Jibber Jabber - Q1 - 29

I received an interesting email reguarding my e-sub from last week...

Dear Contestant,

This is a note to let you know that your story has indeed been entered

in the 1st quarter of the 2012 Writers of the Future contest. Yes, we start

a bit early around here, only because way back in 1984 when this contest

started the very first quarter was in October. So we just rolled from there

and here we are, just starting the 29th year!

I'll start sending out results in December and we'll have winners in late

February. Keep updated on announcements on our blog which is on the

contest website. http://writersofthefuture.com .

I'm kind of confused about their sending responses before the quarter has actually ended... but then i'm sick today and maybe not reading it right.... Any thoughts?

I'm kind of confused about their sending responses before the quarter has actually ended... but then i'm sick today and maybe not reading it right.... Any thoughts?

Maybe they're far enough ahead of the game that K.D. expects to actually start reading some stories (and presumably rejecting some stories) before the quarter officially begins.

I received an interesting email reguarding my e-sub from last week...

Dear Contestant,

This is a note to let you know that your story has indeed been entered

in the 1st quarter of the 2012 Writers of the Future contest. Yes, we start

a bit early around here, only because way back in 1984 when this contest

started the very first quarter was in October. So we just rolled from there

and here we are, just starting the 29th year!

I'll start sending out results in December and we'll have winners in late

February. Keep updated on announcements on our blog which is on the

contest website. http://writersofthefuture.com .

I'm kind of confused about their sending responses before the quarter has actually ended... but then i'm sick today and maybe not reading it right.... Any thoughts?

I got it, too. I wasn't sure if it was regarding my question about if it actually made it through my computer glitch, but apparently not. I'm guessing that KD's probably done with her part of the selection process for Q4, leaving her ready to jump into Q1, even though it hasn't closed yet.

From my understanding, that e-mail is just to confirm that you are officially entered in the electronic system, and not any indication that your story has been read or judged. It's just saying "Hey! You're entered!" because there's often some confusion about whether the online submission has gone through or not.

From my understanding, that e-mail is just to confirm that you are officially entered in the electronic system, and not any indication that your story has been read or judged. It's just saying "Hey! You're entered!" because there's often some confusion about whether the online submission has gone through or not.

Oh, absolutely.

It was just interesting to see it say that results could be coming out before January. Probably due to the reject-as-you-go model we saw this past quarter.

That would be my assumption, too. No reason to sit on a story that clearly won't be selected as a winner just because the quarter hasn't officially closed yet. If they need to scrape the bottom of the barrel for winners, they just won't award a prize, and based on the fact that they recently started giving "silver" honorable mentions due to the lack of available semi-finalist slots, I don't think they have any fear of needed to start scraping.

From my understanding, that e-mail is just to confirm that you are officially entered in the electronic system, and not any indication that your story has been read or judged. It's just saying "Hey! You're entered!" because there's often some confusion about whether the online submission has gone through or not.

Oh, absolutely.

It was just interesting to see it say that results could be coming out before January. Probably due to the reject-as-you-go model we saw this past quarter.

Oh, hey. I totally glossed over the second paragraph of the e-mail.

that 2nd para was the sole reason i posted it....

that 2nd para was the sole reason i posted it....

Indeed.

I am just ... not all here.

Stewart, you hairy nincompoop.

(See Analog thread for context.)

Stewart, you hairy nincompoop.

(See Analog thread for context.)

Are you sure that second paragraph wasn't part of a form letter that just didn't get updated for the Q1 responses? It sounds like a timetable for final results for Q4, not Q1... *I thought I saw a head-scratching smilie here somewhere*...

No, I think they're trying to pick up the pace on the response times. There may have been some writers who didn't want to tie up their stories for 3-6 months at a time. I got a rejection for Q-4 about a month or so ago.

Oh that's right. The contest ended in Dec, and I was thinking it OPENED. (also need a thunk-on-head smilie)

Oh that's right. The contest ended in Dec, and I was thinking it OPENED. (also need a thunk-on-head smilie)

More specifically, Q1 closes on December 31st, so there's still time to enter!

The reason the first quarter is in the end of the year, I think, is because the winners are typically announced in the beginning of the year (Jan-Mar), which is typically when the reading period was. However, with Q-3 and all the e-subs that got no response and the 3-6 month wait depending on when you submitted, it caused them to speed things up a bit. KD knows which stories she wants to shortlist early on. So, the longer you go without hearing something, the better off you are. And, if your phone rings, then go bananas...

Sorry, I needed to find a use for that smiley.

Someone (I think it was Martin?) gave me the best explanation i've seen for the weird quarter system. To wit:

The quarters are JUDGING quarters, not writing quarters. In other words, judging quarter 1 starts in January, judging quarter 4 ends in december. This is why the deadlines are odd--to make it fit the year.

Someone (I think it was Martin?) gave me the best explanation i've seen for the weird quarter system. To wit:

The quarters are JUDGING quarters, not writing quarters. In other words, judging quarter 1 starts in January, judging quarter 4 ends in december. This is why the deadlines are odd--to make it fit the year.

Of course now that email above makes it sound like they're getting more efficient, and they're starting the judging before the judging quarter starts!

Are you sure that second paragraph wasn't part of a form letter that just didn't get updated for the Q1 responses? It sounds like a timetable for final results for Q4, not Q1... *I thought I saw a head-scratching smilie here somewhere*...

