Discussion: Q4 Volume 36

That's an amazing story Wulf!

I've been thinking a lot lately about Kary English and her part on the contest. To date, I've only received HMs.... So, I'm not sure how much (if any) of my story is ready by Dave.

So, what can you tell us about Kary? Personally, I'd like to write such a story that Kary sends it to Dave with a smiley face on the top of the page with the note "personal favorite".

Perhaps we should invite Kary to say a few words?

Kary was one of Dave's students and was likely handpicked as she'll naturally pick stories along the lines of what Dave would have picked. She mostly writes sci-fi, so does that mean she'll be tougher on it or be more likely to pick it?

Read her WotF-winning story if you haven't already.

Edit:
From the horse's mouth: https://writersofthefuture.com/writ ... st-reader/

May I ask how you email a file to your kindle? And is that legal...?

Here are the instructions on amazon's website: https://www.amazon.com/gp/sendtokindle/email

Certainly no legal issue when it's your own writing!

Ok thanks!

Sorry, Henckel, I neglected to answer your question. Thanks for posting Kary's introduction from the WotF blog, AlexH. This is a good paragraph from it: “A dozen names almost instantly leapt to mind, but Kary English was right near the top. I wanted someone with a great eye for style, someone who understood storytelling well,” he continued. “Kary, as an award-winning author, has proven over and over to have a great eye, but more than that, her strong support for and commitment to helping new authors spoke volumes. We found someone who cares deeply about new authors, who will help nurture them, and who understands the artistry that is inherent in great storytelling.”

I met Kary at Superstars Writing Seminar after I won WotF. We became instant friends there, and we enhanced our friendship two months later at the WotF workshop and gala. She requested and obtained permission to sit at my table at the banquet and award ceremony. So did Martin Shoemaker. That's actually hard to accomplish--great care is put into who sits where because they want clear camera shots of each winner as they are called to the stage. So yes, I know Kary. We're good friends now.

In truth, she is your gatekeeper you must get past to get to Dave, the coordinating judge. She looks at the first page or two to see if you write professionally and have created a story worthy of the anthology and worth Dave's time to read. Fail to impress Kary, and your story is rejected. How do you impress her? As you do with any editor or first reader--you write a professional story. You don't drive to the story, you don't open with an alarm going off and your protagonist brushing their teeth and getting dressed. You open with a character, in a setting, with a problem. And you do this with grace and style because you've practiced writing, you've developed your skills--what's on the page is at professional level. Kary is a skilled writer, and like any skilled writer, appreciates seeing a story that opens with a unique setting, unique protagonist, unique problem, all appearing with grace and style as does the flawless sleight of hand of a master magician. She loves hooks. She knows them all, and can rattle them off by rote. She has been trained by Dave and is a disciple of his teachings. She writes both SF and fantasy and horror on the lighter shade of pale. I would say she has a special love for high fantasy, because I've read her latest novel chapters. But I would never say she would choose fantasy over SF. All she is looking for are professionally written stories that hook you in the opening and never let go, and have a clear speculative element in the first two pages. Nail that, and nail her last page check to see if you know how to end a story, and you are sent up to Dave.

David Farland won many contests by studying his judges (see his essay in HOW I GOT PUBLISHED AND WHAT I LEARNED ALONG THE WAY). You see, studying samples of a judge's writing can give you clues as to what they like, and what they view as professional writing. Since you can't even get to Dave before first going through Kary, it's a smart idea to study her writing. If you'd like to do so, here's where you can find some samples: https://www.amazon.com/Kary-English/e/B ... scns_share You likely have the Volume she won in, Volume 31. If not, that's a great place to start.

Kary has a trained eye. She knows good writing. If you've written a good story, she'll know. There's no question she'll be able to spot a well-written story. She is very conscientious, and doesn't take her responsibility lightly. You couldn't ask for a better first reader. She knows what it's like to try to win this contest. She's been in the trenches just like you. She's rooting for you to win, and she hopes every story she opens up is a winner.

So write your winner, and you have nothing to fear. : )

All the beast,

Wulf Moon

Posiedon's Eyes by Kary English in vol. 31 is a great story! Dark? Yes, very dark -- but a great story.

In truth, she is your gatekeeper you must get past to get to Dave, the coordinating judge. She looks at the first page or two to see if you write professionally and have created a story worthy of the anthology and worth Dave's time to read. Fail to impress Kary, and your story is rejected.

