Martin L. Shoemaker wrote: Some people, soulmirror prominent among them, have lamented how writer-heavy the forum is. I see his point, but that can't change unless illustrators take the time to change it. And I like to learn more about the illustrator side.
well ... I don't mean to 'lament' that the forum is 'writer-heavy'

... I just wish it could be more balanced and
equally ILLUSTRATOR-heavy!
That's no reflection on the contests or the folks here. The contests are set up to treat us fairly the same, and
do ... and the
forums are a fair tool and could be whatever we make of them!
Realistically, Writers are probably more likely creatures of the Word and so more writers come to trade words here in a forum.
Realistically, the contests have had a rich history of MANY (many!) Russian, Ukrainian, and other "non-native-English-speaking" artist winners ... who simply may not frequent our own English-language forum (it would be interesting to know what IOTF forums may exist where the discussions are in non-English languages.)
"Welcome, Russian-speaking illustrators! We invite you to join us in our discussions about art and how to win the IOTF contest!
You can go here,
http://www.babblefish.com/freetranslator.phptype your Russian comments in and have them automatically translated into English!"
"Добро пожаловать, русско-говорящий иллюстраторов! Мы приглашаем вас присоединиться к нам в наших дискуссиях об искусстве и, как выиграть конкурс IOTF! Вы можете пойти сюда,
http://www.babblefish.com/freetranslator.php
типа вашего Россию в комментарии и их автоматически переведены на английский язык!"re-translates as:
Good to grant, the Russian- speaker of illustrators! We invite you to be joined to us in our discussions about the skill and how to win competition IOTF! You can go here, the type of your Russia in the commentary and them it is automatically translated into the English!
(I'm not quite sure, but ... odd translations creeping in ... I may have just gotten mail-order-married to Russian supermodel Irina Shayk!

If so ... it'd be another example of how IOTF has been a very, very good run!

And if not I would still like to offer to steal American rocket secrets for you, Comrade Irina ... except that it appears we'll be thumbing our rides on Russian spaceships for the foreseeable future now that the space shuttle is ending. However, as a wanna-be sci-fi writer, let me add that I'd be happy to make up whatever outrageous 'rocket secrets" that might win even the smallest of smiles from you!)
In your last few posts, you've educated me a lot. Thank you. And please keep doing so when your schedule permits.
And I cannot possibly agree with that sentiment more: It was YOUR initial example of being a "double-winner" Stephen, that inspired me to keep trying to write and enter stories too (when there was never much question in my own mind that writing prose was a much less-likely, longer-shot for me)
And there's no doubt that it was your presence here and continual helpful advice that made winning even the Illustrators side of the contest possible for me! I know your insights help ALL the illustrators too! So THANK YOU for your continued help and presence here!