Discussion Q4 Volume 38

Posted by: @jvashley

Not that I'm expecting a call, but YIKES!
That is a lot of potential good news/rejectin to come raining down on my head all within one 2-4 week span.

*hides under table*
*sneaks out to check email and grabs chocolate*
*back under the table twitching*
*sneaks out to check phone and grabs smelling salts*
*pulls pillow and blanket pillow over head*

It's definitely a lot, yeah. *speed-runs pillow fort setup, takes comfort food inventory, restocks as necessary*

Posted by: @wulfmoon

To land even ONE of those things would be wonderful, Julia. As for the Superstars Scholarship, may the reference I wrote for you do its magic. It certainly worked for others here.

I look forward to sharing a wee dram from my private stock with you when I see you at Superstars in February! I BELIEVE!

Agreed, even one would be awesome! I am trying my best to follow Kevin J. Anderson and Rebacca Moeta's "Popcorn Method" and keep as many kernals cooking as I can.

As for the scholarship, I couldn't ask for a better referal. Thanks again, Wulf, I owe YOU the dram...or two!

For now, I await the committee's judgement and the mysterious force of Joni and the elder gods.

Posted by: @rschibler

That being said, Joni is a strange and mysterious force accountable only to herself and the elder gods: she calls when she calls. ?

Good Luck to all my fellow forumites! May we have as good a showing this quarter as last!  

Posted by: @disgruntledpeony

Posted by: @jvashley

Not that I'm expecting a call, but YIKES!
That is a lot of potential good news/rejectin to come raining down on my head all within one 2-4 week span.

*hides under table*
*sneaks out to check email and grabs chocolate*
*back under the table twitching*
*sneaks out to check phone and grabs smelling salts*
*pulls pillow and blanket pillow over head*

It's definitely a lot, yeah. *speed-runs pillow fort setup, takes comfort food inventory, restocks as necessary*

Thanks for the restocking, @disgruntledpeony
There's room for everyone. Snuggle in.

Ok my pillow fort needs replenishing. Time to stock up.

Looks like a couple rejections for this quarter reported on Submission Grinder. Does that mean some emails have started to go out? Or is it more likely someone mistakenly registering a rejection?

I only see one, and mistakes with dates are common on the Grinder, so I'd guess that's an error triggered by the responses for Q3, doubly so because they're reported on Friday gone, when a lot of other Q3 rejections were being recorded.

Posted by: @scribblesatdusk

Time and time again I am astounded by this contest. What other place cares so much about people who submit to it that members of staff regularly communicate with forum members? That staff let others know when it's okay to twitch and when it's too soon? 

 

Most places you're even lucky to get a rejection. Sometimes you don't even know you've been rejected until you see some announcement about the winners. 

Thank you all for the hard work you do! 

Hear, hear.  My recent experience with the Royal Palm Literary Awards (Florida Writers Association) was similar to what you describe. No news, no contact for months, until a sudden email saying I was a semifinalist. Then no news, no contact, until another email saying I was a finalist. Then no news until award night a month later. At no point did they provide information about how many submissions were made in what categories, what was the competition, how did the grading happen—until a week after the contest, when they shared the grading rubrics with (only) the finalists. The RPLA is a good contest, with high-class judging, but there wasn't much information during the process.

My experience with WotF, even with the delays for Q3, is much more positive. (Largely due to this forum.) Thanks, staff.

Posted by: @craydimensional

Ok my pillow fort needs replenishing. Time to stock up.

I got the cocoa if someone else can bring the marshmallows. 

@lost_bard got small and large marshmallows, along with chocolate and graham crackers. My firepit is going.  

I'm already having a bad day tomorrow, my birthday. So if I could get a nice phone call to alleviate the anxiety of having my Master's program possibly derailed, I'd take it.

@babooher Happy B Day. I'm hoping you get a call.

@babooher happy birthday! The best to your results!

Posted by: @babooher

I'm already having a bad day tomorrow, my birthday. So if I could get a nice phone call to alleviate the anxiety of having my Master's program possibly derailed, I'd take it.

