NEW USERS! INTRODUCE YOURSELVES!

[Kary English]

Howdy, all. I'm technically not new here, but just returned after a hiatus.

I've been really lazy about writing lately, so I've decided to enter next quarter for the first time (and every quarter after that), just to give myself a kick in the pants to write more (and finish more!). I don't expect to do well, but at least if I have a goal it'll push me to improve. Here's looking forward to my very first rejection!

cheers!

Welcome back! And just in time for Q4, too. :)

[Melontine]

Hi my name is Cora, you may call me that or my pen name Melontine.
I entered in the writers contest this past September and I am patiently awaiting the result of my very first entry. (Probably a reject, but who knows.) I'm probably just going to hang out and lurk about forums. But every once in a while I'll post and share a few thoughts. I look forward to lurking and chatting with each of you, and improving my skills as a writer. This seems like the place for it after all.

[dracoangelica]

Hi my name is Cora, you may call me that or my pen name Melontine.
I entered in the writers contest this past September and I am patiently awaiting the result of my very first entry. (Probably a reject, but who knows.) I'm probably just going to hang out and lurk about forums. But every once in a while I'll post and share a few thoughts. I look forward to lurking and chatting with each of you, and improving my skills as a writer. This seems like the place for it after all.

Hello fellow new person! I also made my first entry for Quarter 4. Good luck and welcome!

[Elen Tel'Ithil]

Hi Yoyo and Cora!

[Beth Powers]

Hello, Everyone! I've been reading the forum for awhile now, and I've been submitting to the contest even longer (oh my, I just counted and I've submitted to 28 quarters! And all but one of those was consecutive!), so I figured it was time to join, mostly to better obsess over results

[Elen Tel'Ithil]

Hello, Everyone! I've been reading the forum for awhile now, and I've been submitting to the contest even longer (oh my, I just counted and I've submitted to 28 quarters! And all but one of those was consecutive!), so I figured it was time to join, mostly to better obsess over results

Wow, Beth, that's awesome!

[Dustin Adams]

28!
That's awesome.

Of the 19 quarters since I first began, I've subbed to 14 of them.
So, you're twice ahead of me!

[storysinger]

Welcome Cora, Beth and yoyo123 and anyone else I may have overlooked.
New forum surfers are always welcome.

[scott.parkin]

Welcome all!

It's only a party if everyone plays, so welcome aboard and don't be shy.

[mack]

Hi, I'm Mack. I heard of the contest back in 2007, I think it's cool. I'll be entering for this first quarter.

[Elen Tel'Ithil]

Hi, I'm Mack. I heard of the contest back in 2007, I think it's cool. I'll be entering for this first quarter.

Welcome, Mack! Best of luck on your current story!

[Ishmael]

Welcome to newcomers, returners and de-lurkers. I remember I took quite a lot of persuading to join the forum, though I don't remember why. It's turned out to be a very instructive and helpful place.

[dracoangelica]

Hi, I'm Mack. I heard of the contest back in 2007, I think it's cool. I'll be entering for this first quarter.

Hi Mack! Welcome to the forum!

[daches]

Hi all! New user to the forum. I made my first submission to wotf in Q4V31 so I'm eagerly checking everyone's posts to see if anyone heard news yet.

Good luck to all who submitted!

[dracoangelica]

Welcome daches! Good luck! It's a good group down here. We're all checking our emails with trepidation right now, haha. Glad you came to join us.

[Elen Tel'Ithil]

Hi all! New user to the forum. I made my first submission to wotf in Q4V31 so I'm eagerly checking everyone's posts to see if anyone heard news yet.

Good luck to all who submitted!

Hi daches! Thanks, and good luck to you, too!

[VernonHedrick]

Hi everyone. Vernon Hedrick here! Long-time lurker, first-time poster.

I got an honorable mention last quarter and now I'm a little obsessed...

Got a stupid question though: The rules state that the contest "is open only to those who have not professionally published a novel or short novel, or more than one novelette, or more than three short stories."

I sold a novelette a couple of months back. Am I correct to think that I could still sell THREE short stories before I am no longer eligible?

Just wondering, thanks. Good to be here!

[Starkiller]

Hello all. As so many before me, I'm a long time lurker, first time poster. I actually registered to try and help Ishmael recover his lost story, but I see he no longer requires assistance, so I thought I might as well go all the way and introduce myself. Nothing exciting in the contest to report, I'm afraid. I've gotten several rejections, and now have a Q4 story that barely made it in under the wire, so... we shall see...

