Discussion: Q3 Volume 36

Other than Dragonchef (who's already got my Q-3) anybody up for the first 2,600 words of something new. Once finished it will go to F&SF, and if rejected, to WOTF if I can keep it to the word limit.

Correction, 1700 words. Just realized I had some narrative from a previous start to the story that I needed to take out.

Always

I'll have a read

I'm good for 1700, or you can wait until after the others look and any edits.

I got ambushed by a scene I couldn't ignore and ended up writing a rough draft of my Q3 in screenplay format today. It's missing the meat (i.e. the prose), but it's got the skeleton (a.k.a. the themes, which came about as a direct consequence of the characters and their dialogue). Everything fell together really fast, but this is a tale I've been subconsciously been worrying at for some time, so that makes sense.

Really liking Trellby (the shareware screenwriting software I downloaded).

Getting the bones down is the hard part for me. The prose is fun.
Hope you have fun fleshing his one out!

Getting the bones down is the hard part for me. The prose is fun.
Hope you have fun fleshing his one out!

I hope so, too. Dialogue is one of my favorite parts of a story to write, and screenplay format is great for emphasizing things like that, but I'm looking forward to going through and populating stronger descriptions/inner thought processes. <3

I got ambushed by a scene I couldn't ignore and ended up writing a rough draft of my Q3 in screenplay format today. It's missing the meat (i.e. the prose), but it's got the skeleton (a.k.a. the themes, which came about as a direct consequence of the characters and their dialogue). Everything fell together really fast, but this is a tale I've been subconsciously been worrying at for some time, so that makes sense.

Really liking Trellby (the shareware screenwriting software I downloaded).

Sounds awesome, but now I’m jealous

I got ambushed by a scene I couldn't ignore and ended up writing a rough draft of my Q3 in screenplay format today. It's missing the meat (i.e. the prose), but it's got the skeleton (a.k.a. the themes, which came about as a direct consequence of the characters and their dialogue). Everything fell together really fast, but this is a tale I've been subconsciously been worrying at for some time, so that makes sense.

Really liking Trellby (the shareware screenwriting software I downloaded).

Sounds awesome, but now I’m jealous

This is not a regular occurance for me. I had to fight for every sentence of my last two rough drafts, but they also weren't nearly as rough. It's going to take awhile to flesh this puppy out into a first draft, and that'll still need refining because my first drafts are generally way too light on description and internal thought processes. (At present, those are almost completely absent, but that means I know I need to put them in yet, so maybe I won't miss on them in the first draft this time. ...Maybe.)

Spamming this because I don't want anyone to miss out. if you couldn't afford to get WotF Volume 35, today you can! One of the best ways to win is to study what won! Cheers!

Special promo today! Writers of the Future Kindle version is only 99 cents on Amazon! Get it quick if you missed it!
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MC62NNS

I can afford it today, at least!

This is not a regular occurance for me. I had to fight for every sentence of my last two rough drafts, but they also weren't nearly as rough. It's going to take awhile to flesh this puppy out into a first draft, and that'll still need refining because my first drafts are generally way too light on description and internal thought processes. (At present, those are almost completely absent, but that means I know I need to put them in yet, so maybe I won't miss on them in the first draft this time. ...Maybe.)

This sounds familiar. In my first drafts I get to the point too much, so that I usually have to add stuff in my revisions instead of only compacting things.

Not 99 cents for me, but I already got it the other day.

I said I would be here more often after we switched internet providers but even though that took longer than we thought I have just been plain forgetting to come here since we switched.

But something reminded me of this forum tonight. I am working on a story for Q3. I decided to do a scene that kept forming in my head. Thought it could be the opening of a new novel but as I started it I thought a short story would work with a slight change of plot. Okay, so why not one for WotF?

I think I can write a good one. But maybe not. Been on a streak of total rejections. I guess they have been at best good and at worse-I don't know, I would hate to think terrible. I assume that a good story would still get a HM even though it has to be even better than good to get in. Does he totally reject good stories?

Anyway, I will be working on it. Not quite sure where that change will take the main character. I usually know where a story is going-basically but every so often I don't. Maybe I can outdo myself with the original plot? We shall see.

I got that V35 and read the intro and realize that my Q3 piece doesn't really have much of a chance I suspect. I still think it is a good story but just isn't likely right for this particular space. But maybe it will be good enough for an HM. So that is my hope right now - not the right fit but with enough merit for an HM.

Thanks to the folks who mentioned the V35 sale. I love short story anthologies and it's always nice to get one on sale. Plus it gives me insight into what makes it up to the top of the pile!

Hey! Enough of that negativity!

I've got faith in you both. Go forth and be awesome.

Is it bad that I just want it to be July so I can enter for Q4 because maybe that would inspire me to get my rear in gear to make sure I have something for next Q1. Although I admit I'd really like it if I could just win Q3 or Q4 then anything after that would just go into the submission rounds

Hey! Enough of that negativity!

