Jibber Jabber - Q1 - 29

[Rebecca Birch]

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!

While it would be awesome to sell the longer stories into paying markets, you're right, there aren't a lot that take them. On the other hand, my understanding is that the longer short stories are doing well at finding a niche in the self-pub e-market. I'd encourage you, if you run out of places the send, publish them!

[s_c_baker]

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!

Duotrope saaays...

(pro-paying):
Analog Science Fiction & Fact
Asimov's Science Fiction
Buzzy Mag
Daily Science Fiction
Fantasy & Science Fiction (F&SF)
Grantville Gazette: Universe Annex
Tor.com

(Semipro)
Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine
Interzone
Stupefying Stories
Zharmae Publishing Press Annual Competition, The

(and a few themed anthologies, and about 15 more "token" paying markets)

I'd also add Giganotosaurus to the list, since it had stories in the Nebula nominations. Also, The fledgeling "Nine" (http://readnine.com) looks promising, and pays at least $40.

A little bird (HAR HAR, get it?) also just pointed out to me that Duotrope does not--for some reason--catch IGMS, which is pro-paying and goes up to 10k (and beyond).

[Kary English]

What do you think of this blurb?

First Call, by Kary English

"When the Call comes, it must be obeyed."

Since the time of shadow and ash, the citizens of Eriyu have been guided by a mystical order devoted to Truth. After devoting her life to that order, Jerra must face the final trial that will make her a Judicar - she must follow the Call of the goddess Chimawe. But Truth isn't easy to see, especially when her own mentor turns against her.

Length: approx. 6,200 words, including a short novel excerpt
Genre: fantasy, action & adventure, written for adults but YA-friendly

[jdbrink]

CONFESSION:

These past couple days, trying to play cyber-detective, I did my best to find out how so many people had found my previously unknown blog. To my horrible embarrassment I discovered on this WOTF forum that I had apparently committed some kind of wrong doing! Forgive my ignorance, my fellow Writers of the Future, I had no idea there were cats and bags or beans to be spilt. I wasn’t sworn to secrecy on the phone and was actually told there’d be a forth-coming press release, which would certainly get to the world at large before my pathetic little blog entry. I had no idea that my humble little corner of cyberspace (which normally gets about 10 views in a week) would be the loose lips that sank the ship! I didn't even know this forum or a WOTF community existed. All I knew was I sent a story into the void way back before 2012 and after a long period of silence finally got good news that I had not expected.

My humblest apologies, Writers, I live under a rock and am oblivious to the greater and cyber worlds around me.

(And still don’t know how any of you managed to find my little-known leaky blog...)

Signed,

The Unknowingly Evil Master of Brink’s Chaos Theory


p.s. – PLEASE don’t assume that because my big mouth got a call two days ago that the whole show must be over! Remember, that was a Saturday and no one calls or works on Sunday, so it ain't over yet! It’s taken how many months to get this far, fellow Writers, don't throw in the towel!!

[Kary English]

Welcome!! Glad to have you!

Mind the alligator, and don't trip over those piles of marshmallows. Things have been a bit...normal.. around here of late.

[Dustin Adams]

Welcome aboard!

Believe me, if Joni wanted you to keep your finalist a secret, she would have asked.

There can be days or even weeks between her call and the eventual post on PRweb.

Not this time... I hope.

So, no worries, we're glad to have found you! Or we're glad Martin found you.

Was it Martin? Hmph. That's who I'm going with until he comes in and corrects me.

D

[s_c_baker]

Welcome aboard!

Believe me, if Joni wanted you to keep your finalist a secret, she would have asked.

There can be days or even weeks between her call and the eventual post on PRweb.

Not this time... I hope.

So, no worries, we're glad to have found you! Or we're glad Martin found you.

Was it Martin? Hmph. That's who I'm going with until he comes in and corrects me.

D

I think I saw it on his Facebook, but it might have been somebody else's.

[morshana]

What do you think of this blurb?

First Call, by Kary English

"When the Call comes, it must be obeyed."

Since the time of shadow and ash, the citizens of Eriyu have been guided by a mystical order devoted to Truth. After devoting her life to that order, Jerra must face the final trial that will make her a Judicar - she must follow the Call of the goddess Chimawe. But Truth isn't easy to see, especially when her own mentor turns against her.

Length: approx. 6,200 words, including a short novel excerpt
Genre: fantasy, action & adventure, written for adults but YA-friendly

I like it!

[s_c_baker]

CONFESSION:

These past couple days, trying to play cyber-detective, I did my best to find out how so many people had found my previously unknown blog. To my horrible embarrassment I discovered on this WOTF forum that I had apparently committed some kind of wrong doing! Forgive my ignorance, my fellow Writers of the Future, I had no idea there were cats and bags or beans to be spilt. I wasn’t sworn to secrecy on the phone and was actually told there’d be a forth-coming press release, which would certainly get to the world at large before my pathetic little blog entry. I had no idea that my humble little corner of cyberspace (which normally gets about 10 views in a week) would be the loose lips that sank the ship! I didn't even know this forum or a WOTF community existed. All I knew was I sent a story into the void way back before 2012 and after a long period of silence finally got good news that I had not expected.

