Wulf Moon's SUPER SECRETS Workshop & Challenge!

Thanks for the clarification, Beastmaster Moon! I thought that was what I had remembered, but I wanted to be sure.

Good questions, beasties--it means you are writing a lot to even have them. : )

Star Reacher: Always send WotF your best. I said at the opening of this year's challenge while you are required to write two fresh stories of 3000 words or greater for each quarter, if you have another story you think has a better chance (even a rewritten story), then send that one. Always send your very best to WotF, and only you can determine which story of yours that might be.

I'm not a part of this class, so I'll keep this short. I just spent the last few hours reading through your super secrets, and I feel like I can apply a lot of that to my writing and bettering my submission this quarter. So thanks a lot for that, and I think it's really cool that you keep your advice public as well. I'll definitely be looking forward to your next post. Thanks!

-Elessar

I'm not a part of this class, so I'll keep this short. I just spent the last few hours reading through your super secrets, and I feel like I can apply a lot of that to my writing and bettering my submission this quarter. So thanks a lot for that, and I think it's really cool that you keep your advice public as well. I'll definitely be looking forward to your next post. Thanks!

-Elessar

You are most welcome, Elessar. I keep the Super Secrets public for this very reason--they are meant to help anyone that wants to help themselves. I just can't give personal attention to everyone, which is why I do an enrollment period and then close it at the start of each contest year. I try to give line-by-line critiques to everyone in the challenge, provided they continue to meet the challenge requirements throughout the year. Here is why, and this is from Larry Niven:

"We working writers, we're not really interested in reading your manuscripts. We can be talked into it, sometimes, via the plea of relatives, or sex appeal, or someone to vouch for you.

"Do you know how difficult it is to persuade, say Ray Bradbury to read one of your stories? [It's really difficult now. He has passed since Niven wrote this article.] Have you tried yet? You'd be a fool not to, if you've got the nerve. An hour of a successful author's time could be worth a lot to you. What he says will apply to most of your stories.

"Ray turned me down twenty-two years ago. He said he didn't have the time, and he was right.

"But we can be persuaded. So here you are, a novice who's sold a few stories or none, and somehow you've talked an established writer into reading one of your stories. What do you do then? Give him your worst story, the one that most needs improving?

"A novice writer did that to me when I was also a novice. He told me so after I told him that if I could think of a way to make it saleable, I'd burn it.

"Give him your best story! The best is the one most worthy of improvement. It's the one where your remaining flaws shine through without distractions, and you've picked the man who could spot them."

Like I've said, getting a pro writer to read your manuscript is going to be tough, but it's the best external thing you can do to see your flaws (what's holding you back from selling) and figuring out what to work on. But you can read the words of pro writers, and some of them actually have the gift of being able to condense their knowledge into packets that are easily understood by others. If you can understand it, you can apply it.

Thank you for your kind words, Elessar. And thank you for letting me use them to teach another lesson. : )

Please do sign up for my blog on my website at driftweave.com. And friend me on Facebook. I share a lot about what's going on in the industry there.

All the beast!

Beastmaster Moon

Folks, I apologize, my phone reminder didn't go off for the prompt yesterday. This week's prompt is: HIVE MIND.

Hi Leah, I know where that prompt is from, unless it's a coincidence.
I've been submitting there since you and Wulf let me know about them.
I've done the Blood Soaked Roots kyd exercise.

Hi Leah, I know where that prompt is from, unless it's a coincidence.
I've been submitting there since you and Wulf let me know about them.
I've done the Blood Soaked Roots kyd exercise.

It's not a coincidence. : )

I do try to keep it a little quiet. Helps you guys in the challenge.

All the beast,

Beastmaster Moon

I am in for Q2. Love that feeling of having TWO stories at WotF. Good luck to everyone finishing their stories for the quarter. My second story is in the final revisions and will be heading out to the market round. I am still querying the YA fantasy novel, but no news there yet.

Wow! We hit 100,595 views today, and 2498 replies, as of this post!

That's HUGE! What does it mean? There's a lot more than you seventeen challenge beasties checking in here to read these SUPER SECRETS. I know, because I see some on other forums referring their members to read certain Super Secrets, and I've never seen them in the Forum! One leader of a writers' circle wrote to tell me she was asking her members to read key Super Secrets to help them improve their writing! And, of course, we get the nice comments in the thread from time to time, where those not in the challenge say how much they have enjoyed the Super Secrets and watching the great work all of you are doing. So give yourselves a hand! A writer can always use an extra one!

My Fyrecon Master Class based on the Super Secrets is filling up as well--I think Leah and I counted seven today that have either signed up or said they are definitely coming, friends like Brittany Rainsdon, Chuck Thompson, and Candice Lisle that have already enrolled. There's only 25 total seats available. Please chime in if you are also coming to Salt Lake City, July 16th-19th for Fyrecon. David Farland will be teaching there as well! I look forward to meeting many of you in person, and I'm planning a Wulf Pack dinner, just like we did at Superstars. Come join the celebration as I UNLEASH THE KRAKEN, the release of the Super Secrets book and its Master Class at Fyrecon!!!

