I'm a slow writer
I'm a fast writer. Until I'm not. And then I'm not a slow writer I'm a 'no write'r. So then I just average out to a slow writer too 😉
"...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
Writers of the Future:
2025 Q1: HM Q2: SHM Q3: P Q4: TBD
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:
2025: 82 submitted 4 acceptances
2024: 53 submitted 8 acceptances
2023: 74 submitted 13 acceptances
2022: 22 submitted 1 acceptance
2025 goals: a. New Novel b. New piece submitted/month c. 100 rejections
And I'm in for Q3. A quick turnaround for a story, but in some ways, my Q3 is a more typical WotF entry than either my Q1 or Q2, so I guess I'll see how it goes from here. Now it's time to fix my gaze upon the Q4 story that was, until very recently, going to be my Q3...
(Well, either that, or I write some flash fiction about teeth. We shall see.)
Go @doctorjest !! 
I've personally decided to steer clear of teeth this month, even though it will ruin my streak of doing that competition, simply because slushing other places I know there were other themed calls for (1) the toothfairy and (2) hansel and gretel witchs candy house, which seemed to end up mostly about rotten teeth. I suspect therefore that the call will be swamped this month - both by regular entries but also all the trunk stories from those two other calls, some of which were excellent. And if I'm not going to place (the most likely scenario) I just don't want to spend that effort on making another teeth story. Not sure what else I will do. But *some*thing 😉
"...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
Writers of the Future:
2025 Q1: HM Q2: SHM Q3: P Q4: TBD
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:
2025: 82 submitted 4 acceptances
2024: 53 submitted 8 acceptances
2023: 74 submitted 13 acceptances
2022: 22 submitted 1 acceptance
2025 goals: a. New Novel b. New piece submitted/month c. 100 rejections
230
Two-thirty
Tooth hurty
Teeth
Career: 1x Win -- 2x NW-F -- 2x S-F -- 9x S-HM -- 11x HM -- 7x R
Like me: facebook/AuthorTJKnight
230
Two-thirty
Tooth hurty
Teeth
brilliant. enter it 😉
"...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
Writers of the Future:
2025 Q1: HM Q2: SHM Q3: P Q4: TBD
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:
2025: 82 submitted 4 acceptances
2024: 53 submitted 8 acceptances
2023: 74 submitted 13 acceptances
2022: 22 submitted 1 acceptance
2025 goals: a. New Novel b. New piece submitted/month c. 100 rejections
I've personally decided to steer clear of teeth this month, even though it will ruin my streak of doing that competition, simply because slushing other places I know there were other themed calls for (1) the toothfairy and (2) hansel and gretel witchs candy house, which seemed to end up mostly about rotten teeth. I suspect therefore that the call will be swamped this month - both by regular entries but also all the trunk stories from those two other calls, some of which were excellent. And if I'm not going to place (the most likely scenario) I just don't want to spend that effort on making another teeth story. Not sure what else I will do. But *some*thing 😉
See, this makes me feel more like writing a story to enter now, because that immediately gives me a sense of what I should avoid writing (and I wasn't going in either of those directions anyway, as they don't hold much immediate appeal to me at the concept level).
It's equally possible, of course, that I may just be obstinate...
DQ:0 / R:0 / RWC:2 / HM:15 / SHM:7 / SF:1 / F:1
Pending: Q3.V42
I'm finally in for Q3. Now for the long wait...
Fortunately, I have plenty of writing to do.
I just have the final scene to write for my Q3 entry. I'm hoping I still have time to finish it and the revisions I know it needs to add some elements.
If I don't get it finished in time I have a story that was rejected in Q3 vol 33 back in 2016 that I've revised a good bit since. So I could submit that instead. I don't know if it's improved enough to receive more than another R though. But I don't want to break my streak of 11 consecutive entries.
Writers of the Future stats:
V32: Q3 - R
V33: Q3 - R
V39: Q4 - RWC
V40: RWC, R, HM, HM
V41: R, HM, RWC, HM
V42: Q1 - HM, Q2 - HM, Q3 - WIP
All markets submission stats:
242 Submissions
231 Rejections
31 Personal Rejections
1 Acceptances
@pmg You can do this! I once had to write and revise a story in one day. It got an HM. Trust yourself to tell a good story.
@pmg We believe in you. Submit, submit, submit!
Jason P. Crawford
Author of Urban Fantasy and Sci-Fi (for now!)
Finalist for 2024 Baen Fantasy Adventure Award
3rd Place Winner for 2025 Jim Baen Memorial Short Story Award
Q3 V31: HM Q2 V39: SHM Q2 V40: SHM Q2 V41: HM Q2 V42: RWC
Q3 V38: HM Q3 V39: SHM Q3 V40: SHM Q3 V41: HM Q3 V42: P
Q4 V38: R Q4 V39: SHM Q4 V40: SHM Q4 V41: RWC
Q1 V39: HM Q1 V40: RWC Q1 V41: SHM Q1 V42: SHM
Thanks! @annmarieinlr and @amstard, I appreciate the support 
I spent a few days thinking about what the final scene needed to have and I've now made a good start on it. I'm hoping to finish it on Sunday and then have a week to make revisions.
