I skipped the Q1 for several reasons, but now I think it's time to think about joining you guys again. But now I have quite a fun dilemma: What to submit?
1. A story I have originally written for Q1, that rifght now has a completed first draft. Although in this case I have only a very weak speculative element (that is, nonetheless a key feature of the story)
2. My RWC story is currently waiting for a rejection from Beneath Ceaseless Skies, so I can also look at their feedback, once I get it, rework the story and send that.
3. A new idea I really, REALLY want to write out.
Q1 appears to be the hardest to get motivated for completing a story and submitting. In contrast, Q4 has a ton of entries.
Writers of the Future:
2026 V43: Submitted
2025 V42: RWC, HM (HM Resubmit), HM, SHM
2024 V41: RWC (HM Resubmit), HM, RWC, Finalist (RWC Resubmit)
2023 V40: HM, HM, R, HM
2022 V39: SHM, HM, Semi-finalist, HM (HM Resubmit)
2021 V38: -, -, -, HM
2020 V37: -, R, -, -
Other Achievements:
2025 SWA: Crime Fiction Contest - 1st Place, The Lighthouse Prompt - 3rd Place
Todd S. Jones
"Whether you think you can, or you think you can't--you're right."~ Henry Ford
Best of luck to everyone! May this be your quarter!
A small cheatcode: start with someone interesting doing something interesting somewhere interesting.
A dentist trying to pay off student loans to start his own practice is working as a diesel mechanic in the artic. Sprinkling in some angry tooth faeries and maybe there's a story in there.
Writers of the Future:
2026 V43: Submitted
2025 V42: RWC, HM (HM Resubmit), HM, SHM
2024 V41: RWC (HM Resubmit), HM, RWC, Finalist (RWC Resubmit)
2023 V40: HM, HM, R, HM
2022 V39: SHM, HM, Semi-finalist, HM (HM Resubmit)
2021 V38: -, -, -, HM
2020 V37: -, R, -, -
Other Achievements:
2025 SWA: Crime Fiction Contest - 1st Place, The Lighthouse Prompt - 3rd Place
Todd S. Jones
"Whether you think you can, or you think you can't--you're right."~ Henry Ford
Absolutely! I have my finished one, and then there's one I'm currently working on that I can show once I'm happier with it. We could do an exchange!
I've heard about Sanderson a few times now from folks on this forum, I really need to check him out! I've just been given so many amazing recommendations that it's hard to settle on which to read first. 🤣
I went from knowing almost no fantasy novels to being neck deep in new books to try. Not a bad problem to have, though, so I'm certainly not gonna complain.
Any book from him in particular that stands out as your favorite?
What to submit?
1. A story I have originally written for Q1, that rifght now has a completed first draft. Although in this case I have only a very weak speculative element (that is, nonetheless a key feature of the story)
2. My RWC story is currently waiting for a rejection from Beneath Ceaseless Skies, so I can also look at their feedback, once I get it, rework the story and send that.
3. A new idea I really, REALLY want to write out.
My two cents: finish what you start. I'm convinced that the majority of growth in a skill comes from reflection after the complete completion of a project/attempt/practise/whatever. That, and the reinforcement you get from exercising the same skill soon after (ideally, the day after) said completion. Something about letting the subconcious soak it all in while you sleep, and then the concious mind confirm and substantiate the wisdom gained the following day, seems to be the ticket for me.
So personally I'd grab the story you wrote for Q1, put the spec-elem on steriods and make sure it's at least hinted at in the first 2 pages, and get it polished and submitted!
VOL 40 2nd Quarter: Third Place ("Ashes to Ashes, Blood to Carbonfiber")
Past submissions: R - HM - HM - HM - HM - HM - SHM - SHM
www.jd-writes.com
Kindle Vella - Ashes to Ashes, Earth to Kaybee
The submission portal is now open.
With my Q2, I’m in that fun brainstorming stage where I’m excited about the idea, but I haven’t found the story yet. How is everyone else’s coming along?
V39: - - - HM
V40: SHM, HM, SHM, HM
V41: HM, SHM, SHM, F
V42: DQ, HM, SHM, SHM
V43: P
Stories published in Triangulation: Hospitium, Neo-opsis Science Fiction Magazine, Flash Fiction Magazine, and others.
https://kzrichards.com
With my Q2, I’m in that fun brainstorming stage where I’m excited about the idea, but I haven’t found the story yet. How is everyone else’s coming along?
