Discussion: Q3 Volume 36

[Eagerink]

All speculation that predicted Thursday results: DISPROVED. :)

But every day is Thursday.

This is only my third entry, but so far I have never actually received results on a Thursday. I can't wait to have that experience though The sooner the better ;)

[zeeteebeez]

I’m surprised I haven’t seen anything posted here. Glad I can start the party.

Results have officially started coming in: I’m keeping with my pattern of alternating HM and R.

R for me this time.

[Michael Kingswood]

It's started. Just got the email from Joni. And it's not Thursday!!!

*gasp*

Honorable Mention again. Definitely seeing a trend here. :) Welp, Qtr 4's been in for a while. Looking forward to submitting Qtr 1 next week. Keep on trucking, right? :)

Best of luck to everyone who's still waiting. Fingers crossed for ya! :)


V/R,
Michael

[thegirlintheglasses]

INCOMING!

[Eagerink]

I didn't place. I assume that is a reject. Oh well! I've never gotten one before, so at least I can say I have now haha. My story was only a couple hundred words under the limit, so I'll just console myself by saying it was too long. Anyhow, I've been pounding out my quarter four all day, so there is that!

Congratulations to everyone who place!!! Very well done! And congrats to all the rejects who entered, too. :)

[disgruntledpeony]

Got an R.

[SCAFontaine]

R for me too

[Beth Powers]

HM for me--I was going to submit my Q4 tonight, but now I think I'll read through it one more time....

[Corbin Maxwell]

HM for me.

[Henckel]

[simon_graeme]

R. Can't say I should be too surprised as the subject matter was a bit edgy. Not for the sake of edginess but for the sake of "WOE COOL!" Thought the Woe Cool would win out. Got another on my Q4 entry. Best get at it. BTW, the email from Joni came 11:48 pm EST.

I've got a few markets I want to sub the Q3 entry to. If no bites then looks like I'm self pubbing a short story collection.

Congrats to those that at least got recognized and to the winners, wherever they are.

[Peter Glen]

R me hearties!

[iota2000]

Rejected.

However, Analog magazine has had the story for the last four months. Maybe that means it's gone to a higher tier.

Or not.

[Helge Mahrt]

Congrats to the HMs! Got an R this time. Kind of disappointed, but I think I needed a kick in the butt. Now on to writing my Q4 entry

[fihr]

I entered for the first time in several years, with a story I feel has no market, but which I really enjoyed writing. And I got an HM, and a note saying it was in the top 2%, which was really encouraging. Is that note usual now? It wasn't in my HM emails in the past. It would be nice to think that while I haven't been submitting, my writing has improved. I've been working on numerous other things in the meantime.

[RSchibler]

I received an HM. Congratulations and commiserations to all! This is the third time I’ve woken up to results. Also I’ve broken my alternating streak and got two HMs in a row, which is nice.

[SwiftPotato]

Got an R. I completely expected it, though - it's my first submission, and I only had 12 days to write it from start to finish. I do wish they'd let you know if it was a bad manuscript format problem or a story problem, but of course I understand it isn't possible when there are so many entries. On to Q4 - I think my Q4 is much better than my Q3 anyway!

[dosmax]

HM for me too! Always a pleasant surprise.

[mrtevebaugh]

HM for me. Turned around and sent it right back out to a magazine this morning. Now to finish up Q4. Nothing like pushing all the way up until the deadline...

[Thomas Woodward]

R. Good luck to all of those still in the running and congrats to those who placed!

[JVAshley]

I woke to an R
I'm going back to bed. I'll try the morning again later.

[WillShadbolt]

R for me, but I was expecting that

[disgruntledpeony]

I woke to an R
I'm going back to bed. I'll try the morning again later.

*big hugs* I feel you, hon.

[DoctorJest]

And it's an HM for me, too...

I was really expecting an R this time around.

[reigheena]

Got a rejection. That's the fourth in a row for me. It's hard not to feel like my writing's getting worse. I'll blame it on competition getting stiffer. Congrats to those placing!

[CCrawford]

R for me. Sigh. I had hopes for this one, but I've got a new story ready to go to submit for Q4 and still two days to edit it! :)

I'm still trying to figure out what made my one HM stand out, even though it was my first time entering, when everything since then has been an R...

[czing]

Feel pretty good about the HM I just got. Right after I submitted it I was just hoping I'd manage at least an HM. Then I had a stupid dream that it won LOL and that got my hopes up so it took me a while this morning to feel okay with the HM. Gonna send it on out to some other markets and see if I can get some traction with it. I still really love this story and hope it will find a home somewhere.

[DaneCurley]

"Did not place." Must mean Rejected? Very frustrating result for me, if so, as this story has received 3 editor's responses from major pro markets and the consensus was that it was pro quality, but not fitting for other reasons. I thought for sure that would indicate an HM or above. I do wonder if its religious subject matter was a defeating factor? Too adult? Either way, can't know with a form reply. And sadly cannot agree that I have been helped by this first experience with the contest as it confuses me as to why those pro markets gave detailed replies mentioning my characters and story, and this is just a flat out rejection. Is there any rhyme or reason in the world of sf publishing? Too hard to reconcile past experience with this, but what do I know? (Little.) Good tidings to all.

[disgruntledpeony]

"Did not place." Must mean Rejected? Very frustrating result for me, if so, as this story has received 3 editor's responses from major pro markets and the consensus was that it was pro quality, but not fitting for other reasons. I thought for sure that would indicate an HM or above. I do wonder if its religious subject matter was a defeating factor? Too adult? Either way, can't know with a form reply. And sadly cannot agree that I have been helped by this first experience with the contest as it confuses me as to why those pro markets gave detailed replies mentioning my characters and story, and this is just a flat out rejection. Is there any rhyme or reason in the world of sf publishing? Too hard to reconcile past experience with this, but what do I know? (Little.) Good tidings to all.

That's an R, yeah. I understand your frustrations. The important thing to remember is that every market is run by different editors with different needs. Every editor, like every reader, has different opinions on what constitutes a good story. And, honestly? Even the HMs and SHMs are form. The only way you get a personalized response is if you make semi-finalist, and at that point you can't resubmit the story to WotF. There are just too many entries every quarter for individual feedback to be given.

Please try not to be overly disheartened. I got an R my first time entering, too, but every quarter is a new chance to win.

This was one of my better crafted stories IMO, but it still got an R. I'm guessing it was either too slow to start or the first reader got offput by the fact that there were two POV characters--something I knew was dangerous, but experimented with anyway. I'm sending it off to other markets now; just because the story doesn't do well here doesn't mean it won't do well elsewhere (as you yourself have experienced).

[JVAshley]

I woke to an R
I'm going back to bed. I'll try the morning again later.

*big hugs* I feel you, hon.

Shall we share one more cup of coco and a brownie before digging out way out of the pillow fort for another quarter?