Discussion Q2 Volume 39

Submitted for this one. Looking forward to it, but I think I'm going to get a rejection due to the style my story is written in, unfortunately.

Posted by: @lambenttyto

Submitted for this one. Looking forward to it, but I think I'm going to get a rejection due to the style my story is written in, unfortunately.

I am curious about what the style is that you think would cause rejection--though at the same time, if you do answer, don't do so in a way that might reveal your story at all. But there have been a number of winners who've succeeded with unusual approaches to the story they told.

Posted by: @doctorjest

Posted by: @lambenttyto

Submitted for this one. Looking forward to it, but I think I'm going to get a rejection due to the style my story is written in, unfortunately.

I am curious about what the style is that you think would cause rejection--though at the same time, if you do answer, don't do so in a way that might reveal your story at all. But there have been a number of winners who've succeeded with unusual approaches to the story they told.

This! I can't give details until after the gala, but I definitely tried some new (to me) things for my winning story. And yes, there were several quarters where I tried new things and didn't win--but experimenting is important when it comes to growing our craft. We can't strive for success without risking failure (and failure isn't necessarily a bad thing--I learn more from my failures than my successes, personally).

I'm in for Q2 as of yesterday afternoon. I'm eager to write a totally different story for Q3.   Also there is at least one other cool deadline for March 31 and maybe I can get something submitted for that.

I completed my second draft for Q2 last night. Still plenty to do, but the story is solid. Now to obsess and beautify. 

I am in for QTR2. My story was this quarter was a different style from my usual, but time will tell how it does. Now onward to Q3.

And I'm in for Q2 as well.

Great work, folk. My Q2 is done but not submitted. I found somewhere else I'd like to submit it, with an April deadline, so am trying to finish my Q3 in time for Q2. 4000 words left, and then editing, so probably not going to happen.

Once, there was a story.
Every sentence: five words long.
Rejection anticipated; granted and revoked.
Scott Parkin won it all.
Experimentation, for him, paid off.

Posted by: @axeminister

Once, there was a story.
Every sentence: five words long.
Rejection anticipated; granted and revoked.
Scott Parkin won it all.
Experimentation, for him, paid off.

And Dustin liked it lots. Told me "buy the volume". And it was pretty neat-o.

Posted by: @doctorjest

Posted by: @axeminister

Once, there was a story.
Every sentence: five words long.
Rejection anticipated; granted and revoked.
Scott Parkin won it all.
Experimentation, for him, paid off.

And Dustin liked it lots. Told me "buy the volume". And it was pretty neat-o.

Ok, now you're showing off.  

I have a story to send in ready to go, figured I better do it now, since I have been forgetting. Can't sign in to send in the story though. Tried various fixes but kept getting the same error message for my E-mail address. Finally I requested tech help. Come to think of it maybe I should have sent the request to Joni.  

Posted by: @ldwriter2

I have a story to send in ready to go, figured I better do it now, since I have been forgetting. Can't sign in to send in the story though. Tried various fixes but kept getting the same error message for my E-mail address. Finally I requested tech help. Come to think of it maybe I should have sent the request to Joni.  

@jason , or Jason Toth, is their tech guy. Joni is busy with the workshop and gala. Please ask Jason for help.

My quarter 2 story is complete and I’m really excited about this one. I also feel relieved and accomplished that despite having a hard few months I am about to have two fresh stories in the contest and another set of illustrations. Phew! 

I’ll be attending the gala to celebrate our latest winners and soak in the inspiration ! ? 

@ease I hope you make it! We still have a few days left!

Thanks @clfors, but it's not looking likely. Had two 0700 - 2200 days at work, and it looks like today and tomorrow will be the same, or worse! At least I have something to submit, though ^_^

Sending in the cheering squad to encourage those scrambling to submit.

I have a story ready to submit with a whole week to spare, how did that happen? The coolest thing happened yesterday, the true title to this one came to me in the pre-dawn hours. I switched to the new title, and it completes the whole story at the start and the denoument. I love writing.  

Posted by: @storysinger

I have a story ready to submit with a whole week to spare, how did that happen? The coolest thing happened yesterday, the true title to this one came to me in the pre-dawn hours. I switched to the new title, and it completes the whole story at the start and the denoument. I love writing.  

I get the same thing with programming. Spend  all day trying to fix some code then get woken up in the middle of the night by the answer, then not be able to get back to sleep. 

I get it with story ideas too, just not as often. 

Used to drive my wife mad  

Posted by: @pdblake

Posted by: @storysinger

I have a story ready to submit with a whole week to spare, how did that happen? The coolest thing happened yesterday, the true title to this one came to me in the pre-dawn hours. I switched to the new title, and it completes the whole story at the start and the denoument. I love writing.  

I get the same thing with programming. Spend  all day trying to fix some code then get woken up in the middle of the night by the answer, then not be able to get back to sleep. 

I get it with story ideas too, just not as often. 

