Jibber Jabber - Q1 - 29

The secret pattern... There is no pattern... ...probably applies less to selection and judging. But man, it would drive me crazy trying to puzzle it out!

Ain't nuthin' wrong with a little crazy now and then. Besides, have you ever thought about what exactly we writers do?

* We sit alone in our houses and write for hours on end about stuff that isn't real.
* We have conversations in our heads, and sometimes out loud, between multiple personalities.
* We will argue to the death the consistency of made-up worlds.
* We fall in love with fake people, or we hate them. And that's when we're not cooking up ever more sadistic ways of torturing them.
* We go on the internet to research disturbing things, such as just how does one make ricin from fruit pits, or can a body shiver while it's unconscious from hypothermia, or just how long would it take someone to bleed out from a gunshot to the abdomen?

Yeah, crazy's got nuthin' on us.

I learned who all four of my judges were, but I didn't hear how any of them felt toward my story in particular.
However, unless all of them voted me precisely -fourth- place, then some voted lower, and some voted higher.
Knowing the top 3 are published, I'd be jazzed to discover who voted mine either 1st 2nd or 3rd place.
Sadly, I'll probably never know.

I learned who all four of my judges were, but I didn't hear how any of them felt toward my story in particular.
However, unless all of them voted me precisely -fourth- place, then some voted lower, and some voted higher.
Knowing the top 3 are published, I'd be jazzed to discover who voted mine either 1st 2nd or 3rd place.
Sadly, I'll probably never know.

When you win, you can ask them. With luck, one or two might still remember it.

The secret pattern... There is no pattern... ...probably applies less to selection and judging. But man, it would drive me crazy trying to puzzle it out!

Ain't nuthin' wrong with a little crazy now and then. Besides, have you ever thought about what exactly we writers do?

* We sit alone in our houses and write for hours on end about stuff that isn't real.
* We have conversations in our heads, and sometimes out loud, between multiple personalities.
* We will argue to the death the consistency of made-up worlds.
* We fall in love with fake people, or we hate them. And that's when we're not cooking up ever more sadistic ways of torturing them.
* We go on the internet to research disturbing things, such as just how does one make ricin from fruit pits, or can a body shiver while it's unconscious from hypothermia, or just how long would it take someone to bleed out from a gunshot to the abdomen?

Yeah, crazy's got nuthin' on us.

But we're never gonna survive unless we get a little crazy ...

/hides

Ain't nuthin' wrong with a little crazy now and then.

* We have conversations in our heads, and sometimes out loud, between multiple personalities.

Who, us?

But we're never gonna survive unless we get a little crazy ...

In a world full of people there's only some want to fly
Isn't that crazy, isn't that crazy, isn't that crazy, isn't that crazy?

ETA: Now that song is stuck in my head. Where's my iPod . . .::wanders off::

I find it really interesting that, at least according to the small sample Duotrope provides, notifications (rejections at least) were following a generally chronological path through submissions. The "Responses have been received for submissions sent as recently as..." date has steadily progressed by a couple of days per batch, until finally reaching Dec. 31st yesterday.

Of course, there are blips even in the Duotrope responses, and I'm sure there are glaring exceptions that are not on Duotrope at all, but still, it makes you think. As a Dec. 31st submitter myself, I got a bit nervous yesterday, even though I know that drawing conclusions from such a small sample is not terribly good science. Or math.

Gaaghh! Why does WOTF have to send out announcements like this right now. Don't they know it could be dangerous to some folks' health?

Find Out Who is Performing at This Year's Achievement Awards

From : Writers of the Future <[email protected]>
Subject : Find Out Who is Performing at This Year's Achievement Awards

Thu, Mar 29, 2012 03:05 PM

Hello Everyone!

This year we have an amazing line up of celebrity performers at the 28th Annual Achievement Awards. See the invite below for the updates.

If you are close to Los Angeles and California, please RSVP right away—with your guests! That is all we require—names on the guest list—there is otherwise no entry fee.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Best regards,

Joni Labaqui
Contest Administrator

Ok, I've officially received 7 invites to the awards ceremony.

Is it me, or isn't that overkill?

