Okay, lots of folks signed up for the advanced level. I know myself too well now; I'll never meet the early deadlines. So here's the regular group.
Deadlines: First draft: January-ish Second draft: February-ish Official mail in deadline: March 30.
I'm going to keep it loose and unstructured. If you need a hard and fast deadline to keep you motivated, let me know, and I will give it to you. And I'll bug you about it. Otherwise, send in your stuff when you can.
The only rule is if you receive a crit you should return it. But that goes without saying.
Posted by BoredCrow (Member # 5675) on :
Yeah, I'm best off signing up for this group too. I'm going to be down to the wire with this quarter's entry as it is.
Group members: annepin BoredCrow
Posted by KayTi (Member # 5137) on :
The three of us again, eh? Are we all going to actually enter it this time? I seem to recall some attrition in recent quarters for a variety of reasons...
I actually have the beginnings of an idea, which is huge for me. I'm down to the wire girl usually, but my post-Nano euphoria has extended long enough for me to get down some snips and bits and drips and drabs of story ideas and one in particular is calling my name more than the others. (something about a teen getting as a gift from crazy aunt abigail a pre-paid cell phone, one of the dorky kinds. but it opens a portal... )
So count me in.(I love the "ish" dates too, LOL)
Group members: annepin BoredCrow KayTi
Posted by LAJD (Member # 8070) on :
OK, add me in too. The early group is too much pressure. I have still not sent in my Q1 entry. I am too busy fretting over it and contemplating a major re-write! I will send it in though! (keep repeating...)
Group members: annepin BoredCrow KayTi LAJD
Posted by arriki (Member # 3079) on :
I thought I added my name to this list already.
Anyway, I'm in the game. Just trying to decide which story to polish up this time. I have a lot of unsold stories to chose from, sigh.
Sometime I WILL have to write some new ones, but the well is nowhere near dry.
Posted by annepin (Member # 5952) on :
Welcome, ladies!
Group members: annepin BoredCrow KayTi LAJD arriki
Any menfolk out there? Or have you guys got it all together?
Posted by Patrick James (Member # 7847) on :
That is extremely wierd. Can any of you ladies answer what it is that attracted you, because I would like--I mean--need to know. Posted by Icared (Member # 8091) on :
I guess I have also learned that I can not submit a story early even if I start writing it way before. Good luck to us all.
Group members: annepin BoredCrow KayTi LAJD arriki Icared
Posted by WriterDan (Member # 6456) on :
Hope my dictator voice didn't scare any of you away from the early group. Truth is, I suck at getting my stories out early too. Still working frantically on my entry for this quarter as well. Have found in the last two quarters though that I haven't been as down to the wire as I have been in the past. That's worth something, I guess. Plus, this way we can keep the numbers per group a bit lower. Glad to see that you got this group started, Annepin. And it looks like it going to be: Go Girls! Hope you'll let some of the boys in on the fun this quarter. Maybe we'll try for some cross-contamination later in the quarter. Luck all.
Posted by annepin (Member # 5952) on :
Well, in the end these things seem to devolve into something of a free-for-all anyway!
Posted by Patrick James (Member # 7847) on :
Girls got koodies!
Nana-nana!
Posted by annepin (Member # 5952) on :
Posted by annepin (Member # 5952) on :
just going to bump 'er up so she doesn't get lost in the mishmash below.
How are folks doing? I'm waffling between two different stories.
Mm... waffles...
Posted by BoredCrow (Member # 5675) on :
Great, anne, now I want waffles too. :P
I had a good night of rewriting "The Dying Time" last night. Sooo, I hope no one's too sick of reading it, because since I didn't finish it in time for last quarter, I'm turning it in this quarter.
Posted by KayTi (Member # 5137) on :
Well I haven't read it, so you have that going for you.
I made progress. I actually found the file where I wrote the prelim notes on my story and *opened it*
That was yesterday. Today maybe I'll even read the three paragraphs I wrote. Tomorrow, perhaps a sentence will get written.
Oh my, I'm stuck in the "can't get motivated" January bottoms. Bah!
Posted by LAJD (Member # 8070) on :
So, I am chugging along and nearly have a first draft. I think this quarter's entry is a better fit for WoTF because it's pretty hard SF. No actual rockets but *allusions* to rockets, bombs and and very dystopic future! 8) No pansy faeries this go-around!
So as to when I will be ready to do the whole critting-thing? Ahhh... end of the month. Unless someone else is ready eariler and then I will try to pull that in.
Ooh, Bored Crow, I liked the Dying Time, that was good.
Anyone else close?
Leslie
Posted by Icared (Member # 8091) on :
I will be starting my story before the beginning of February. Honest. I have the idea, the characters, the beginning of the plot. Everything I need to get started.
I just have this other story that I really liked and needs revising. It should be quick if I get my hands on it, but somehow I haven't been able to start yet.
How is everyone else doing? Let's all start and finish in a month and ambush the early timetable group! I don't really know how you ambush someone with a story though...
