NEW USERS! INTRODUCE YOURSELVES!

[liz]

Welcome Anthony!

[rebeccy88]

Hello everyone- new here. Planning to enter the contest after working on a story for about a year now. This looks like a great community and I hope to learn as much as I can.

Currently writing to you all from Boston!

[preston]

Hello everyone- new here. Planning to enter the contest after working on a story for about a year now. This looks like a great community and I hope to learn as much as I can.

Currently writing to you all from Boston!

Bawsten! Welcome, Rebeccy! Definitely lots to learn here. Good luck with your first entry. Several people have won this contest on their first entry (not me... ) Maybe you'll be the next!

[bobsandiego]

Abandon all hope ye who enter....

sorry, wrong script.

LINE!

*ah hem*

Welcome, everyone here is happy to serve you. We've got the most glorious oven...

(Storms off comes back with new pages)

Really, have a good time, don't in rejectomancy, and remember we're all here to support, help, and spread rum and cookies.

[rebeccy88]

Abandon all hope ye who enter....

sorry, wrong script.

LINE!

*ah hem*

Welcome, everyone here is happy to serve you. We've got the most glorious oven...

(Storms off comes back with new pages)

Really, have a good time, don't in rejectomancy, and remember we're all here to support, help, and spread rum and cookies.

This made me laugh out loud. Thanks for the welcome! And so far, I'm liking my rejections. Maybe I've just run into good editors because they all offer helpful crit that I can avoid in the future.

First time winners, eh? Who knows.

[liz]

Hello everyone- new here. Planning to enter the contest after working on a story for about a year now. This looks like a great community and I hope to learn as much as I can.

Currently writing to you all from Boston!

Welcome

[Elliot Andrews]

Hello group! I heard about the contest a year ago and have been mulling it over ever since. I've got a couple story ideas brewing but nothing ready for submission yet. The forum seems pretty interesting -- I can't wait to interact with other writers and readers and learn what I can. :)

[disgruntledpeony]

Welcome, good sir Elliot. I'm relatively new myself, but this forum seems to be fun and interesting. Enjoy your stay here! :)

[storysinger]

Welcome to the forum Elliot. Turn those ideas to stories and submit. You can do it.

[OldDarth]

Hey all!

Greetings from Canada.

Long time SF Fan here - grew up with the original Star Trek which tells you my vintage. It's only in the last few years that I've developed the sense of confidence to begin writing. Grew up with the masters from the previous generation ie Asimov, Clarke, Heinlein, Bradbury, Ellison, Pohl, Sturgeon, Farmer etc

Kept up with the field and it has been very wonderful to see the field progress from those earlier days to become a much more mature one with works that contain not only amazing ideas but such wonderfully realized and complex characters.

These are heady times.

Of course, the evolution of the genre means new writers must stand on the shoulders of previous and current masters of the field and reach for a writing bar that has been set much higher. But hey, who doesn't like a challenge!

So I've submitted my first piece to WOTF for the recent quarter and received a Silver Honourable Mention which, as you can imagine, is a wonderful boost. Now to craft a story that will take me to the next level!

Best of writing to you all!

Lou W. Sytsma

[preston]

Welcome, Lou, and congrats on your Silver. That's pretty spiffy! And yes, I agree, this field has grown in all kinds of ways. Good luck on your future entries.

[storysinger]

Welcome to the forum Lou. SHM is awesome, congratulations.

[OldDarth]

Thanks Storysinger and Preston.

Same wishes to you.

[Ghosthack]

Welp, another log on the digital fire...


Hi all, just submitted my first.
No pressure.

[kentagions]

- Great start, Lou! Welcome to the forum, where all of your dreams of avarice will come true. I sleep with my laptop open to the Writing: Craft, Talent, Technique forum and let the knowledge sink in subconsciously. And it works! So far I am completely unaware of how much more knowledge I possess.

- Welcome Ghosthack. That first entry is like leaving your infant to a babysitter for the first time. You'll never be more nervous or anxious awaiting a result in all of your life. You'll find, unfortunately, that you'll never be less nervous or anxious awaiting results for any subsequent submissions you might have to make.

[Ishmael]

Oh my! I haven't dropped by here for some time and look what happens - not only do lots of new people arrive but some of them have nearly won the competition already. Now this showeth a lack of discipline sirrahs: how canst thou work thy way up from the bottom if thou startest at the top?

Mayhap during thy brief sojourn in this vale of tears thou wilt encounter the wreckage left behind by those who have voyaged this way before. Nay rather I should say attempted to go before but grounded on the deadly sandbanks and shoals that protect the sheltered haven of the annual awards show.

One such now bids thee welcome. Only remember to clap thy hands, spin widdershins and recite a suitable cantrip and who knows? Thou mayest ...

Shiver me timbers, Ishmael, you don't half spout some bilge. Why not just say hello and welcome?

Hello and welcome.

See. That wasn't so hard, was it?

[MattDovey]

Probably long overdue for me to sign up here.

Hi! I'm Matt. In August 2012 I thought two foolish things:
* "I'm really broke this month. I know, I should sell some fiction! That'll help with money."
* "I've got some really good stuff already. It'll sell straight away! The world will be falling over itself to rain plaudits down upon me."

Suffice to say, the three years since have had a distinct lack of payments and praise. But still! If we weren't all a little arrogant, we'd never send anything out, right? The constant rollercoaster between utter conviction and desperate fear is part of the journey.

I've had six entries in WoTF so far, two of which were Honourable Mentions, and one of which I'm still waiting on a final answer for, which is as much I think I'm allowed to say, but it's doing well, y'know?

I've been a critter for the last couple of years and done a lot of learning there, I have listened to every single episode in the Writing Excuses archive (what else am I to do on an hour long commute?), and I will win this bloody contest even if I have to outlive the rest of the human race such that I'm the only actual entrant in a given quarter.

[storysinger]

Congrats on your progress Matt and good luck. Sounds like you may not have to wait that long for success.

[Dustin Adams]

Welcome Matt of the winking smiley.

[Jason Parker]

Hi. I found Writers of the Future through David Farland's newsletter. I made my first submission to the contest this quarter and I'm looking forward to making another next quarter. Nice to meet you.

[Ishmael]

Greetings and good luck Matt and Jason.

You don't have to be mad to enter this competition, but it can help.

That's enough, Long John.

[RandallHzr]

thanks

[storysinger]

Welcome to the forum and good luck with the contest Randal and Jason. You may have found your sweet spot.

[Randy Hulshizer]

Hi, I'm Randy from Pennsylvania. I recently submitted a story to the WotF contest for the first time. Nice to meet all of you.

[storysinger]

Welcome Randy. Best of luck with your story.

[Jason Parker]

Nice to meet you, storysinger. I'm also in Pensacola. Well, Gulf Breeze. And I also play guitar. Funny.

[storysinger]

That's cool Jason. Gives merit to the saying it's a small world after all. I've sent you a PM.

[petersluken]

Howdy all,

I'm Luke from Orem, Utah. Strictly speaking I'm not a new user, but it's been a good long while. I guess I'm ready for more punishment from this contest.

Best of luck to all who are submitting this quarter.

[preston]

Howdy all,

I'm Luke from Orem, Utah. Strictly speaking I'm not a new user, but it's been a good long while. I guess I'm ready for more punishment from this contest.

Best of luck to all who are submitting this quarter.

A glutton for punishment? You'll fit right in! Welcome, and never give up!

[liz]

Wow, lot's of new people! Welcome everyone, this is a good place to be