Discussion: Q1 Volume 40

[another quiet week in the tent]

[another Thursday looms]

[no one knows if it's twitching time]

[or when we should be twitching]

[no smoke signals on the horizon]

[everyone jumps each time a cell phone chirps, rings, or buzzes]

[even our dreams make us jump]

[Happy April everyone!]

[The gala for volume 39 is just around the bend]

I don’t know how people who have been finalists before handle it. I would be thinking about it constantly, knowing that call was a serious possibility. Fortunately (or unfortunately, let’s be honest) I’m not at a point where I’m anticipating a call. I was surprised when my heart raced at an unfamiliar number the other day. They hung up before I could answer, but I did briefly consider what that call would feel like, and then I felt silly for getting my hopes up. Anyone else feel this way? Embarrassed for hoping?

@kz_richards I'm not a judge. I'm not even a great writer. I have no authority to get anyone's hopes up about winning.

But with that disclaimer said, I've read some incredible stories over the last three months, including yours, and I will be astonished if not one of them is a winner.

And as an aside: being on-call 24/7 means my phone is constantly ringing and it is torture around this time of the quarter. I don't expect to win, but I'd be doing my latest piece a disservice to say it has no chance. 

Thanks for the kind words @ease. From what I’ve read of your writing, any twitching on your part is much deserved. I sincerely hope you get that win. The constant ringing sounds like agony.

The delay between writing and results gives me time to improve as a writer, so it’s easy to look at an old story (like Q1’s) and see its weaknesses, especially when I’m actively reading the current volume’s stories. There is a clear difference in quality, and I know I haven’t reached that level yet. So, it’s back to work, and in the meantime, wishful twitching.

I’m seriously rooting for everyone here and hoping to see a familiar name announce their big win!

Posted by: @kz_richards

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I don’t know how people who have been finalists before handle it.

Honestly, it was a little bit of a let-down to go from F back to SHMs and HMs for the first couple of quarters. It's been long enough by now that thinking back to the phone call feels almost like a story that happened to someone else that I just heard about second hand. So I'm back to my baseline of not really having expectations at all. Which is a better place to be.

Also, I just placed that finalist story a week or two ago, so I'm happy that it's going to get a chance to get out there in the world. I really liked that one, and I knew it was special when I sent it in. (Then again, there's a couple others that I think were really special, and they didn't fare as well, so what do I know!?)

Posted by: @kz_richards

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Anyone else feel this way? Embarrassed for hoping?

That pretty much describes my feelings exactly. And I'd honestly feel embarrassed if I won too, because of how short of a time I've been doing this. But also there's really no reason not to hope. And that hope shouldn't disappear if you don't win, you should keep hoping that your next story will be a winner. And your next, and your next after that. Stay positive, and always strive for your next goal.

@kz_richards

As of Q2, V40 I have entered thirty-nine times. And I'll enter again, even though I think both pending entries are good enough to win.

I've had the thrill of getting that first call. It's a bit nerve wracking believing that the call might be coming when critiques have been favorable and casual readers want to see more of the same. And it gets worse when people tell me that the pacing is right and the imagery is vivid, and they really think I've hit a homerun.

The thing is, in thirty-seven results, only one has been a finalist, but all of them have gotten at least a few readers excited. So, there's a chance that every entry will get the call. And WotF isn't the only market out there. I just finished another story today that will go out tomorrow, giving me seven submissions up in the air. Lots of potential anxiety to deal with.

I control my writing and submit stories that I believe will win. Then, it's up to someone else.

And I make sure that my phone is on and charged.

Have fun.

Well said @m-norris 

And thank you for the birthday wishes ? 

@nate 

YES! That is the side few people talk about.

The thing to remember is that the pathway to success isn't always linear. There will be ups and downs.

Persistence is the key.

Continuous improvement.

And tacos.

Posted by: @kz_richards

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Anyone else feel this way? Embarrassed for hoping?

Sometimes it stings when people ask me what I've published and I'm forced to admit, "Um ... well ... nothing ... yet. At least not professionally. Or even semi-professionally for that matter. Okay, well, there's some stuff on my website I guess, if you ever wanna go look."

In my own development as a writer, I've run the gamut on my various definitions of "success." At first, success meant "NY Times Best Seller List!" Then I toned that down to "WotF Winner!" Then I toned that down to "Sell to a Pro Venue!" Then I toned that down to "Finish What I Start!" (Huzzah! Something I can actually do!)

Like Captain Quint trying to catch Jaws with his tiny trawler, I'm constantly struggling to reel in my expectations and match them up against reality. Success to me right now simply means "Enjoy the process of writing this story right now." For me, the more I narrow my focus on what's right in front of me and just enjoy the task at hand, the less I care about all the other noise going on out there and chasing that ever-elusive dragon of success, which is always running away from me anyway.

But yeah, I feel it sometimes. And then I remember how much fun it is doing what I'm doing, and how grateful I am that I get to do it, and the embarrassment evaporates pretty quickly. Plus, like @henckel says, tacos baby!

Posted by: @henckel

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And tacos.

 

Posted by: @nate

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I just placed that finalist story a week or two ago, so I'm happy that it's going to get a chance to get out there in the world.

Great work!

Posted by: @henckel

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And tacos.

I had tacos yesterday, so maybe this will be a lucky week for me and one of my stories . 

Posted by: @morgan-broadhead

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Sometimes it stings when people ask me what I've published and I'm forced to admit, "Um ... well ... nothing ... yet. At least not professionally. Or even semi-professionally for that matter. 

Same here. That's why I try not to tell be I'm a writer. I'm proud of what I do, but the questions about my work just deflate me.