I'm in that zone where you have the idea but then you forget it - whoops! 'Life' is busy right now. Hopefully my brain will resurrect the thought for further rumination when the next two weeks are over 😉
"...your motivations for wanting to write are probably complex. You may have a few great passions, you may want to be rich and famous, and you may need therapy."
- Dave Farland, Million Dollar Outlines
"...I also miss almost 100% of the shots I do take."
- Gideon Smith
Writers of the Future:
2026 Q1: P Q2: TBD Q3: TBD Q4: TBD
2025 Q1: HM Q2: SHM Q3: HM Q4: HM (resub of 2024 HM)
2024 Q1: F Q2: HM Q3:SHM Q4: SHM
2023 Q1: RWC Q2: SHM Q3: SHM Q4: R
2022 Q4: R
Submissions to other markets:
2026: 6 submitted 0 acceptances
2025: 163 submitted 10 acceptances
2024: 53 submitted 8 acceptances
2023: 74 submitted 13 acceptances
2022: 22 submitted 1 acceptance
2026 goals: a. 2025 Novel submitted to agents/publishers b. Draft 0 of a new novel c. Speak at a con on panels d. Write 3 serious shorts NOT for WOTF e. Submit something, somewhere, every month
With my Q2, I’m in that fun brainstorming stage where I’m excited about the idea, but I haven’t found the story yet. How is everyone else’s coming along?
I do love the brainstorming stage.
Funny, I used to love creating the character in D&D too when I was a kid. Just realized, that was a brainstorming session too about the possibilities of who the character could be.
I don't have a story for Q2 yet, working on another market. I may update something older and resubmit to give me time. It takes me 2-5 months to create a new short story from brainstorming to draft to final edit.
Writers of the Future:
2026 V43: Submitted
2025 V42: RWC, HM (HM Resubmit), HM, SHM
2024 V41: RWC (HM Resubmit), HM, RWC, Finalist (RWC Resubmit)
2023 V40: HM, HM, R, HM
2022 V39: SHM, HM, Semi-finalist, HM (HM Resubmit)
2021 V38: -, -, -, HM
2020 V37: -, R, -, -
Other Achievements:
2025 SWA: Crime Fiction Contest - 1st Place, The Lighthouse Prompt - 3rd Place
Todd S. Jones
"Whether you think you can, or you think you can't--you're right."~ Henry Ford
Ditto. Honestly, I could be completely content never writing a real story ever again, and instead just worldbuild ad infinitum. But that way lies madness, and zero audience.
VOL 40 2nd Quarter: Third Place ("Ashes to Ashes, Blood to Carbonfiber")
Past submissions: R - HM - HM - HM - HM - HM - SHM - SHM
www.jd-writes.com
Kindle Vella - Ashes to Ashes, Earth to Kaybee
I took a look at my graveyard of unfinished stories and was surprised at how much I didn't hate any of them hah! I just got super stuck and couldn't see a way forward so I put them aside. Now I have to decide which one gets resurrected. Two of them have a character that I love but the story is not clear. Couple others that I like the story of but the characters need a lot more work. None of them have a full draft. How to choose?
@tiinag Which one is the most mind-bending idea?
Or
Which one would you tell someone about first if asked - "what are you working on?"
The first one that comes to mind - that's the one. 😉
Career: 1x Win -- 2x NW-F -- 2x S-F -- 9x S-HM -- 11x HM -- 7x R
Like me: facebook/AuthorTJKnight
@tj_knight Hah! That helped! Thanks
@tj_knight's answer is best. The engineer in New suggests: which one would take the least time/effort to complete? Which has the most potential to win Wotf? If any story rates highly in both categories, I'd pick that one...
...if I wasn't already picking the one TJ suggested.
VOL 40 2nd Quarter: Third Place ("Ashes to Ashes, Blood to Carbonfiber")
Past submissions: R - HM - HM - HM - HM - HM - SHM - SHM
www.jd-writes.com
Kindle Vella - Ashes to Ashes, Earth to Kaybee
@ease Yep, the story I least expected to pull at me. It's not the closest to finish, but I know where it beings and I know where it ends. Just gotta figure out everything in between, hah. But now I am excited!
