Jibber Jabber - Q1 - 29

[hazlett]

And my last finalist has been bumped from every market that takes Sci-fi novellas at this point, I think. It's actually really hard to sell things that are like 10k+ words. . . now I have no clue what to do with it.

Self-pub?

Three options:
1. Self-pub
2. Start an anthology that contains WOTF finalist stories.
3. Use it as the kernel of a larger novel.

[hazlett]

I know the banquet and conference is going on, but I'd still bet there will be some news this week.

I'm going to venture to guess that only good news would go out during this particular week. I can't imagine a flood of rejections going out while they're blogging about the winners' workshops.

I know HM's are rejections too, but they're really, really nice ones, so...

I hope you're right.

[gwasch]

Thanks for the advice. I'm guessing since I made it to finalist that the story not being taken is just a TASTE issue. . . also cramming like 60 pages in a mag from an unknown writer is generally a no-no. I'll probably hold onto it until I have a reputation and some other stories I know are good for print and try to do a collection. <3

As nice as news would be I don't anticipate any... but I want to be merciful to the staff. Public events are really taxing. (And we want their full attention on judging, don't we?)

[dantzel]

Thanks for the advice. I'm guessing since I made it to finalist that the story not being taken is just a TASTE issue. . . also cramming like 60 pages in a mag from an unknown writer is generally a no-no. I'll probably hold onto it until I have a reputation and some other stories I know are good for print and try to do a collection. <3

As nice as news would be I don't anticipate any... but I want to be merciful to the staff. Public events are really taxing. (And we want their full attention on judging, don't we?)

I can't remember which editor it was (possibly the main one from F&SF?) that said he reads the slush at night before bed, and if his wife puts on her nightie while he's reading your story, heaven help your story - it has to be better than her nightie.

[francisbruno]

I can't remember which editor it was (possibly the main one from F&SF?) that said he reads the slush at night before bed, and if his wife puts on her nightie while he's reading your story, heaven help your story - it has to be better than her nightie.

Must be newly weds. My wife climbing into bed naked couldn't tear me away from a story, it would just make me dig in further.

[E.CaimanSands]

I can't remember which editor it was (possibly the main one from F&SF?) that said he reads the slush at night before bed, and if his wife puts on her nightie while he's reading your story, heaven help your story - it has to be better than her nightie.

I remember reading that too, but can't remember who it was either.
I doubt it was Gordon Van Gelder though, as I don't submit there, not until they start taking e-subs.

[Grayson Morris]

The editor was John O'Neill at Black Gate. http://clarkesworldmagazine.com/editors_interview/

Elinor, I don't submit to F&SF yet, either, for the same reason.

[dantzel]

The editor was John O'Neill at Black Gate. http://clarkesworldmagazine.com/editors_interview/

Elinor, I don't submit to F&SF yet, either, for the same reason.

Ha! Thanks for helping me find which editor. I've read so many interviews the last month I can't always keep who said what straight.

[francisbruno]

I'm heading out to the Superstars Writing Seminar in Vegas at the end of the month. I sure hope we get news before then. It would be wonderful to brag :) or drown my sorrows.

[dantzel]

Some of my friends are going to Superstars. I wish I was too. :(

[preston]

Well, this week is almost over, and still no results. Can't be too much longer now. Sigh...
Preston Dennett (HM x 2)

[hazlett]

Well, this week is almost over, and still no results. Can't be too much longer now. Sigh...
Preston Dennett (HM x 2)

The beatings will continue until morale improves.

[gower21]

Morale is about to improve! BOB WRITER sighting over in the Writing section of the forum :) *Sigh* I love that guy and the finger/brains behind him.

[WriteToLive]

Well, this week is almost over, and still no results. Can't be too much longer now. Sigh...
Preston Dennett (HM x 2)

The beatings will continue until morale improves.

And KD's the one holding the whip?

[DavidK]

I wouldn't expect that we would hear until the week after the Gala event finishes. We need to keep in mind that the WOTF week including the Sunday night event is the penultimate moment, and we are just 1 of 4 quarters waiting - and wait we should and give proper celebration to last years - the latest - winners!

Next year you may feel the same - and KD and Joni and Brad probably will want a break from it all...

[Martin L. Shoemaker]

I have news! Great news!

