NEW USERS! INTRODUCE YOURSELVES!

[geoedwar]

Hi Carol.

I haven't gotten anything published either (I've never submitted long fiction and got my first short fiction rejection this month). I figure this process- submitting, revising, submitting, revising, write, write, write- is a crucible for getting better. I have self-doubt (was that last sentenced decorated with the correct punctuation??...) that sometimes drives me to lessen my output. Reading success stories on this forum is helpful though. They all seem like normal enough folks.

[s_c_baker]

Hello, I'm Carrol Fix.

Just wanted to check in. I'm a retired computer consultant with many years of writers' itch. Very uncomfortable. Rejections and no ligitimately published items. (Unless you count high school newspapers )
I'm embarrassed to admit I've actually gone the vanity press route. My self-confidence level is so low I have pretty much given up on submitting to traditional publishers. Ok. TMI. Here I am, following insructions to the letter, as usual.

Happy to be aboard. Looks like fun here.

Ditto what Jeanette said. :)

You might want to consider the critique board here--it's a good place to get feedback from fellow writers. :)

[gower21]

Welcome George and Carrol!!

I'll second the critique board on here. If you have the motivation to improve and want to publish I think the most direct route is to join a forum like this post in the writing section and ask questions on how to improve in certain areas.

Also there is not shame in "vanity press" if you're referring to indie and self-published route as long as you keep working on craft in the meantime and this is not a way you've "given up" -- a lot writers don't write just for themselves. We all want to be read and after years of not being read, it all starts to feel pointless. Sometimes seeing publication (of any kind) is a way to remind us we are still trying. Sometimes for people it's "the last stop" decide what person you are. Personally, I'd not look at it as a closed door, but opening a few windows to air the place out.

[ADStecker]

Hello All,

Like most posting in this forum, I am new to writersofthefuture.com. I found this site a month or two ago as I had been searching for publications in which to send my work. Actually, I had been reading another writer's short story on a different online publication website when I first found out about it. The story was from a previous Writers of the Future winner, Marie Croke. I saw that she had won in 2012 and became interested in her story (her actual story). Like her, I myself have always loved creating stories. Also like her, one day a switch went off and I knew what I had to do. I have been sitting in front of this computer ever since. Not literally, but you get the point. I plan to submit a short story this quarter and am currently reviewing it for the 1,586th time. I have plenty of stories to choose from, but chose this particular story because of an unknown reason. I seem to gravitate towards it more than my other stories, although I do love them as well. Any tips for another beginner?

~Thanks!

[s_c_baker]

Hi AD,

Welcome!

If you want to get outside feedback on your story, you can post a message with word count and genre (but please nothing else! You might disqualify yourself!) in the "Story Critique Exchange" sub-forum. That might help you break the "stare-at-it-until-your-eyes-fall-out" cycle.

[austinDm]

Welcome AD (gee, your initials look familiar )

I second Stewart's advice. Don't spend too long on revision (though there are various schools of thought as to how long is too long). Write. Submit. Repeat.

[morshana]

Welcome to the forum, AD!

[ADStecker]

Thanks for the welcome guys!

I just received my purchased copy of Writers of the Future Volume 28 and plan on reading up on what is considered finalist-worthy writing. I'm looking forward to seeing where I place among other writers like me who have not had previous work published as of yet. I plan to continue submitting short-stories to other publications throughout my endeavor to be selected for Writers of the Future, so although the plan is to be published, I hope I do not go over the allowed limit of 3 published short-stories before I have the opportunity to take advantage of the benefits winning this contest would allow!

~Thanks again!

[LDWriter2]

Hello All,

Like most posting in this forum, I am new to writersofthefuture.com. I found this site a month or two ago as I had been searching for publications in which to send my work. Actually, I had been reading another writer's short story on a different online publication website when I first found out about it. The story was from a previous Writers of the Future winner, Marie Croke. I saw that she had won in 2012 and became interested in her story (her actual story). Like her, I myself have always loved creating stories. Also like her, one day a switch went off and I knew what I had to do. I have been sitting in front of this computer ever since. Not literally, but you get the point. I plan to submit a short story this quarter and am currently reviewing it for the 1,586th time. I have plenty of stories to choose from, but chose this particular story because of an unknown reason. I seem to gravitate towards it more than my other stories, although I do love them as well. Any tips for another beginner?

~Thanks!

A little late here but be welcome

Try ralan.com for markets.
There is another site but it costs now, I have no idea how much.

But as someone said already too many reviews-revisions--polishing can ruin the soup. Most of us have done that for it is an easy trap to get into but now I'm down to three and others do one edit check.

[dantzel]

The Submissions Grinder is a brand-new website where you can find short story markets, and after you've submitted your story, you can 'track' it and get a better idea of when you might expect a reply.

It's also a FREE website.

If you feel like paying, you can mosey over to Duotrope, but the Submissions Grinder is pretty much as good, and will only get better from here.

[s_c_baker]

Duotrope does seem to have a free 30-day trial, so you can at least compare before deciding whether to use one or the other (or both). :)

[LDWriter2]

The Submissions Grinder is a brand-new website where you can find short story markets, and after you've submitted your story, you can 'track' it and get a better idea of when you might expect a reply.

It's also a FREE website.

If you feel like paying, you can mosey over to Duotrope, but the Submissions Grinder is pretty much as good, and will only get better from here.