Posted by annepin (Member # 5952) on :
Why don't you guys just send me stuff out whenever it's ready? I've got a story, i just need to rework it a little... I guess it's proing more work than I barganed for. Heck, rewriting always gets me!
Posted by Bent Tree (Member # 7777) on :
quote:Welcome, ladies! Group members: annepin BoredCrow KayTi LAJD arriki
Any menfolk out there? Or have you guys got it all together?
Well ladies, I think I might join you if you will have me. I have one that I should have had in for Q408 but I was malady-stricken. Time for me to get back on track.I will have my draft ready in the next few days. ~Scott
Posted by annepin (Member # 5952) on :
Hey Bent Tree! Glad to see you back, and still writing! To all: send your drafts out whenever they are available. Me, I have to find a new brain before I can write. I'll keep you updated.
Looking forward to reading your stuff!
Posted by BoredCrow (Member # 5675) on :
A brand new story tackled me on Sunday and didn't let me go until I finished writing it. So, I think that one is going to be my entry for the quarter. It needs a LOT of work, but I'm excited about it's potential.
So yes, it will be a week or two before it's ready to be looked at.
[This message has been edited by BoredCrow (edited January 27, 2009).]
Posted by Bent Tree (Member # 7777) on :
BoredCrow,
You should edit out the title from your last post. You wouldn't want to risk getting disqualified for making the title public although the chances of a judge seeing it here is kinda slim.
Cheers to the inspiration though feel free to send it over whenever you are ready for a crit.
Posted by BoredCrow (Member # 5675) on :
Really? That's a problem? I've seen all sorts of titles in these threads before.
Well, better safe than sorry.
Posted by Kathleen Dalton Woodbury (Member # 59) on :
Just in the WotF topics, BoredCrow. If a judge happens to see your title, it could disqualify your story.
Posted by KayTi (Member # 5137) on :
Well I'm still on target, but with a different story, which I think is a better match for the market anyway. It's already written, but needs work yet. I need some early readers to help me with the high-level stuff - this works, this doesn't, ditch the backstory here, beef up the backstory there, this character is as thin as plastic, etc.
I'll hopefully have it ready for a reading round (can hardly call it critting when I know I've still got work to do on it) soon. Maybe even this weekend?
Posted by BoredCrow (Member # 5675) on :
You know I'm there, KayTi. Posted by annepin (Member # 5952) on :
Yes, January-ish is fast approaching! Time to buckle down. I'll try to send mine out this weekend (crossing fingers and knocking on wood.)
Posted by Icared (Member # 8091) on :
I am definitely going to miss the January-ish deadline, probably by two weeks or so. But feel free to send your stories whenever they are ready.
Posted by LAJD (Member # 8070) on :
Yep, me too on the missing the jan-ish deadline. I just dug out from under the slew of crits I promised in jan and now will start writing again. I do have a story that is close, though so it may be just a week for me.
Leslie
Posted by WriterDan (Member # 6456) on :
I'm still banging away on my story, which sucks because I'm part of the Early Submission group. Anyhow, I've only received two stories from my group for critique swapping, and so since we're into February now, I thought I'd offer up my critiquing services to you all too for what little help I might be able to offer. So, throw me on the list to email if you'd like another opinion. Later.
Posted by annepin (Member # 5952) on :
Fear not, dear writers. "January-ish" surely extends into mid-February.
Posted by Icared (Member # 8091) on :
Yay for the January-ish deadline!
I finally started writing my story and it is progressing faster than I had expected. I am not liking everything I wrote, but I promised myself not to stop until it is done. I hope six weeks will be enough to get it right.
[This message has been edited by Icared (edited February 04, 2009).]
Posted by arriki (Member # 3079) on :
I don't know what it is with me and this time of year. I always slack off. I'm wasting time doing 1000 piece jigsaw puzzles,instead of writing. Am I letting my mind lie fallow?
I am going to try and get some advice on the ending of the basement story. If I can find a policeman who would tell me what the police in the real world do when faced -- with the problem those in my story are. Maybe that will get me started again. Give me a firm direction to take with this rewrite of the climax.
Posted by tnwilz (Member # 4080) on :
I have started writing again now after some months away. I would like to join this group if its not too late.
Tracy
Posted by WriterDan (Member # 6456) on :
Never too late, I'm sure, Tracy. The group isn't quite to the first draft switch yet. Coming up soon. Glad to have you around.
Posted by annepin (Member # 5952) on :
Yay for Icared! Welcome back, Tracy.
Remember, this group is for you. If you'd rather take longer and just get one draft critted, so be it. Or you can always solicit a draft last minute. In my experience people are usually more than willing to help.
Posted by Kathleen Dalton Woodbury (Member # 59) on :
<sigh!>
I miss having time to do 1000-piece jigsaw puzzles. I got a lot of thinking done then. Now I have to find other times in which to do my thinking.
Posted by Icared (Member # 8091) on :
Just wanted to give you all a nudge. I am more than half way done with my first draft. Though I still have close to 4K words projected to the end of the story, I think at this pace I will definitely be ready to send it to you on the President's Day. How is everyone doing? Send in some stories!