Writers of the Future stats:
V32: Q3 - R
V33: Q3 - R
V39: Q4 - RWC
V40: RWC, R, HM, HM
V41: R, HM, RWC, HM
V42: Q1 - HM, Q2 - HM, Q3 - WIP
All markets submission stats:
242 Submissions
231 Rejections
31 Personal Rejections
1 Acceptances
@pmg sounds like you're doing things exactly right - I think putting pen to paper (literally or figuratively) is the best way to overcome these blocks - often times once I start writing my brain/the words/the keyboard interact in some magical way that makes something better than I originally imagined,
"...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
Writers of the Future:
2025 Q1: HM Q2: SHM Q3: P Q4: TBD
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:
2025: 82 submitted 4 acceptances
2024: 53 submitted 8 acceptances
2023: 74 submitted 13 acceptances
2022: 22 submitted 1 acceptance
2025 goals: a. New Novel b. New piece submitted/month c. 100 rejections
@pmg You've this. Write what your story has led you to write for the ending. You promised the reader something right up front, now fulfill it.
"Whether you think you can, or you think you can't--you're right."~ Henry Ford
2025 V42: RWC, HM (HM Resubmit), Final Draft Edit, ideas swirling about
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 (R Resubmit)
2020 V37: -R--
I'm in the "reading my story out loud" phase before submitting. I find so many strange things that made sense when I wrote them, but are awkward when I hear them. I recommend reading your story out loud.
"Whether you think you can, or you think you can't--you're right."~ Henry Ford
2025 V42: RWC, HM (HM Resubmit), Final Draft Edit, ideas swirling about
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 (R Resubmit)
2020 V37: -R--
I'm in the "reading my story out loud" phase before submitting. I find so many strange things that made sense when I wrote them, but are awkward when I hear them. I recommend reading your story out loud.
I'm at a point where I read little, but listen often. (Thanks Libby!) So I'm developing a hear it in my head sensation when writing/editing.
However, that doesn't compare to actually reading aloud (and in a different font, and in a different medium, and in a different location!).
Agreed and highly recommended.
Career: 1x Win -- 2x NW-F -- 2x S-F -- 9x S-HM -- 11x HM -- 7x R
Like me: facebook/AuthorTJKnight
It's the last week for Q3! There's still time - get those pieces in 😉
"...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
Writers of the Future:
2025 Q1: HM Q2: SHM Q3: P Q4: TBD
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:
2025: 82 submitted 4 acceptances
2024: 53 submitted 8 acceptances
2023: 74 submitted 13 acceptances
2022: 22 submitted 1 acceptance
2025 goals: a. New Novel b. New piece submitted/month c. 100 rejections
Hoo boy. Submitted once again. Why is it that, on this sixteenth time, my stomach is still tied in a knot? And yet it is. I think I need some scones from the hobbit's tent.
Or maybe a nice glass of Amaretto.
And then move on to another story. Writers write.
Write so long as words keep flowing...
http://www.DocHonourBooks.com
WotF: 16 submissions, every quarter since V38
SFx1; HMx7; RWCx5
FWA RPLA: 1st place Gold story (2022); 1st place Gold novel (2023)
Of course I discovered a major typo AFTER I submitted. I'll just have to hope the story is good enough even with that mistake.
Of course I discovered a major typo AFTER I submitted. I'll just have to hope the story is good enough even with that mistake.
It's the flaws in diamonds that make them sparkle 😉
But also, advice - don't re-read stories once they're submitted. No benefits come from it, only mental trauma. Speaking from experience
But if you do, and find errors. Just remember the diamonds
"...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
Writers of the Future:
2025 Q1: HM Q2: SHM Q3: P Q4: TBD
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:
2025: 82 submitted 4 acceptances
2024: 53 submitted 8 acceptances
2023: 74 submitted 13 acceptances
2022: 22 submitted 1 acceptance
2025 goals: a. New Novel b. New piece submitted/month c. 100 rejections
Currently 3/4 through my first draft but I'm gonna make it! (Why do I always do this?)
Time to go full hermit-mode this weekend. Goodbye Sun.
I will not be in for Q3. Maybe I'll be in for Q4. Maybe.
"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
@annmarieinlr I've done that more than once. I now have the computer read the story to me. Helps me find thinks like what I found/heard today; "kicks" vs "klicks." It sounds very strange to "double-timed the ten kicks back."
"Whether you think you can, or you think you can't--you're right."~ Henry Ford
2025 V42: RWC, HM (HM Resubmit), Final Draft Edit, ideas swirling about
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 (R Resubmit)
2020 V37: -R--
@morgan-broadhead Just keep writing and finish your story. It will be done when it is done.
"Whether you think you can, or you think you can't--you're right."~ Henry Ford
2025 V42: RWC, HM (HM Resubmit), Final Draft Edit, ideas swirling about
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 (R Resubmit)
2020 V37: -R--
@theocarr What is this sorcery you speak of, "sun"?
Best of luck to all fellow deadliners, you can do it! 👏 I still have a lot of editing to get done on mine. Biggest teacup is refilled for the hundredth time. ☕️
Vol 42: Q1 - R Q2 - P Q3 - I/P
Vol 41: Q1 - HM, Q2 - SHM, Q3 - RWC, Q4 - HM
Vol 40: Q4 - DQ
