Discussion: Q1 Volume 41

For my part, I counted HM and above as personal because of the certificate. The person (judge) who read the story, and the contest administrator signed a document with my name and my story's name on it and that, to me, signified a non-standard (personal) rejection.

RWC for me.

It deserved it. It needed more work, and I knew it, but I wanted to meet the deadline. Lesson learned.

HM here.

Posted by: @morgan-broadhead

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RWC for me.

Keep the faith, brother, and keep on writing.  Rs hurt, but we can rise from them stronger.

@michelle-d congrats on the HM.

And, mine tumbled back as an HM -- very heavily revised from another older HM, so much that it barely resembled its predecessor, but not what the Contest was looking for.

I'm taking a break from the Contest after this one, in order to pursue something else for a time. I was really, really tempted to add one more, just to round my number up to 25 Contest entries before taking a break, but I'll save the 25th sub for another time.

I guess I'm starting this year the same way as last year with an RWC--hopefully, the rest of the year goes in a different direction (last year ended with an R)...

@doctorjest congrats on the HM. 

I've had HMs go to R, HMs stay HMs, and HMs go to SHM. 

From what I've been reading from others, new stories are the way to go over resubmits. 

Moving forward, I'm going to focus on new stories and see how they tickled the judges.

Hopefully, in a good way.

Posted by: @bethpowers

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I guess I'm starting this year the same way as last year with an RWC--hopefully, the rest of the year goes in a different direction (last year ended with an R)...

Don't let it get you down.

Keep your spirit up and brain churning with new ideas.

That's coming from someone who also received an R.

You've got a nice collection of SHMs and HMs and that's a lot of certificates for the wall. I started hanging mine up to keep me motivated. Maybe that will help you too.

After four RWC's in a row I received an R for a rewritten and extended version of a former HM.  

I have decided to submit nothing but new from now on.  

Posted by: @storysinger

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After four RWC's in a row I received an R for a rewritten and extended version of a former HM.  

I have decided to submit nothing but new from now on.  

I think the new slush readers have a directive to reject resubmits.

One of my flat out "R"s was a new story, but involved a hostage negotiation with an Angel (yep the angel was holding people hostage). I thought that a new twist; guess not. I read in the RWC comments and Angels/Demons are one of the reasons for an R. I feel like it was one of my best stories. Time to look for another market for it.

Anyone know of a market looking for Angel/Demon stories?

Posted by: @morgan-broadhead

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RWC for me.

It deserved it. It needed more work, and I knew it, but I wanted to meet the deadline. Lesson learned.

Same for me, Morgan. After a flock of HMs and one SF, I've now had two RWCs in a row. Life's been difficult this year, and it shows in my writing. Even though I keep learning more and better craft, I still have to have my head in the right place to make it real.

Posted by: @ehonour

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Posted by: @morgan-broadhead

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RWC for me.

It deserved it. It needed more work, and I knew it, but I wanted to meet the deadline. Lesson learned.

Same for me, Morgan. After a flock of HMs and one SF, I've now had two RWCs in a row. Life's been difficult this year, and it shows in my writing. Even though I keep learning more and better craft, I still have to have my head in the right place to make it real.

 

I hear you loud and clear there. On December 31st, I had the following conversation with myself:

"This story isn't ready yet. Just skip this quarter and whip it into shape for next quarter."

"It's a cool story, and I really like it. Besides, I want to start something new and shiny. Maybe nobody will notice."

Here's the history of my rewrites:
1) R -> RWC
2) R -> HM (I cut out an entire section that didn't advance the story to meet another contest's word limit)
3) RWC -> R
4) RWC -> R

For the first two rewrites, Jody's team saw a story that had been rejected by Dave's team.  For the final two Jody's team saw both versions.

So I now fall into the "don't ever submit a rewrite" camp except if you have nothing else to enter or have made major changes.

