I didn't enter for Q3 myself. I'm frantically revising and proofing the story to send for Q4.
Posted by KayTi (Member # 5137) on :
So are they really behind? (I know the workshop and awards ceremony was a few weeks ago, I just don't know how that impacts the judging schedule...) This post indicates winners of Q2: http://wotfblog.galaxypress.com/
Anyone from Hatrack among that group?
What do you think this means for Q3 results? (the one I finally got the nerve up to enter! LOL) I suppose I should get cracking on a Q4 story (I'm better with a deadline. Much better.)
Posted by luapc (Member # 2878) on :
Kathy Wentworth posted yesterday on sff.net that she has finished her reading and has sorted out the finalists and semifinalists.
I don't know if that means she's determined which of the 18 are finalists or not yet, but I hope she has. I like this quick turn around in the last two quarters.
If she has figured out which of the 18 stories she's selected are finalists and semifinalists, I expect that the listing will soon appear on the WOTF blog.
Posted by Spaceman (Member # 9240) on :
I know of one finalist who isn't me.
Posted by KayTi (Member # 5137) on :
Well not mine! I got mine back in the mail today. While I'm disappointed (heck, who isn't) - I'm still - RELIEVED!!! I had a note with it saying that it's a "quarterfinalist - meaning top 15%. Good job." I think that they are referring to this as "Honorable Mention" now, though that's not what my letter said.
No notes or anything on my MS, but it's back, and now I can submit it elsewhere for publication. I re-read it last night (first time in almost 3 mos) and hey - it didn't stink! I found 3 typos, but it didn't stink. This was my first WOTF submission, so I'm really quite thrilled.
So, now I need to get cracking on Q4 submission!!! Eek.
Best wishes to everyone else.
Posted by Christopher (Member # 6336) on :
I've entered four times now. I've managed to make it to the quarter-finals once, and the semi-finals once. I haven't heard back for Q3 yet. I'm excited about my Q4 entry. I like it. It's been fun writing it. Me and some friends on another forum critique each others' stories. I can tell we're all getting better and better. That's the secret, I think. Just keepin' at it. I think it's just a matter of time until we get some of our stories published.
EDITED. WHY? Because writing is rewriting .
[This message has been edited by Christopher (edited September 07, 2007).]
Posted by ChrisOwens (Member # 1955) on :
That make's at least three of us in this thread that are in the semifinalist club.
Posted by Zero (Member # 3619) on :
So--is this a competition for short stories, or what?
Posted by luapc (Member # 2878) on :
The contest is a short story contest (17,500 words or less) and runs quarterly. It is a blind contest where the judges do not know the contestant's names, making it a completly level playing field. It is judged by some of the best and well known authors in the field, including OSC.
They get around 2,500 or so stories every quarter and out of those, 8 are chosen as Finalists, 8 to 10 chosen as semifinalists, around 300 Honorable mentions (quarterfinalists), and the rest are rejects. Out of the eight finalists, 3 win, making a total of 12 winners a year out of around 10,000 entries.
Writers Of The Future is the most influential and important contest for non-professionally published authors of Fantasy and Science Fiction, and is the only one of its stature. Placing in this contest can, and has, launched writing careers in a very short time. If anyone here isn't entering, I strongly suggest you do if you are serious about a career in writing.
I got an Honorable Mention this time. I submitted once before and got a flat out rejection, so I'm moving up the ladder.
Posted by InarticulateBabbler (Member # 4849) on :
quote: I didn't enter for Q3 myself. I'm frantically revising and proofing the story to send for Q4.
I hear you. That sounds exactly like me...
Posted by KayTi (Member # 5137) on :
Since many of you are familiar with this contest and probably with submitting your work for publication - is putting "QF/Honorable Mention" in a cover letter (for the WOTF story or another story) at all worthwhile, or does it brand one as a might-have-been (or, gasp, worse! A try-hard?! LOL)
Posted by luapc (Member # 2878) on :
I know the temptation, KayTi. I've often thought about doing it, but I never have. Personally, I guess I'm a bit of a coward about it. After all, a quarterfinalist/Honorable Mention story could be great, or be just so-so depending on how close it came to being a semifinalist. There's a lot of room for differences in the quality of a quarterfinalist/Honorable Mention, and unfortunately, they don't tell you how close you came.
Because of this, I've decided it's a bad idea. I think it might brand the author as a beginner. If anyone has done it though, I would be interested in the results from it.
