Discussion - Q2 - Volume 35

[pcmccollum]

Thank you, Sataris! Definitely excited to see what comes from Dave's words of wisdom.

[disgruntledpeony]

SHM, here.

[Henckel]

Just submitted at five minutes to midnight on the 29th of June. ...

and now I'm going to go pretend to sleep.

[Wulf Moon]

As always, congratulations to everyone that entered. You wrote a story. You sent it to a pro market. The next step on the path is to send it to another pro market. Then you're really doing that writer thing--you're the kind of writer that wants people to read your story, because you've got something to say. : )

PCMC, congrats on your Semifinalist. The critique from Dave is a wonderful consolation, and can help you win in the future, plus see ways to strengthen this piece to sell to another market.

Dustin and Liz, well done. I don't have to tell you this--it's for the record. Silver HM means you were in the final pile and you made Dave sweat. He had to put a microscope on your pieces to find a flaw. Or he had five stories of space opera pandas this time, and one of them sang so loud, he had to take her. It doesn't mean you won't win with your space opera panda stories next time, should you choose to send them back up on the stage. I suggest Wagner. Ride of the Valkyries has got a good beat, and you can dance to it.

We normally have some Finalists. Keep watching, everyone. For some reason, this is where they nest. : )

Fortune favor the brave!

~Moon~

[beavs007]

Are you willing to share this latest one with me so I can see what it takes to get HM?

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. : )

[beavs007]

2000 posts?

Silver here.

I'm afraid I win't reach finalist again until I close in on 2k posts...

[Beth Powers]

It's been a busy week, but I'm back on the HM train with this quarter (for those counting, I got the email on June 26th)

[Wulf Moon]

[quote="beavs007"]Are you willing to share this latest one with me so I can see what it takes to get an HM?]

I'll do you one better. I'll share one with you that got HM to Semifinalist from every judge in this contest, all the way back to Algis Budrys. After 20 years, I finaly sold it last year. Actually, thrice, because it was also bought for the publisher's Best of 2017 anthology, and I also got paid to narrate it for podcast as well. "Beast of the Month." Click on my website below, and you'll see my blog. The podcast is easy to find once you're there.

But honestly, the best way to figure out how to write a story that Dave likes is to read his blog on writing tips. Study those. Some are even directly about WOTF entries. There's the gold.

Cheers!

~Moon~

[storysinger]

But honestly, the best way to figure out how to write a story that Dave likes is to read his blog on writing tips. Study those. Some are even directly about WOTF entries. There's the gold. Cheers!

Very good advice. Everyone submitting to this contest would be wise to read these insights to Dave's thought process.

[Wulf Moon]

And read the latest WOTF volume of course. That seemed so obvious I didn't even mention it. But there's the winning stories, and it's winning stories you should be studying. They tell you what the judges believe is gold currently, and current is what matters.

And after you've done that, forget everything you read, and go write your own original tale. Original stands out from the crowd. No one can duplicate it. Because it's YOU.

Fortune favor the brave,

~Moon~

[Henckel]

OK. I know I'm going to look back on this question and wonder how I could be so dumb..... but can any yall please clarify for me what quarter results youre talking about. ..... it appears that everyone is suddenly flooded with results and I'm therefore assuming these are for the quarter that ended last April. ..and that by that logic, none of us will hear back about our story status for the quarter endin 30 juNE until about September. .... is that right. ...also, do rejections get notified early or is everyone notified at time same time.... ...I guess what I'm asking is how the timetables of resault notifications work.

[kentagions]

Hi Henkel,
Yes, people are reporting results for the quarter that ended March 31 (Quarter 2 - Volume 35).

Over forty authors who use The Submission Grinder (https://thegrinder.diabolicalplots.com/) to track their submissions reported receiving results on May 26. The Grinder tracks submissions and averages the timing of results for each market; currently, 86 days for WotF.

Lately, Forumites have reported Rs (Non-placing stories), Honorable Mentions (HM) and Silver Honorable Mentions (SHM) on the same day. Semifinalists and Finalists are technically still in the contest, so even if they receive results, Joni asks Finalists not to reveal for a specified time. [It is my belief that we have not heard from any Finalists due to the first quarter snafu. Technically, they don't have to be notified until final results are in, status notification has been a courtesy up until last quarter. Again, this is only my belief. I have no confirmation of anything.]

If you haven't received results, please continue to twitch.

[Henckel]

Thanks Kentagious. Sounds like a logical assumption I hadn't entered q2 so not waiting. Just curious about process is all. Thanks for sharing.

[Elto_Danzig]

Does anyone know how soon the certificates usually arrive?

[kentagions]

My certificates have arrived anywhere from six days to a month after Joni's email confirmation.

If she says so
It will come

[Wulf Moon]

Does anyone know how soon the certificates usually arrive?

Mine seem to come one or two months after the email. My last one for Q1 was longer--Joni must have missed my response to send it. If you don't say you want it and fail to send her the requested info, it won't come. Joni has a lot to keep up with, so after two months, email her.

[bobsandiego]

so Q2 vol 34 I posted that Dave had returned me to the dog house.
Last week I found out that this year, this Q2, I am a finalist.
It doesn't seem real.

[michaeljwyantjr]

Congratulations!

[storysinger]

Congratulations Bob. Hope you make the final three.

[pcmccollum]

Way to go, Bob!

[Sataris]

so Q2 vol 34 I posted that Dave had returned me to the dog house.
Last week I found out that this year, this Q2, I am a finalist.
It doesn't seem real.

Congrats! I'll be pulling for you!

[Dustin Adams]

[amoskalik]

so Q2 vol 34 I posted that Dave had returned me to the dog house.
Last week I found out that this year, this Q2, I am a finalist.
It doesn't seem real.

Awesome!

[kentagions]

Congratulations Bob!

[RSchibler]

That’s excellent! Good luck!

[preston]

so Q2 vol 34 I posted that Dave had returned me to the dog house.
Last week I found out that this year, this Q2, I am a finalist.
It doesn't seem real.

Yeah! I hope you win!

[bobsandiego]

Thank you everyone. Honestly I had very nearly forgotten about the entry but it goes to show you can not predict the editor.
Submit - that's your job.
accept or reject is their's do not do it for them.

[Wulf Moon]

Thank you everyone. Honestly I had very nearly forgotten about the entry but it goes to show you can not predict the editor.
Submit - that's your job.
accept or reject is their's do not do it for them.

How true. And congratulations on making Finalist, Bob! Here's to your making the top three! The wait has got to be a killer.

All the beast,

~Moon~

[bobsandiego]

Thank you everyone. Honestly I had very nearly forgotten about the entry but it goes to show you can not predict the editor.
Submit - that's your job.
accept or reject is their's do not do it for them.

How true. And congratulations on making Finalist, Bob! Here's to your making the top three! The wait has got to be a killer.

All the beast,

~Moon~

In all honesty it's like waiting for anything else. After waiting on agents, waiting on editors, waiting on publishers, this just joins the queue.
Don't get em wrong I want to win. I've been entering since 2003 but there's also a point where the stress of waiting gives way to mundane reality.

[bobsandiego]

And the word is - nope.
I did not win but I am not depressed. Coming this far on a story I fully would not expect to strike's Dave's fancy is a good feeling all on its own.