I forgot about them since they are new and I've never been there.

[ambrosialyn]

Hello, I'm totally new to this. I ran across the contest a couple days ago while looking for information on an environmental essay contest a friend suggested I enter. This seemed right up my alley. I did a lot of writing years ago but never got anything besides one poem published. I quit writing (and reading) for a long time. There is a pretty colorful story why that happened, but I'm not sure this is the time or place to share it. I decided about 6 months ago to start writing again. Being a writer was the only thing I have ever been able to see myself doing, it just took a long time and finding myself to get back on the path of that. It's kind of refreshing to see a community of writers who all seem very nice. Normally I have thought of this as a solitary path, and a very difficult one. At least here there are some friendly people who are all struggling together.

[MeganG]

Hi everyone!

My good friend Dantzel twisted my arm enough that I decided to stop lurking and introduce myself to you fine people. So here goes: My name is Megan Grey, and I've been submitting to Writers of the Future over the last two years (though very infrequently, unfortunately - I hope to change that this year). I currently live in Calgary, but as my husband works for the oil and gas industry, that status changes every few years. I know Brad T. and several others from attending the fantastic Superstars Writing Seminars and also from WorldCon and World Fantasy Con this past year, but I look forward to getting to know the rest of you all!

[s_c_baker]

Hi Megan and Lyn! Looking forward to getting to know you both. This whole writing thing is definitely more fun when done in a group.

[austinDm]

Welcome Lyn and Megan! You've come to the right place, and I'll echo Stewart that we're all eager to get to know you!

[Ishmael]

Wow! All these new arrivals since I last checked in here.
I've been dealing with amnesia. Sort of.
Hello, you all. Good luck to you.

[morshana]

Welcome Lyn and Megan! And I agree, being part of a writing community is WAY better than doing it alone.

[bobsandiego]

Welcome Lyn and Megan!

[MeganG]

Thanks, everyone! Y'all know how to make a girl feel welcome.

[preston]

Welcome Megan,
Wow a Silver HM? That's the rarest one of all!
best of luck,
Preston Dennett
(HM x 4)

[MeganG]

Thanks, Preston! The Silver HM was actually for my first entry, so I was pretty blown away (and downright giddy for weeks). Of course, my next entry - which I thought was a better story - got a straight-up rejection, so I guess beginner's luck may have had something to do with it.

[s_c_baker]

Thanks, Preston! The Silver HM was actually for my first entry, so I was pretty blown away (and downright giddy for weeks). Of course, my next entry - which I thought was a better story - got a straight-up rejection, so I guess beginner's luck may have had something to do with it.

Curse that beginner's luck! My own trajectory was: Semi-finalist; rejection; HM; rejection; rejection; HM; HM; ???? (with a few missed quarters in there somewhere)

[jose77sanchez]

HI everybody.

My name is Jose Sanchez and although I'm new to this forum, I'm not new to the contest-specifically the Art side of it.I am American and was born in Miami, Florida to Cuban parents and like many artists, I have been doodling for as long as I can remember-( that's practically my whole life! )-so far, and I've been sending in entries since about 1998-Yes! since then-wow "time does fly when your having fun!" Anyhow, to make a long story short-I 've gotten close to winning at least a few times-or at least it feels that way. Once got an honorable mention, complete with a nice diploma and art critique and back in July of 2009 made it to 4th place semi-finalist ( check the IOTF Blog ). I even got a phone call from the then art contest coordinator. I think her first name was Rachel-sorry I don't recall her full name at the moment. I had entered a black and white with grey tones illustration that NO thanks to the Photoshop program, had been interpreted as being created in color-(the contest rules back then, only accepted black and white artwork-NO COLOR and I unknowingly scanned my image in color mode-the problem turns out that because it involved grey hues and some were labeled colors like "cool gray", Photoshop "picked up" on this cool- bluish gray color in some areas of the illustration and exaggerated it, and she ( the contest admin. back then, thought that I may not have a chance with the judges even though she believed me, since it looked a little blue in some areas-even though it wasn't!!!
You can imagine how I felt-it was very frustrating!-and to add insult to injury, she told me that I was very good- to which I humbly replied gratefully...
Today, no one needs to worry about this, since color is now accepted and given this fact, it makes a huge difference for me, since I love to work in color.

[s_c_baker]

Hi Jose, good to see more artists on board!

[MeganG]

Welcome, Jose!

[morshana]

Welcome aboard, Jose!

[austinDm]

Welcome, Jose! I look forward to seeing your art in a future anthology!

[J. Scott Marlatt]

Welcome, Jose!

[jose77sanchez]

Hi Jose, good to see more artists on board!

Welcome, Jose!

Welcome aboard, Jose!

Welcome, Jose! I look forward to seeing your art in a future anthology!

Welcome, Jose!

Thanks for the welcome people!
I am glad to be a part of this group-as you all seem pretty friendly and educated as well.
austinDm, thanks for your positive encouragement-hopefully the good Lord hears you, since I've been entering my art since about 1998 and s_c_baker you are also an artist?... If so, good to know and since when have you been entering your work?...
By the way, I have a question for anyone who might know, can you "re-enter" a submission in future quarters even though you didn't make it the first time around?... Or are we "cattle branded" with it for life?...

So long