posted
If I do this, I can almost guarantee I will be late. But I really like this group so I'm going to commit. Or maybe I should be committed. Anyway, count me in.
I try every quarter, I do. Really. In fact, last quarter's story should be done...tonight. Two weeks ahead of the deadline. I guess I'm just a deadline kind of guy. Wish I wasn't, but there a need to be truthful in situations like this.
posted
Well, Q03 is out for crits. Which means, officially, that it's time to work on my Q04 entry. Think I'm going to try for a short one this time around though. lol. I need a break from school. It's killing me not being able to write as much as I'd like.
Anyone have a jump on the rest of us? One month and counting to deadline! LOL. I'm such a hypocrite. Hopefully at the very least I can be a motivational one.
posted
I'm working on something for an anthology deadline and I have to do a final polishing run on last quarter's entry. I figure those will take me up to Boot Camp. So I won't even be starting until after that.
I think I'm going to go for a shorter one this time. Of course, I said that last time...
Other than an idea of what story I may write, I am nowhere near ahead of things.
[This message has been edited by genevive42 (edited June 15, 2010).]
posted
I started my story, but it is kinda a cheat. One of the characters from Q03's story is told in this one. Considering how many people hated him in the last round, it'll be interesting to see what people think of him four hundred years earlier.
Posts: 232 | Registered: Apr 2010
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posted
A few of you folks metioned writing shorter stories for this quarter's submission. How long are your submissions usually? I read that the max length is 17 000 words/68 odd pages. Do you guys commonly max this out? Are the winners often longer stories?
Just a curious observer here. I'm not looking to enter for a long time!
[This message has been edited by Ethereon (edited June 15, 2010).]
posted
My first entry, Q02 this year, was 16,000 words. My second, in which I was aiming for something shorter, still ended up 11,000 words. The story doesn't have to be long, it just has to be good. Longer stories give you more time to develop ideas so many of the winners seem to go that way.
But for every rule of thumb there are a dozen exceptions.
When it comes time, write the story the length it needs to be and keep it under 68 pages. Easy peasy.
posted
The woman who judges won with a 2000 word story. WOTF though is one of the few publications that allow such long stories, so they get a lot of those. If you are choosing between two stories and one can only be submitted to WOTF and the other to 50 different markets, most people will submit the one that only WOTF accepts. So, this might skew the number of winners towards longer stories, though a shorter story would still do well. Also, I think they said if you are a finalist with a shorter story, there is a better chance you'll get published because of space considerations. Or at least, this is what I have picked up from my reading. Posts: 232 | Registered: Apr 2010
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posted
My stories: Q03 was in the realm of 12k words, 9-11 is average, and I'm hoping for a 6-8 this quarter.
I don't know though. I decided today on the story that I'm going to write (inspiration came about 6 months ago at 4 am as my mind was trying to wake me up and get me to write). It's probably going to end up on the long side of things, if I'm any decent judge of it at this point.
From what I've seen, most WotF winners are in the longer realms, but I've no idea on their actual word count.
posted
Me too, though I'm already into my 2nd draft. It takes me forever to edit my stories. So I'll probably be right on schedule when the time comes to crit 2nd drafts. LOL!
posted
Holy wow, it has been more than a year since I joined a WOTF group. I'm sticking with the group until the end, this time.
Posts: 1139 | Registered: May 2008
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What? You thought I was throwing in the towel? Whatever. I just hate it when this kind of stuff happens so late in the game. Grrr. Guess it was a good thing I was having so much trouble figuring out where to go with the original one. This new one fell into my lap like a bucket of cookies. Ooh!
posted
I'm still coming down from Boot Camp and haven't started mine yet. I do have the concept and a loose outline, but I haven't got the voice (of the MC) in my head. I hope to start in the next few days.
Posts: 1993 | Registered: Jul 2009
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posted
Um, I was going to ask to be taken off the list, but as I was driving back from my lunch break, a brilliant idea for a story occurred to me. Since I have it mostly written (in my head at least), I'll give it a shot. Just know I have a lot to deal with right now, so if I run a little behind... forgive me
[This message has been edited by recovering_cynic (edited July 08, 2010).]
posted
Last time we split I only got one response on my second draft. I guess people dropped out and made the groups uneven. With the way everyone finishes in a staggered pattern anyway do we really need to split?
Posts: 1993 | Registered: Jul 2009
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posted
I wouldn't mind splitting the group into two, just as long as everyone participates. I dropped out six months ago because I was getting too many critiques, too many opinions. But I also don't want to be in the mess I was in last quarter, where I ended up with one critique (and had to beg for it at that).
Posts: 968 | Registered: Sep 2008
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posted
Glad you're going to be sticking around, cynic. We'll be glad to deal with you.
