Discussion - Q2 - Volume 35
Re: Discussion - Q2 - Volume 35
Rejected.
But apparently the “good news” is that I can get access to writing tips that only winners were allowed to see before...
But apparently the “good news” is that I can get access to writing tips that only winners were allowed to see before...
Re: Discussion - Q2 - Volume 35
I'm hit!! Need to eject, got to... BZZZZZZZZZZT (<---- insert sound of radio static)
"R" for me. Commiserations for those of you in the same boat, er plane! And congrats to those who get to keep on twitching.
"R" for me. Commiserations for those of you in the same boat, er plane! And congrats to those who get to keep on twitching.
SHM x3
HM x4
R - lots!
HM x4
R - lots!
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Re: Discussion - Q2 - Volume 35
They sent me two rejection emails in a row so it must have been really bad...
It was a first submission so I'll just keep trying. Also, they did mention tips that are available which is pretty cool. Good luck to everyone else!

It was a first submission so I'll just keep trying. Also, they did mention tips that are available which is pretty cool. Good luck to everyone else!
Re: Discussion - Q2 - Volume 35
I'm out. But the good news is, my Rs sell better than HMs, so off to the Grinder!
Trajectory HM R R HM R R HM HM HM R R R R HM R HM HM
Re: Discussion - Q2 - Volume 35
Got an HM. Always hoping for more, but pretty happy regardless. And now I've brought my R:HM ratio back to 1:1. Good luck to everyone still waiting!
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Re: Discussion - Q2 - Volume 35
HM for me. Now I can start twitching for Q3!
WOTF: HM x 9, SHMx1, SF x 1, F V31 Q3, V32 Q2, V32 Q4, V34 Q3, V36 Q1
Baen Fantasy Award Winner 2014
V32 Published Finalist
Baen Fantasy Award Winner 2014
V32 Published Finalist
- michaeljwyantjr
- Posts: 289
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- Location: Lost in the country, NY
- Contact:
Re: Discussion - Q2 - Volume 35
Another R to add to my list.
"If you can do it for joy, you can do it forever."
- Stephen King
Drop me a line at https://morganbroadhead.com
HM x 1
R x 4
- Stephen King
Drop me a line at https://morganbroadhead.com
HM x 1
R x 4
Re: Discussion - Q2 - Volume 35
HM's are going out also... landed myself yet another one.
~A
~A
V32: HM (Q4)
V33: HM, HM, SHM, HM
V34: R, R, HM, HM
V35: HM, HM, R, HM
V36: R, R, SHM, Q4-TBD
https://aliciacay.com
V33: HM, HM, SHM, HM
V34: R, R, HM, HM
V35: HM, HM, R, HM
V36: R, R, SHM, Q4-TBD
https://aliciacay.com
Re: Discussion - Q2 - Volume 35
And I just got served. A silver honorable mention for Q2--the judge's way of saying if you give this another pass, it could be a finalist next time. This makes 12 honors out of the 13 times I've entered with David Farland as judge.
You're killin' me, Dave. : )
You're killin' me, Dave. : )
Wulf Moon http://driftweave.com
Q4 Vol 35 "Super-Duper Moongirl..."
Critters Readers Award: #1, "War Dog," Best SF&F Short Story of 2018
NEW! "Weep No More..." DEEP MAGIC Fall 2019 http://amazon.com/author/wulfmoon
Q4 Vol 35 "Super-Duper Moongirl..."
Critters Readers Award: #1, "War Dog," Best SF&F Short Story of 2018
NEW! "Weep No More..." DEEP MAGIC Fall 2019 http://amazon.com/author/wulfmoon
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Re: Discussion - Q2 - Volume 35
And another HM for me.
This is getting repetitive.
Not that I'm complaining, mind you. 
This is getting repetitive.


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Re: Discussion - Q2 - Volume 35
R.
I kinda suspected it was too irreverent and unusual, but still.

Michelle Pang
http://www.ympang.com
1xFinalist, 10xHM
"Subtle Ways Each Time" in Escape Pod.
"The Palace of the Silver Dragon" in Strange Horizons.
http://www.ympang.com
1xFinalist, 10xHM
"Subtle Ways Each Time" in Escape Pod.
"The Palace of the Silver Dragon" in Strange Horizons.
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Re: Discussion - Q2 - Volume 35
Wow, did not expect this...

