Discussion: Q1 Volume 39

Posted by: @angelslayah

Re: unhelpful personal replies

“The ending is too ‘on the nose’” counts as an exceptionally helpful in my books. I’ve been asked for rewrites with far less direction than this! 

 

You've been asked for rewrites? Congratulations!  

Actually, @angelslayah, although I cited that response, I agree that it was helpful. Just rather bare.

Posted by: @pdblake

Posted by: @morgan-broadhead

Five pro rejections. Still searching for a home.

Five? Ha, you've hardly started  

? Very true. But in all fairness, the SF wasn't all that long ago — Q3 last year. And it's a 40-60 day turn-around per rejection, so... One rejection comes in and *SMASH* backhand that baby back over the net somewhere else. I'm no stranger to rejections. I'm sure more are coming my way.

@dragonchef Elle turned to Jerome. “Did you you see that Tumble. It smiled at me.”

Jerome fidgeted with his collar. “Um. I think we should get out of here.”

”You saw it. Didn’t you.”

Posted by: @morgan-broadhead

Posted by: @babooher

Someone stated at a writing conference that the biggest lie in writing is when a rejection includes "This should easily find a home."

That's what I thought with my SF entry. "Surely, if my story came this close to winning WOTF, it'll sell somewhere..."

Five pro rejections. Still searching for a home.

Oh, man. Tell me about it. I collect rejections the way some people collect rocks.

However, when a piece of mine hits, I knock it out of the park. I recently had a piece of creative nonfiction land in Nightmare Magazine which is top-shelf horror. I was ecstatic. 

Re: Rejections:

The subgrinder tells me that I've been rejected 133 times (11 times "personally") in what Wolfram Alpha insists is only the 131 days since the year began.

I officially have been rejected at a rate greater than ONCE PER DAY in 2022

I have had one acceptance in the same period, for which I was paid just today. Merely "semi-pro" rates of 5¢per, but this story was one of those editors would praise and refuse -with really nothing in the way of critique. It had been submitted 38 times since this date, 2021.

Posted by: @angelslayah

Re: Rejections:

The subgrinder tells me that I've been rejected 133 times (11 times "personally") in what Wolfram Alpha insists is only the 131 days since the year began.

I officially have been rejected at a rate greater than ONCE PER DAY in 2022

I have had one acceptance in the same period, for which I was paid just today. Merely "semi-pro" rates of 5¢per, but this story was one of those editors would praise and refuse -with really nothing in the way of critique. It had been submitted 38 times since this date, 2021.

Those are some serious numbers you're throwing up! I've got forty-six rejections, seven personal, and one acceptance in 2022 to date, with the acceptance at a token rate.

Those praise-but-refuse responses, though, I always took as a good sign. Markets know their audience, so they know what they're looking for--but if the editor takes the time to praise it, regardless, then that means I was doing my job, even if it didn't quite work out. I count all those as good. I'd rather make the sale, of course, but I'll take one of those positive rejections over a flat form no six ways 'til Sunday.

Posted by: @doctorjest

Posted by: @angelslayah

Re: Rejections:

The subgrinder tells me that I've been rejected 133 times (11 times "personally") in what Wolfram Alpha insists is only the 131 days since the year began.

Those are some serious numbers you're throwing up! 

Those praise-but-refuse responses, though, I always took as a good sign.

throwing up is about what i otta be doing! this represents, if anything, too much hustle! 

i’d only recently checked the numbers and was astonished to have so many Rs. last calendar year i had something like 220 rejects, but this! 

well, its not sustainable, and anyone counting will easily guess that i am more likely to simsub than not. i’ve talked about that in these forums, more than once! 

writers say ‘but if an editor falls in love with your work, and then you pull it…’

but editors are entirely capable of falling in love with your work and rejecting it! me, i suppose i know why and i guess my rejection rate may be higher than some, but look at it! if we accept that 1 story will sell for every - lets just round waaay dow, and say 100 Rs - how long till you can join the SFWA by following the rules?

my odds are so low per submission -that’s just the numbers, yo- that, in a year and a third of just monstrous abuse of the markusdequeensbees, i have yet to face dreaded double-acceptance.

i could have just never alerted any of them to the sale of a simsub and it would have been fine! but i get those things out w/in 12 hours… i’m tryin to be as professional as i can, over here.

So, is it Thursday?

@angelslayah 

some advice: I would focus on my writing. Slow things down as far as submissions. Perhaps stop trying to collect rejection slips. Write much slower to dial in your focus on sentences and paragraphs. Write longer stories because eventually you’ll want to write a book length manuscript. 