Kary has a trained eye. She knows good writing. If you've written a good story, she'll know. There's no question she'll be able to spot a well-written story. She is very conscientious, and doesn't take her responsibility lightly. You couldn't ask for a better first reader. She knows what it's like to try to win this contest. She's been in the trenches just like you. She's rooting for you to win, and she hopes every story she opens up is a winner.

So write your winner, and you have nothing to fear. : )

All the beast,

Wulf Moon

This is great info. Thanks! So Kary passes her recommendations on to Dave and he picks the finalists and semi-finalists from there? Then judges vote on the finalists?

Thanks so much for all the time you're taking to respond, btw. I (and I'm sure everyone reading this) really appreciates it!

--Jacob

Jacob wrote: "So Kary passes her recommendations on to Dave and he picks the finalists and semi-finalists from there? Then judges vote on the finalists?"

Kary sends every story on to David Farland that has potential. She doesn't read the whole stories, just the beginnings, and the endings to make sure they look good from start to finish. From the stories Kary sends him, Dave reads and creates a second read stack of potential finalists as he goes through them. Stories that show promise but have some flaws will get honorable mentions, others with fatal flaws will get rejections. When done, he has a short stack of under fifty stories. In the past it's been around thirty, but the last Q3 had an exceptional bunch, and the count was above 40. He chooses eight finalists, and it's not easy. They are all very good at that level. Then he chooses around eight semifinalists--they get critiques which disqualify them from being submitted again, but are offered to help a writer figure out what to work on, and how to make the story ready for other markets (my story in the latest DEEP MAGIC was one of these). What's left receive silver honorable mentions.

The eight finalists are given to Joni, where she matches up numbers on the manuscripts to names so she can call the finalists to let them know. She sends the stories to four judges for the quarter, and they rank them. When the results are tallied, she calls the three winners, tells you to keep it quiet, and then personally calls the finalists that didn't win so they get the news directly from her. She normally asks finalists that didn't win if they'd like their story held for the possibility of being a published finalist for the upcoming anthology. It's a long shot, but it's almost as cool if you get in that way. All the same benefits the actual winners get also flow to you at the workshop and gala.

When you realize that thousands from around the world submit to this contest every quarter, getting any one of these certificates is a great honor. Cherish them. They signify where you are at in your writing.

Best of success!

Wulf Moon

Thanks for the insight, Wulf.

In truth, she is your gatekeeper you must get past to get to Dave,

Thanks for bringing that to my attention. I will begin studying Kary's work in addition to Dave's now.

Thank you Wulf! You have now answered all of my questions, especially the ones I did not ask.

You're welcome, all.

Best of success. Today was the day I got The Call last year. Hoping it comes soon for you!

Cheers!

I don't know about you all, but this feels just like Christmas to me. We are waiting for Santa Joni to deliver the presents and we can hardly wait to see what is inside.

Forgive me. I am also a picture book writer. You think short stories are hard? Hah!

I don't know about you all, but this feels just like Christmas to me. We are waiting for Santa Joni to deliver the presents and we can hardly wait to see what is inside.

Forgive me. I am also a picture book writer. You think short stories are hard? Hah!

Yes, the anticipation is mounting. Earlier in the thread (pg 9 or 10) someone said they heard from dave that the results are looking like early december. So we may have a bit of waiting yet

In the meantime, while anticipation mounts, I always find it productive to remember why I've entered the contest and why I want to write in the first place.

So let's talk about it! Why did everyone pick up the pen in the first place? What's your end-goal? How do you keep up a head of steam to keep writing?

I'll start: Personally, my short-term goal is to be able to walk into a bookstore and see my book on the shelf. Stories were a huge part of my childhood and I want to open up those same doors for others as Rowling, Tolkien, Rothfuss, etc did for me. I struggle a lot with self-criticism and doubt that I'll ever get there, but thinking back to how those authors opened the doors of my imagination re-motivates me to get back to it. This year I made a commitment to myself to only take 30 days off from writing in total. So far, I've only missed 7 days and they were all before April. I track my words via a spreadsheet and seeing everything laid out has really helped me from a sheer production standpoint. Right now, I'm diving into a revision for my thesis novel from grad school titled "Too Long in the Light." It's been slow going because it's been shelved for a few years now but with a few days of intense pre-writing and storyboarding (hopefully my wife can watch our son for a few days in a row) I should be well on my way to completing it. It's an epic fantasy with notes of Cosmic Horror and romance.

What's everyone else up to?

I don't know about you all, but this feels just like Christmas to me. We are waiting for Santa Joni to deliver the presents and we can hardly wait to see what is inside.