I've got faith in you both. Go forth and be awesome.

Well, I keep writing and improving but no one else, except a couple of fans of my short stories, seems to think I am. Could happen though.

I don't think anyone could predict what would happen next in my Q2 entry. I didn't know as I was writing it!
But my Q3 ideas are too predictable. Think I need to start again.

I don't think anyone could predict what would happen next in my Q2 entry. I didn't know as I was writing it!
But my Q3 ideas are too predictable. Think I need to start again.

Predictable delivered in a unique way with characters people care about can work very well (in my opinion at least). I've enjoyed lots of stories and movies that followed a path I could predict pretty easily and it didn't ruin my enjoyment of it. Maybe you could try to really lean into the predictability of it - I feel like there is opportunity in that (and in fact now I feel like I want to come up with something where I do exactly that - I wish I had a story idea gnawing at the back of my mind wanting out so I could experiment with it). Might have to go search up a writing prompt somewhere
Whatever you decide to do, hope you get your Q3 sorted out to your satisfaction.

I don't think anyone could predict what would happen next in my Q2 entry. I didn't know as I was writing it!
But my Q3 ideas are too predictable. Think I need to start again.

Whatever you decide to do, hope you get your Q3 sorted out to your satisfaction.

Thanks, when I think there's a good idea and it's just me struggling to find the right angle, I have difficulty getting it out of my head. Unfinished stories from the past nag me.
I've looked at prompts today - but how many others have looked at the same ones? Time to get my creative cap on, I reckon.

I don't think anyone could predict what would happen next in my Q2 entry. I didn't know as I was writing it!
But my Q3 ideas are too predictable. Think I need to start again.

Predictable delivered in a unique way with characters people care about can work very well (in my opinion at least). I've enjoyed lots of stories and movies that followed a path I could predict pretty easily and it didn't ruin my enjoyment of it. Maybe you could try to really lean into the predictability of it - I feel like there is opportunity in that (and in fact now I feel like I want to come up with something where I do exactly that - I wish I had a story idea gnawing at the back of my mind wanting out so I could experiment with it). Might have to go search up a writing prompt somewhere
Whatever you decide to do, hope you get your Q3 sorted out to your satisfaction.

I agree

Sigh, my story's plot took a bit of a left turn but that's okay. Now it's more inner conflict than outer but I still need a try-fail cycle.

I've been mentally working on a fresh idea for Q3. Early this morning it began to gel. Time to let it flow.

I've been mentally working on a fresh idea for Q3. Early this morning it began to gel. Time to let it flow.

Go go go go go!

One of the twins got sick the day before they turned six months old (cold plus pneumonia in one lobe of one lung) and still has some minor symptoms, although he's mostly better. The other got a more minor version of the same (just the cold) and seems to have gotten over it at this point. This has... slowed me down, to say the least, but I'm probably about two thirds of the way through fleshing out my screenplay rough into a proper first draft. Now that the boys are starting to feel better, I'll be able to focus on it more.

I've been mentally working on a fresh idea for Q3. Early this morning it began to gel. Time to let it flow.

Go go go go go!

One of the twins got sick the day before they turned six months old (cold plus pneumonia in one lobe of one lung) and still has some minor symptoms, although he's mostly better. The other got a more minor version of the same (just the cold) and seems to have gotten over it at this point. This has... slowed me down, to say the least, but I'm probably about two thirds of the way through fleshing out my screenplay rough into a proper first draft. Now that the boys are starting to feel better, I'll be able to focus on it more.

Kids being ill is worrying. Much more worrying when they're that young. Hope they both fully recover quickly.

I've been mentally working on a fresh idea for Q3. Early this morning it began to gel. Time to let it flow.

Go go go go go!

One of the twins got sick the day before they turned six months old (cold plus pneumonia in one lobe of one lung) and still has some minor symptoms, although he's mostly better. The other got a more minor version of the same (just the cold) and seems to have gotten over it at this point. This has... slowed me down, to say the least, but I'm probably about two thirds of the way through fleshing out my screenplay rough into a proper first draft. Now that the boys are starting to feel better, I'll be able to focus on it more.

Hopefully they both feel better soon. Happy babies, happy momma!

I wish the boys a speedy recovery and you a little breathing room, a nap, and time to write. Good Luck

Other than Dragonchef (who's already got my Q-3) anybody up for the first 2,600 words of something new. Once finished it will go to F&SF, and if rejected, to WOTF if I can keep it to the word limit.

Now it’s at 14k and won’t be going to WOTF.

I'm rewriting mine, again, after realising that I could make a single key change and greatly improve the story's weight. Fourth time of writing now, and I get to keep about fifteen percent of what I wrote previously.

This doesn't even count the the three times I tried to write this story before. Honestly, it's been nothing but trouble. I'll almost be glad to see the back of it, but at the same time, I'm very hopeful that it'll end up as a good one when it's actually finished.