I'm still of the opinion that splitting the group would be for the best. I do worry though that some might fall into the same category that Genevive did last quarter. I only got two crits on my first draft last quarter. Granted, I sent it out only two weeks before the true deadline (not our self-imposed one), but I sent it out to everyone on the list. (And super thanks to you two. Made the story soooo much better the second time around).
I propose this:
Split into two groups, five members (currently) a piece
I commit to staying more on top of things with respect to the two groups (dropouts and add-ons and such) so that they are both as even and adequately represented as possible when it comes time for second-round reviews.
Everyone in the group should commit to participating in both rounds of critiques, no matter when the stories show up. This story swap/critique group is focused on the fourth quarter, and should include every story that is going to be included as an entry in that quarter. Every participant should receive two critiques for the quarter. Commit to do your best to make sure that you give them that.
Is everyone good with this? Any other suggestions to make the situation better?
posted
I guess it's okay to break into two groups. Maybe we just had some bum luck last time. I do like the idea that the second set of crits is still a first read for those people. Fresh eyes are always good.
Edited because I misread a previous entry.
[This message has been edited by genevive42 (edited July 08, 2010).]
posted
Dan, I was going to apologize to you privately, but I'd rather do it publicly... I got your story and made it to page 15 before getting gastroenteritis. I didn't know that's what it was until I was in the hospital and the Dr. said it was no big deal... Of course five days of not eating and p**ping my brains out later just hearing that news was worth the cost of admission.
When I got better I had oddly enough felt as if I were on a vacation. I was down for the count for a full seven days and it really felt like I had taken a clean break and all the things that were so important and rushed before I got sick, well, they waited and there were no catastrophes. (This is the bit of information I seem to learn each time I take a vacation.)
Unfortunately, your story was one of the things that fell away during my forced break.
It actually took me another week to get back into writing again. Fortunately a voice for this Q's story started speaking to me and got me back to the keyboard.
Anyway, this is a really long sorry with a fairly decent excuse, but it's also a promise that when I see your story come by my e-mail this time around I will drop what I'm doing, read it, crit it, and send it back to you in record time.
posted
I am fine with however people want to do it. I did find value in some of the second reviewers reading it for the first time. For subtle changes, it is nice to have fresh eyes. As far as I was aware, I replied to every story I received and I got crits from every one I sent it to (though I didn't keep track of that really, so I could be misremembering).
Posts: 232 | Registered: Apr 2010
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posted
Sorry guys, but I guess I will have to actually bow out on this one. I may end up submitting something, but it will come down to chance, I think. Best of luck to you all.
Posts: 32 | Registered: Jan 2010
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posted
I just finished my 2nd draft last week. So should I send you folks my 1st draft or the 2nd draft? Please understand I'm not that fast. I've been working on my story before this group was formed. Also, I probably won't send it out for crits until the 19th at the earliest since I'm going to be out of town for the next few days. But please, send me your stories and I'll get to them when I can.
posted
I've got a conference all week, so I'm about 50% through with my first draft. Drat. But I'll be caught up by the end of the weekend and ready to send out and to critique.
Posts: 1608 | Registered: Feb 2009
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posted
I need to complete two scenes, type it all up, and smooth out any parts that are rough enough to scratch its first readers. Then I'll have maybe 4,300 words.
Jennifer's and Sheena's stories are hanging out in my Inbox. Dark Warrior and Crystal, I'm devoting much of Sunday to critiquing. Will your stories be ready by then?
posted
My second draft is done, but my problem is time. I'll be leaving around noon for a 10 hour shift at work tonight... unless I get canceled before then that I doubt. Nothing is planned for tomorrow. So I'll try to get it sent by then. This is trail riding season, and I plan to be out on the trail with my trusty steed most of Sunday if possible.
I've already critted Jennifer's and Sheena's. Both are good stories, and I enjoyed reading both of them.
[This message has been edited by Crystal Stevens (edited July 23, 2010).]
posted
Okay, I've sent my story out for crits to Dark Warrior, Jennifer, Sheena, and Aspirit. So, if any of you don't receive it, please let me know, and I'll try to resend.
posted
Finished the story, but still very unhappy with it. But I am sending it out anyway. Sorry. I have received Owasm and Dustin's story, but I haven't yet done those- hopefully Sunday or Monday I'll get those done. Posts: 232 | Registered: Apr 2010
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posted
Too funny, I went to http://www.writersofthefuture.com/ and on the right side is a big button that reads "How can you win the writers of the future contest? Click here"
So I did.
And it says: "The requested page could not be found"
Guess I can't win.
Axe
EDIT - they were messing with the website. Electronic submissions seem to be up and live.
[This message has been edited by axeminister (edited July 26, 2010).]
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