Discussion: Q2 Volume 42

Posted by: @toddjones

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Still a month out for results, according to my previous email announcements.

I'm at a point in this contest where I'm starting to dread the results anyway, so it can take as long as it wants for all I care. So tired of sending in stories that I think are amazing and perfect, only to have them come back HM or RWC. If I ever win, cool, whatever. In the meantime, zero urge to twitch, and I'll just keep writing new stories. Or procrastinating writing new stories. Ambivalence is the key to a happy writing life. <shrugs>

Posted by: @morgan-broadhead

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Posted by: @toddjones

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Still a month out for results, according to my previous email announcements.

I'm at a point in this contest where I'm starting to dread the results anyway, so it can take as long as it wants for all I care. So tired of sending in stories that I think are amazing and perfect, only to have them come back HM or RWC. If I ever win, cool, whatever. In the meantime, zero urge to twitch, and I'll just keep writing new stories. Or procrastinating writing new stories. Ambivalence is the key to a happy writing life. <shrugs>

 

I understand the writer roller-coaster feeling. I've received some Rs and RWCs that I wonder how it was possible not to get at least an HM. My understanding is WotF is a market and what they may not like other market will. Also, if you have a fantastic story about elves and they already picked an elf story earlier in the year, then they may pass on it. 

I'm up for reading shorter stories if you have one you received an RWC on. Maybe another set of eyes could see a hole you don't (That happened with one of my RWCs that was turned into a finalist - okay, that one had a couple serious holes, but I didn't see them). Then turn it in again, if you haven't already, for Q3 instead of skipping Q3.  Just a thought.  PM me.

@toddjones Thanks, Todd. PM sent.

@bbnickell Me too ! It's like the silence is really epic right now. Like any moment a bomb will go off...but in the meantime intense and long quietness persists. Ive heard a few estimates ranging maybe end of June to the first two weeks of July. Let's see...👀 but hopefully sooner than later. The suspense is almost cruel.

@hermionelee Thanks ! I hope so too. I am very persistent but sometimes I think that some judges might be a little bit too picky with their over the top expectations and It's not easy to keep on at this on IOTF for so long...(since 1998).

And counting.  

[The Hobbit hops off her Phoenix and drags her heavy bag of books from SWA conference]

[Once in her hobbit hole. She rubs the bag. "Precious"]

[Then she hides them in a secret bookshelf, before the clutter monster finds them.]

[What's this? she says, noting all the posts here.]

[Twitching time coming again?]

[She goes to kitchen to bake scones for the twitching table.]

@jose77sanchez yeah - from what I hear this quarter is the longest wait period due to the Awards Ceremony. I'm just anxiously waiting to hear what this judge thought of this work. lol

@bbnickell q1 I think is longest? But either way, definitely q1 and q2 are the longer ones and q4 the results seem to come out as the submission is leaving your hands lol. I used to watch the forum for clues, but then, we used to get more clues from slusher/staff than we do now, and it just drove me a little crazy. So I opted these days to just try not to think about it, and focus on other projects will this market wakes up and does its thing. I can't control it, so letting go just feels healthier for me.

[Smells scrumptious scones fresh from the oven coming from the hobbit hole]

[time for second breakfast already?]

[impressed at how quickly after SWA the hobbit is on it]

[I, too, came back from SWA lugging a chest full of books!]

[AND I come back from SWA with great writing energy!]

[So happy to get encouragement and ideas from the Beastmaster himself]

[YES, I finally managed to meet the Beastmaster in person!]

[So happy to meet the hobbit and others of the Wulfpack Writers in person at SWA]

[my heart is full of love and my head is full of ideas]

[so many hugs stored up to help me get through another year]

[excitement is building, tents popping up left and right]

[q2 results could be any day now, but most likely not until early July]

[excuse me, I see the dragon station set up and I want a s'more]

[and then I write]

[The munchkin looks at the row of tents with smoke steaming from the camp fires.]

[Yes the tents are growing, but the crew continues to finish up their story entries for QTR 3.]

[She adds some cookies and coffee to the goodies table, wondering when the QTR 2 results will be in.]

[She feels the tug of her next story. She is not sure what to do with it, but understands that the call must be fulfilled and crawls back into the tent.]

[wonders how it can be time to twitch]

[the q3 story continues to thrash about]

[stares at calendar]

[going to be close]

[grabs some cookies and coffee off the goodies table]

[thanks Munchkin]

[dashes back into tent to write]

[and to wrestle the gnarly q3 story to the ground]

@bbnickell, I hear ya. Good luck ! 👍🌝

I also heard something about July 5th one year and July 10th the next. I think it was 2023 and 2024 respectively. At least that was the insider intelligence report.