[Kary English]

Welcome Vernon and Starkiller! And if I've missed anyone, welcome to any I've missed.

Things are a bit quiet at present. Mostly folks are hiding (ahem, twitching) in their rejection-proof shelters until we see more action on Q4. In the meantime, though, bust out your Q1s and get writing. :)

Cheers,

Kary

[storysinger]

Welcome daches, starkiller and VernonHedrick. Good luck to your efforts in the contest.

[preston]

Welcome, all!

[scott.parkin]

Welcome, welcome all new and delurking forumites.

I sold a novelette a couple of months back. Am I correct to think that I could still sell THREE short stories before I am no longer eligible?

A couple of thoughts---

First, the guidelines suggest publish, not sell. A fair few prize winners got their win after selling their last eligible story, but before its actual appearance (with final appearance happening after quarterly submission, but before actually winning four months later).

Second, that is professional publication, which is to say minimum pay of six cents a word AND distribution of five thousand copies (or views for electronic publication).

Third, the guidelines do say "...more than one novelette, or more than three short stories..." which argues (as you posit) that so long as you don't exceed either requirement you would remain eligible.

Finally, the contest exists to discover pro-level talent, with winners increasingly being people who are starting to sell regularly to pro markets. The contest administrator wants to be convinced, so if you're an edge case but make a good argument (and write a prizewinning story) arguable requirements can often be successfully argued.

Go for it. The best answer is just to win.

[TristiKitty]

Hi there. My name is Tristi Mullett and this is my first time entering the contest. It's actually my first time submitting any sort of fiction to any venue, really. It's a bit nerve-wracking, to be honest. But I promised myself I would do it this year, and I've made it prior to the final deadline. I guess now it's a matter of waiting... and keeping my fingers, arms, toes, legs, and eyes crossed.

--Seriously Nervous
Tristi Kitty

[bobsandiego]

Hi there. My name is Tristi Mullett and this is my first time entering the contest. It's actually my first time submitting any sort of fiction to any venue, really. It's a bit nerve-wracking, to be honest. But I promised myself I would do it this year, and I've made it prior to the final deadline. I guess now it's a matter of waiting... and keeping my fingers, arms, toes, legs, and eyes crossed.

--Seriously Nervous
Tristi Kitty

Welcome the party, Tristi Kitty.
you'll find everyone here kind and helpful...
Except for me.

LOL

[storysinger]

Welcome TristiKitty to the forum .

[jaw86]

Hi all. I've been lurking (and probably will go back to it again soon). But thought I'd wave and say hello.

I'm submitting for the first time this quarter. My 'rejection box' is waiting to be filled. I think I might aim for submitting twice a year. I'd do quarterly entries, but I think my plate is too full for that.

You'll see me around. Maybe not a lot, but I'll post now and then. :)

-Jessica

p.s. - good luck to everyone!!!

[KbRy]

Welcome, Jessica! Glad you decided to say hi and best of luck to you!

[debardelaben]

Dwayne here ... down in the deep south (Alabama), which has been unusually cold of late.

Submitted for the first time this last quarter ... patiently waiting for my rejection. Well, somewhat patiently. The angst and twitching on the Jibber Jabber threads make me smile. There's a feeling of camaraderie in knowing I'm not the only one who checks email and scans the board on a regular basis.

I submitted on a whim, blissfully unaware of the event's history, and forgot about it. Then I received an email from Joni telling me I had made the first cut. I was still fine until I made the mistake of watching last year's awards. It was then that I realized the scope of this contest, and the daydreams started. Is there a time-honored antidote?

[Kary English]

Welcome to Tristi, Jessica and Dewayne!

There's anti-twich cream behind the bar next to the +5 Tequila of Oblivion. Don't overdo it with the cream. There may be... side effects.

[DoctorJest]

Hi, guys --

I am me. Bah, I'm never good at these introduce-yourself things, but I'm still me. And I'm Rob, if that helps anyone. I'm not entirely sure it helps me.

I entered WOTF for the first time in the 2014 fourth quarter, mostly just to get rid of my nerves about the idea of entering it--now, I look forward to a fine future of getting rejected and then trying again. Hurrah!