Now to submit a story for Q3!

Now to submit a story for Q3!
1x SF
2x HM
2x R
---
“If you hide your ignorance, no one will hit you and you'll never learn.” ― Ray Bradbury
2x HM
2x R
---
“If you hide your ignorance, no one will hit you and you'll never learn.” ― Ray Bradbury
- Thomas Woodward
- Posts: 53
- Joined: Wed Jul 05, 2017 6:18 am
Re: Discussion - Q2 - Volume 35
R here. Congrats/commiserations to everyone and good luck in the next quarter! 

4x R
7x HM
2020 Superstars Writing Seminar scholarship award recipient
"No subject is terrible if the story is true, if the prose is clean and honest, and if it affirms courage and grace under pressure." — Ernest Hemingway
7x HM
2020 Superstars Writing Seminar scholarship award recipient
"No subject is terrible if the story is true, if the prose is clean and honest, and if it affirms courage and grace under pressure." — Ernest Hemingway
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- Joined: Wed Apr 04, 2018 1:34 pm
Re: Discussion - Q2 - Volume 35
Is there a difference between honorable mention and silver honorable mention? What does silver honorable mention even mean? how many get it? How many entrants? Still super stoked since I didn't even realize how big this contest was when I entered this Q2 for the first time ever. So excited. Wonder if I can come with something for Q3 before this saturday haha! It's doable right?
Re: Discussion - Q2 - Volume 35
cfkreitzer@gmail.com wrote:Is there a difference between honorable mention and silver honorable mention? What does silver honorable mention even mean? how many get it? How many entrants? Still super stoked since I didn't even realize how big this contest was when I entered this Q2 for the first time ever. So excited. Wonder if I can come with something for Q3 before this saturday haha! It's doable right?
Silver Honorable Mentions are a tier above Honorable Mentions. There are dozens of HM, but only a handful of Silvers. For an idea of relative numbers - check https://www.writersofthefuture.com/writ ... 8-winners/
And I got a rejection. Both of my resubmissions got downgraded a tier this year.