Forgive me. I am also a picture book writer. You think short stories are hard? Hah!

Yes, the anticipation is mounting. Earlier in the thread (pg 9 or 10) someone said they heard from dave that the results are looking like early december. So we may have a bit of waiting yet

In the meantime, while anticipation mounts, I always find it productive to remember why I've entered the contest and why I want to write in the first place.

So let's talk about it! Why did everyone pick up the pen in the first place? What's your end-goal? How do you keep up a head of steam to keep writing?

I'll start: Personally, my short-term goal is to be able to walk into a bookstore and see my book on the shelf. Stories were a huge part of my childhood and I want to open up those same doors for others as Rowling, Tolkien, Rothfuss, etc did for me. I struggle a lot with self-criticism and doubt that I'll ever get there, but thinking back to how those authors opened the doors of my imagination re-motivates me to get back to it. This year I made a commitment to myself to only take 30 days off from writing in total. So far, I've only missed 7 days and they were all before April. I track my words via a spreadsheet and seeing everything laid out has really helped me from a sheer production standpoint. Right now, I'm diving into a revision for my thesis novel from grad school titled "Too Long in the Light." It's been slow going because it's been shelved for a few years now but with a few days of intense pre-writing and storyboarding (hopefully my wife can watch our son for a few days in a row) I should be well on my way to completing it. It's an epic fantasy with notes of Cosmic Horror and romance.

What's everyone else up to?

My short term goal is to bridge the gap between writing short stories and novels. I have a problem finishing larger projects, and I need to prove to myself that I can get past that mental block. My end goal is to get to the point where my writing supports (or at least helps to support) my family. Despite all the difficulties inherent in the craft/the publishing business, writing remains my dream job. It gives me a creative outlet and lets me tell stories that mean something to me while hopefully also providing entertainment to others. Realistically speaking, I don't expect to make it big (although that would certainly be nice), but a decent amount of supplemental income would be lovely.

(For the record, I have in fact had that wonderful moment of walking into a bookstore and seeing the short story collection with my story in it displayed prominently for a pre-Christmas sale. Just the once so far, but that certainly doesn't diminish the thrill. Flame Tree Publishing is a decent market to push for if you want to see beautiful hard copies of your work in print.)

[quote="crlisle"
(For the record, I have in fact had that wonderful moment of walking into a bookstore and seeing the short story collection with my story in it displayed prominently for a pre-Christmas sale. Just the once so far, but that certainly doesn't diminish the thrill. Flame Tree Publishing is a decent market to push for if you want to see beautiful hard copies of your work in print.)

I've submitted a few to flame tree. no luck yet though.

Prior to September 10th, 2018, I knew as much about WOTF as I do about the back side of the moon. Nicht. My daughter encouraged me to enter writing contests and I refused. I thought they were scams. She mentioned WRITERS OF THE FUTURE, and I said, "What the heck is that?" Rapidly, I learned it was the Rolls Royce of writing contests and, more important, it was free. When I viewed the Science Fiction Academy Awards on You Tube, I said to my wife, "That guy (Wulf Moon) DESERVES to win. He just invested a quarter century of his life into this contest." I meant it then. I still do. Talk about protagonists facing insurmountable obstacles and succeeding!

I started writing at about age 8. I'd invite a neighborhood friend over my house on a beautiful Saturday morning and we'd pen science-fiction stories on paper in longhand. Another friend introduced me to Edgar Rice Burroughs and I absorbed the John Carter Martian series and the Venus series. Thoroughly enjoyable. My dad had a collection of science fiction magazines dating from the 40s and 50s in our playroom. I read most of them. The cover art was spectacular.

Eventually, life called, and I needed a profession to pay the bills and support a family. So I rose to the challenge.

My short-term goal is to adapt all the insights I've gained through WOTF Forums and do a complete rewrite of the novelization of my science fiction screenplay. It would be nice if the Acquisitions Editor of an independent publisher picked it up and I was able to sell subsidiary rights. If if it was green-lit, I'd love a STORY BY credit. It's wonderful to dream, you know, lol.

If I won the Writers Of The Future Lottery (big IF out of thousands worldwide), I'd love to play retro songs on the PIANO they own, hopefully some Judges play bass, drums, tenor or bari sax, or guitar, and put on a musical ensemble.

Why did everyone pick up the pen in the first place? What's your end-goal?

Dunno about the rest of you, but I'm in it for the money and the groupies.

