Discussion: Q1 Volume 43

Got my Q1 in yesterday. It's a fun story, and I used comments from a pro-zine to jazz up the beginning [was a personal rejection, but a new story I wrote during the Q1 period].  I realized what I planned to write for Q1 needs more time, so it's now my Q2 story. Good luck to those of you still in story creation/editing mode. Congrats to those who've already got their Q1s submitted. 

Posted by: @adrian

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...I'm sick of opening my file and fiddling with the same handful of words, so I subbed it today. Good luck to everyone else and happy holidays!!

Oh, and Merry Christmas Eve... 😊 

Bakers, you have one week left. Get those stories cooked!

Still working on mine and plan to submit Monday.

Posted by: @adrian

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I'm surprised how quiet things have been on people entering this quarter. People being last minute on more than Christmas present shopping?   Anyway, I'm sick of opening my file and fiddling with the same handful of words, so I subbed it today. Good luck to everyone else and happy holidays!!

I just don't think I'm going to make it in time for this quarter. I don't even have a quarter of a story right now. I've been pretty busy and haven't had time to rest and recharge, so when I sit down to write, my tank is just empty. I don't think I can get a decent story done in two days, though I may still try, just to get ahead on Q2

Posted by: @bootzenkatzen

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I just don't think I'm going to make it in time for this quarter. I don't even have a quarter of a story right now. I've been pretty busy and haven't had time to rest and recharge, so when I sit down to write, my tank is just empty. I don't think I can get a decent story done in two days, though I may still try, just to get ahead on Q2

"Whether you think you can, or you think you can't--you're right."~ Henry Ford

Do you have a previous HM or RWC that you know has a big hole that you could fix? Maybe you didn't stick the landing and can write a better one that wraps back to the beginning MC's heart's desire that proves they either achieved or failed at it.

I may try submitting something old.

Look like one day left almost exactly?

About 23.5 hours from this post I'm writing?

All done.

Maybe this time I'll get RWC.

Hopefully I'll get some emails going forward from author services again.

I had avoided using log in after they started storing info permanently.

However I used an old link, so either I had ended up providing such info previously (I didn't think I did) or the old system still works, or at least allows you in with out major issue???

No idea, but apparently it worked.

I guess I'll get a confirmation email to prove if it did???

Confirmation email received!

I'm in.

Now, corridor B should lead me to the main system interface...

I'm in for this quarter, folks. Crossing my fingers, but I doubt this one will place. I love the story, but I don't think it has enough of a "plot" to make it. We will see!

I'm in! Whatever happens, I'm so proud of this story. It took nearly two years, and lots of help from writing friends, but it's finally finished. Good luck to everyone finishing up their entries! You've got this!

Done, and in. Whew. It seems to get harder each quarter, as I demand more of myself. Trying to learn all of Wulf Moon's Super Secrets, and the man keeps adding more! Also reading other "writing improvement" materials, getting critiques, editing, and re-editing. Each pass makes it stronger (I think). But this is from a man who succeeded in writing technical articles on the first go. Every time.

It's a fascinating thing we do, this creating new worlds for readers to lose themselves. We'll see if this one takes a higher position.

I'm in for Q1.

I'm in for Q1 with roughly 24 hours to go!

Posted by: @toddsjones

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Do you have a previous HM or RWC that you know has a big hole that you could fix? Maybe you didn't stick the landing and can write a better one that wraps back to the beginning MC's heart's desire that proves they either achieved or failed at it.

I submitted for the first time last quarter 😆 so I don't have much of a catalogue to pull from. I did get an HM for it, and I have been working on it, but I don't think it would be enough to push it over the top, and I don't want to submit the same story back-to-back. Really, it could probably benefit from being stretched into a novel, since it was already fairly long, and it's biggest hole is that I think I rushed the ending.  I have some old stuff from college, but none of them really have a strong speculative element. The closest I've got is one where Death is a character, and I'm not sure that would cut it.

I'm in  Time for some coffee, and maybe something stronger (is it noon yet?), then I'll turn to edits for Q2  

Whew! I was afraid I wouldn't make this deadline. But, I'm in!

I'm in.  Dunno about this one, but we'll see.  Good luck to those still fighting the good fight.

I'm in!

And with just hours to spare, I'm in. Really I wanted more time to polish it, but I'll have to settle for where it's at. Good luck to everyone who submits this quarter! 

I'm in, but I won't be surprised if I get DQed. It isn't that I broke any rules directly, but I think I pushed right up against one. I was trying for a different story, but then my son got me sick. If I need to, that story will be Quarter 2.

I'm in. Could have been in two weeks ago, but I was waiting for a critique that never came.

This one is a milestone for me. My first entry was June of 2013. Today I entered for the fiftieth time.

It's been fun.

I'm in I was making some reasonably chunky cuts and changes right up until the last minute but I'm happy with how this one has turned out.

Good luck to all!

I'm in! Happy New Year, everyone! 🌟 Fingers crossed for all of us!🤞✨

I'm in for 43 Q1!

General question if anyone knows: when WotF picks stories for Published Finalist, do they call that writer (whether it is a yes or no), or is silence a no, or is there an email thanks but no?

In for the quarter as well. Good luck to all, and may the first reader be on your side!

Posted by: @bootzenkatzen

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I submitted for the first time last quarter 😆 so I don't have much of a catalogue to pull from. I did get an HM for it, and I have been working on it, but I don't think it would be enough to push it over the top, and I don't want to submit the same story back-to-back. Really, it could probably benefit from being stretched into a novel, since it was already fairly long, and it's biggest hole is that I think I rushed the ending.  I have some old stuff from college, but none of them really have a strong speculative element. The closest I've got is one where Death is a character, and I'm not sure that would cut it.

If you're having trouble coming up with story ideas, I suggest you check out Wulf Moon's tutorial on his Kill Your Darlings exercise. I have used it every month for the last year-and-a-half, and now have over a dozen great story ideas with enough depth to fill them out. Every one of my WotF submissions this year has come from one of those KYD exercises.

Posted by: @kent

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I'm in. Could have been in two weeks ago, but I was waiting for a critique that never came.

This one is a milestone for me. My first entry was June of 2013. Today I entered for the fiftieth time.

It's been fun.

Fiftieth submission?! Wow.  

So I missed Q3 and Q4 which I hated to do but alas just couldn't get anything to work. The whole last year was such a writing slump for me, too much going on both in personal life and the world. I really wanted to end the year with getting back to WOTF, and on NYE I managed to submit a story I was happy with. It's good to be back!

I wish good luck and fulfilling writing for everyone.

Posted by: @kz_richards

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I'm in! Whatever happens, I'm so proud of this story. It took nearly two years, and lots of help from writing friends, but it's finally finished. Good luck to everyone finishing up their entries! You've got this!

I relate to this sentiment so much. My submission is a re-write of an old story I couldn't abandon, but needed couple years to let it rest before I figured out how I to tell it. For me it is much stronger now, but time will tell if the judges agree or send it straight to rejection lol Either way, I got my closure for the story itself so I am happy. 

Posted by: @laselby

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I'm in for 43 Q1!

General question if anyone knows: when WotF picks stories for Published Finalist, do they call that writer (whether it is a yes or no), or is silence a no, or is there an email thanks but no?

Can't speak to 'general procedure' but for me it was an email 'thanks but no', but it came long after I knew by default it was a no