Four in Thirty-Five (4 in 35!)

[disgruntledpeony]

And with my Q4 results in, there now is only...

4 in 35! Unless I win or pro out, of course!

Cheers!

~Moon~

Onward and upward! 4 in 35!

[thegirlintheglasses]

Less than five weeks guys! Good luck polishing and pruning. 4 in 35!!!

[disgruntledpeony]

Less than five weeks guys! Good luck polishing and pruning. 4 in 35!!!

Can has rough draft.

[RSchibler]

Send it my way if you want another pair of eyes on! I'm done with my nano novel and have been working on this one for months. I'm way ahead!

[disgruntledpeony]

Send it my way if you want another pair of eyes on! I'm done with my nano novel and have been working on this one for months. I'm way ahead!

I'll send it when it's not total crap.

[michaeljwyantjr]

I'm a little late to the party, but what the hell... I'm in. They might not be my best stories, but they'll be going in each quarter.

[disgruntledpeony]

I'm a little late to the party, but what the hell... I'm in. They might not be my best stories, but they'll be going in each quarter.

Awesome! Technically speaking, you're not late to the party unless you wait until January.

[rachelwrites]

Curious if anyone else has one foot in each quarter right now? I'm editing my Q1, brainstorming my Q2, and working on draft 1 of a novel. Balancing multiple projects is new to me and I'm feeling like a crazy person! How do you all keep it straight? The best I've been able to come up with is different music for each project.

[disgruntledpeony]

Curious if anyone else has one foot in each quarter right now? I'm editing my Q1, brainstorming my Q2, and working on draft 1 of a novel. Balancing multiple projects is new to me and I'm feeling like a crazy person! How do you all keep it straight? The best I've been able to come up with is different music for each project.

I have a story in progress for this quarter and a few potential ideas for what to do next quarter, although I haven't really settled on anything concrete. I also have a previously written story in reserve as a backup, although that a) probably won't go anywhere and b) seems like cheating.

[rachelwrites]

I also have a previously written story in reserve as a backup, although that a) probably won't go anywhere and b) seems like cheating.

To me, this sounds less like cheating and more like insurance!

[disgruntledpeony]

I also have a previously written story in reserve as a backup, although that a) probably won't go anywhere and b) seems like cheating.

To me, this sounds less like cheating and more like insurance!

It feels like cheating because a) my writer's brain claims I should have it out somewhere else and b) it hasn't sold anywhere yet, so it's probably not good enough anyway. Stupid brain, being all cynical. XP

[jficke13]

I also have a previously written story in reserve as a backup, although that a) probably won't go anywhere and b) seems like cheating.

To me, this sounds less like cheating and more like insurance!

It feels like cheating because a) my writer's brain claims I should have it out somewhere else and b) it hasn't sold anywhere yet, so it's probably not good enough anyway. Stupid brain, being all cynical. XP

Wrangle those brain weasels! My 3rd was a piece that got rejected somewhere else and I decided to use in the contest as "insurance." It might not have sold elsewhere because the market it's perfect for is this one.

[disgruntledpeony]

Wrangle those brain weasels!

That's been a difficult task, lately.

[Dustin Adams]

I submit on like the last day in all the quarters I do manage to enter, so no, I don't have all four ready. Wish I did!
I've never done a four'fer, so I'm hoping to make this the first.

[michaeljwyantjr]

Don't suppose anyone here is interested in a story swap? I'm sitting on a ~2,000 submission for Q1, so it's not a super heavy lift on my end (for once).

Ping me if interested!

[reigheena]

1 down, 3 to go. I have next quarter planned, and an idea for third. 4th - no clue.

[amoskalik]

1 down, 3 to go. I have next quarter planned, and an idea for third. 4th - no clue.

I second that.

[michaeljwyantjr]

Q1 submission complete... on to next quarter!

[RSchibler]

Q1 is in. I've got my Q2 plotted completely in my head, which is new. Usually I have setting and instigating incident but no more. I plan to enjoy the next week with my family and then get a first draft written early in the new year.

[AliciaCay]

1 down, 3 to go...

Quarter 2's rough draft is done, just needs some reworking.

Quarter 3's mostly written, just needs an ending -- pesky endings.

And Quarter 4's notes are done, and the outline has been written.

I plan to have all three done by the end of March, then my time will be freed up for novel writing...