I started writing at about age 8. I'd invite a neighborhood friend over my house on a beautiful Saturday morning and we'd pen science-fiction stories on paper in longhand. Another friend introduced me to Edgar Rice Burroughs and I absorbed the John Carter Martian series and the Venus series. Thoroughly enjoyable. My dad had a collection of science fiction magazines dating from the 40s and 50s in our playroom. I read most of them.

My most magical summer was spent reading my dad's Edgar Rice Burroughs and John Carter books.

Why did I pick up the pen? I was trying to be supportive to my girlfriend who decided to learn to write. So, I started learning with her. This was over ten years ago. One night, she wrote until 4am (in the zone) but didn’t save her work. She lost everything, and was so heartbroken that she stopped writing for 9 years. But, I kept writing. It’s only since I’ve started received my WOTF certificates awards that she’s picked up writing again.

What is my end goal? I want to be a SOLID established writer before I hit retirement (and I’m perfectly happy to walk the hard yards to get there). The fact is that, unless my books sold like they do for Brandon Sanderson, it would be a poor financial decision for me to become a full-time writer. Writing is what I love, but it simply won’t pay as well as my day job. Thus, I want to set myself to spend my retirement writing and publishing books, having already established myself as a SOLID writer.

How do I keep up a head of steam to keep writing? I can me rather determined (really really really stubborn). I’ve decided to become the best writer I can. So, will I achieve this? Answer: yes, without a doubt.

jbaugher001, I totally understand your desire to see your book on the shelf of the bookstore. That would be super cool.

disgruntledpeony I’m stoked that you’ve already had this opportunity.

Retropianoplayer I sooo understand when you say, “Eventually, life called, and I needed a profession to pay the bills and support a family.” You're in good company here.

Michael Kingswood Ha! Ha! Ha! Dude, that’s awesome

I didn't know there was a WotF piano. I play keys myself (not very well, especially since not picking it up again since a hand injury) and love seeing pianos. There are public pianos all over the place in Europe - in trains stations, airports and markets, for example. I touched an £80,000 (over $100,000) piano recently!

I've written as a hobby for over 10 years, progressing from lyrics to poetry and then short stories. I saw the WotF competition card while reading Volume 30. As I enjoyed the stories so much, I thought it'd be an awesome place to be published. It was probably 3 years later when I saw a free flash fiction course - really enjoyed that, and decided to go hardcore on my writing. Another 2 years later and getting pro published feels like the hardest thing I could've decided to do.

My short-term aim is to get two pro sales, then see how I feel. My long-term aim (maybe in another 5 years) is to release an anthology of my short stories, including some of my own illustrations.

How do I keep up a head of steam? I don't always know, but you folks are helping at the moment.

I write because I can't not write. Last year, I trunked most of my stories in a depressive fit. But I couldn't quit. So I turned to fanfiction, where there was no expectations.

Now I've come out of that pit with new ideas and determination. Short term, I want a pro-sale. Long term, I want to win the big awards - Nebula, Hugo, Locus, etc.

Hey, other piano people! I'm also in the camp of being able to play, but not well - my music reading skills are abhorrent, so I usually end up learning by ear and then immediately forgetting it all.

I picked writing up because it wouldn't get out of my head. I wrote a lot in high school and then dropped off drastically in college. After I'd been established in the workforce for a few years, the idea of writing popped back into my head and wouldn't let go, so when I had an idea that inspired me I jumped right into it. I hung on until I found WotF in June and realized I needed to change my strategy if I ever wanted to become a published writer. I don't feel the need to go crazy and make a ton of money, but if it happens, I won't be upset or anything.

Alex H, I believe the WOTF brass use the piano to put on performances during the workshop.

Several decades ago, I discovered I am addicted to the piano. My family has to literally drag me away from entertaining random people while we're on vacation or at airports. Once I start, I lose track of time, soak up applause from strangers and encourage them to join me in song. My more recent memories including sitting down at the United Terminal at LAX and playing piano there; asking the friendly Canadian Park director if I could tinkle the ivories on President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's personal piano on Campobello Island in Canada, and while in Boston at Fennuel Hall, found a piano which stated "PLAY ME." So I did.
'
It's a pity there aren't SECRET ROOMS inside the WOTF facility with hidden saxophones, string section, acoustic guitars or snare drums.

Best,

Retro

"In the meantime, while anticipation mounts, I always find it productive to remember why I've entered the contest and why I want to write in the first place.

So let's talk about it! Why did everyone pick up the pen in the first place? What's your end-goal? How do you keep up a head of steam to keep writing?"