Here's the details if you'd like to be there, and my Master Workshop includes admission to all four days of the seminar! https://www.fyrecon.com/master-classes/ ... -workshop/

Thank you all for making this workshop possible! Without you challenge beasties doing the work and making such a splash, it never would have happened. KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK!

BELIEF DETERMINES REALITY!

All the beast!

Beastmaster Moon

Since the Volume 36 workshop has been postponed due to public gathering restrictions concerning the COVID-19 virus, I hereby declare this day BE NICE TO LEAH NING DAY.

That's right. Everyone has to bring tasty cookies and exotic chocolate to the bat cave and make consoling offerings to SwiftPotato, our challenge beastie, Keeper of Records, and Volume 36 winner. Perhaps you don't have exotic chocolate. I'm sure you can think of something just as sweet for our challenge beastie. Even warm words hot out of the oven.

Leah, as my offering of consolation, I hereby place at your feet, neatly wrapped in a yellow and pink bow, another critique of a story 5,000 words or less. May I suggest you send me one that I can help you meet the discriminating tastes of Future SF?

All the beast!

Beastmaster Moon

I'm so sorry about the event being postponed, Leah! I am so looking forward to seeing you take the stage, whenever it does happen! Sending all the happy vibes your way!

Oh, wow! I just heard the news. Leah, sending you tons of virtual hugs. We will all be watching when the event gets green lighted again!

Sorry to hear this! But it seems to be happening to some extent everywhere. Too big a risk to take I guess. Hopefully it is rescheduled soon!

Best wishes for everyone's health!

Since the Volume 36 workshop has been postponed due to public gathering restrictions concerning the COVID-19 virus, I hereby declare this day BE NICE TO LEAH NING DAY.

That's right. Everyone has to bring tasty cookies and exotic chocolate to the bat cave and make consoling offerings to SwiftPotato, our challenge beastie, Keeper of Records, and Volume 36 winner. Perhaps you don't have exotic chocolate. I'm sure you can think of something just as sweet for our challenge beastie. Even warm words hot out of the oven.

Leah, as my offering of consolation, I hereby place at your feet, neatly wrapped in a yellow and pink bow, another critique of a story 5,000 words or less. May I suggest you send me one that I can help you meet the discriminating tastes of Future SF?

All the beast!

Beastmaster Moon

Oh, Moon, you are too sweet. All of you are. Ngl, I am crying a little right now, but it's a good cry. You guys are just way too nice. You don't know how much it means to see all your sweet comments and know you're behind me, even though you haven't known me very long. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. <3

Oh, and if you all want to see me cry like a little baby instead of just reading about it, I'm fairly sure they're going to make the online art reveal public, and live.

Troubled times. Sorry to hear Leah. keep safe all.

It's hard to believe this is happening, especially at the world level.
You're still our winner from the pack Leah.

A shame about the cancellation. Congrats again on that big win with your story, Leah. We’re all looking forward to the art reveal and the postponed event itself. In the meantime, keep writing!

Also, I hope everyone stays healthy over there. Take extra precautions when possible.

I can’t even imagine how deflating it must feel to not have the event this year.

Condolences. But here’s to you having many more things to celebrate in your writing career!

Swift Potato, hang in there, the event will be postponed, not cancelled. You'll get your chance to go up on stage, some medical genius or pharmaceutical genius out there in the world will work on a vaccine and make a boatload of money, and in a few months, hopefully, this will all be a bitter memory.

My guess is they'll either combine two events (run two successive years) next April, or have your year in late October 2020.

As difficult a pill as this is to swallow, it would be more difficult swallowing a pandemic by being in close proximity to several hundred people from around the world.

All the best now and always,

Retro

Thanks, all. Yes, it's certainly disappointing, but they're already beginning plans to hold it this year! I'm told they're going to shoot for late summer/early fall and see how things pan out. I'm hoping Retro is right and that some genius will work this out in the next few months!

Swift Potato, "In Toronto, a group of Canadian scientists have successfully isolated and grown copies of the novel coronavirus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, paving the way for a potential vaccine. Researchers say isolating the virus will help develop treatments, vaccines and tests for the virus and allow them to conduct long-term research to understand the biology of COVID-19."

Let's throw optimism into the universe and say your WOTF acceptance speech will be sometime in October 2020. Don't forget to play a tune on the piano for me.

Best,

Retro

Retro, that's excellent news. I'll keep my fingers crossed. And you couldn't make me forget to play that tune if you tried!

Good morning and happy Monday! Hope everyone is keeping safe out there. Why not stay at home with this cozy new Monday prompt? This week's is: HIDDEN CONSCIOUSNESS.