Used to drive my wife mad  

This is your subconscious working out problems for you. Writing under the power of our subconscious is called Flow State. I did a panel on how to activate this state with David Wolverton/Farland at Fyrecon two years ago. I wrote my “Super-Duper Moongirl” winner completely under this state while writing it last day of the Contest year. If you can figure out methods to trigger it and then to maintain the state, it gives your writing and process phenomenal power.

Dave focused on the neuroscience aspect of it. Fascinating!

Posted by: @pdblake ?

Posted by: @storysinger

I have a story ready to submit with a whole week to spare, how did that happen? The coolest thing happened yesterday, the true title to this one came to me in the pre-dawn hours. I switched to the new title, and it completes the whole story at the start and the denoument. I love writing.  

I get the same thing with programming. Spend  all day trying to fix some code then get woken up in the middle of the night by the answer, then not be able to get back to sleep. 

I get it with story ideas too, just not as often. 

Used to drive my wife mad  

This is why I have a notepad and a pencil on my bedside table! Most of the time I get some useful words down. Occasionally I'll wake up in the morning to find complete nonsense on there that I have no recollection or comprehension of.  

Posted by: @wulfmoon

Posted by: @pdblake

Posted by: @storysinger

I have a story ready to submit with a whole week to spare, how did that happen? The coolest thing happened yesterday, the true title to this one came to me in the pre-dawn hours. I switched to the new title, and it completes the whole story at the start and the denoument. I love writing.  

I get the same thing with programming. Spend  all day trying to fix some code then get woken up in the middle of the night by the answer, then not be able to get back to sleep. 

I get it with story ideas too, just not as often. 

Used to drive my wife mad  

This is your subconscious working out problems for you. Writing under the power of our subconscious is called Flow State. I did a panel on how to activate this state with David Wolverton/Farland at Fyrecon two years ago. I wrote my “Super-Duper Moongirl” winner completely under this state while writing it last day of the Contest year. If you can figure out methods to trigger it and then to maintain the state, it gives your writing and process phenomenal power.

Dave focused on the neuroscience aspect of it. Fascinating!

I learned/had an epiphany about the subconscious when I was learning to ice skate. When I went once a week, I found I was marginally better each time. But if I went on two consecutive days, I was way better the following week. And yes, I realize that it's twice the practice, but it felt like the increase was far more than that. I rationalized it as my brain packing away a load of data while I was skating, then as I slept, it analyzed it and developed hypotheses, but testing those hypotheses the very next day was when the gained experience was integrated. Obviously, this wasn't a rigorous scientific experiment, but the jump in skill felt undeniable at the time.

I'm in!

I get a lot of ideas while drifting off to sleep. I blearily text them to myself, and am usually surprised and pleased to read them in the morning.

Posted by: @pdblake

I get the same thing with programming. Spend  all day trying to fix some code then get woken up in the middle of the night by the answer, then not be able to get back to sleep. 

I get it with story ideas too, just not as often. 

Used to drive my wife mad  

I'm blessed in this regard--I get the same thing, with coding problems occurring in my sleep, but I just wake up the next day with the answer, rather than being woken up by the damn thing.

One week!

Stay calm. A winning story can be written in a single day, right, @wulfmoon?

Posted by: @ease

One week!

 

 

Stay calm. A winning story can be written in a single day, right, @wulfmoon?

Indeed it can, and I am not the only one to do so, I know of another. Mine was a day and a half. All the time I had that quarter, and I had to ask my wife recovering from cancer surgery and nuclear treatment if I could have that time at the end of the Contest year. She graciously agreed, and when I asked her what to write, she said, “What about that Moongirl piece you wrote? I’ve always wondered what happened to her.”

That was a KYD 250 I had written months ago (it’s the opening you read in the book). I added 1000 words that afternoon, did research, and wrote 5000 words the next day, finishing at 11:15 PM that night. I didn’t read it through, just handed it to my wife to proof while I got something to eat. I came back at 11:45 PM to find her bawling. I laughed hysterically. She said, “Why are you laughing, I’m crying!” I said, “Because it worked!” 

I snatched the manuscript from her hands, corrected the typos and repeat words she had marked, and pushed “submit” on the portal at 11:56 PM with four minutes to spare. I then wrote the intro to my acceptance speech, never having read the story through. I knew that story was my winner.

Oh, and then I brought tissues to my wife and apologized for having been so  quick with her. Deadline.

Don’t miss yours. ?

@wulfmoon I did contact him, but it takes him a while to get back to me. I had a different issue a while back and I sent him two E-mails over three months that he did not reposed to. Finally I asked Joni for help.  But I will wait and see if this time is different. 

Hi LD. When the transition to the new platform happened we had to sign in like a first time visitor. If you haven't done that none of the old info is going to work. I guess I'm saying to reregister your info.

Posted by: @ldwriter2

@wulfmoon I did contact him, but it takes him a while to get back to me. I had a different issue a while back and I sent him two E-mails over three months that he did not reposed to. Finally I asked Joni for help.  But I will wait and see if this time is different. 

@jason

Lets try again. 

In for Q2, but with easily my weakest submission so far. It's off with a bit of a futile feeling.