Discussion: Q3 Volume 43

does this mean I have to start working on a Q2 submission....? 😆 

I'm close to finishing the first draft of my Q3. It was meant to be my Q2 but is longer than I expected.

Why am I seeing this when I haven't even finished my Q2 submission?  
The year goes by so fast.

Posted by: @tj_knight

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Submission windows:

Q1: October 1, 2025 - December 31, 2025
Q2: January 1, 2026 - March 31, 2026
Q3: April 1, 2026 - June 30, 2026
Q4: July 1, 2026 - September 30, 2026

I missed it! March 1 came and went. My apologies for those who are well ahead on their Q3. 

Let's goooo!

Hi Dustin. Any word on results for Q1 ?...Almost 3 months now.

• Thanks ! ✌

Jose,

Others have listed the past few years' worth of Q1 results. Recently they've been coming out before the workshop whereas in the past they came out after. So if anything, I'd look for them to come out within the next few weeks. 

This is my guess based on current trends as I don't know for sure. 

Q2 done. Onwards to Q3. 

Just got the flash of inspiration the other day for my Q3 submission! Anyone else have their story ideas solidified yet, or at least collected into a puddle?

I'm kinda struggling to find time for my possible Q3 story, but it's going forward. It will be fortunately shorter, but also, so far it has more in common with my RWC rather than semi-finalist: I love the characters involved (they are from my larger world and tied to one of my unfinished novels), it is more of a slow and low-stakes story with no/minimal external antagonistic force and I am trying to work on my prose with it. So I don't have high hopes, but goddamn, I'm in love with it.

@haganenoedward It's the love of our stories that keep us going, right?! In case it helps you make use of the time you DO have to write, have you ever tried writing via dictation? Kevin J. Anderson and @martin-l-shoemaker both take this approach, and they even wrote an excellent book about it! You don't have to think in terms of finished prose, either.

I've been giving it a try lately with my outlines in hand during my commute to work, and even if what I'm able to record would barely pass for a good bedtime story with me stumbling over my words, just being able to use the transcription when I finally CAN sit down to write has dramatically increased my word count and refinement processes. In one week, I went from averaging a few hundred words a day to averaging nearly 2,000 words a day.

This isn't with any special equipment, either. I'm recording using the native Voice Memo app on iPhone, which also transcribes the recording to text so you can copy it and drop it right into your writing software. I know Android devices have similar capabilities, so whichever device you have, it could be worth giving it a shot! What really made things click for me was seeing just how easy it can be to start, so here's the link to the 15-minute YouTube video that inspired me to finally give it a shot: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dhj7FFDuYq8

In for Q3. This early only because I reworked an older idea, which I rarely do, but this one had some major surgery and I quite liked it in its new form, so we'll give it a chance. Plus, I'd really like to do some work on a few other longer form projects for the next little bit. Best of luck to everyone else!

I have my Q3 ready... or so I thought. I planned to submit on the first, but the portal did not open right away (I've never looked on the first day of the quarter before, but I assume that there is a couple of days between one quarter closing and the next opening). Now... I'm second guessing... It's like that first read right after submitting, except this time it's right before. I might sit on it for a week. See how it reads then.  

Posted by: @mgamblesee

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I have my Q3 ready... or so I thought. I planned to submit on the first, but the portal did not open right away (I've never looked on the first day of the quarter before, but I assume that there is a couple of days between one quarter closing and the next opening). Now... I'm second guessing... It's like that first read right after submitting, except this time it's right before. I might sit on it for a week. See how it reads then.  

well, you're ahead of me either way

If it's any comfort - though I know the post sub read is always "argh, how did I leave THAT in there?" or along those lines - the truth is never have any of the fiddling around changes I made after I initially think a story is 'complete', moved it from being an R to a win, or vice versa. Usually, it's just moving a word here, correcting a typo there. Not game-changing things.

Posted by: @mgamblesee

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I have my Q3 ready... or so I thought. I planned to submit on the first, but the portal did not open right away (I've never looked on the first day of the quarter before, but I assume that there is a couple of days between one quarter closing and the next opening). Now... I'm second guessing... It's like that first read right after submitting, except this time it's right before. I might sit on it for a week. See how it reads then.  

Maybe this would be a good opportunity to try a critique exchange and get another pair of eyes on it. I made the mistake of only allowing my spouse to read mine after I submitted last quarter, and then he had a couple of really good suggestions that would have pulled it together a little better. He asks a lot of questions, and then I realize that while I have this whole world in my head, I haven't conveyed it to the page as completely as I thought.

My 3rd quarter story sold ! I thought it was going to be returned and had planned to use it for Q3. Now I get to write another story! No problem. Writing is fun!

Posted by: @crlisle

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My 3rd quarter story sold ! I thought it was going to be returned and had planned to use it for Q3. Now I get to write another story! No problem. Writing is fun!

Congratulations @crlisle  

@crlisle 

Congratulations! 

Posted by: @crlisle

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My 3rd quarter story sold ! I thought it was going to be returned and had planned to use it for Q3. Now I get to write another story! No problem. Writing is fun!

congrats  

Posted by: @crlisle

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My 3rd quarter story sold ! I thought it was going to be returned and had planned to use it for Q3. Now I get to write another story! No problem. Writing is fun!

I think that's a good problem to have. Congrats!

@crlisle Congrats!!!

Posted by: @crlisle

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My 3rd quarter story sold ! I thought it was going to be returned and had planned to use it for Q3. Now I get to write another story! No problem. Writing is fun!

Congratulations, that's awesome!     

Posted by: @crlisle

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My 3rd quarter story sold ! I thought it was going to be returned and had planned to use it for Q3. Now I get to write another story! No problem. Writing is fun!

That is awesome! Congratulations  

This quarter is off to a slow start. not one idea noted for a wotf story. words written, but all on other projects. hmm. Will this be another last week submission?

@crlisle Nice! Well done!

Posted by: @gideonpsmith

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This quarter is off to a slow start. not one idea noted for a wotf story. words written, but all on other projects. hmm. Will this be another last week submission?

You'll get there. 

My ADHD is out in full force... I have a long chain of unfinished projects now. Started one I was really excited about, then had another idea and thought "Oh, I'll just jot down this first paragraph," then found myself not wanting to go back to the first idea, only to be distracted by a THIRD idea... and so forth and so on... I have like... nine unfinished stories looking back at me from my documents. Some more thought out than others, and I know where I want the plot to go. Some are just a half an idea and a basket full of wishful thinking 😅 

Posted by: @bootzenkatzen

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My ADHD is out in full force... I have a long chain of unfinished projects now. Started one I was really excited about, then had another idea and thought "Oh, I'll just jot down this first paragraph," then found myself not wanting to go back to the first idea, only to be distracted by a THIRD idea... and so forth and so on... I have like... nine unfinished stories looking back at me from my documents. Some more thought out than others, and I know where I want the plot to go. Some are just a half an idea and a basket full of wishful thinking 😅 

There's lots of reasons to finish things before moving on - having something to send out is key - but I will also offer (as this helps motivate me to finish things) if I only ever start things, only my beginnings improve. Your endings can't improve till you practice that too

I’m on a tail end of month-long language learning trip/vacation and I haven’t written a thing, even though I really wanted to finish my next short story here 😅. 
Well, I guess I would have to use my RWC (if the magazine where it’s at right now ever decides to finally send me that rejection email that is 😂).

Posted by: @haganenoedward

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I’m on a tail end of month-long language learning trip/vacation 

Sounds like heaven!! Where did you go?