 

Gosh, I'm sorry about the anxiety on the academic front & hope for the best.

& Happy B-day! May Joni say the same to you today! 

Happy Birthday  @babooher

@babooher - A Happy birthday should never be unhappy, otherwise we would be Birthday Nazis and have to say, "No Birthday for you!"

But since we are not Birthday Nazis . . . Happy Birthday Babooher! It's all good, my friend. Go outside for a walk on sunshine (to misquote an old favorite song).

@babooher Happy Birthday. I hope you find joy in more than writing today, and celebrate with loved ones. Another trip around our nearest star is something to celebrate!

Posted by: @babooher

I'm already having a bad day tomorrow, my birthday. So if I could get a nice phone call to alleviate the anxiety of having my Master's program possibly derailed, I'd take it.

 

Happy Birthday!

I hope today brings you joy and peace regarding your master's program and a delightful call from Joni. 

@disgruntledpeony this is a good point.

Wrapping up Q3 officially (emails) may be the first step for Q4.

@babooher Happy birthday! Having gone through a Masters program myself, I know the feeling. Hope your anxiety has been relieved.

@babooher Happy birthday!

Just stopping by the pillow fort with birthday cake and ice cream to go around!

Hi, question. What's the minimum word count for WotF? 

Would a flash piece of less than 1k words stand a chance? 

Yeah, I know you don't get any world building in <1k words but I've read some pretty funny or otherwise interesting short fantasy/scifi stories here and there (e.g. Daily Science Fiction) and was wondering if something like those would fit in WotF.

Thanks!

PS. Is this the right topic to ask this question? I've searched but couldn't find a topic related to WotF questions.

Getting some burgers  ( including impossible for vegetarians ) and fries for pillow fort. Praying technical gods are smiling.

Posted by: @fran

Hi, question. What's the minimum word count for WotF? 

Would a flash piece of less than 1k words stand a chance? 

Yeah, I know you don't get any world building in <1k words but I've read some pretty funny or otherwise interesting short fantasy/scifi stories here and there (e.g. Daily Science Fiction) and was wondering if something like those would fit in WotF.

Thanks!

PS. Is this the right topic to ask this question? I've searched but couldn't find a topic related to WotF questions.

I don't believe there is a minimum, just an upper limit of 17k, but as for winning, the answer is...possibly? I don't know how many stories win in that range, if any, but I would bet it is a small number. To win, your story in under a thousand words would need to stand out and leave more of an impression than the longer pieces is competing against, and when you're entering the world of wonder fiction that David Farland looks for, you've got a lot of lifting to do in those words for it to compete.

It's not impossible, of course. One of the most memorable stories I ever read was about 1k in length, but it was set in the real world, so no world building was needed. In this contest, because of that one detail, it's definitely more difficult.

My gut feeling here is that 95% of the time, a great flash story is a fantastic seed for a  strong WotF entry, but unlikely to be a great WotF entry in its own right. But then there's that other 5% too--and if you can write a thousand truly unforgettable words, then you have a shot.

(Addendum: for full disclosure, I may also be biased, as a two time SHM entry of mine and my finalist entry were both expanded from flash or very short length--the SHM from 1k up to 6k, and the finalist from 1.4k up to 2.4k.)

@doctorjest Then my expanding my flash to only 4400 is note out there in length

@craydimensional 4400 isn't a flash; it's a short story.

One of my SHMs was 940 words. But not a winner obviously.

So, those hints that results were imminent - any additional hints on how imminent?

I'm trying to decide if staying up another 2 hrs is worth it.

Posted by: @craydimensional

I'm trying to decide if staying up another 2 hrs is worth it.

LOL, go to bed! 

Checked my email this morning. No Q4 rejection message...yet. Getting back to work.

I think all this email checking is slightly premature. I thought Jason (or was it Kary?) said the results for Q4 will be a couple weeks after results of Q3. Correct me if I'm wrong.