Discussion: Q4 Volume 39

@chwalter 3 pending is a whole mood, let me tell you. Thursday Never Ends.

I'm about a third of the way through my Q4 first draft. It's a good way to stay occupied while waiting for results!

@axeminister I’d be happy to give a critique too. Count me in. 

Thanks Anna.

If you and Jillian want to send me your e-mails, I'll forward the 450 for now. That way if you don't care for the style you're not stuck with an 8k monster. You can be like, thanks for letting me read your 450 ... ... ... and I'll get the hint.  

@axeminister lol! I'll be happy to read the 8k monster. Or the 17k super monster. I look forward to the 450 for now.

It's [email protected] 

@wahlquistj -

Princess Wahlquistj. Has a nice ring to it.

I’m not sure if it was last night or the night before, but I dreamed that I was rationalizing why my Q4 entry should get placed somewhere, even if it was an HM. I guess I’ve been thinking that much about it, that WotF has started to creep into my dreams too. 

Anyone else have dreams about the contest? If you can share them, I’d like to hear, just so I can tell myself that I’m not the only one wanting to know the results. (I know the Q4 contest hasn’t even ended yet so I’ll be waiting like another 5 months. ? ) 

@rschibler I’ve been feeling that mood! With our quarter two results out I’m feeling reinvigorated though. 

But I’m torn…I’m editing my fourth novel so I was going to submit a story written earlier this year for a different venue(Didn't win) It’s a good story and suitable for WOTF but now I do have another story idea ready to write for quarter four if I decide to go that route instead…So either I polish this other one and submit or write a whole new one. 

I’ve been submitting only new stories to WOTF for a while now and getting consistent HMs. I don’t want to lose momentum but I really want this novel finished.

I’m a little over halfway through with my Q4 story first draft. It’s good. We’ll have to see if they like it. It’s been fun to see my evolution. 

I’ve always been a competent wordsmith, but finishing stories eluded me. Then I began finishing stories, but cohesive plot eluded me, except by accident. Over these last few months, I can feel the puzzle finally coming together. Now I just need to nail the flow and edit for tightness (probably the reason my Q3 story will hit the reject pile). 

This contest has been fun because I feel it is helping me become a better writer. Win or lose, it makes me write pieces I am proud of. 

Posted by: @wahlquistj

This contest has been fun because I feel it is helping me become a better writer. Win or lose, it makes me write pieces I am proud of. 

And that, right there, is the entire reason for this contest. Building the next generation of SFF authors. Have fun writing your Q4!

@wahlquistj I feel the same! I’ve grown a lot as a writer and visual artist since starting the contest and I’m getting better at finishing stories I’ve assigned to myself on a schedule as opposed to only writing from sudden inspiration. 

I’ve seen that growth you’re talking about in your writing as well! Can’t wait to read your next one!

I'm hoping to get a submission in this quarter. I changed jobs last year which entirely derailed my writing process and left me unable to write, which also stopped me hitting four quarters in a row (I hit 3!) However, I changed jobs again recently and I've got back into writing and hope to finish a piece I started well over a year ago in time for 30 September. May be a bit ambitious to get a crit exchange in too !!

Posted by: @joel-c-scoberg

May be a bit ambitious to get a crit exchange in too !!

Ambition is good . . . as long as you don't throw anyone off a cliff, or bury them in the desert, or drop them into an active volcano.

I totally forgot to include the word count on my submission. Is that like, bad? Sorry. ☹️ 

Posted by: @annax

I totally forgot to include the word count on my submission. Is that like, bad? Sorry. ☹️ 

Posted by: @jason

Having a word count on the first page of the manuscript is preferred, but not required for submission. Just make sure you don't put your name on it and you are under the maximum word count per the Contest rules. Good luck with your story.

I'll make sure to remember it for next quarter. Thank you!