Apparently, we practically have to be into espionage to figure these things out. 

@jose77sanchez but maybe what that tells us is not that espionage is needed... but that the date changes year to year, so maybe it's not worth getting to worked up about... it will come. Just let it happen 😉

For me that's better for my mental health

Posted by: @morgan-broadhead

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I'm at a point in this contest where I'm starting to dread the results anyway, so it can take as long as it wants for all I care. So tired of sending in stories that I think are amazing and perfect, only to have them come back HM or RWC. If I ever win, cool, whatever. In the meantime, zero urge to twitch, and I'll just keep writing new stories. Or procrastinating writing new stories. Ambivalence is the key to a happy writing life. <shrugs>

You and me both, Morgan. I mostly just let the quarters roll on by and keeping writing and submitting. I had one SF that gave me wild and crazy hopes, but seem to have reverted back to HM and RWC.

I've come to treat it about the same way I treat my golf game. In golf: some good days, some bad days. In WotF: some good quarters, some bad quarters.

Yet I keep believing in both. One of these days, I'll win this contest. One of these days, I'll break 80.  

And in the meantime, I actually had a chance to meet several of the Forum denizens at the SWA conference. @physa, @craydimensional, @wulfmoon. I came home with so many notes it's taking me weeks to work through and assimilate them. Possibly the best conference I've ever attended, and I've been to over 50...

So now, when I see the twitching tents erected in the field, I know which tent to go to for scones. But what, no tea? Only coffee? Ack, vile nasty black stuff gets in your mouth and everything. 

Hey, Munchkin! How 'bout some Earl Grey? With local honey. [pleading grin]

@ehonour [The munchkin/hobbit adds donuts, coffee, and a wide assortment of teas, including Earl Gray to the dwinddling snacks on the snacks table. Its amazing how space travelers cling to their tea. ]

[so lovely to meet @wulfmoon and some of the wulfpack writers at the most recent southeastern writers conference: @ehonour, @craydimensional, Crystal Crawford, Glenda Thompson, and Martha]

[nice to put faces with names]

[just finished a strong draft of my Q3 story]

[pops out of my tent to catch some fresh air]

[soon I'll be at work on a Q4 story]

[but I suppose I can schedule in a few hours of twitching, ;)]

[check out the lovely table filled with goodies and hot beverages]

[I heard a rumor that we should keep our phones charged and be ready to answer UNKNOWN caller at odd hours of the day and night]

[Yikes! Recently my phone's been chirping a lot]

[I've been hounded of late by my local newspaper]

[wanting me to come back and renew my subscription]

[Geesh!]

Southeastern Writers Conference is a new one for me. (I live in northeast Florida). I just looked at the website. Interesting. And the next big event is not far from me. 

@pegeen I had a wonderful time at the conference and I learned quite a bit while I was there.

Posted by: @craydimensional

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@pegeen I had a wonderful time at the conference and I learned quite a bit while I was there.

I'm going to try and make the next one. I've never been to a writer's conference.

Posted by: @craydimensional

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@pegeen I had a wonderful time at the conference and I learned quite a bit while I was there.

It was great seeing you there and visiting over the buffets, Cray! Glad you came!

Posted by: @pegeen

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Southeastern Writers Conference is a new one for me. (I live in northeast Florida). I just looked at the website. Interesting. And the next big event is not far from me. 

You should come! The organization has supported writers in your area for 51 years now. Anytime a conference is that close to you, you should attend. You won’t only learn new things, you’ll gain local friends and allies! And they are the closest group of writers I’ve ever met, and I’ve been to many seminars and cons in my life. Really nice group!

Posted by: @toddjones

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Posted by: @craydimensional

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@pegeen I had a wonderful time at the conference and I learned quite a bit while I was there.

I'm going to try and make the next one. I've never been to a writer's conference.

——-

Wonderful, Todd. The Wulf Pack will create another scholarship for this. If you have a need, please apply!😊

 

 

Posted by: @ehonour

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And in the meantime, I actually had a chance to meet several of the Forum denizens at the SWA conference. @physa, @craydimensional, @wulfmoon. I came home with so many notes it's taking me weeks to work through and assimilate them. Possibly the best conference I've ever attended, and I've been to over 50...

So now, when I see the twitching tents erected in the field, I know which tent to go to for scones. But what, no tea? Only coffee? Ack, vile nasty black stuff gets in your mouth and everything. 

Hey, Munchkin! How 'bout some Earl Grey? With local honey. [pleading grin]

Great to meet you in person and to dine with you at their SWA group buffets, Doc. What a wonderful experience. Best of success on your novels, and on winning Writers of the Future!