Jibber Jabber - Q1 - 29

[francisbruno]

Do we get ponies if we reach 100 pages? Did I miss something?

[Strycher]

We're getting closer. 4 more pages to 101 . . .














Maybe if I move the smilie down here, it will help.

[E.CaimanSands]

Hmm, that Kick looks a bit like a rant in disguise...

I thought that too, though if David has any spare ponies he doesn't want the Gator says... oh no wait!

[Strycher]

Hmm, that Kick looks a bit like a rant in disguise...

I thought that too, though if David has any spare ponies he doesn't want the Gator says... oh no wait!

Wow, I just read it, and I must agree.

[s_c_baker]

Do we get ponies if we reach 100 pages? Did I miss something?

Naw.

Grapefruit!

But time is running out. Soon, Martin will come back and force us all to eat poisoned apples which may or may not have been created in adequately-modeled basement cat code.

...

I don't know what I'm talking about, either.

[venvariants]

Yes, David Farland said in his rant that we would all get ponies if we reach 100. Except for Rebecca Birch, who put in the pre-order for a Sparkle Pony.

[wanczykj]

Curious . . . I've been lurking in these forums, reading the reactions, the posts of the various states of the authors stories, and now, and the anticipation of the list of finalists. I've only submitted a few times over the past ten years, but I've always received a rejection letter, or a rejection email. This time around, when I noticed writers here posting their rejections and their determination to keep writing, and I didn't receive a notice, I felt there may be a chance of recognition, even if it was only a pat on the back for not being rejected in the first round.

However, my impression from reading the posts of all the long-standing WOTFphiles out there is that finalists have been called, and that the rest of us are simply waiting to see the list. At the time I submitted my story for consideration I didn't have a phone, but figured if I made it as far as an honorable mention this time around, they would send an email. I did receive an email that my story had been successfully submitted into the contest for Q1 back in February, but I haven't heard anything from them (other than, "please take our survey") since, and was wondering if anybody here knew if a writer could be disqualified for not having a valid phone number?

Perhaps I misread, but in the second paragraph, you mentioned that it was successfully submitted into the contest for Q1 back in February... but (if I understand correctly) a February submission would go into the Q2 category. If that's the case, then you may still hear from someone when those stories are processed. Of course, if you meant that you received the notice of receipt of the story in February (and the story was submitted before the end of December), then I you would be in Q1. Hope that helped or if I am confused, then I hope it didn't spread the confusion

February is when I got the notice, but now that you mention it (and this was helpfully pointed out in a private message as well), though I thought I submitted just after Christmas . . . January is just after Christmas, so it's quite possible that I submitted for Q2 and have since been watching the wrong forum.

Hi, my name is John, I'm a write-aholic, and apparently, I need a dunce cap and stool.

[s_c_baker]

February is when I got the notice, but now that you mention it (and this was helpfully pointed out in a private message as well), though I thought I submitted just after Christmas . . . January is just after Christmas, so it's quite possible that I submitted for Q2 and have since been watching the wrong forum.

Hi, my name is John, I'm a write-aholic, and apparently, I need a dunce cap and stool.

And thus, duotrope.
(I wouldn't even remember what stories I'd submitted otherwise, let alone when and where!)

Edit: although it should mention the Q in the e-mail, I believe.

[wanczykj]

And thus, duotrope.
(I wouldn't even remember what stories I'd submitted otherwise, let alone when and where!)

Edit: although it should mention the Q in the e-mail, I believe.

Thanks for the link to duotrope, it looks amazingly useful. And you're right, the quarter is mentioned in the email, so along with my dunce cap I need a ticket for the short-bus.

[Rebecca Birch]

Yes, David Farland said in his rant that we would all get ponies if we reach 100. Except for Rebecca Birch, who put in the pre-order for a Sparkle Pony.

Woo!!!

[Kary English]

I am not a finalist, so there's no way I can win this quarter. Everybody with me so far?

So I could submit my story elsewhere today, right? Anybody want to argue for waiting?

[MJNL]

You could be a semi-finalist, right (no news there that I've heard)? In which case you may or may not want to wait for potential comments.

[wellsdesigned]

Hi, my name is John, I'm a write-aholic, and apparently, I need a dunce cap and stool.