That'll do, Donkey. That'll do...

~A

[preston]

Done with one!
It was fun.

Now for two.
Lot's to do.

Don't ask about three.
Too soon, you see.

[AndrewDWallin]

So, I..uh...just figured out how my story works last night in a 3am epiphany.

Now I just need to write, wdit (edit: lol/fail), and polish it before the deadline. That's the easy part, right?

O_o

[disgruntledpeony]

So, I..uh...just figured out how my story works last night in a 3am epiphany.

Now I just need to write, wdit (edit: lol/fail), and polish it before the deadline. That's the easy part, right?

O_o

So long as it's short, it's theoretically doable. Go, go, go!

[AndrewDWallin]

So, I..uh...just figured out how my story works last night in a 3am epiphany.

Now I just need to write, wdit (edit: lol/fail), and polish it before the deadline. That's the easy part, right?

O_o

So long as it's short, it's theoretically doable. Go, go, go!

I'm shooting for 5k words max, so hopefully! Thanks for the encouragement.

[Wulf Moon]

So, I..uh...just figured out how my story works last night in a 3am epiphany.

Now I just need to write, wdit (edit: lol/fail), and polish it before the deadline. That's the easy part, right?

O_o

So long as it's short, it's theoretically doable. Go, go, go!

I'm shooting for 5k words max, so hopefully! Thanks for the encouragement.

No, no, no! I want everyone to submit a story just under 17K, so Dave won't reject me for being long again!

Go, go, go!

And for the record, logging in ONE in FOUR in Thirty-Five.

May the Force be with you!

~Moon~

[rachelwrites]

Oh man. Despite starting early, I'm wrapping things up at the last minute. Going to do a final read through tomorrow and send mine in!

I don't really feel good about it, but I've been working on it for so long and I'm determined to make this quarter. Plus, I want to start on something new.

Good luck folks! Especially my fellow last-minute writers. We can do it!

[Wulf Moon]

Oh man. Despite starting early, I'm wrapping things up at the last minute. Going to do a final read through tomorrow and send mine in!

I don't really feel good about it, but I've been working on it for so long and I'm determined to make this quarter. Plus, I want to start on something new.

Good luck folks! Especially my fellow last-minute writers. We can do it!

You obviously made it as good as you knew how, Rachel. Now, let Dave be the judge and let it go. : )

When I teach watercolor, I tell my students what you leave out can be more important than what you put in. Too many new artists keep going back and working and reworking their paintings. At some point, they hit that one stroke too many point, and the painting is diminished, and if they can't stop themselves, it actually gets ruined as they keep going back in. It's good to step away and say, "Done is good."

And it's a great feeling to walk away from the old, take a deep breath...and try something entirely new.

Warmth and sunshine,

~Moon~

[rachelwrites]

When I teach watercolor, I tell my students what you leave out can be more important than what you put in. Too many new artists keep going back and working and reworking their paintings. At some point, they hit that one stroke too many point, and the painting is diminished, and if they can't stop themselves, it actually gets ruined as they keep going back in. It's good to step away and say, "Done is good."

And I'm in!! Thank you, Moon, for the encouraging words that helped me feel slightly less crazy as I polished my story today. And thank you to all the awesome folks who critiqued my crappy early drafts! I learned so much from this story.

[Beth Powers]

I haven't done a good job of reading the forum lately, but I think this is great! With my entry today, I'm starting my second decade of 4 contest submissions each year. I cut it closer than I have in a long time on this quarter, so this will be good motivation to make sure I start early on the next one

[Wulf Moon]

When I teach watercolor, I tell my students what you leave out can be more important than what you put in. Too many new artists keep going back and working and reworking their paintings. At some point, they hit that one stroke too many point, and the painting is diminished, and if they can't stop themselves, it actually gets ruined as they keep going back in. It's good to step away and say, "Done is good."

And I'm in!! Thank you, Moon, for the encouraging words that helped me feel slightly less crazy as I polished my story today. And thank you to all the awesome folks who critiqued my crappy early drafts! I learned so much from this story.

You're welcome, Rachel! It's very easy to rewrite a story to death, instead of to life. I am always scared when I go in for a rewrite, and I put on kid gloves and say to myself, "Handle delicately if you must."

One thing I'm sure all of you have found. The more you write, the better your first drafts start looking.

That's because we're getting better.

Cheers!

~Moon~