Who will the new coordinating judge be?

[Juliana]

It would be awesome if Dave was the man, since I know what he likes and he has already critiqued my writing to tell me what to work on. *crossing fingers*

[azap]

Wow very interesting. I wonder if it will affect David's workshop schedule in the future. Thanks for posting the link.

[Nick_T]

Nick! Sneaky, sneaky, announcing this over at Hatrack but not here: http://www.hatrack.com/ubb/writers/ulti ... 1;t=007283

I just reposted an email that John Arkwright sent me at his request, I didn't even read it. They'll probably strike me out from future editions of the book.

[Dustin Adams]

No worries, Nick.
To be honest, we'd pretty much deduced it's him anyway in this thread.
Or at least I had.

Joni promotes his daily kick in her HM e-mails.
He stops writing daily kicks as if something else is suddenly occupying his time.
The new judge is someone with "experience" and he'd been the first reader/editor back in the early 90's.

Lots o' evidence.

D

[Martin L. Shoemaker]

Nick! Sneaky, sneaky, announcing this over at Hatrack but not here: http://www.hatrack.com/ubb/writers/ulti ... 1;t=007283

I just reposted an email that John Arkwright sent me at his request, I didn't even read it. They'll probably strike me out from future editions of the book.

Nah, you can just blame Evil Nick. He has to be around here somewhere.

[Strycher]

Nick! Sneaky, sneaky, announcing this over at Hatrack but not here: http://www.hatrack.com/ubb/writers/ulti ... 1;t=007283

I just reposted an email that John Arkwright sent me at his request, I didn't even read it. They'll probably strike me out from future editions of the book.

It can't possibly be a secret, they asked you to post it on the internet.

[Travesty]

Hey all,

Just got back from CONduit (Utah SF/F con) and Dave Wolverton (Farland) confirmed that he is the new coordinating judge. I asked if it was confidential (to determine whether it was appropriate to share it on here), and he stated that the decision was official as of last night and that posting was acceptable. I believe the announcement will be made Tuesday, but figured that people on here would be interested in hearing the news now if it was available.

[Strycher]

Hey all,

Just got back from CONduit (Utah SF/F con) and Dave Wolverton (Farland) confirmed that he is the new coordinating judge. I asked if it was confidential (to determine whether it was appropriate to share it on here), and he stated that the decision was official as of last night and that posting was acceptable. I believe the announcement will be made Tuesday, but figured that people on here would be interested in hearing the news now if it was available.

Thanks for that. I wonder if they'll start contacting people about Q1 placement after the official announcement . . .

[Fobok1]

Thanks for the news! Glad it's finally official, hope things move on from there quickly for everybody waiting.

[Kary English]

1) I'm glad it's Dave; he'll do a bang up job.

2) My money says we'll hear results next week, too, along with the coordinating judge announcement. I'm glad the wait will finally be over.

3) On Tuesday, I leave the country for two weeks. Do you have any idea how expensive cruise ship internet is?? The only thing MORE expensive is using one's cell phone. And after I'm off the ship, my phone won't work at all, though at least there will be internet at most of my hotels.

[Martin L. Shoemaker]

3) On Tuesday, I leave the country for two weeks. Do you have any idea how expensive cruise ship internet is?? The only thing MORE expensive is using one's cell phone. And after I'm off the ship, my phone won't work at all, though at least there will be internet at most of my hotels.

Time to drop off the net for two weeks. That's good for writing, but bad when you're wondering about a phone call. You have my sympathies.

[katsincommand]

1) I'm glad it's Dave; he'll do a bang up job.

2) My money says we'll hear results next week, too, along with the coordinating judge announcement. I'm glad the wait will finally be over.

3) On Tuesday, I leave the country for two weeks. Do you have any idea how expensive cruise ship internet is?? The only thing MORE expensive is using one's cell phone. And after I'm off the ship, my phone won't work at all, though at least there will be internet at most of my hotels.

