First vs Final Draft

Honestly, probably not. People tend not to put their WIPs in public places in order to preserve the story's first rights, and I certainly don't like showing off older versions of published works. The only way I could think of something like this happening is to be really active in crit trades, and even then there's no guarantees.

Honestly, probably not. People tend not to put their WIPs in public places in order to preserve the story's first rights, and I certainly don't like showing off older versions of published works. The only way I could think of something like this happening is to be really active in crit trades, and even then there's no guarantees.

Ah I figured but too bad. It would be a great learning opportunity to see the kinds of sweeping and minor changes needed to do better in the competition or publishing in general.

I'm sure I won't be the first to tell you that first drafts widely differ. Just ask Heinlin. I tend to try to nail it on my first try since I find revising ruins my voice, although that usually results in writer's block. I mostly use critiques for the next story, and to see where I'm holding.

Regardless, if you're looking for first drafts, I recommend checking out the Grantville Gazette. The way you submit there is you join the forum and submit your stories via copy/paste. People then comment on it, and you can submit a version 2, or 3, or 4. Since you can't see the posts without becoming a member, stories posted there are still allowed to be published in any medium.

Anyway, you can find all sorts of stories, hundreds of first drafts. Many later published stories are there, including Kary English's winner and other wotf finalists. (Disclaimer: most of the stories, Kary's included are surely not the actual first draft, since most people only post after they think they have a publishable story.) I've already commented here how useful it was to me for titles, and it is also eye-opening to see how and when they listened to critiques. (If nothing else, I recommend it because you can read a bunch of free stories written by wotf finalists and winners, but don't tell anyone )

The Grantville Gazette is a great idea, Reuben! I've heard good things about it, but I'm not a member (mostly due to life-related time constraints).

You can see Anton Rose's winning story on Scribophile and the crits and changes he made in response there. You have to join, but you don't have to pay. It's a great story.

I'll check out that Anton Rose story and draft.

Not WotF, but I think it was Brandon Sanderson who released an anthology that included the first and final drafts of stories. I haven't read it yet but planned to. Damon Knight may have done so in his Creating Short Fiction anthology, though I may be misremembering - perhaps he just critiqued his own story.

A new magazine, Dreamforge Anvil, will include the edits of published stories as part of its offering. I've subscribed largely for that unique selling point.

I planned to share an early draft of the story if I ever won WotF, but my stories aren't changing all that much from first to final draft these days. I did share the first and final draft of a poem that was published in a local anthology recently. I planned to write up why I made certain changes, but I haven't yet. The only writing I'm doing recently is for work or WotF.

Bam!
Dustin brings a link to the party yet again.
https://www.amazon.com/Nascence-Stories ... B004TZKEDA

ish.

You can see Anton Rose's winning story on Scribophile and the crits and changes he made in response there. You have to join, but you don't have to pay. It's a great story.

Exactly what I'm looking for. Thanks! I like scribophile and already have an account there too.

Thanks to the rest of you also for similar avenues to search.

You can see Anton Rose's winning story on Scribophile and the crits and changes he made in response there. You have to join, but you don't have to pay. It's a great story.

Nice! The Glowing Heart is one of my favorite WotF stories.

And yeah, I believe Brandon's anthology is called Shadows Beneath: A Writing Excuses Anthology. Very interesting stuff.

I planned to share an early draft of the story if I ever won WotF, but my stories aren't changing all that much from first to final draft these days. I did share the first and final draft of a poem that was published in a local anthology recently. I planned to write up why I made certain changes, but I haven't yet. The only writing I'm doing recently is for work or WotF.

If you happen to win on editing an older story that got an HM or SHM please share!!!! (No pressure obviously but would love to see what changes made the cut)

I read the winning story and the 1st version of The Glowing Heart that Anton Rose had on scribophile and I'm surprised/impressed the few changes it underwent which I guess answers a different question than the one I asked but is also important: how many changes does the manuscript undergo by wotf editors once it's announced a winner.

When I edit between drafts, I change whole scenes and characters sometimes.

I read the winning story and the 1st version of The Glowing Heart that Anton Rose had on scribophile and I'm surprised/impressed the few changes it underwent which I guess answers a different question than the one I asked but is also important: how many changes does the manuscript undergo by wotf editors once it's announced a winner.

When I edit between drafts, I change whole scenes and characters sometimes.

Anton's story first won a competition in Scrib - they're limited to 3000 words so he was never going to make big changes, at least no changes that increased the word count.
And of course, what you saw on Scrib was the first draft that Anton posted there. He might have had earlier, pre-critiquer versions that he made bigger changes to.
As for changes by WotF editors - Wulf can answer that wrt his story, but DF has mentioned late editing a few times, I gather it's little or none. Change swear words, fix the odd comma or dodgy sentence, and I suspect not much more than that. I'm sure one of his tips talks about writers being careful about what changes they accept. Over to Wulf on WotF editors.

It's not a winner, but I'll offer my SHM that I edited to my SF.
Up to you.

It's not a winner, but I'll offer my SHM that I edited to my SF.
Up to you.

BAM!
Dustin Bam-Bam Adams does it again. (I can only think of you as Bam-Bam since your earlier post.)

It's not a winner, but I'll offer my SHM that I edited to my SF.
Up to you.

I would LOVEEEE that! Pming you my email. Thank you!

It's not a winner, but I'll offer my SHM that I edited to my SF.
Up to you.

BAM!
Dustin Bam-Bam Adams does it again. (I can only think of you as Bam-Bam since your earlier post.)

I was Bam-Bam for Halloween when I was five. Had a little plastic club and everything.

I could be Bam-Bam.

Or Emeril.

BAM!

I was Bam-Bam for Halloween when I was five. Had a little plastic club and everything.

I could be Bam-Bam.