Silver Honorable Mention: 3
Honorable Mentions: 7. Published HM - Infant Insomnia
Other published works
Honorable Mentions: 7. Published HM - Infant Insomnia
Other published works
Re: Discussion - Q2 - Volume 35
cfkreitzer@gmail.com wrote:Is there a difference between honorable mention and silver honorable mention? What does silver honorable mention even mean? how many get it? How many entrants? Still super stoked since I didn't even realize how big this contest was when I entered this Q2 for the first time ever. So excited. Wonder if I can come with something for Q3 before this saturday haha! It's doable right?
I tried to delve into what an HM/SHM means in this post: https://jonficke.com/2017/12/17/what-an ... ion-means/
HM x2, Vol. 34 Q4 - 3rd. http://www.jonficke.com
Re: Discussion - Q2 - Volume 35
cfkreitzer@gmail.com wrote:Is there a difference between honorable mention and silver honorable mention? What does silver honorable mention even mean? how many get it? How many entrants? Still super stoked since I didn't even realize how big this contest was when I entered this Q2 for the first time ever. So excited. Wonder if I can come with something for Q3 before this saturday haha! It's doable right?
It's doable. Due to my wife's health issues, I once had six hours before deadline and decided I didn't want the quarter to pass without a story. I wrote it in four hours, spent another two editing, and submitted it at 11:55 PM. It got HM. When you figure there's likely three thousand or more entries a quarter, anytime you get a certificate, it really is an honor. It says you are writing at or close to writing at a professional level.
So, HMs mean you got in Dave's second read pile, and he liked it. Not enough to go into his final pile, but he had to think about it. Good on you when you get one.
Silver Honorable Mention likely means you were in that final pile and Dave narrowed it down. If you watched Get Smart, you could say, "Missed it by THAT much." It also means he really liked it, so keep that in mind. For the record, Dave said there were about 14 Silvers this time.
Semifinalist means you were there, you made Dave sweat as he had to find some reason to cull eight from the sixteen he still had sitting there. Something made him say, "Not strong enough, because these were written better." It's arbitrary, because it's based on one man's opinion. But Dave's opinion is law in WOTF, so if you don't meet 100% of Dave's criteria, YOU'RE OUT! But you still get a cool critique, where he tries to help you see how to improve your writing. There are eight Semifinalists.
Finalist means YOU MADE IT! You get a RING OF POWER. Now you shall rule the publi...Wait, wrong story. Finalist means your story gets sent on to the panel of judges that choose the winners. Like HIGHLANDER, there can only be THREE! : ) The rest get their heads chopped off, but it's a clean cut, one chop, none of that dirty dull axe tricksiness. So, eight Finalists.
Three winners per quarter. First, Second, Third.
One Grand Prize Winner, from the First Place winners from each of the four quarters. Now can I say it? THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE!
Hope that helps. Congrats to all that got honors, and congrats to all that entered. You are writing. You are sending. Keep it up! You're on the path.
Cheers!
~Moon~
Last edited by Wulf Moon on Fri Jun 29, 2018 7:11 am, edited 1 time in total.
Wulf Moon http://driftweave.com
Q4 Vol 35 "Super-Duper Moongirl..."
Critters Readers Award: #1, "War Dog," Best SF&F Short Story of 2018
NEW! "Weep No More..." DEEP MAGIC Fall 2019 http://amazon.com/author/wulfmoon
Q4 Vol 35 "Super-Duper Moongirl..."
Critters Readers Award: #1, "War Dog," Best SF&F Short Story of 2018
NEW! "Weep No More..." DEEP MAGIC Fall 2019 http://amazon.com/author/wulfmoon
Re: Discussion - Q2 - Volume 35
FWIW, and I didn't go back and edit my post about meaning of HM/SHM/etc., but in LA, DF said essentially that unless he gets a story that blows him away on the first read that is a "surefire finalist" he ends up with a pile of last-look stories that he then assembles his 8 F, 8 SF, and remainder SHM out of. So a SHM means you were knocking on the door every bit as much as a SF or F did. A different editor on a different day and you're in. Or, if there were 4 stunning sword and sorcery stories, and yours was a sword and sorcery story, it just might not have worked out. Dave is judging a contest, yes, but also assembling an anthology. He likes to pass a mix of stories on to the judges. Luck... it's got something to do with it from time to time.
HM x2, Vol. 34 Q4 - 3rd. http://www.jonficke.com
Re: Discussion - Q2 - Volume 35
Another one lost-totally.
And I too received two rejections
And I too received two rejections
Working on turning Lead into Gold.
Four HMs From WotF
The latest was Q1'12
HM-quarter 4 Volume 32
One HM for another contest
published in Strange New Worlds Ten.
Another HM http://onthepremises.com/minis/mini_18.html
Four HMs From WotF
The latest was Q1'12
HM-quarter 4 Volume 32
One HM for another contest
published in Strange New Worlds Ten.
Another HM http://onthepremises.com/minis/mini_18.html
- Dustin Adams
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- Contact:
Re: Discussion - Q2 - Volume 35
Silver here.
I'm afraid I win't reach finalist again until I close in on 2k posts...
I'm afraid I win't reach finalist again until I close in on 2k posts...
Re: Discussion - Q2 - Volume 35
Wow, guys! That was a big wave. My condolences to all the R's. Been there many times. Don't let it discourage you. Let it inspire you to do better! I think with so many entries, good stories can get lost in the shuffle.
Congrats to those who managed to earn an HM. An HM is the equivalent of making the second round, right? You were close.
Special congrats to Wulf and Dustin for your Silvers. That's sweet...and so darn close to semi-finalist and finalist.
Huge congrats to Phillip for your semi-finalist. Yikes! Next time, finalist!
Wonder if there was only one wave this time. Kind of feels like it with HMs, SHMs, and Semis already being reported. No word of any finalists yet? Hmmm...***starts looking around***who haven't we heard from yet?
Congrats to those who managed to earn an HM. An HM is the equivalent of making the second round, right? You were close.
Special congrats to Wulf and Dustin for your Silvers. That's sweet...and so darn close to semi-finalist and finalist.
Huge congrats to Phillip for your semi-finalist. Yikes! Next time, finalist!
Wonder if there was only one wave this time. Kind of feels like it with HMs, SHMs, and Semis already being reported. No word of any finalists yet? Hmmm...***starts looking around***who haven't we heard from yet?
Preston Dennett
2nd Place Winner V35 Q1
FX1
HMx12
Stories sold: 37
Latest three:
"Korba's Revenge" Stupefying Stories, Sep 8, 2018
"Dispell" Daily Science Fiction, Feb 6, 2018
"Forbidden" Sci Phi Jrnl, Nov 11, 2016
2nd Place Winner V35 Q1
FX1
HMx12
Stories sold: 37
Latest three:
"Korba's Revenge" Stupefying Stories, Sep 8, 2018
"Dispell" Daily Science Fiction, Feb 6, 2018
"Forbidden" Sci Phi Jrnl, Nov 11, 2016
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Re: Discussion - Q2 - Volume 35
Thank you, Preston. Ever hopeful, but ever cautious in making finalist.
Congrats to the HMs, SHMs, SFs, and Fs.
My condolences as well for the Rs, but really, I want to say "Congratulations." It takes guts to pour your soul out onto the screen (or paper) and then to let someone else read it and judge it? That's worth celebrating.
Keep studying. Keep practicing. Keep pushing forward. I know I will.