No sir, you need a good sensible chair and a good computer (oh, and a road map).

[Kary English]

It is theoretically possible that I could be a semi-finalist, albeit unlikely. And comments will take a good month or so, possibly more given the totality of the sitch.

Dither, dither, dither.

I'm leaning toward subbing.

[wellsdesigned]

Anybody want to argue for waiting?

I'd like to think that being able to mention that the story was a semi-finalist might get it a more serious look at by an editor. Any slush pile readers agree, or is a non-"winner" not worth mentioning? Or do you not say that about the story specifically but list the semi-finalist as writer cred? I personally have never gone beyond SHM so I try to let my stories stand for themselves and not mention my results here, but it would be nice to know that semi could finally be used for sending stories out to other markets.

[francisbruno]

It is theoretically possible that I could be a semi-finalist, albeit unlikely. And comments will take a good month or so, possibly more given the totality of the sitch.

Dither, dither, dither.

I'm leaning toward subbing.

I'd start submitting.
It took 2 months to get a crit back from my SF Q4. I was more bummed because I wanted to make sure my Q had any fixes made that might have caused my Q4 to fail. But the crit took so long, I couldn't wait.

You can always make the change along the way with the crit and then keep submitting.

[Kary English]

Grrrr. The waiting idea has merit.

I hate waiting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0Y7ScfaVHs

ETA: Not necessarily waiting for the crit, but waiting to find out if I made semi for inclusion in a cover letter. *grumble*

[wellsdesigned]

I see Martin lurking. I'll bet he has News he's just itching to broadcast.

[Kary English]

I see Martin lurking. I'll bet he has News he's just itching to broadcast.

And I'm sure he's not the only one.

[WBLedbetter]

Hey! I want a pony too! (NOT the sparkly kind!)

[morshana]

I hope results come in before I go out of town later this week! =) Can't imagine they'd take that long...

[s_c_baker]

... waiting to find out if I made semi for inclusion in a cover letter. *grumble*

It doesn't really seem to make a difference. I put that on all my semifinalist submission cover letters--no bites. The story will sell, not what other people thought of the story. (And, really, do you want to say "Hey, the WotF contest didn't think this was good enough for publication. WANT IT!?!? " )

[s_c_baker]

I see Martin lurking. I'll bet he has News he's just itching to broadcast.

And I'm sure he's not the only one.

Don't they sell a topical cream for that?

[Kary English]

I see Martin lurking. I'll bet he has News he's just itching to broadcast.

And I'm sure he's not the only one.

Don't they sell a topical cream for that?

And a powder for causing it?

[Kary English]

... waiting to find out if I made semi for inclusion in a cover letter. *grumble*

It doesn't really seem to make a difference. I put that on all my semifinalist submission cover letters--no bites. The story will sell, not what other people thought of the story. (And, really, do you want to say "Hey, the WotF contest didn't think this was good enough for publication. WANT IT!?!? " )

Dear Editor:

Do you like sloppy seconds?

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

Ok, I see your point.

[morshana]

... waiting to find out if I made semi for inclusion in a cover letter. *grumble*

It doesn't really seem to make a difference. I put that on all my semifinalist submission cover letters--no bites. The story will sell, not what other people thought of the story. (And, really, do you want to say "Hey, the WotF contest didn't think this was good enough for publication. WANT IT!?!? " )

Dear Editor:

Do you like sloppy seconds?

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

Ok, I see your point.

*shudder*

[Dustin Adams]

I say sub.

I would have already sent mine out but I haven't looked at it in six months, which is a great amount of time to see it with fresh eyes and possibly tweak or add things here or there.

Obviously it needs improvement.

D

[morshana]

Sub, Kary! =)

[gwasch]

That rant, somehow, strikes me as somewhat mean-spirited. But then what can I complain about.

... meh I'm still around to see if I placed at ALL. At least I can't be singled out by name!

There's really nowhere good to put stories over 10,000 words, is there? I mean, a few, but I find I get rejected out of them really quickly. I understand ill fits, but man, if you don't roll well a few times in the places that accept longer works you're stuck with a pile of novellas and nothing to do with them except for save them I guess.

And I still want to see us reach page 100. Go team!

[francisbruno]

Just helping us along to the 100th page.