As a final note, I have posted my semifinalist story on my website for anyone interested in seeing what kind of thing to expect for that kind of finish, along with a copy of the critique by Kathy Wentworth for it. I did submit it to a couple of Pro mags without any takers, and just decided it'd be good to share it, as there seems very little other than the anthologies themselves to see for comparison.
I would never use that in a cover letter. It's like saying: This was rejected by Asimov's and F&SF. Want to buy it?
Posted by KayTi (Member # 5137) on :
<ahem> OK, I get it. I figured as much. But the finalists/semifinalists *DO* (or can/should) make mention, right? Isn't that part of the point of the contest, door-opening by virtue of placing well within it?
Posted by luapc (Member # 2878) on :
When I submitted my semifinalist entry to Analog, and F&SF, I didn't mention it, so I don't know for sure. Since I didn't, I have no idea whether it might have helped. I do wonder about it though, and think I might have missed an opportunity. Even with that, I can't really suggest doing it. The best thing to do is to just go ahead and place in WOTF so you get in their anthology, so just do that.
As an aside, here is a link to what Jeff Carleson, one of last year's winners and author of the new novel Plague Year, thought of this year's WOTF workshop. Interesting stuff.
The only time I've mentioned WotF in my coverletter is when I was a finalist, and when I didn't place and sent my story out last week, I did mention that it had been a finalist, because I thouht it might actually be a selling point. We'll see if it makes a difference. The folks at WotF encouraged us finalists to put this kind of information in our coverletters. But then a story being a finalist is quite different than it being a semi-finalist or quarter-finalist, because it is deemed of professional quality by the judges. But no, I've never mention my quarter-finalist status in my coverletters (though the first time I sent it out after, I really considered, but then thought that might look amateurish because I've seen lots and lots of people get quarter-finalist.).
Posted by ChrisOwens (Member # 1955) on :
When my story placed in the semifinals for Q1, I did consider putting it on the cover letter briefly. I think I discussed it with Paul(luapc). But I chickened out. I guess we both would love a guinea to do it to find out for sure.
I sent my story to F&SF but got a 'no grab' from the first reader. A publication credit, I believe, will allow you to bypass the first reader. But, I think, the key is publication. If the story wasn't published, it can't be a credit. And if the story was published, obviously you couldn't send it. Anyways, the story is currently at Asimov's--but I'm not holding my breath. Always expect rejection and you will never be disapointed...
There are three types of finalists. (1) First, second and third placers. (2) Published finalists (where you didn't win but they have room for your story in the anthology) (3) unpublished, non-winning finalists [the rest of Gillagan's isle].
[This message has been edited by ChrisOwens (edited September 09, 2007).]
Posted by Christopher (Member # 6336) on :
[Quote: Spaceman] I know of one finalist who isn't me. [Quote]
I've been wondering about this. Was it someone Kathy W. knows, so she called them? Do all the finalists get a phone call? Does it mean that, if someone hasn't already gotten a phone call they aren't a finalist? Do tell.
NOTE: Eric James Stone said, on Bradon Sanderson's forum, that he knows who one of the finalists is also. Maybe I'll ask him the same question.
Posted by Spaceman (Member # 9240) on :
Eric and I are probably talking about hte same finalist. Yes, a phone call was involved. From past quarters, that seems to be fairly common.
Posted by ChrisOwens (Member # 1955) on :
Kathy doesn't call them. Once she's done the reading and selecting the 8 finalists, her role is done. I believe it's the contest admins who make the calls--though perhaps someone can clarify me.
Posted by Christopher (Member # 6336) on :
I got my Q3 results letter today!
Wait for it...
Wait for it...
REJECTION.
Which is pretty interesting to me because I THOUGHT that the story was better than both my quarter-finalists entry and my semi-finalist entry.
Shows what I know.
But I am not discouraged. I really like my new story a lot, and it will be ready to go before the 30th.
.
[This message has been edited by Christopher (edited September 10, 2007).]
LOL) I suppose I should get cracking on a Q4 story (I'm better with a deadline. Much better.)
I got mine back in the mail today. While I'm disappointed (heck, who isn't) - I'm still - RELIEVED!!! I had a note with it saying that it's a "quarterfinalist - meaning top 15%. Good job." I think that they are referring to this as "Honorable Mention" now, though that's not what my letter said.