Congrats to the HMs, SHMs, SFs, and Fs.
My condolences as well for the Rs, but really, I want to say "Congratulations." It takes guts to pour your soul out onto the screen (or paper) and then to let someone else read it and judge it? That's worth celebrating.
Keep studying. Keep practicing. Keep pushing forward. I know I will.
1x SF
2x HM
2x R
---
“If you hide your ignorance, no one will hit you and you'll never learn.” ― Ray Bradbury
2x HM
2x R
---
“If you hide your ignorance, no one will hit you and you'll never learn.” ― Ray Bradbury
Re: Discussion - Q2 - Volume 35
pcmccollum wrote:Wow, did not expect this...
Now to submit a story for Q3!
Congrats pcmccollum!
(2014) V31 Q1 – R
(2018) V35 Q3 – HM
(2019) V36 Q3 – HM
(2019) V36 Q4 – SHM
(2020) V37 Q1 – ?
(2018) V35 Q3 – HM
(2019) V36 Q3 – HM
(2019) V36 Q4 – SHM
(2020) V37 Q1 – ?
Re: Discussion - Q2 - Volume 35
Dustin Adams wrote:Silver here.
I'm afraid I win't reach finalist again until I close in on 2k posts...
Congrats Dustin Adams!
(2014) V31 Q1 – R
(2018) V35 Q3 – HM
(2019) V36 Q3 – HM
(2019) V36 Q4 – SHM
(2020) V37 Q1 – ?
(2018) V35 Q3 – HM
(2019) V36 Q3 – HM
(2019) V36 Q4 – SHM
(2020) V37 Q1 – ?
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Re: Discussion - Q2 - Volume 35
Henckel wrote:pcmccollum wrote:Wow, did not expect this...
Now to submit a story for Q3!
Congrats pcmccollum!
Thank you, Henckel!
1x SF
2x HM
2x R
---
“If you hide your ignorance, no one will hit you and you'll never learn.” ― Ray Bradbury
2x HM
2x R
---
“If you hide your ignorance, no one will hit you and you'll never learn.” ― Ray Bradbury
Re: Discussion - Q2 - Volume 35
HM here. I'll echo congratulations to everyone. It really does take guts to submit. Keep writing!
Re: Discussion - Q2 - Volume 35
pcmccollum wrote:Wow, did not expect this...
Now to submit a story for Q3!
congrats! that's already a pro quality story, and I bet the critique will be super useful.
and congrats to all the hm/shm folks as well! Anything within the top 10% is just awesome.
2017: Q4: SHM - The Tin Man, Syntax and Salt
2018: Q1: 1st Place
2018: Q1: 1st Place
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