Posted by: @morgan-broadhead

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Then I toned that down to "Finish What I Start!" (Huzzah! Something I can actually do!)

Right there with you on this one too.

now I have the song "It's raining tacos" going around and around in my head

Posted by: @gideonpsmith

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now I have the song "It's raining tacos" going around and around in my head

& now so do I! Then again, I also have to give thanks to my 8 year-old for bringing that ear worm into our household. i.e. It's played & sung a lot. 

[raises the periscope above the blanket ceiling of pillow fort to see if anyone is coming]
[the room is silent, no sign of WoTF readers or judges]
[grabs a cookie and apple and starts typing]

My phone went off in Jiu Jitsu today and I haven't checked these forums in a few days so my brain went into full twitch mode and I was like omgomgomgomgomgomg and sprung off the mat and answered it out of breath and sweaty and it turned out to be a job offer. I don't know if I've ever been so disappointed by a job offer while awkwardly trying to catch my breath and pull my mouthguard out ? .

I guess I have a day job again ? . The writing freedom was glorious while it lasted.

Posted by: @watt_writes

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I don't know if I've ever been so disappointed by a job offer

& congrats on the job offer!

Posted by: @morgan-broadhead

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Sometimes it stings when people ask me what I've published and I'm forced to admit, "Um ... well ... nothing ... yet.

Yeah. I've gotten over 120 rejection letters on my 20+ short stories, with nary a nibble. Disappointing, particularly when people I respect tell me they're good stories.

So, the leader of my f2f group last year suggested one of my stories was deep enough to expand into a novel. So I did. Now self-published on Amazon. But after an initial flush of 40 sales mostly to friends and family, sales have dwindled to zero. Good reviews, but sigh. Not exactly self-affirming yet, particularly when I read the stories of authors whose first book took off like a rocket and propelled them into author stardom.

Posted by: @ehonour

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Not exactly self-affirming yet, particularly when I read the stories of authors whose first book took off like a rocket and propelled them into author stardom.

I always have to take that kind of information from the market with a grain of salt. They say it's the author's debut novel. But what they actually mean is it's the author's first novel that actually sold. What they always fail to mention in their article are the five or six actual first novels the author had to trunk because no one wanted them.

I'm also very careful about hype from the self-publishing world, especially from people claiming it's the new path to fame and fortune and writerly success. Yes, it's true an author does get a larger piece of the pie for every book sold. But unless you have the marketing and distribution skills to sell 10,000+ copies, you're still not truly making that much. Of course, now we're getting into the business and career side of writing, which is a whole nother bale of barbed wire.

Posted by: @watt_writes

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My phone went off in Jiu Jitsu today and I haven't checked these forums in a few days so my brain went into full twitch mode and I was like omgomgomgomgomgomg and sprung off the mat and answered it out of breath and sweaty and it turned out to be a job offer. I don't know if I've ever been so disappointed by a job offer while awkwardly trying to catch my breath and pull my mouthguard out ? .

I guess I have a day job again ? . The writing freedom was glorious while it lasted.

Several congrats for this one:

1. Congrats on taking martial arts. Maybe that's an idea for a story? Mat ... drop-ceiling ... wall ... mat.  Augh! Arm-bar. Never saw that move coming. Maybe I'm getting too old for this?
   1. note: I've studied many styles over the years, but around mid-40's had to bow out, due to getting hurt too often. I'm just starting to get back to the cardio portion.
2. Congrats on writing and submitting, or you'd have nothing to twitch about. haha
3. Congrats on the new job. Maybe that's an idea for a story? Sheila was chatting at me, again. Her perfume overpowered my Traverse City Cherry coffee. ...

Have fun, keep writing, and breathe (good advice for martial arts, writing, and work).

Posted by: @watt_writes

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I guess I have a day job again ? .

Congrats!

@toddjones Haha!! thanks! I've been doing BJJ for a year now, I can't get enough of it! And it certainly crept its way into my ridiculous novel work in progress lol. Ever try a rear naked choke on a chupacabra? Congrats on getting back into cardio! That's the hardest to start back up but once you do it's like you work all the gunk out of your brain and it starts working just a tiny bit better. Like you're actually able to remember where you put your keys like 10% of the time, up from zero. hahaha.

@nate and @jeschleicher Thanks guys!

If anyone's wondering, I did take the job. I'm officially back in veterinary oncology. Still would rather be writing about magical worlds and space operas, but that's the dream for all of us right?! At least I get to make very sick doggos feel better on the daily.

Today I woke up and said to myself, "Self, what a wonderful day this is! Might even be wonderful enough for a Thursday."  As always, Thursdays are tricksy and might not happen until next week. Kind of like tornadoes, really, with watches vs. warnings.

Thursday Watch: Conditions are right for a Thursday.

Set condition Thursday throughout the fleet.

@karyenglish You KNOW I have a story to finish today. You know there is a deadline tomorrow. Yet you do this to me?! Kary!

And thank you for the warning.
<stocks up on cookies & coco>
<dives under the table>
<gets BACK our for computer>
<back under to finish assignment>
<peaks out>

Are those thunderheads brewing?

I never could get the hang of Thursdays.

Posted by: @karyenglish

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Today I woke up and said to myself, "Self, what a wonderful day this is! Might even be wonderful enough for a Thursday."  As always, Thursdays are tricksy and might not happen until next week. Kind of like tornadoes, really, with watches vs. warnings.

Thursday Watch: Conditions are right for a Thursday.

Set condition Thursday throughout the fleet.

This post was adequately cryptic, consider my expectations met. It seems the fables are true.

Posted by: @doctorjest

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I never could get the hang of Thursdays.

So it's now Good Thursday?  Can I still crack open an Easter egg? 

@karyenglish thanks for update