While my primary focus is currently another attempt at a novel (which hopefully will turn into the second finished novel-sized first draft), I'm doing some editing on one of my possible Q2 entries before I send it to my "alpha" reader. The first draft was slightly above 11k words, and so I've decided to slim it down to 9-10k so it's viable for more markets. After days of editing, I managed to cut out like 300 words and am currently terrified to go back to it because of the cutting. I know there's ONE cut that could do it, but killing your darlings sucks 😭 .
2025: Q3: S-F, Q4: RWC
2026: Q1: -, Q2: TBD
I just got super stuck and couldn't see a way forward so I put them aside. Now I have to decide which one gets resurrected. Two of them have a character that I love but the story is not clear. Couple others that I like the story of but the characters need a lot more work.
I can certainly see how a proper understanding of the almighty can help a writer, although I am still but a student of the algorithm.
I was crashing Predator last night, testing out new revelations, which went very well.
I am developing an advanced understanding of its structure and intricacies.
I managed to cut out like 300 words and am currently terrified to go back to it because of the cutting.
Algorithmically, cutting concerns me.
How do you cut, and what do you do once you decide to cut a bit out?
I do wonder if the algorithm isn't self healing?
This should be something I investigate at some point.
There is a hierarchy that I feel can become unbalanced.
Like removing a brick from the bottom of a wall.
Removing blocks from it sounds like a great way to destroy it.
That's why writing with it, instead of against it, should allow for better results.
And less cutting, if any.
RxLOTS
HMx1 (somewhere in the middle)
Keeping other markets in mind is always a good idea when submitting to the contest. My one SF clocked in at 13,000 words. Since it received an SF, I thought for sure I could sell it somewhere. But it was just too long for the short story markets, and the novelette markets are few and far between. Good luck!
"There are three rules to writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are."
— W. Somerset Maugham
Drop me a line at https://morganbroadhead.com
SFx1
HMx6
R/RWCx6
My 16,000 got an R.
Feel I should just expand it a little more into a full novel.
It was pretty epic, with multiple stories that culminated in the finale.
I feel the world(s) building was there with races and all.
Probably the best way to go, then rack up some novel reject.
RxLOTS
HMx1 (somewhere in the middle)
Having no luck on a new story, since I'm working on something for another market.
May revise a previous HM and send in.
Hope everyone else is full of ideas and working toward a win.
Writers of the Future:
2026 V43: Submitted
2025 V42: RWC, HM (HM Resubmit), HM, SHM
2024 V41: RWC (HM Resubmit), HM, RWC, Finalist (RWC Resubmit)
2023 V40: HM, HM, R, HM
2022 V39: SHM, HM, Semi-finalist, HM (HM Resubmit)
2021 V38: -, -, -, HM
2020 V37: -, R, -, -
Other Achievements:
2025 SWA: Crime Fiction Contest - 1st Place, The Lighthouse Prompt - 3rd Place
Todd S. Jones
"Whether you think you can, or you think you can't--you're right."~ Henry Ford
Having no luck on a new story, since I'm working on something for another market.
May revise a previous HM and send in.
Hope everyone else is full of ideas and working toward a win.
That's what I did last quarter. Well, it wasn't an HM, as I haven't gotten one of those, but it was a revision of an older story. I've got two more in the works now, one being something that's coming easily to write but I'm not so confident in the world it's set in, another maddeningly difficult to write but will probably be a much stronger story when it's finished.
I've been working on the latter these past couple of days, and I think it's finally coming to me in a way that I don't feel like bludgeoning my brains out when I start typing. The biggest thing is going to be keeping it within the word limit. I spent about a month just worldbuilding for it back when I started it, and big worlds tend to not always lend themselves to the word count asked for, even if the story is smallish in scope.
Those sounds promising @shounenbat. Good luck.