Just wanted to send out encouragement for everyone (like me) still working on their stories for this quarter. Hang in there! Dave Farland, in his last newsletter, had a very helpful tip about turning off the news for awhile so we don't obsess about the corona virus. Use the time to reconnect with your family and, it goes without saying, write!

Stay safe, folks! And wash your hands!

I finished the KYD for Hive Minds and revised it enough that I sent it to a few writers for quick feedback. Will submit to Flame Tree soon. So that's my Flash for this month, though I have the Blood-stained Roots one just about done as well. Now to somehow finish my Q2 short stories. They've hit snags but will make em happen.

Best of luck staying healthy and safe people. Staying off the news and social media is good advice that I should follow...

Got your flash down, oishisushi. Keep chugging on that Q2!

I finished the KYD for Hive Minds and revised it enough that I sent it to a few writers for quick feedback. Will submit to Flame Tree soon. So that's my Flash for this month, though I have the Blood-stained Roots one just about done as well. Now to somehow finish my Q2 short stories. They've hit snags but will make em happen.

Best of luck staying healthy and safe people. Staying off the news and social media is good advice that I should follow...

Don't miss your Q2 WotF entry, RJK Lee. Always work on your highest priorities first. Rating level of importance of tasks is a very good idea. Nothing in writing should be more important than sending your best into WotF every quarter.

When you're stuck, read it the night before. When you go work on it the next day, often your subconscious helps you out because it worked on the problem through the night, just as Dave points out. Stuck again? Go take a shower. Hot running water seems to be hypnotic, and I've had many ideas come to my mind while in the shower. I have often run out of the shower dripping water everywhere, towel draped around me as I dash to my office to write them down quick!

Figure out what creates a Pavlovian response for writing, so you can drool words all over the page when the trigger goes off. Recreate it every day.

Okay, everyone. Focus. This is for the gold! I haven't been hammering you with assignments so you get your Q2 in. Use the time wisely. I won in the end because I quit entering hit and miss and chose to never let a quarter go by without submitting my best. You do the same.

I hope everyone reviewed my two posts on Heart's Desire. I think it's one of the most important things that needs to be up front in your stories, and must be developed throughout. Once you ring that bell, keep ringing that bell through the rest of your story. That melody inside your protagonist's heart should rise to a crescendo just as your plot hits its crescendo. As you read WotF winners, watch for this. See how they did it. It's there, right up front.

Go wulf pack!

All the beast,

Beastmaster Moon

When you're stuck, read it the night before. When you go work on it the next day, often your subconscious helps you out because it worked on the problem through the night, just as Dave points out. Stuck again? Go take a shower. Hot running water seems to be hypnotic, and I've had many ideas come to my mind while in the shower. I have often run out of the shower dripping water everywhere, towel draped around me as I dash to my office to write them down quick!

I agree with the shower suggestion -- I actually bought myself a waterproof notepad for the shower because, somehow, that's when ideas come to me!

Don't miss your Q2 WotF entry, RJK Lee. Always work on your highest priorities first. Rating level of importance of tasks is a very good idea. Nothing in writing should be more important than sending your best into WotF every quarter.

Figure out what creates a Pavlovian response for writing, so you can drool words all over the page when the trigger goes off. Recreate it every day.

I haven't been hammering you with assignments so you get your Q2 in. Use the time wisely. I won in the end because I quit entering hit and miss and chose to never let a quarter go by without submitting my best. You do the same.

I hope everyone reviewed my two posts on Heart's Desire. I think it's one of the most important things that needs to be up front in your stories, and must be developed throughout. Once you ring that bell, keep ringing that bell through the rest of your story. That melody inside your protagonist's heart should rise to a crescendo just as your plot hits its crescendo. As you read WotF winners, watch for this. See how they did it. It's there, right up front.

Thanks for the motivation. And for the reminder about Heart's Desire! I have two short stories close to end but definitely will give them a look with the Heart's Desire in mind to see what's holding them back emotionally. I just went back over the Heart's Desire post. If nothing else, I might end up using my latest flash. I think I still haven't decided exactly which stories I want to finish this quarter, but I'll focus on finishing up two first anyway, then we'll see which of my 3-4 choices are best for WotF submission. I'm looking forward to a long night after my work (yeah, we still have that in Japan), and fairly open schedule all day tomorrow, so will get on top of that! Critiques have really helped me tackle some issues with my writing this quarter and hoping to do the same with my Q2 short stories.

For my Pavlovian response, I've been using the exact same soundtrack of electronic chill and beats this month, and it has worked fairly well. I need to delve into some plot and structure thinking time for the short story issues. Or maybe write around the issues to see what I'm missing, instead of using it as an excuse to not write (or as excuse to write something else).

I'm 99% sure I'm submitting a rework because that's the best I have available. But, I'm finishing a new story now. I just don't think it's going to be as good as the reworked story.