of my submission for Q1 Volume 38.  My story did not place in the contest.

I'm left feeling a bit more than confused.  Does WOTF no longer accept Urban Fantasy?

My last several entries (all Urban Fantasy) have all earned HM or SHM.  

I've started work on my next story for Q3 (another UF) and am concerned.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks!

SHM. I knew I was kind of going "off-brand" a bit with a spec fiction piece slanted a bit more toward horror, but I wanted to get a submission in.

Posted by: @jennifleck

SHM. I knew I was kind of going "off-brand" a bit with a spec fiction piece slanted a bit more toward horror, but I wanted to get a submission in.

A SHM sure doesn't sound like it went terribly off-brand...

@jennifleck I tend to go a bit toward darker UF. But my Q1 entry skewed more to the personal & emotional.

@jennifleck  Congratulations on the SHM!

  I think my story was a little experimental with multiple POV's, but hey, I'm EXCITED to get the HM and join the forum here, yay! 

Posted by: @dwh

Just received the status of my submission for Q1 Volume 38.  My story did not place in the contest.

I'm left feeling a bit more than confused.  Does WOTF no longer accept Urban Fantasy?

My last several entries (all Urban Fantasy) have all earned HM or SHM.  

I've started work on my next story for Q3 (another UF) and am concerned.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks!

I can't swear to this, but I think this just means it's been given a Rejection? According to their own guidelines, all types of science-fiction, fantasy, and dark fantasy are permitted, and I don't believe Urban Fantasy is excluded from that, though perhaps Wulf or Dustin could speak to that with more confidence than I.

(Furthermore, more than one Forumite has gone from SF or F to an R on their next entry--certainly don't let that one dent your confidence for the next entry!) 

@triciasankey Congratulations on your HM! 

@dwh Thanks! I will start viewing the online writers workshop videos here. I like how everything is free here!

@doctorjest Thank you boosting my spirits! 

@triciasankey I just completed the workshop about a month ago. Learned a lot. 

@dwh I have been writing poetry and flash fiction for a while on my blog www.triciasankey.com and realize I need a little more practice with short stories. This was only my second time submitting, my first time out I got a rejection, so at least I know I have improved now which feels good.

Posted by: @dwh

Just received the status of my submission for Q1 Volume 38.  My story did not place in the contest.

I'm left feeling a bit more than confused.  Does WOTF no longer accept Urban Fantasy?

My last several entries (all Urban Fantasy) have all earned HM or SHM.  

I've started work on my next story for Q3 (another UF) and am concerned.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks!

They take all types of fantasy, including urban. This is just one quarter. You can’t win them all. Reject rejectomancy and move on to your next. It’s how we grow. There’s always another quarter, and I wish you success on your next!

Posted by: @jennifleck

SHM. I knew I was kind of going "off-brand" a bit with a spec fiction piece slanted a bit more toward horror, but I wanted to get a submission in.

SHM is really high. Dave says he often gives those in the hopes he’ll see the piece again, perhaps with a fix to some problem he saw. Congratulations on this high honor!

Posted by: @triciasankey

  I think my story had too many POV's from three different characters (and a quantum computer POV actually made 4) and maybe it was too big of an idea for a short story, but hey, I'm EXCITED to get the HM and join the forum here, yay! 

Welcome to the Forum, Tricia! Congratulations on your HM! It means you impressed Dave and he wanted to let you know. Cheers!

I got an honorable mention for my story... my second. Submitted a cyberpunk story last time, went sword and sorcery this time. I lovingly refer to the tone and style as "Howard/Lovecraft by way of the Shaw Brothers".

Admittedly frustrated, same story was a Baen Fantasy Adventure Award finalist last year, and I was hoping it would do better than my prior story.

I know it's something to be proud of all the same, but there's still that frustration, you know? Is that abnormal?

First ever submission so I am utterly thrilled. Nice to know that someone read my story all the way through without tossing it on the heap! I struggle with intros so was worried they wouldn't get past the first page ? 

Posted by: @henckel

That's a beautiful sign there, Christopher! You've collected the entire set!!! Well done!

Posted by: @thekingsguard

I got an honorable mention for my story... my second. Submitted a cyberpunk story last time, went sword and sorcery this time. I lovingly refer to the tone and style as "Howard/Lovecraft by way of the Shaw Brothers".

Admittedly frustrated, same story was a Baen Fantasy Adventure Award finalist last year, and I was hoping it would do better than my prior story.

I know it's something to be proud of all the same, but there's still that frustration, you know? Is that abnormal?

Not abnormal at all. Most writers desire to see their work in print so it will be read by others. It did well with the editors at Baen. It will likely sell somewhere else. Hang in there and keep swinging! 

Posted by: @sleeplessinschnitzel

First ever submission so I am utterly thrilled. Nice to know that someone read my story all the way through without tossing it on the heap! I struggle with intros so was worried they wouldn't get past the first page ? 

Congratulations to you and some others that did well on their first submissions! That you got an HM means your opening was good. You would not have gotten that honor with a poor opening. Keep up the great work! We make all these honors look easy here in the Forum. I assure you, it is not. Celebrate your victory and be sure to enter every quarter!

And your name is funny! Good one!

Well, in for a penny, in for a pound, as they say. 

This was my first attempt. At short fiction. At WotF. Not too shabby. 

Congratulations to all the winners

First time submitting, received an HM!

I'm new to short fiction and the submissions process is pretty confusing--am I able to keep submitting this story to other magazines since it wasn't chosen to print?

Posted by: @henckel

Yes Yes Yes YYYYYYYEEEESSSS!

Congrats!!!  

Shm for Beth and I.

I won't wet blanket others' excitement, but to say we left it all on the page, and I had hoped for a better result.

She is great, imaginative, and talented. I'd write another story with her anytime.

@henckel congratulations! That's fantastic!

Posted by: @dwh

Just received the status of my submission for Q1 Volume 38.  My story did not place in the contest.

I'm left feeling a bit more than confused.  Does WOTF no longer accept Urban Fantasy?

My last several entries (all Urban Fantasy) have all earned HM or SHM.  

I've started work on my next story for Q3 (another UF) and am concerned.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks!

My SHM was an Urban Fantasy, as was my SF from last quarter. If you'd like, I can do a crit trade with you to give suggestions and tips (either on the story you just got back or on your current WIP when you get to the point of being willing to share). I can't make this offer as regularly as I could back before the twins, but I like to help out when I can.  

I will say that, thinking back, most of my own R's were either because the prose in my opening scene was awkward (I've learned the hard way that lack of sleep can make last-minute edits go poorly) or because I had started the story in the wrong place. That isn't necessarily the case with your story--just speaking from my own experience on the matter.