Writers of the Future:
2026 V43: Submitted
2025 V42: RWC, HM (HM Resubmit), HM, SHM
2024 V41: RWC (HM Resubmit), HM, RWC, Finalist (RWC Resubmit)
2023 V40: HM, HM, R, HM
2022 V39: SHM, HM, Semi-finalist, HM (HM Resubmit)
2021 V38: -, -, -, HM
2020 V37: -, R, -, -
Other Achievements:
2025 SWA: Crime Fiction Contest - 1st Place, The Lighthouse Prompt - 3rd Place
Todd S. Jones
"Whether you think you can, or you think you can't--you're right."~ Henry Ford
My 16,000 got an R.
Feel I should just expand it a little more into a full novel.
It was pretty epic, with multiple stories that culminated in the finale.
I feel the world(s) building was there with races and all.
Probably the best way to go, then rack up some novel reject.
Go for it!
Go for it!
Thanks.
It should be easy, as there is so much already.
Also have a 100 page hand written fantasy/historical due the treatment.
However, being slowly consumed by the algorithm, I'm concerned.
Hopefully I learn enough to pump out a story for this quarter.
I have a few characters and basic idea.
Throw it through the algorithm, see what pops out, easy.
However, I do wonder how a large full story will fair, and whether the beast will just chew it up.
An experiment to do.
I just feel, once you pick a few options required, it will just go off on a complete tangent.
I'm like an archaeologist, digging for so long, then you scrape bone.
Or the poor chap who set the first block of the pyramid.
Good times ahead!
RxLOTS
HMx1 (somewhere in the middle)
I've been working on the latter these past couple of days [...] The biggest thing is going to be keeping it within the word limit.
Best of luck! I recommend trying to keep the word count as low as you can. WotF is a great market (the best, in my opinion), but it's also one of the only ones that accepts stories that long. If you keep to ~7k words, you leave a lot more opportunities for yourself should you need it. Like they say: "if you shoot for the moon, even if you miss, you'll still land amongst the stars. And in such circumstances: best to make sure those stars accept the length of story you've written!"
May revise a previous HM and send in.
A fine last resort, but with a heartfelt emphases put on 'last.' Everything I've seen from the results of the last couple years has indicated that resubmissions fare worse than first timers.
My recommendation would be to bash out something short, if you're struggling with your current WIP. Grab a Save The Cat beatsheet and see how few words you need to tick off each beat. If you aim for ~1500-2000 words you might be able to finish in a day!
VOL 40 2nd Quarter: Third Place ("Ashes to Ashes, Blood to Carbonfiber")
Past submissions: R - HM - HM - HM - HM - HM - SHM - SHM
www.jd-writes.com
Kindle Vella - Ashes to Ashes, Earth to Kaybee
Grab a Save The Cat beatsheet and see how few words you need to tick off each beat. If you aim for ~1500-2000 words you might be able to finish in a day!
Save The Cat?! I don't think I've heard of this before. I'm going to have to go hunting for this!
v42: - - - HM
Save The Cat?! I don't think I've heard of this before. I'm going to have to go hunting for this!
There're endless resources on it, depending how far down the rabbit hole you want to go, but this is all I really use: Save the Cat beatsheet
VOL 40 2nd Quarter: Third Place ("Ashes to Ashes, Blood to Carbonfiber")
Past submissions: R - HM - HM - HM - HM - HM - SHM - SHM
www.jd-writes.com
Kindle Vella - Ashes to Ashes, Earth to Kaybee
Save my cat!
Career: 1x Win -- 2x NW-F -- 2x S-F -- 9x S-HM -- 11x HM -- 7x R
Like me: facebook/AuthorTJKnight
@bootzenkatzen Oh, I love an xkcd reference! I used to visit that site religiously but had forgotten about it for a couple years.
For more guidance on Save the Cat, this website has a whole bunch of popular films broken down into Save the Cat beat sheets. Find one of your faves and it might help you see the pattern to it.
VOL 40 2nd Quarter: Third Place ("Ashes to Ashes, Blood to Carbonfiber")
Past submissions: R - HM - HM - HM - HM - HM - SHM - SHM
www.jd-writes.com
Kindle Vella - Ashes to Ashes, Earth to Kaybee
Hello All!
What? No trumpets heralding my arrival? Ah, well, don’t fret; I don’t feel slighted. I’m sure to survive this slight oversight. I come bearing news. Actually, it’s more of a declaration. Pre-news, if you will.
If you gather that this post will be about me, you are generally correct; if you gather that this post will only be about me, you are less so.
