Wulf Moon's SUPER SECRETS Workshop & Challenge!

I'm Cruising along quite nicely. In October I did:

   1. A fresh story, around 7000w

   2. x5 KYDs for the month (a personal goal to do x5). I think I used Slandering Serpents and Dead Drop, plus a few others from Flame Tree Press, etc. I'm gonna drop back to x1 a month now, though!

   3. No submission to WotF yet for Q1. Will wait to see which story will best suit.

   4. x9 Submissions to respectable markets. Some short stories, some flash.

So far, so good. Stay on target ...

You beasties are ON FIRE! WELL DONE!

Wow. Lots of writing going on here.

It's almost like the good folk here are working hard (and hopefully smart) to get published!
Great going, all.

@wulfmoon To be honest, still struggling to get the hang of KYD, but love this prompt. Just going to keep at it until I "find the way".  

@wulfmoon Not sure if this is where we post our challenge results each month. I came to the challenge kind of late in October, so I'm a little behind. Submitted a flash fiction to Factor Four. Finished the first draft of a fantasy story (a little less than 3,000 words). Working on revisions for that one while starting a new fantasy story for November. Still getting my feet wet with KYD. The prompts really help -- as well as reading the KYD's of others. 

I'm all about triads. 3k word story (I wish it was three of these, but I'm not that fast yet), three kyds and three submissions.

Posted by: @empressed

I'm all about triads.

It's funny that this is mentioned at this time. I'm doing nanowrimo and my story has two sets of triplets at opposite ends of the world they inhabit. Of course the two trios are destined to meet at some point.

Posted by: @wes

@wulfmoon To be honest, still struggling to get the hang of KYD, but love this prompt. Just going to keep at it until I "find the way".  

Wes, read through the original thread below (P33 of this thread if my link below doesn’t work) and you’ll get more insight on KYDs. 

https://writersofthefuture.com/forum/the-contest-quarterly-topics-and-other-items/wulf-moons-super-secrets-workshop-challenge/paged/33/#post-28269

@wulfmoon I joined at the beginning of last month and have done the required actions. Do I have to post the KYD story here? I am not sure of the process for that. I wasn't sure you were still looking at them.

@danuta Good work, Danuta! No, no posting unless I call for it. This is the Independent Study year. I’m just providing accountability by having you check in. Thanks for doing so. I’ll draw up a list of who are still in the Challenge. There will be some group assignments however! Keep checking in! Cheers!

Congratulations to our Super Secrets Workshop winner of the Mike Resnick Award, and with a story built from a KYD no less! His first published story is in the latest issue of Galaxy’s Edge! Can someone post what the editor said about it? I’m still waiting for my paper sub. Well done, Top Gun Challenge Beastie! You did the work and did us proud! What at phenomenal year the Top Gun Super Secrets Workshop Year 3 has proved to be! Well done, Zeet!

Posted by: @wulfmoon

 

Congratulations to our Super Secrets Workshop winner of the Mike Resnick Award, and with a story built from a KYD no less! His first published story is in the latest issue of Galaxy’s Edge! Can someone post what the editor said about it? I’m still waiting for my paper sub. Well done, Top Gun Challenge Beastie! You did the work and did us proud! What at phenomenal year the Top Gun Super Secrets Workshop Year 3 has proved to be! Well done, Zeet!

 

I'm looking at the ebook right now... here's the quote from the editor's introduction:

When I first read "The Measure of a Mother's Love", I noted the goosebumps on my arms upon finishing it and realized that if this "fledgling" author is this good at the very beginning of their career -- can already write such sparse yet impacting prose at such a polished level -- then I can't wait to read what they write when they hone their craft. To put it simply, the story is gracefully poignant.

This is so awesome, Zeet!  I'm about to read your story and I can't wait!

Thanks for posting the editor's introduction on Z.T. Bright's story, Crystal.

Let's look at the editor's comments again:

"When I first read "The Measure of a Mother's Love", I noted the goosebumps on my arms upon finishing it and realized that if this "fledgling" author is this good at the very beginning of their career -- can already write such sparse yet impacting prose at such a polished level -- then I can't wait to read what they write when they hone their craft. To put it simply, the story is gracefully poignant."

It doesn't get better than that, folks. Zeet crafted this story from a KYD exercise. It's no surprise the editor commended him for his "sparse yet impacting prose at such a polished level." Note also she called the story "poignant." Can you see why I have all of you training in KYDs each month? And why the KYD 250 must also focus on the beating heart? That's what makes a story poignant and memorable, by focusing on the emotional impact. Zeet has been doing smart practice, and the skills he trained in helped him craft his winner. Well done, Zeet!

So stay the course. There is a good reward for your hard work, but you have to do the hard work to get the reward.

Good to see that's the case as our first month of this year's challenge has passed. 

Did you keep up with the Daily Blogs on the Writers of the Future website? I'd like everyone in this workshop to be sure to read Day 7 and do something called visualization actualization. Pick out something that speaks to you on the gala day and put yourself in that scene. See yourself there, you, in that moment that speaks to your heart. Print out a photo from the day's set that represents it, and put it on your vision board--a poster board or cork board to tack images on to remind you of your dreams until you turn them into reality. 

When done, ask yourself what those writers did to get there. What kind of writing routine and submission routine do you think they had? Then look at your routine and ask yourself if it corresponds, or if there's something you could work into it to make the magic happen faster. As Picard said, Make it so. 

Joni called today. She thanked me for my advice to the winners, and the work I did on creating the daily blogs. She invited me back for a repeat next year.