My humblest apologies, Writers, I live under a rock and am oblivious to the greater and cyber worlds around me.

(And still don’t know how any of you managed to find my little-known leaky blog...)

Signed,

The Unknowingly Evil Master of Brink’s Chaos Theory


p.s. – PLEASE don’t assume that because my big mouth got a call two days ago that the whole show must be over! Remember, that was a Saturday and no one calls or works on Sunday, so it ain't over yet! It’s taken how many months to get this far, fellow Writers, don't throw in the towel!!

Oh, and welcome, UEMfBCTW!

[morshana]

CONFESSION:

These past couple days, trying to play cyber-detective, I did my best to find out how so many people had found my previously unknown blog. To my horrible embarrassment I discovered on this WOTF forum that I had apparently committed some kind of wrong doing! Forgive my ignorance, my fellow Writers of the Future, I had no idea there were cats and bags or beans to be spilt. I wasn’t sworn to secrecy on the phone and was actually told there’d be a forth-coming press release, which would certainly get to the world at large before my pathetic little blog entry. I had no idea that my humble little corner of cyberspace (which normally gets about 10 views in a week) would be the loose lips that sank the ship! I didn't even know this forum or a WOTF community existed. All I knew was I sent a story into the void way back before 2012 and after a long period of silence finally got good news that I had not expected.

My humblest apologies, Writers, I live under a rock and am oblivious to the greater and cyber worlds around me.

(And still don’t know how any of you managed to find my little-known leaky blog...)

Signed,

The Unknowingly Evil Master of Brink’s Chaos Theory


p.s. – PLEASE don’t assume that because my big mouth got a call two days ago that the whole show must be over! Remember, that was a Saturday and no one calls or works on Sunday, so it ain't over yet! It’s taken how many months to get this far, fellow Writers, don't throw in the towel!!

Welcome aboard! And congratulations!!

[gwasch]

While it would be awesome to sell the longer stories into paying markets, you're right, there aren't a lot that take them. On the other hand, my understanding is that the longer short stories are doing well at finding a niche in the self-pub e-market. I'd encourage you, if you run out of places the send, publish them!

I've been considering this. I'm actually dabbling in developing my non-winning finalist as an interactive visual novel for the PC (I'm not sure if ANYONE has played Hotel Dusk for the Nintendo DS--it's a lovely little mystery story that manages to stay intense and dramatic in spite of being small in scope). Of course, who around here has a good idea for where to self-pub? Time is an issue. So is money. And it seems like one of those, at least, is necessary for the self promotion that drives e-pubs... still, with finalist and semi-finalist revisions I can trust that they're at least salable.

Yikes, IGMS has a bit of a rights grab. Not to the point of being unethical, but that's pretty steep. Looks like they pay pretty well for it. Thanks for grabbing that list for me! Though... a handful of those are 'up to 10,000' and a lot of mine are a chunk over at 13-14k or so. I'll plumb deep and see what I can't find, but many of those have given me form rejections.

And my rambling aside, also a warm welcome to our newest member. :)

[francisbruno]

CONFESSION:

These past couple days, trying to play cyber-detective, I did my best to find out how so many people had found my previously unknown blog. To my horrible embarrassment I discovered on this WOTF forum that I had apparently committed some kind of wrong doing! Forgive my ignorance, my fellow Writers of the Future, I had no idea there were cats and bags or beans to be spilt. I wasn’t sworn to secrecy on the phone and was actually told there’d be a forth-coming press release, which would certainly get to the world at large before my pathetic little blog entry. I had no idea that my humble little corner of cyberspace (which normally gets about 10 views in a week) would be the loose lips that sank the ship! I didn't even know this forum or a WOTF community existed. All I knew was I sent a story into the void way back before 2012 and after a long period of silence finally got good news that I had not expected.

My humblest apologies, Writers, I live under a rock and am oblivious to the greater and cyber worlds around me.

(And still don’t know how any of you managed to find my little-known leaky blog...)

Signed,

The Unknowingly Evil Master of Brink’s Chaos Theory


p.s. – PLEASE don’t assume that because my big mouth got a call two days ago that the whole show must be over! Remember, that was a Saturday and no one calls or works on Sunday, so it ain't over yet! It’s taken how many months to get this far, fellow Writers, don't throw in the towel!!

Welcome aboard.

[Nick_T]

UEMfBCTW,

Welcome aboard and I wouldn't worry about spilling the news. My experience both times was that Joni specifically told me not to say anything (I may have been one of the earlier recipients to receive the call). If she didn't instruct you to keep it to yourself, it probably means that they weren't worried about the other finalists. This doesn't necessarily mean that all finalists have received the call; my experience with the contest is that they seem to do it differently every single time and this obviously is a very different quarter to any other.