In baseball, have you ever seen a batter step up to the plate and then point his bat over the far fence? A bold move, to be sure. If you strip away the ego, what’s happening?
The batter is saying: That’s where I’m sending this next one.
The pitcher responds: Not if I have anything to say about it.
We’ll circle back to this.
“Your Lie in April” is an anime with a beautiful story. Over the past few years, I’ve watched this series multiple times, and each time, I've found something new to admire. The story follows Kōsei, a young piano prodigy, who quit playing the piano.
My more recent admiration surrounded a subplot that involved his competitors. When Kōsei played (around 5 y/o), he always finished first, leaving two other pianists to alternate in 2nd and 3rd place. Kōsei was the guy both wanted to beat. But when he quit, they both felt dejected. Sure, each started winning 1st, but the victory was hollow. Their rival had vanished, depriving them of the chance to beat him.
When Kōsei returned, both competitors were thrilled. At long last, they finally had the chance they had longed for. So they began practicing more fiercely than ever. For the first time in a long time, they both felt alive again. But then, Kōsei turned in a bad performance, and again, they are devastated. It wasn’t enough to win while he was playing; they needed to beat him at his best. Obviously, they were furious.
This plotline shows how much Kōsei means to his competitors. Without him, they may not have attained their respective heights had they not had someone like Kōsei to rise above. They came to realize how large a role he played in making them the musicians they grew into. Basically, he became their hero.
If you haven’t seen this series, you are doing yourself an incredible disservice. I have a profound appreciation for competition. And since I've been here, I've felt this competitive spirit to be somewhat absent. That’s not to suggest that participants don’t want to win; I just don’t sense the competitive drive that I believe to be vital within the competitive arena.
We’ll return to this too.
I’ve garnered some great experiences over the past year. I would like to share some of those insights. I first signed up for this contest after attending my first con. Jody Lynn Nye attended as the guest of honor. Since then, I’ve turned in 6 submissions. Of those, this past year was a more earnest effort; I submitted every quarter for V42.
Since I began, I’ve poked my head into the forum a time or two. This really is a welcoming and supportive community. I’ve seen a lot of positive comments and mutual support. Comparatively speaking, I can’t say that I’ve engaged or contributed all that much. But that’s not any sort of dejection; I just realize that my motivations are different. And you know, I’m sure that my differing motivations are something that I have in common with other participants.
My lie in December. After Q4V42’s judging was complete, I discovered that my submission file was corrupted and didn’t actually upload properly. I told someone within the contest that I would submit a different story the following quarter. Then, the Q1V43 submission window came and went, and my statement turned out to be a lie, albeit an unintentional one.
December 31st arrived, and I was on track to do exactly as I had said. After spending the preceding few days on some rewrites/restructuring, I had finished a workable version. I still had a couple of hours remaining, which was enough time to pass back through and apply a bit of polish. After all, I’ve frequently heard, “Just send us what you have,” so if I needed any validation, it had already been given several times over.
Instead, I closed my laptop, deciding to submit it in the following quarter. This quarter. Why? Well, I had some very deliberate things that I wanted to do with the story. I wouldn’t have been content doing less. And that’s not perfectionism; it’s craft. Plus, I saw a great teaching moment in it, and so that’s what I mean to share. Here. Now.
For context and credibility, let’s reference my contest performance. Of my 6 submissions, each was something completely different. Each presented a new puzzle, a new lesson. And each built upon the lessons that came before. At first glance, my scorecard doesn’t seem impressive:
- Honorable Mention: x 1
- Rejection with Comments: x 2
- Rejection: x 2
- Error: x1
If I were another competitor looking at this scorecard, I know I wouldn’t feel intimidated. But while writing is a part of the arts, it’s still a craft. If we want to succeed, our efforts need to be deliberate. “Rinse and repeat” won’t get anyone far, if anywhere at all.
Regarding “Just send us what you have” and “submit every quarter,” I’ve seen a bad practice here on the forum, and I hope to help others get onto a more productive track. Some time ago, another participant announced the submission of a story. It was previously a “flat” rejection. The writer found and fixed a single flaw in their work, assumed it caused their rejection, and then resubmitted the same story.