Yeah I'm pretty sure this is what happened.

One last run-through on my entry (which appeals to me less and less the more I work on it) and then it'll be out the electronic door and into rejectomantic purgatory.

... or is that too many mixed metaphors in one sentence?

One last run-through on my entry (which appeals to me less and less the more I work on it) and then it'll be out the electronic door and into rejectomantic purgatory.

... or is that too many mixed metaphors in one sentence?

That's a good sign? You've been thorough. Enjoy the break from it.

One last run-through on my entry (which appeals to me less and less the more I work on it) and then it'll be out the electronic door and into rejectomantic purgatory.

... or is that too many mixed metaphors in one sentence?

In the same boat here. Getting to the point where I'm tempted to sink it rather than send it out to sea.

Must...send...out...soon...to...escape...black hole...of...tinkering... Ahhhh!

My husband told me to leave it alone before I break it.

That's a good sign? You've been thorough

I'm not so sure!

One last run-through on my entry (which appeals to me less and less the more I work on it) and then it'll be out the electronic door and into rejectomantic purgatory.

... or is that too many mixed metaphors in one sentence?

In the same boat here. Getting to the point where I'm tempted to sink it rather than send it out to sea.

Must...send...out...soon...to...escape...black hole...of...tinkering... Ahhhh!

My husband told me to leave it alone before I break it.

In my experience, if somebody has to tell me that it's already too late. (But if the cohesiveness of your metaphors is anything to go by, you're fiiiine. )

One last run-through on my entry (which appeals to me less and less the more I work on it) and then it'll be out the electronic door and into rejectomantic purgatory.

... or is that too many mixed metaphors in one sentence?

In the same boat here. Getting to the point where I'm tempted to sink it rather than send it out to sea.

Must...send...out...soon...to...escape...black hole...of...tinkering... Ahhhh!

My husband told me to leave it alone before I break it.

In my experience, if somebody has to tell me that it's already too late. (But if the cohesiveness of your metaphors is anything to go by, you're fiiiine. )

Haha. I hope I didn't break it because I just submitted it.

Feel mildly relieved and ....

Oh, no...I said black hole instead of whirlpool or kraken. Does that mean I'm not fine?

metaphors is anything to go by, you're fiiiine. )

Haha. I hope I didn't break it because I just submitted it.

Feel mildly relieved and ....

Oh, no...I said black hole instead of whirlpool or kraken. Does that mean I'm not fine?

Nawww, see that's thematic! Extended! It's like a double-metaphor--space as ocean and all that.

metaphors is anything to go by, you're fiiiine. )

Haha. I hope I didn't break it because I just submitted it.

Feel mildly relieved and ....

Oh, no...I said black hole instead of whirlpool or kraken. Does that mean I'm not fine?

Nawww, see that's thematic! Extended! It's like a double-metaphor--space as ocean and all that.

Whew! Okay, then. Maybe I can finally relax now! Yeah, right. Back to packing for me. Still annoyed we have to take two cars down to my parents' house, because here I thought both kids would have the same days off from school (silly me!). My husband actually suggested I not pack my computer. (I think he's afraid I'll keep tinkering with the story, even though I already submitted it...or perhaps he's worried I'll start my Q2 story instead of relaxing. Hmm....)

A good thing happened for me last night. I was reading through my Q1 story checking for those typos that do their best to hide in dark corners of the manuscript. All of a sudden, I realized that I'd fallen into the story and was just reading, propelled along as if it was someone else's work I was reading for pleasure and not my own.

Excellent!

It's ready.

*maniacal laughter and hand wringing*

Off to the Post Office it goes!

I've gotten great crits and hand-holding from several of you, so please accept my thanks. Regardless of how the story does in the contest, I'm pleased with it.

Cheers!

Kary

Regardless of how the story does in the contest, I'm pleased with it. Kary

That's a great feeling. It's how I feel about mine, too, and it just seems I'm less worried about how it's received because of that. Even if it doesn't make it here, there's bound to be a good home for it elsewhere.

I'm not sure if this is the correct venue to ask, but are we allowed to ask about other journals or mags that we can submit to? I'm not sure which ones would accept what, or how long, or ....?

Well, just about anything. I've only submitted stories to my school's online journal and WotF. What are the best venues for Sci-Fi, if WotF rejects?

(Only reply if it is in good ettiquette to do so. I don't want to get anyone in trouble here.)

I'm not sure if this is the correct venue to ask, but are we allowed to ask about other journals or mags that we can submit to? I'm not sure which ones would accept what, or how long, or ....?

Well, just about anything. I've only submitted stories to my school's online journal and WotF. What are the best venues for Sci-Fi, if WotF rejects?

(Only reply if it is in good ettiquette to do so. I don't want to get anyone in trouble here.)

Check the "Writing" sub-forum. There are a few threads on this there.
More immediately, are you familiar with duotrope? http://www.duotrope.com It's an excellent resource for any writer, and you can run pretty specific searches (e.g. pro-paying, SF magazines that accept simultaneous submissions).

The best part is its submission-tracker, which lets you obsessively see whether or not your submission has been at the venue for longer than the average submission, and make vague, incorrect, unhelpful assumptions about what this means for your chancess of success. (Known around here as rejectomancy.)