Ok, I've officially received 7 invites to the awards ceremony.

Is it me, or isn't that overkill?

I suspect that now that they're livecasting it online, they have the same thinking that goes on with the Oscars: they want to avoid empty seats. It looks bad for the camera.

Didn't get that invitation. Ohio isnt' any further away from CA than MIchigan.

wotf017 Didn't get that invitation. Ohio isnt' any further away from CA than MIchigan.

The emailing is spotty, which may be another reason for the multiple waves.

I've not been invited either. It's OK. I know when I'm not wanted*. *sniff*

(*it just makes crashing all the more fun)

Ok, I've officially received 7 invites to the awards ceremony.

Is it me, or isn't that overkill?

I suspect that now that they're livecasting it online, they have the same thinking that goes on with the Oscars: they want to avoid empty seats. It looks bad for the camera.

I've lost count how many invites I've received (and, I joke not, I've received another while writing this post ). At one point I got a different (non-graphics) one asking me to reply even if I was only watching it online, so I did reply in the end. Got a nice email back from Joni. So I guess she really did want me to respond, cluttering her inbox even more than it already must be, even though I live on the other side of the planet and was highly unlikely to turn up in person. (I'm a gator you know, my RSVP social skills probably need work.) I can't imagine why anyone would want me there anyway if they are keen to fill seats. I'd likely clear the auditorium in an instant.
Run! Run! Run! Gator in the Building!

wotf017 Didn't get that invitation. Ohio isnt' any further away from CA than MIchigan.

Plus there's no giant lake in the way.

I find it really interesting that, at least according to the small sample Duotrope provides, notifications (rejections at least) were following a generally chronological path through submissions. The "Responses have been received for submissions sent as recently as..." date has steadily progressed by a couple of days per batch, until finally reaching Dec. 31st yesterday.

Of course, there are blips even in the Duotrope responses, and I'm sure there are glaring exceptions that are not on Duotrope at all, but still, it makes you think. As a Dec. 31st submitter myself, I got a bit nervous yesterday, even though I know that drawing conclusions from such a small sample is not terribly good science. Or math.

Maybe keep in mind that some Dec 31 submissions have already been read and rejected, ie mine.

Yours case is, in fact, one of those that makes me leery of reading much into this data.

Hey everyone, luckily I've been free of rejectomancy and duotropery this past week (at a Kris and Dean workshop, and those typically devour all your time), but I'll add my commiserations for those who were taken out in that last round.

But, I'm still in for Q1 as well.

And if we're adding to the pile of past performance, I'll toss my very mixed bag into it:

1x Finalist
1x HM
A boat load of Rs.

Thanks, Alistair. I included you in the mix. Since many of us are curious about the correlation of rejections with more recent submission dates, I've included the most recent version of the "survivors" list along with my DOR (Date of Record) or submission date. Feel free to add yours if you're curious.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"BLACK SIX, This is BLACK ONE, SITREP follows. Prepare to copy, OVER..."

"BLACK ONE. BLACK SIX. SEND IT..."

"BLACK ONE PLATOON has TWO-NINE survivors. I SAY AGAIN, TWO-NINE survivors.."

"I COPY TWO-NINE survivors. How many combat veterans remain, OVER?"

"BLACK SIX. BLACK ONE. ONE-FIFE combat vets remain...List follows, OVER."

"SEND IT."

"BLACK SIX. BLACK ONE. Prepare to copy:

Tina (gower21)
Corbin (1xF, 2xSF, 7xHM)
Francis Bruno (1xSF)
Amanda McCarter (1xSF, 1xSHM, 5xHM)
Martin Shoemaker (1xF, 1xSF, 2xHM)
Izanobu (1xSF, 2xSHM, 6xHM)
Grayson (3xHM)
Marina (2xF, 2xHM)
Kary
Dustin (1xF, 2xHM)
Jennifer Hicks (1xSF, 1xSHM, 6xHM)
Justin Key (medicalauthor)
Alex Kane (3xHM)
anarresti
permanentnovice
joshpotter
hazlett, DOR: 17 December 2011
george.nik
The Happy Snappy Gator (1xSF, 2xHM)
bwthomson
greenroom (1xHM)
Isto
Preston (2xHM)
Patrick S. McGinnity
Serrain
MontyApollo (1xHM)
gwasch
Dame
AlistairKimble (1xF, 1xHM)"