My only other advice is to place the finalist position in context, win or lose. It's a big achievement, but it's also a repeatable one if you don't win the first time around. Quite a few of volume 28s winners had previously had non-winning finalists. If you get there once, you can get there again.

Nick

[s_c_baker]

UEMfBCTW,

(looks like I screwed up that acronym, by the way. It should be UEMoBCT. Whoooops.

[Nick_T]

UEMfBCTW,

(looks like I screwed up that acronym, by the way. It should be UEMoBCT. Whoooops.

That'll teach me to trust you.

[s_c_baker]

UEMfBCTW,

(looks like I screwed up that acronym, by the way. It should be UEMoBCT. Whoooops.

That'll teach me to trust you.

It certainly will! Next time you see a man with an ass for a head...

[jdbrink]

Well... THANKS!

Nice to be here. Seems like I was wandering around in the dark by myself and didn't even know there was a whole village on the other side of the hill! Though seeing a handful of your posts is pretty intimidating. You each have a vast story machine running that gets a gem of an entry in each quarter. I have a notebook with a few old stories that have been rejected by magazines so manytimes they're now all grey-haired and worn out. And thanks for the encouragement but I'm pretty sure if this one doesn't make it I'll be about spent. Most of my work tends to be too long and awfully dark for a general audience. (At least i like to lean on that as an excuse for not getting more stuff published.)

Nice to meet everyone and thanks again for the reassurance!

(and I have no idea what that long string of letters refers to...)

[Kary English]

Well... THANKS!

Nice to meet everyone and thanks again for the reassurance!

(and I have no idea what that long string of letters refers to...)

Something about "The Unknowingly Evil Master" of somesuch.... ;)

[s_c_baker]

Well... THANKS!

Nice to be here. Seems like I was wandering around in the dark by myself and didn't even know there was a whole village on the other side of the hill! Though seeing a handful of your posts is pretty intimidating. You each have a vast story machine running that gets a gem of an entry in each quarter. I have a notebook with a few old stories that have been rejected by magazines so manytimes they're now all grey-haired and worn out. And thanks for the encouragement but I'm pretty sure if this one doesn't make it I'll be about spent. Most of my work tends to be too long and awfully dark for a general audience. (At least i like to lean on that as an excuse for not getting more stuff published.)

Nice to meet everyone and thanks again for the reassurance!

(and I have no idea what that long string of letters refers to...)

Not to worry, UEMoBCT--er, JD(?). Not all of us are vast story machines. I barely squeak through each quarter with an entry, and have an equal number of "not a form rejection" responses and "form rejection" responses.

Have you read anything over at ChiZine? They like dark! (but not long, unfortunately.)

[s_c_baker]

Every time I see one of you people with those Martin ribbons, I think "HA! Martin posted!" and then immediately "Damn you, little embedded spaceman-with-bunny-slippers. Damn you!"

[greenroom]

Another finalist just posted up in the quarterly results thread. Someone needs to drag her down here!

That makes 2 that have named themselves.

[Beez]

Nope, that's the same one that posted in the intro thread

EDIT: Ah, but yes, that is still 2

[greenroom]

I hadn't noticed her post in the intro thread. I often forget about it, seeing how its pinned in plain sight and all :)

Congrats to all the finalists, named and not!

[Kary English]

@ Holly - WOOT, WOOT, WOOT!!

FYI - the whooping and hollering all happens here, in the Jibber Jabber threads so that those who are subscribed and want results only don't have to put up with constant chatter.

Of course, if you like constant chatter, this is the place to be.

[Holly Heisey]

Down here.

*Pent up whoop and holler!!!*

:)

[Kary English]

Now that we've lured - er - invited Holly and Mr. Brink, I wonder how many of the 8 finalists will be forum members? It would be so cool to go 8 of 8.

[francisbruno]

A friendly *bump* so we hit 100...

[Strycher]

Now that we've lured - er - invited Holly and Mr. Brink, I wonder how many of the 8 finalists will be forum members? It would be so cool to go 8 of 8.

I'd just be happy to have a few more finalist participating over on the critique forum. ::hinthintwinkwink::

[Rebecca Birch]

Now that we've lured - er - invited Holly and Mr. Brink, I wonder how many of the 8 finalists will be forum members? It would be so cool to go 8 of 8.

I'd just be happy to have a few more finalist participating over on the critique forum. ::hinthintwinkwink::

Ways I can tell I'm not feeling so hot. I read the above as Hin Thin Twink Wink.

I think I need to crawl back in bed.

Welcome and congratulations to Holly and Mr. Brink!

[Kary English]

Ways I can tell I'm not feeling so hot. I read the above as Hin Thin Twink Wink.

You mean that's not what it says? *squints at it*