Delegate.

Give someone you trust your email account information with instructions to check it for you and upon receiving anything from WOTF, to call you on the boat (for which you will reimburse them).

(And yes I've done that... not for WOTF but when I was waiting for some other critical information to arrive).

[Brad R. Torgersen]

I was at CONduit 22 this weekend, and it appears Dave's permitted to go public now: yes, he has officially retaken his seat as the Coordinating Judge, a job he did before Cathy, and which he is now doing again. Frankly, I am thrilled for the Contest. Dave's not only a hell of a nice guy, but his deep wisdom on story -- the how and the why of successful tale-telling -- is immense. I look forward to seeing his fingerprints on Volume 29, Volume 30, and so forth.

[Brad R. Torgersen]

Hey all,

Just got back from CONduit (Utah SF/F con) and Dave Wolverton (Farland) confirmed that he is the new coordinating judge. I asked if it was confidential (to determine whether it was appropriate to share it on here), and he stated that the decision was official as of last night and that posting was acceptable. I believe the announcement will be made Tuesday, but figured that people on here would be interested in hearing the news now if it was available.

You beat me to it, dude.

[AMcCarter]

I'm not sure how I feel about this. Farland/Wolverton is very busy, ever so much more than Kathy was and that woman was BUSY. I also am not a fan of his cycle of threes, which he's pretty hardcore about.

[greenroom]

I'm not sure how I feel about this. Farland/Wolverton is very busy, ever so much more than Kathy was and that woman was BUSY. I also am not a fan of his cycle of threes, which he's pretty hardcore about.

What is his cycle of threes?

[Dustin Adams]

3 try / fail cycles I believe.

[Kary English]

Farland is pretty liberal about what constitutes a try/fail cycle, tho. For example, these count:

Hero hears a hubub in a dark alley. He ignores it.

Hero noses around for info about Big Bad Guy and gets told Big Bad Guy is invincible. Hero decides to let well enough alone.

Moreso than three clear try/fail cycles, I would say that Farland favors formed fiction. What does that mean? An inciting incident, rising action (wherein one usually finds try fail cycles), climax, denoument.

[Brad R. Torgersen]

Well, nobody can say for sure how Dave's style and tastes will affect the Contest.

Because I know him very well -- and he gave me a glowing critique on my non-winning Finalist that eventually sold to Analog and got the readers' choice award -- I trust Dave in this role, and I think it makes a lot of sense for the Contest. Yeah, Dave's a busy guy. But believe me, he wouldn't take it if he couldn't fit it in to his schedule.

[gower21]

I wouldn't get too over concerned about "try/fail cycles" He pretty much will ignore that if it is a good story. He also said some short stories can't really delve too deep into that anyway. We talked a lot about it at the workshop and he's not as big into them as the Kick in the Pants would lead you to believe. It's just the structure he uses to describe plotting to others. He makes sure to have hurdles for his characters to get over, some call that try/fail others call that the heroes journey, some use the MICE quotient (which Dave also taught us as a possible structure guide). The big thing he hammered on us at the workshop in March was to keep the character in pain, give them a strong goal, and motivation for that goal, then show their journey or adventure to get there. Bottom line the good stories will still float to the top. I don't think it will be a huge difference. Those of you who have been doing well in the contest will continue to do well.

[Travesty]

Hey all,

Just got back from CONduit (Utah SF/F con) and Dave Wolverton (Farland) confirmed that he is the new coordinating judge. I asked if it was confidential (to determine whether it was appropriate to share it on here), and he stated that the decision was official as of last night and that posting was acceptable. I believe the announcement will be made Tuesday, but figured that people on here would be interested in hearing the news now if it was available.

You beat me to it, dude.