Posted by: @annax

Posted by: @jason

Having a word count on the first page of the manuscript is preferred, but not required for submission. Just make sure you don't put your name on it and you are under the maximum word count per the Contest rules. Good luck with your story.

I'll make sure to remember it for next quarter. Thank you!

https://www.shunn.net/format/story/

This is the industry standard. Just make sure to anonymize for WotF, and triple check any market you submit to for any particulars (some places prefer Arial, or single spaced, etc).

Anna,

The story I sent you is in a format honed by years of refinement to WotF preferences. Granted, they are Dave's, but still safe. Font, margins, italics, how many lines on the first page, etc. When I start a new story I take the old one, save it under a new name, delete the text, and start typing.

I would like to know Jodi's preferences tho.

Courier or TNR?
Italics or underlines?

You know, so I can update my format.  

@axeminister 

That’s a great idea! Get it right, save as, delete text, then start typing. I’ll save a template so it’ll be easier. Thanks for the idea! ?

Lol. Maybe Jodi will let you know what she prefers! ?

Working on QTR 4. Glad to have time without twitching.

@annax see the WoTF podcast. Jody is the current guest

Posted by: @crlisle

@annax see the WoTF podcast. Jody is the current guest

Oh! I'll go check it. Thank you!

@annax here is a link to the forum that I post the weekly podcast on each week if you want to subscribe to be alerted when the new one goes up:

https://writersofthefuture.com/forum/interviews-entrants-judges-past-winners/writers-illustrators-of-the-future-podcast/#post-45457

Here is the link to the this weeks Jody Podcast:

186. Jody Lynn Nye, the roll of SF&F on the future of civilization

Posted by: @jason

@annax here is a link to the forum that I post the weekly podcast on each week if you want to subscribe to be alerted when the new one goes up:

https://writersofthefuture.com/forum/interviews-entrants-judges-past-winners/writers-illustrators-of-the-future-podcast/#post-45457

Here is the link to the this weeks Jody Podcast:

186. Jody Lynn Nye, the roll of SF&F on the future of civilization

Perfect! ?

Thank you so much for finding it for me. I’m going to go listen now. ?

I think I've figured out my Q4 story I want to invest my time and energy on. Just have to get it written, :). I know the characters and the situations. I'm not sure how it will end, but I do know how it will start and a good bit of the middle.

Loved the podcast with Jody Lynn Nye by the way. It helped me get over my current writing slump. 

Posted by: @physa

I think I've figured out my Q4 story I want to invest my time and energy on. Just have to get it written, :). I know the characters and the situations. I'm not sure how it will end, but I do know how it will start and a good bit of the middle.

Loved the podcast with Jody Lynn Nye by the way. It helped me get over my current writing slump. 

Started my next entry months ago, then life got in the way. Now, motivation is hard to come by.

Beginnings, middles and ends all have their hurdles.  Beginning - done, middle - on the way, but trouble lurks if I don't keep moving, end - quadi-done, but may change depending on middle works out.

I keep thinking of Dory's motivation, "Just Keep Swimming. Just Keep Swimming"

Now that I've got my IOTF Q4 entry submitted,

Time to get my Q4 story to take off...

Writers write!  

[enters into the tent, coffee mug in hand]

[ready to wrestle characters and plot]

[to the ground]

[Ooo pretty blue smilies, pear, and black emos]

[focus! steady now]

An excellent use of the new emojis!  

Posted by: @physa

Now that I've got my IOTF Q4 entry submitted,

It took me way too long to figure out what IOTF is. I'd like to say it's because of my laser-like focus on writing, but I have to admit it's probably just stress, low IQ, or some combination of both. Good luck with your illustration and your writing @physa!

Posted by: @babooher

It took me way too long to figure out what IOTF is. I'd like to say it's because of my laser-like focus on writing, but I have to admit it's probably just stress, low IQ, or some combination of both.

Me too! I didn’t say it out loud though. It took me a long moment to figure out that IotF was the illustrator part of the contest. Silly us. ?