"BLACK ONE. BLACK SIX. Duotrope scouts report 58 KIA out of ~100 friendlies in Alpha Company....BREAK....S2 projects 90 total KIA....BREAK...Battalion estimates 32 more KIA in the company...BREAK...Expect SEVEN-SIX percent KIA rate in what's left of your platoon...BREAK...Or TWO-TWO more casualties...BREAK...Recommend vets pair with newbies and watch their sixes. ACKNOWLEDGE, OVER..."

"BLACK SIX. BLACK ONE. ACKNOWLEDGED. OVER..."

"BLACK ONE. BLACK SIX. Charlie Mike. BLACK SIX OUT."

Hey! You people BROKE Duotrope! The whole site is generating ASP.NET errors up the yingyang! Stop that!

Oh, it might do you all some good if you can't refresh the WotF listing for a while; but the Submission Tracker and List of Pieces are broken, too!

What if I get home tonight and find a rejection package from F&SF? How do I record it?

What if I get home tonight and finish my work in progress? How do I add it to my list?

People, people, people... Give the poor server a rest, would ya?

Ah, sorry, I must have trampled it with my big, lumbering, gator feet. Couldn't resist a last look before I snuck off to bed... but yes, it's broke.

I didn't get an invitation either... (to the awards ceremony, not a tromping party on Duotrope)

Ah, sorry, I must have trampled it with my big, lumbering, gator feet. Couldn't resist a last look before I snuck off to bed... but yes, it's broke.

My printer died tonight as well.... how did you do that?? It always seems to happen when I'm up against a deadline.

I bought a spare toner cartridge and an extra case of paper last weekend to prevent the most obvious targets for Murphy's Law.

Yeah, I'm getting a million invitations and announcements as well. I really wish they would finish up results so I can just unsubscribe. But I don't want to accidentally block results and I'm not sure if unsubscribing would do that.

Ah, sorry, I must have trampled it with my big, lumbering, gator feet. Couldn't resist a last look before I snuck off to bed... but yes, it's broke.

My printer died tonight as well.... how did you do that?? It always seems to happen when I'm up against a deadline.

Not guilty, that was probably the octopus that lives down here...

Lovely sunny morning here in the swamp. I expect I'll be sunbathing later.

Yeah, I'm getting a million invitations and announcements as well. I really wish they would finish up results so I can just unsubscribe. But I don't want to accidentally block results and I'm not sure if unsubscribing would do that.

I was wondering why many of us got a million invitations and many none, and then I was wondering from what Annie wanted to unsubscribe.
So I just subscribed to the Newsletter. See if this will get me an invitation. (Not that I can afford to go, anyway, but it would be nice to be invited).

While nothing at all is happening... We are in the darkest hour, just before the dawn...

Just before dawn is false dawn, when the sky generally turns greyish. It's actually pretty light. I never got the point of that quote, since the darkest hour is actually long before dawn.

I also can't wait for the day when I can ignore this section of the forum. I intend to still lurk around a bit and keep up with what peeps are up to, but the results forum will so hold nothing for me.

Just before dawn is false dawn, when the sky generally turns greyish. It's actually pretty light. I never got the point of that quote, since the darkest hour is actually long before dawn.

I also can't wait for the day when I can ignore this section of the forum. I intend to still lurk around a bit and keep up with what peeps are up to, but the results forum will so hold nothing for me.

You have seen the new Results-only threads subforum, right? Nice quick one-stop shop for checking results, and because it's results-only it's easy to set up notifications without getting inundated.

I also can't wait for the day when I can ignore this section of the forum. I intend to still lurk around a bit and keep up with what peeps are up to, but the results forum will so hold nothing for me.

It's a jibber-jabber results forum, Annie, so it might always hold something for you.

Really, I could just stay out of this forum period. I mean, I'll get my own personal results via email. Somehow this stupid contest has always been the one thing I can't fire and forget like my other submissions. I agonize every quarter as results time comes around, for no good reason at all.