Thanks again for our discussions at the conference! (not to mention the book... so much to read!) To be honest, I was surprised that someone else hadn't posted an announcement before me. I figured it probably means more coming from you regardless since I'm new to the forums, and only have questionable credibility. But, then, I also figured that it couldn't hurt to share the information since he said that it no longer needed to be confidential. :D

I've only spoken with Dave Farland on a couple of brief occasions, but from all that I can tell, he should be a great coordinating judge. He even used to be in the position of coordinating judge for a time, if I understand correctly. In any case, as much as I looked forward to reading KDW's review of my submission (assuming it makes it that far... never know with it being my first entry) I hope to have Dave's feedback just as much.

[Stephen Stanley]

Someone who knows more clearly WotF history than I do can correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't Dave coordinating judge before KD took over? Between her and AJ?

EDIT: (Oh, I didn't see the end of the comment above this.... nevermind.)

[Will Mitchell]

Frankly, I am thrilled for the Contest. Dave's not only a hell of a nice guy, but his deep wisdom on story -- the how and the why of successful tale-telling -- is immense. I look forward to seeing his fingerprints on Volume 29, Volume 30, and so forth.

Ditto. He came and talked to us at the Vol 28 workshop week, and as Brad says was a really nice guy, very knowledgable too. Plus he was one of the judges for my quarter so I can thank him for rating my own work highly!
(Of course I have to add KDW herself to that thank-you list.)

Add to that his prior experience with the contest and it sounds like things are in safe hands. I'd hate to see the reading pile he's built up lately though...

Will.

[Dustin Adams]

Will,
I agree.
I was just thinking that he's going to have to haul ass for Q3 and Q4 to get done in time for year-end.

Which means - our Q3 and Q4 openings had better GRAB him or they may find themselves relegated down the list early on.

D

[E.CaimanSands]

Indeed. According to my records, last year I received my Q2 semi-finalist on 30th of June. So Q2 is surely running late.

[Strycher]

So Q2 is surely running late.

Probably. But there could be cosmic reasons for not announcing Q1 yet, and I know if I was in charge I wouldn't send out Q2 rejection e-mails until all the Q1 rejections/HMs were out. If for no other reason than I wouldn't want an avalanche of people contacting me trying to verify which quarter the rejection slip was for.

Farland could be on track for both Q1 and Q2, but they may not have wanted to release results until they could officially point to someone and say, "He's the the judge--blame/thank him." (And I'm guessing that took so long because of contracts and contracts negotiations.) Since we know he's only recently been announced, I think if we see Q1 results in the next week or so, that Q2 results (or at least the rejections) will soon follow.

But. You know. I don't know anything. And the pattern is there is no pattern. So.

[bobsandiego]

I agree that Q2 might be on hold while they finalize Q1. I know when I got my Q1 HM I was confused as to if it was Q1 or Q2. (I was not yet on this forum, bad me, and a blog post about Q4 I had mistaken for Q1.) I'm realyl torn on Q3. I have a story in prgress that I had intended as Q3, but another story that I have written for a commitment to my writers group keeps whispering to me that it woudl make a really good entry, and I know that the writers group plans are pie-in-the-sky stuff that is never going to happen.

[Alex Kane]

Well, nobody can say for sure how Dave's style and tastes will affect the Contest.

Because I know him very well -- and he gave me a glowing critique on my non-winning Finalist that eventually sold to Analog and got the readers' choice award -- I trust Dave in this role, and I think it makes a lot of sense for the Contest. Yeah, Dave's a busy guy. But believe me, he wouldn't take it if he couldn't fit it in to his schedule.

"Outbound" is precisely the reason I'm thrilled to have Dave aboard as the new slusher/editor.

In unrelated news, I got a voicemail on my phone today from Orange County, California, and for a brief instant...I thought to myself, What if it's Dave Wolverton, and my Q2 made finalist? Yeah, dream on. (Telemarketer.)

[ebrewer27]

I'm surprised no one has posted in this thread:

The new coordinating judge is David Farland aka Dave Wolverton.

But I'm sure you already know that :)