I came home to find a big, fat envelope, white with red stripes. Inside was my story, and also a hand-written letter from K.D. I had trouble reading it, but there was something in there about how my story was almost guaranteed a win. She included a a printed copy of my story, along with her hand-written critique. She really liked the whole spaceship crash sequence, and she loved the tense search at the car wash. I didn't remember the car wash scene, but she loved it! Strange, though, how she hand-wrote everything. And stranger still: her hand-writing looked a lot like mine...

And then I noticed the envelope was even fatter! Inside were also printed copies of all my previous entries! And hand-written critiques for those!

And then I woke up, and I realized it was all a very vivid dream. It never happened.

Except... Wait! There on the bed next to me was the big, fat, white-and-red envelope. This time it said they had already decided, and that I had taken second place!

And then I woke up. Still a dream.

So then why was that white-and-red envelope on the dresser?

And then I woke up. And this time, the only papers I saw were a big pile of unfinished tax forms. Reality asserts itself. Grrr...

But now I have an idea for a story of an alien spaceship crashing on Earth. I think the tense climax scene involves a battle at a car wash...

The stories I could tell you...
The stories I could tell you...

[wellsdesigned]

But now I have an idea for a story of an alien spaceship crashing on Earth. I think the tense climax scene involves a battle at a car wash...
The stories I could tell you...
The stories I could tell you...

Are you going to be able to work in some very big Afro hair and roller skates?

[Martin L. Shoemaker]

But now I have an idea for a story of an alien spaceship crashing on Earth. I think the tense climax scene involves a battle at a car wash...
The stories I could tell you...
The stories I could tell you...

Are you going to be able to work in some very big Afro hair and roller skates?

So far no Afros, roller skates, nor disco in my vision. But ya never know...

In fact, I actually saw the car wash (you'd think that might've tipped me off that it was a dream, huh?); and it was a small boxy building with an eerie green glow emanating from the tiny windows, like something out of a bad Stephen King movie.

My current work in progress is set in the aftermath of an alien invasion. I don't think that car wash belongs in it, but it might find a way to sneak in.

[E.CaimanSands]

So far no Afros, roller skates, nor disco in my vision. But ya never know...

In fact, I actually saw the car wash (you'd think that might've tipped me off that it was a dream, huh?); and it was a small boxy building with an eerie green glow emanating from the tiny windows, like something out of a bad Stephen King movie.

Now I have visions of a bemused alligator being fed through a car wash.
Just had to turn off Jurassic Park. If I remember rightly it ends badly for the dinosaurs. Too sad... that's the problem with those kinds of films. I'm always rooting for the reptiles, I'm yelling at the screen, "go on, just eat the screaming brat," but it rarely happens.

[dantzel]

I had a dream a couple of months ago where I had accidentally swapped phones with Lou Anders somehow, and it was the perfect opportunity to pitch my book to him - the one I have a setting for, but no characters or fully realized plot. Sigh.

Our subconscious can be so cruel sometimes.

[francisbruno]

Call it a combination of late night nachos and reading the writers of the future blog on facebook, but I had a dream earlier this week that I had won first place and at the gala was approached by just about everyone as to how cutting edge and good my story was... Then I awoke. Sigh.

[Martin L. Shoemaker]

Call it a combination of late night nachos and reading the writers of the future blog on facebook, but I had a dream earlier this week that I had won first place and at the gala was approached by just about everyone as to how cutting edge and good my story was... Then I awoke. Sigh.

Workshop week is calling to us telepathically...

[francisbruno]

I'd prefer one of the cool trophies...

[greenroom]

So anyone else want to start placing bets on when the next wave will go out? I'd bet we'll hear something by this Thursday.

[francisbruno]

There has to be something this week...

[MedicalAuthor]

Putting my money on Wednesday.

[francisbruno]

Putting my money on Wednesday.

You are probably correct. It seems that updates have been going out between late tuesday night through thursday.

[Kary English]

I'm expecting an Atlantean flood this week, with a massive wave of rejections (and a few HMs) going out in a single day and night of misfortune.

I'm sorta, kinda hoping for one of the HMs.

[francisbruno]

I'm still hoping for a published finalist, but I'd take HM on up. After all, I still have 3 more quarters after Q1 to win...

[Kary English]

Published finalist is made of awesome. I'd love to do the whole thing twice, mostly the workshop.