I looked up the guidelines. Their flaw wasn’t listed as a reason for “flat” rejections. I brought this to their attention, and their response was basically, “This is what I have,” so I’m following ‘Just send us what you have.’ It was an action that didn’t actually do anything for anyone, least of all the writer.
I’ve seen others say similar things about resubmitting stories. Recently, another participant, someone with a scorecard far better than my own, mentioned a fondness for a past submission and was torn about resubmitting or moving on. I recommended a new story. Another writer suggested the opposite, claiming that the participant’s scorecard qualified sound judgment.
Now, this contradiction irked me, but not for any reason that might seem apparent. Storytelling is a craft with many paths. I get that, and I don’t begrudge another their own, nor their opinion. In fact, I don’t valuate my opinion very highly; I said as much alongside my original suggestion.
My problem lay in the participant’s skill progression. Writing a new story has a greater growth potential than revising one that already exists. Rewriting has similarly high potential, so long as the writer attempts to write the story in a new way while using different narrative devices. So, a revised resubmission lowers a writer’s growth curve, which weakens the growth of my competition. And it’s this weakening of my competition that I’m not fond of.
Participants shouldn’t remain fixed points; I don’t want to win by simply lapping everyone else’s place of rest. This “submit every quarter” would grant much more benefit if writers took it to mean “submit a new story every quarter.”
Let’s set performance aside for a moment and touch on motivation. Across the forum, I’ve seen an abundance of encouragement. And I think that’s great. But none of us can run on that alone. On the WotF podcast, I know John likes to reference Jonnie Goodboy Tyler, so let’s look at something specific within Battlefield Earth.
If you’re familiar with this story, how often are Jonnie’s efforts actually encouraged? While Chrissie and Pattie support him as a person, everyone opposes his plot efforts, and many of those antagonisms only mount as the story proceeds. When he initially sets out, one of his only supporters, Chrissie, gives him a deadline—return or else! So, no one believed he could do what he intended. Despite that, he went anyway. And if you believe this kind of thing only exists within story, you’re as wrong as someone believing that this post is about me.
“Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.” Henry Ford
This is the main reason I’ve never really gotten involved here. While I always appreciate kind words, they never get me far. More than anything, I’m driven by someone telling me, “I can’t” or “I won’t.” And I know that’s not something unique to me. I’m sure there are a lot of others here with this same drive.
So, why am I here? Well, that’s simple. This competition has been around for over forty years. There is a lot of competition. A lot of great writers and storytellers, some of whom are better at my own language when it’s their 2nd or 3rd. But it’s the competition that I’m here for. You’re all the best around, which means you’re the ones to beat. And the better you are, the better I have to be in order to succeed.
Soon, I mean to submit my most recent story. I’ll do so this quarter, Q2V43.
That being said…
I just stepped up to home plate. I knocked the dirt off my cleats. Wound my shoulders. And then pointed my bat above the far fence. And all while all of you stand there on the pitcher’s mound.
I imagine such a statement is unusual for this setting, not without seeming pompous or delusional, of course. And I realize that the judges still get their say. After all:
“Nothing is for sure; it’s the only sure thing I know.” A Beautiful Mind
You all get a say as well. But you'd better bring your best. I don’t want to win by simply lapping a sixteen-time finalist. Don’t go submitting something just to “win” an Honorable Mention, Finalist, or even 2nd Place. Write with the deliberate intention to win 1st place. Strive for nothing less.
Why? Because you’re my Kōsei. It’s not enough for me to win; I need to beat you at your best.
I’m placing you on notice. I mean to send this next “ball” into the stratosphere. And I’m asking you what you're going to do about that? Think you can prove me wrong? What’s it going to be? Are you going to let me shot call like this and then walk away with 1st place? Or are you going to make this my lie in February? You’ve got two full months to turn in your answer. Don’t let me down!
Oh, and one last thing… regarding my scorecard? “Ranging shots.” I’m dialed in. Are you?
F:0 / SF:0 / SHM:0 / HM:1 / RWC:2 / R:2 / Error:1
Previous Submissions: Q2V40, Q3V41, Q1V42, Q2V42, Q3V42, Q4V42
Q1V43 Window: Skipped!
Q2V43 Window: Pending...
www.sagaheim.net