I always think of my stories like I've built a house. Especially for my Honorable Mentions, yes, my house works. The plumbing doesn't leak. The electricity isn't short circuiting. But there are cracks in the foundation. None of the corners are square or plumb.

True, I can remodel the kitchen and slap a fresh coat of paint on the walls and even re-tile the shower. But no potential buyer will ever walk into my Tiny Home and be convinced it's just as good as a Tudor mansion.

I do recognize that some people have had great success with rewrites. I also recognize that those folks are likely the exception and not the rule. Likely they had the ability to jack up their houses and rebuild the foundation and reset the walls so they were square and true, because that's what is needed.

Personally, I'd rather just build a new house from the ground up in a better neighborhood.

Posted by: @morgan-broadhead

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I do recognize that some people have had great success with rewrites. I also recognize that those folks are likely the exception and not the rule. Likely they had the ability to jack up their houses and rebuild the foundation and reset the walls so they were square and true, because that's what is needed.

Personally, I'd rather just build a new house from the ground up in a better neighborhood.

That was one of Heinlein's rules: Don't rewrite unless an editor asks for it.

In volume 40, Jody Lynn Nye has a plea for new, fresh stories. I like the way she put it:

"a career is not made on a single story...if one key doesn't work, try others until one of them opens the door."

Posted by: @chwalter

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So I now fall into the "don't ever submit a rewrite" camp except if you have nothing else to enter or have made major changes.

Sound like many of us are in the same camp. Anyone have marshmallows?

Posted by: @crlisle

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"...if one key doesn't work, try others until one of them opens the door."

 

I have a drawer full of keys and I don't recall what they go to.  Hmm, best just to put new locks on everything and start fresh.   

Posted by: @crlisle

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In volume 40, Jody Lynn Nye has a plea for new, fresh stories. I like the way she put it:

 

"a career is not made on a single story...if one key doesn't work, try others until one of them opens the door."

 

I can't remember where I heard it, likely Writing Excuses, but I envision an Acceptance as a tiny target in a pitch black barn. Each story is in arrow in your quiver, that you must fire at the Acceptance from outside of the barn. Receiving good writing advice is like adding a small candle in a random position in the barn: most of it tells you where not to aim. Only the rarest advice shows you exactly where the target is.

And in this analogy, I imagine rewrites as picking up your arrow from the pitch black, and firing it again in almost the exact same direction. Maybe you just missed by a hair, and this one will hit! Or maybe it'll miss by a little more.

"I can't remember where I heard it, likely Writing Excuses, but I envision an Acceptance as a tiny target in a pitch black barn. Each story is in arrow in your quiver, that you must fire at the Acceptance from outside of the barn. Receiving good writing advice is like adding a small candle in a random position in the barn: most of it tells you where not to aim. Only the rarest advice shows you exactly where the target is.

And in this analogy, I imagine rewrites as picking up your arrow from the pitch black, and firing it again in almost the exact same direction. Maybe you just missed by a hair, and this one will hit! Or maybe it'll miss by a little more."

I like your image. And the more you practice with the bow, the better you can reach the barn and more the patches of light help, I suppose. At least your hitting somewhere you haven't tried before. And I guess when you start, the idea you couldn't even hit the barn is relevant.  

(sorry, somehow lost the original quote formatting)

@toddjones I agree. I got an R for a resubmit that was previously an HM.

I got phone call from Joni today for Illustrators of the future.   We should know in about a week(Joni gave me permission to share)

@clfors Yeah! I hope you win. 

Awesome news @clfors.  Congrats!  

@clfors Good luck!

I sincerely hope the 4th time is the charm!

Excited for you @clfors! Sending you a turtle carrying a batch of brownies and scones, fresh out of the oven.

@physa My favorites! I definitely need scones and brownies for this wait

Congratulations to all who entered! Can't wait to see who wins. 

Surprised to see no semi-finalists or finalists posting here. Pretty unusual.

Preston Dennett

HM x 12

F x 1

Winner, 2nd place, Q1, Volume 35

42 stories published! (and counting!)