This is an awesome question! Great hearing everyone's story (literally).
I started writing as a young teen. I was obsessed with Harry Potter (no surprise) and a few other books. I regretted that I only had one HP book left to read, so thought, Why not write fan fiction? One sentence later, I realized that I didn't have JKR's insight into the characters, and would never be able to write anything that was actually Harry Potter.
SO I made up my own characters and wrote about them instead, which turned out to be more fun. I've been writing ever since, though it was just a hobby for several years before I decided I wanted it to be more than that.
Right now I'm writing short stories for practice, as I figure it's good to get practice writing an entire story, and I can write short stories much quicker than novels.
My end-goal is to win WOTF (of course), and publish both short stories and novels in the future. I love writing - I've done a lot of different things, but when I stop doing them, I forget about them. Not so with writing - I can be super busy and not write for a month or two (which I don't recommend) and I still really want to write. I love creating stories that make the world a better place, which is not always as easy as it seems. I also love observing interesting people and characters and bringing them to life.
That is why I love writing.
As for how I keep up the steam? Well... I love writing. But I could for sure work on pumping the steam up higher.

Alex H, I believe the WOTF brass use the piano to put on performances during the workshop.

Retro is correct. On the main floor level of Author Services is the L Ron Hubbard Theater. They enacted a radio show styled performance of his story in Vol. 35 on the last day, and a pianist played the background music on their piano.

I would love to hear you play, Retro.

Cheers!

Alex H, I believe the WOTF brass use the piano to put on performances during the workshop.

Several decades ago, I discovered I am addicted to the piano. My family has to literally drag me away from entertaining random people while we're on vacation or at airports. Once I start, I lose track of time, soak up applause from strangers and encourage them to join me in song. My more recent memories including sitting down at the United Terminal at LAX and playing piano there; asking the friendly Canadian Park director if I could tinkle the ivories on President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's personal piano on Campobello Island in Canada, and while in Boston at Fennuel Hall, found a piano which stated "PLAY ME." So I did.
'
It's a pity there aren't SECRET ROOMS inside the WOTF facility with hidden saxophones, string section, acoustic guitars or snare drums.

Best,

Retro

Have you based any stories around a piano? Writing a story about something you love is a Wulf SUPER SECRET if I remember rightly. I've definitely read Dave Farland recommending it. Two of my favourite stories (one I'm working on for WotF) heavily involve music. I've read a few WotF stories the author has based on another passion. The Paradise Aperture by David Carani sticks in my head, as I love photography too.

And who knows, maybe there are SECRET ROOMS. There's a story idea there.

I can only remember how to play one tune on piano, after 18 months of not playing due to the injury I mentioned. I can't remember anything I played in my band (which was very basic stuff). The only piece I can remember (and still play) is the most complicated I learnt. I never learnt to use the pedals, as the coordination between my left and right hands is bad enough.

Alex H, I believe the WOTF brass use the piano to put on performances during the workshop.

Retro is correct. On the main floor level of Author Services is the L Ron Hubbard Theater. They enacted a radio show styled performance of his story in Vol. 35 on the last day, and a pianist played the background music on their piano.

I would love to hear you play, Retro.

Cheers!

Wow! And you didn't list that in your 'reasons to win WotF'?

I'm in it for the workshop!

At lunch yesterday, I felt my phone vibrate: BLOCKED. I rushed outside, coatless, into the snow to answer, and... and... AND it was a scam robo-call. Now the machines know I pick up and keep calling from blocked numbers. Should fortune favor me, Joni's going to voicemail. Sorry, Joni! Blame the robots.

Alex H, (GOOD-NATURED LAUGHTER) I won't reveal whether I've incorporated my instrument into my submitted stories on the grounds it would incriminate me, LOL, and worse, disqualify me if a WOTF Judge reads these Forums. What do you think??

Two Confessions: Today's my Birthday, and 2) In the unlikely event I win the WOTF International Author Lottery, you wouldn't be able to detach me from the piano in the Theater. Forget about the weekly workshop – I'd be glued to the piano singing Let It Be and Angel Of the Morning, and asking anyone if they'd love to harmonize (jam).

Best,

Retro

Happy birthday, Retro!

Happy birthday, Retro!

It's your birthday!
Happy birthday!!!

Sorry, I have been missing from the forums. I lurk when I am able, but I am trying to keep my nose to the grindstone. I have tons to write and barely any time to twitch. And twitching is one of my favorite parts of the contest. (sucker for punishment, I am)

You will find me in the corner of the pillow fort with my hot chocolate typing as fast as I can.

Big twitch today