Discussion: Q1 Volume 39

Posted by: @disgruntledpeony

Posted by: @czing

Did anyone else who has already submitted for the quarter get an email 'friendly reminder' to submit? I got it on Dec 27th

I got a friendly reminder to submit. I think it was just a default mailing list thing.

thanks!!!! I just wanted to be sure it wasn't because my submission somehow didn't work etc. But it looks like I am in good company 😉

@czing yeah got that too. You'd think the new system would be able to tell tbh 

I'm in for Q1 with a day to spare. Good luck, everyone!

This morning I posted my story to my group because the draft was done. I was not thrilled. Seriously questioned why I even bother. I had either lost or screwed up all the promise the story had. But it was late and I knew I was under some serious holiday stress, so I went to bed to try and quiet the voices in my head telling me I should just give up. Woke up in a foul mood despite the doggo's best effort to cheer me up. Got a critique back and it put to words what I had already felt. So, that was useful, but it did nothing for my mood. Tried working on something else, gave up, and went back to bed. Woke up with thoughts from the critique and some lines from the text. Seems a bit clearer now. I think I might just pull this off.

I'm in for Q1...it was a bit of a scramble there, at the end!

I had difficulties with my email address and password on the online submission form, and reached out to Joni, who said she'd help get it submitted. The little stumbling block also gave me time to take a shower, and I do my best thinking in there -- which made me realize there was a continuity error I'd made toward the end of the story, eek. So I hopped back on that draft and fixed it, gave it one last comb-through, then made triple-sure it was stripped blind and THEN sent it, fingers crossed.

@babooher you can do it! If you need words of encouragement, I have many to share with you. There is still all of Friday to do it and still the rest of tonight (depending what timezone you're in). I know exactly the feeling you're talking about that. So often it's the night before and I find huge structural flaws in my story. What I've realized at the end is as much as I'd like to win WotF, and I'd like that VERY much, it's about me becoming the best writer I can be. 

I hope this helps give you the push to get the edits you can done and knowing it's made you a better writer for the next story. 

@babooher You can do this. Don't give up. Get that entry in.

@babooher You've got this! The voices of self-doubt are dirty little liars. I've also had a rough go on critique with my story for this quarter. My first reader just didn't connect to it. I had to mope and regroup a bit but I think my edits are good now and I'll submit tonight. How are you doing?

Hi! I've been submitting to Writers of the Future and Illustrators of the Future since 2016(Illustators I think I started a bit later) But I haven't been active in the forums before. I think I posted once maybe a few years back.

I'm excited for Volume 39! I got my new entry for Illustrators done in time even though it was huge(30x40) and way more complex than I've tried to do with a short holiday deadline. My Story is complete just in time minus a quick search for homophones I plan to do before submitting tonight. Yay!

Any other author-illustrators in here?

Volume 38 was my best yet with three HMs in writing and two finalists for illustration. I'm hoping to break that and get a silver or better this year for writing! Good luck to everyone on first quarter! I look forward to getting to know everyone.

@clfors I admire you. I wish I could illustrate, but alas that is not my skill set. I do enjoy drawing and painting though.

And, I'm in--Q1 away! Onto Q2...

(Though as a side note, I was a little puzzled that it claimed I only had two hours left to submit.)

Posted by: @clfors

Hi! I've been submitting to Writers of the Future and Illustrators of the Future since 2016(Illustators I think I started a bit later) But I haven't been active in the forums before. I think I posted once maybe a few years back.

I'm excited for Volume 39! I got my new entry for Illustrators done in time even though it was huge(30x40) and way more complex than I've tried to do with a short holiday deadline. My Story is complete just in time minus a quick search for homophones I plan to do before submitting tonight. Yay!

Any other author-illustrators in here?

Volume 38 was my best yet with three HMs in writing and two finalists for illustration. I'm hoping to break that and get a silver or better this year for writing! Good luck to everyone on first quarter! I look forward to getting to know everyone.

I wish--I enjoy working in art, but I neglected it and never really developed my skills in it beyond fairly primitive work. I did the same with my writing, actually, but decided to pick it up again and run with it. Whenever I get the idea in my head that maybe I could do some art too, I have to slap myself mentally and remind myself that I already have too many things to do without adding another one...

Two finalists for illustration is pretty awesome, too!

@clfors How wonderful you can do both.  Could save you a lot of money one day.   