Try writing 300-500 words in every writing session. Focus on those few hundred words, every sentence: its length and rhythm and how it fits within its paragraph. 

write one good paragraph or two a day and then step away from it. 

You’re writing for the benefit of your soul and inner peace. Write your way and do it for you. Not for rejections in which you are only gathering up negative energy. 

WOTF is good for the HM and other certificates because that’s positive energy. 

Also, you create your own reality. That goes for writing as well. Sort of like, Use the Force Luke. Positive energy attracts positive outcome. 

Be a writing Jedi. Your contribution to the Universe is not rejection slips but the stories you write as long as they are written from your heart and soul. 

That is a thoughtful statement Corbin.

Posted by: @corbin-maxwell

WOTF is good for the HM and other certificates because that’s positive energy.

I keep my certs visible for constant inspiration. I must get something higher than HM. I must!

@storysinger Four HM’s in this contest is a great achievement. And yes I agree with hanging them up. 

writing is a lonely but beautiful path  where you own the road and the destiny it provides.  

Write your stories not as if your life depended on it but the life of our entire civilization. Within the deeper meanings of your work, there lies the meaning of us all. 

Shake the world with your words  

Posted by: @corbin-maxwell

Write your stories not as if your life depended on it but the life of our entire civilization.

I've heard it said that technology is the engine of civilization, but the creative arts are its soul. It does humanity no good to drive technology (or commerce or politics or whatever) without also having a soul.

Scifi can blend the two together.

Getting philosophical, @corbin-maxwell, I dig it! What are the awards that aren't blue? Also, how'd you get so many blue ones? Most of mine are rather subdued, even the SF.

@corbin-maxwell 

it’s very kind of you, corbin, to offer advice. 

it does not happen to be that i’m in need of it, but others may find much in your words.

@babooher I believe the non-blue ones are older versions of the SHM/HM certs. I’ve been collecting them since 2007. The early HMs were called quarter-finalist and all you received was an email. You can imagine the confusion and why the contest changed things. 

@angelslayah Take it as you choose. It’s meant for those with ears to listen. For those who seek to hear and to learn from all sources. 

We entrants strive to win the contest. This desire can anchor the writer in material and worldly concerns, which I believe can infect one’s writing with negative energy. That’s why I advise writing for the ascension of your human soul and for the benefit of mankind. For one’s inner peace. 

The ascension of the human soul is the purpose of man upon the Earth. All else is only death. Let go your ego and your material desires that fetter you to this world which is illusory. Not real. It’s been proven by the very science that sci-fi writers use in their stories. 

Everything here is an illusion. You create your own reality. 

Hello Everybody!

And here is the link:

Writers of the Future 1st Quarter Winners Announced for Volume 39

@jonilabaqui Thank you for letting everyone know!

It's Thursday! Congratulations to the winners, and all those who have placed in the various categories, and all those who have entered! 

I got a SHM I wasn't expecting. It was a reworked old thing that had done the rounds years ago but I had nothing else to submit. Now I have two on the go at once. 

Think I'll change the title and send it around the block again. It's changed so much I doubt it'll be remembered. 

Congrats, all!
I saw a bunch of names I recognized on the certificates list. That's great. I wonder how many amazing stories are in there?

A HM for me. 

Posted by: @jonilabaqui

Hello Everybody!

Some exciting news. We have the winners and all standings for the first quarter of Volume 39. The blog is up with the standings and the Writers of the Future newsletter will directly follow with the big announcement. Yes, everyone will get their personal email soon, so you can hear it straight from me. You can also let me know if you want your certificate mailed to you if you received an Honorable Mention or above. If you did not make the list for this quarter, no worries, we are taking submissions for the next quarter already!

Happy writing to all of you and as always, you are welcome to e-mail me with any questions, feedback, encouragement, anything you like!   ?

Joni Labaqui
Contest Director
[email protected]

Joni’s first post to the Forum! And what a good one! Thanks for announcing the results are out, Joni! And congratulations to all that placed, and to all that submitted stories!

MY VERY FIRST HONORABLE MENTION!????????? It's true when they say 3rd time's the charm. ?????

And this one's going to get revised and find its way out into the world very soon!

I was really hoping I'd be able to add a little silver to that sign this time, but hey, there's always next time.

Congrats @pdblake, @scott_m_sands (saw your name before mine!), @cs_hadebe, @doctorjest, and everyone yet to post their result!.

My first SHM! 

Congratulations to everyone!

-B. A. Palmer

I didn't place this time around

However! The silver lining is the new feedback responses so I am looking forward to (hopefully) getting an email with a pointer as to where I could improve.

Huge congratulations to everyone who did place, and to the winners  

I didn't place 

Congratulation to all the winners