I can think of no better place to be.

See you in 2022.

It's great that you've already been invited back next year, Moon. We all loved your blogs and getting insight into the gala and workshop. Great stuff.

Posted by: @lost_bard

Posted by: @wes

@wulfmoon To be honest, still struggling to get the hang of KYD, but love this prompt. Just going to keep at it until I "find the way".  

Wes, read through the original thread below (P33 of this thread if my link below doesn’t work) and you’ll get more insight on KYDs. 

https://writersofthefuture.com/forum/the-contest-quarterly-topics-and-other-items/wulf-moons-super-secrets-workshop-challenge/paged/33/#post-28269

I got a lot out of going through this again, @wulfmoon. I have been through the KYD process a few times now, both here and with Dreamforge, and still wobbly with it. Just trusting in the process.

Thanks @ccrawford and Moon!

Sorry, I haven’t checked in on the forum in a bit.

Yes this story was definitely born from the super secrets workshop!

All the tips you need to succeed are in this thread. Practice them continually, and you’ll see success!

@danuta  If you are able to take the Fyrecon Online KYD master workshop I’m teaching, it will help a lot. Once writers understand the system and why they’re doing each phase of the exercise, things click. It can really accelerate your learning curve, as many here have proven.

Posted by: @zeeteebeez

Thanks @ccrawford and Moon!

Sorry, I haven’t checked in on the forum in a bit.

Yes this story was definitely born from the super secrets workshop!

All the tips you need to succeed are in this thread. Practice them continually, and you’ll see success!

 

Thanks, Zeet! Congratulations again on your first sale! You’re a published writer! An award-winning published writer! ?

Posted by: @scott_m_sands

It's great that you've already been invited back next year, Moon. We all loved your blogs and getting insight into the gala and workshop. Great stuff.

Thank you, Scott! Glad they were encouraging!

@wulfmoon thanks for the encouragement! I'll keep at it, :). 

@wulfmoon

In October, I wrote 3 KYDs, 1 short story, and began working on my Q1 submission. I didn't submit anything, but I've picked my submissions and am going over the stories before I send them off.

Posted by: @cpapa

@wulfmoon

In October, I wrote 3 KYDs, 1 short story, and began working on my Q1 submission. I didn't submit anything, but I've picked my submissions and am going over the stories before I send them off.

Good work, Cherise! Submitting to markets and WotF is a quarterly requirement, so you are fine. You may keep your head. For now…

Muahahahahahaaa.

Beastmaster Moon

FYI, for the new Year 4 Super Secrets Independent Study Workshop, I’m setting up a new Keeper of Records. It should be someone in the actual workshop. Brittany Rainsdon was Year 1; Leah Ning handled Years 2 & 3. Both did excellent work at keeping the workshop organized and on track! I especially thank Leah—our SwiftPotato, speediest of all root vegetables—for setting up the hyperlinked Super Secrets’ TOC, a huge job!

As we give a round of applause and heartfelt thanks to our past Keeper of Records, we welcome in the new: WotF forumite David Hankins, AKA Lost_Bard. It is interesting to note that each Keeper of Records ends up winning Writers of the Future. Coincidence? Or is there hidden power in that bloody quill that inscribes the oaths on our cavern’s walls? You decide…

@wulfmoon I'll have to go back and re-read Day 7, but I wanted to say I'm looking forward to meeting and thanking you in person next year!

@wulfmoon Congrats, Bard!  

Congrats, David! I'm sure you'll do a great job with your recorded keepings. 
And when your WotF win comes, it will be on the merit of the determined, practised art I know you do.

I'd still hold onto the quill, though.  

Congrats!

The new Keeper of Records unrolled his crinkling parchment, studying it with narrowed eyes as bloody text rose to the surface.

“Hear, ye! Hear, ye! The following members have reported completion of their independent challenge for October and are hereby recorded in the rolls.

@jennyperrycarr

@lost_bard

@scribblesatdusk

@physa

@jarrodkwilliams

@linardos

@scott_m_sands

@wes

@empressed

@danuta

@cpapa

“May their drive and commitment remain unwavering in the months to come.”

The Keeper paused, waiting for more names to appear, but they did not. He rolled the scroll upward to its previous bloody entry. A longer list of names sat there, the full roster of those who had accepted the Wulf’s challenge a few short weeks previously. He cleared his throat.

“To those who have not yet reported, I ask that you do so upon this forum, lest your names be dropped from the rolls. This is your independent challenge. Complete the requirements, report before your peers, and reap the benefits of accountability and continued practice in your chosen craft.”

The Keeper sat down to wait, drawing a quill and fresh parchment from his satchel. He had a darling to kill, a city turned to ash…

**Note: There is no shame in not being able to meet the requirements and choosing to drop out. Life happens, no need to apologize. This is a voluntary challenge, and it should be fun. However, to remain on the roster, members do need to report each month. Write on!**

Everyone that's been enrolled in the Super Secrets Workshop has received mentoring from me. Even if you're an onlooker, or a member of this independent study year, I wrote the Super Secrets to help you figure out how to craft a story that can win this Contest, or sell to other respectable markets. Listen to the Writers of the Future Podcast as winner Brittany Rainsdon and myself discuss the benefits of mentors while we were in Hollywood a couple of weeks ago for the Writers of the Future Workshop. There's some good advice I gave Brittany before she won that can also help you. See if you can find it. Cheers!

https://bit.ly/WulfMentor