@craydimensional I'd love to see your art some time

@chwalter It certainly saves on cover art. Although it doesn't save me time because I do my husband's book covers as well and he writes a lot   

@doctorjest That mental slapping is so important sometimes   My brain is constantly trying to add in a new medium and I have to remind myself that I am split enough ways with illustration, writing, kids, etc I want to see your primitive art though!

@doctorjest I don't know what's going on with it. I just tried to submit and it says the deadline has passed! I emailed Joni about it. 

Posted by: @clfors

Hi! I've been submitting to Writers of the Future and Illustrators of the Future since 2016(Illustators I think I started a bit later) But I haven't been active in the forums before. I think I posted once maybe a few years back.

I'm excited for Volume 39! I got my new entry for Illustrators done in time even though it was huge(30x40) and way more complex than I've tried to do with a short holiday deadline. My Story is complete just in time minus a quick search for homophones I plan to do before submitting tonight. Yay!

Any other author-illustrators in here?

Volume 38 was my best yet with three HMs in writing and two finalists for illustration. I'm hoping to break that and get a silver or better this year for writing! Good luck to everyone on first quarter! I look forward to getting to know everyone.

Yes... I submitted to IOTF contest Q1 for the first time. Old pieces just to see the process. Hoping to get my Q1 entry to WOTF contest done by end of the day. It's going to the wire on it, but I have some nice crits to use to help sharpen it. Just got to knock it out.

Good luck with your Q1 entries @clfors. So far all I've managed in WOTF contest are polite rejections.

Amy

Curse my chronically procrastinating hide! Did I miss the deadline? I just tried to submit but it says the deadline has passed; I had thought we had until tonight to make the final submission.  

Posted by: @clfors

@craydimensional I'd love to see your art some time

I messaged you with some pictures. I would really love to see yours.

My entry is ready to rock, I wanted to sleep before incorporating a few suggested changes. I hope the portal opens back up, the deadline should be PST midnight tonight. I believe the proper parties have been notified but still...gah, I will be so mad at myself if my last minute changes barred me from entering this Q (ignore me, just venting)

Posted by: @foxed

My entry is ready to rock, I wanted to sleep before incorporating a few suggested changes. I hope the portal opens back up, the deadline should be PST midnight tonight. I believe the proper parties have been notified but still...gah, I will be so mad at myself if my last minute changes barred me from entering this Q (ignore me, just venting)

I'm sure the window closes 12:00 pm Pacific time. If the portal stays down you can email Joni with your story. 

Best of luck with your efforts.  

This might be the first time I didn't wait until the last few hours to submit. Reading what some of you are going through, let's me know I made the right decision. 

Posted by: @foxed

My entry is ready to rock, I wanted to sleep before incorporating a few suggested changes. I hope the portal opens back up, the deadline should be PST midnight tonight. I believe the proper parties have been notified but still...gah, I will be so mad at myself if my last minute changes barred me from entering this Q (ignore me, just venting)

Dear Fox,

Sorry about the portal problem. I have made the needed correction to the time to adjust this so that it is open until midnight Los Angeles time today!

Best, Jason

Posted by: @storysinger

If the portal stays down you can email Joni with your story. 

I'd be a little worried to do that given the whole anonymity of the contest thing. My idea as I'm sure organizers are scrambling to figure out a work-around: set up a trustworthy person with no skin in the game (Wulf Moon? Martin Shoemaker?) and all of us late bloomers email that chosen person our story. That person then forwards all the stories to the powers that be. This way anonymity can't be questioned. 

Edit: NVM, I just saw Jason's comment above mine.

WOOOO!

Posted by: @derbestin

Curse my chronically procrastinating hide! Did I miss the deadline? I just tried to submit but it says the deadline has passed; I had thought we had until tonight to make the final submission.  

Dear @derbestin,

Yes there was an error on the time, which is now fixed. Please let us all know once you have submitted! Good luck!!

Best, Jason

Posted by: @clfors

@doctorjest I don't know what's going on with it. I just tried to submit and it says the deadline has passed! I emailed Joni about it. 

Dear @clfors,

Please can you try again and let us know. I have made a correction to the time for the portal so that it should work correctly now.

Best, Jason

@jason I was just able to submit.  Thanks!

@chwalter

Great news!!!! Thank you for the confirmation you were able to submit!!

Good luck!

Best, Jason

@jason All submitted, looks like it went through just fine. Thanks for responding so quickly; I'd have been sweating bullets all day otherwise!