Posted by annepin (Member # 5952) on :
Thanks for the poke, Icared. I just need to sit down and sort out my thoughts for redrafting my story. I've been failing to find the clarity about it that I want, but maybe I just need to sit down and tinker with it.
Posted by BoredCrow (Member # 5675) on :
I have a draft to send out. Tonight it's getting batted around by my in-person writing group, but is anyone ready to crit?
I definitely am, so please feel free to send me anything y'all have. (especially you, Icared, because I totally spaced on reading the last story you sent me until it was too late for the deadline...) ::guilty face::
Posted by Icared (Member # 8091) on :
I am always ready to crit! Seeing a story other than mine is always mind refreshing . So send it my way whenever you want BoredCrow.
Posted by WriterDan (Member # 6456) on :
I'm open too, Crow. In the other group officially, but...you know. Posted by annepin (Member # 5952) on :
I think I got a draft from you, BC, didn't I? I just haven't gotten to it yet. If you've got a more recent version go ahead and send that. I plan to work on these this weekend.
(Miraculously, everything is going to happen this weekend. Stories are getting critted, stories are getting written, the garden is going to be de-weeded, the kitchen is going to be cleaned, the laundry is going to be done...)
Posted by Kathleen Dalton Woodbury (Member # 59) on :
Sounds like passive voice to me, annepin.
Posted by Christian (Member # 7825) on :
Hey BC, I'm available to do a crit if you want.
Posted by Bent Tree (Member # 7777) on :
I just deleted the wrong copy of my story and cut the las eight thousand words from it. It looks like a day or two of overdrive.
Anne, I'll send you some magic to help you with your weekend if you say a little prayer for mine. The story you have is for something else so feel free to put that one on the back burner if you are busy. It can wait.
If the stars align and my fingers hold up, I might have mine redrafted by tommorow.
Posted by annepin (Member # 5952) on :
quote:Sounds like passive voice to me, annepin.
Well, this way I won't incriminate myself if tasks don't get done, right? Me to hubby: "What? I said the kitchen would be cleaned. Maybe you were supposed to do it."
quote:Anne, I'll send you some magic to help you with your weekend if you say a little prayer for mine.
Deal!
Posted by BoredCrow (Member # 5675) on :
Thanks, guys. My writer's group found lots of huge mistakes, so I'll fix those before I send the draft out again. Posted by Christian (Member # 7825) on :
From Annepin
quote:
Well, this way I won't incriminate myself if tasks don't get done, right? Me to hubby: "What? I said the kitchen would be cleaned. Maybe you were supposed to do it."
LOL. Anne ,this literally made me laugh out loud. Too Funny.
No, worries B.C. Whenever you're ready, send it out my way.
[This message has been edited by Christian (edited February 12, 2009).]
Posted by Icared (Member # 8091) on :
The story hit 9K today. I will be finishing the last scene and going over the whole thing again tomorrow to avoid frustrating you with silly mistakes . I am not sure how the story is(It sure needs a lot of work, but I guess all first drafts do), but I really enjoyed the pace I have been keeping the last two weeks to write it.
Hope I can keep this up.
Edit: It is finished at last. I still have to go over it, but it should be ready to send in one or two days. Looking at it now, I realized I have forgotten to give it a title. I have to fix that also. God I am such a newbie!
[This message has been edited by Icared (edited February 17, 2009).]
Posted by arriki (Member # 3079) on :
I'm having the usual February slump plus my best friend for 14 years just died -- Felicity, my Sheltie. Then, to top it off, the computer I work on keeps coming up with the blue screen of death and I hadn't backed up the basement story on this one. Stupid.
Posted by arriki (Member # 3079) on :
I accidentally hit return twice. Figures. That's how life is going right now. Kind of sucky.
I got the door knob problem fixed and the bit about the end answering the question raised in the beginning. But...the biggie -- the final battle sort of scene -- can't get a handle on it. What I've got is okay, but would never get past an HM, if even that far.
[This message has been edited by arriki (edited February 17, 2009).]
Posted by BoredCrow (Member # 5675) on :
I'm so sorry that you lost Felicity, arriki. Lots of hugs and sympathy for you.
Posted by arriki (Member # 3079) on :
Thanks. I can't stop crying. We buried her in her favorite blue bed. I went to the grocery store and bought a plastic storage container to be her coffin. Printed a little memorial with photos and had it laminated and stuck that in with her. We buried her in the backyard.
I couldn't bear the thought of just leaving her in the garbage can.
Posted by Icared (Member # 8091) on :
So I sent my first draft out at last. Let me know if there is any issues with receiving it. And thanks in advance for the help!
[This message has been edited by Icared (edited February 19, 2009).]
Posted by arriki (Member # 3079) on :
I realize I'm way behind, but... Icared, I didn't get a copy
Posted by Icared (Member # 8091) on :
Sorry for the late reply, but I just sent you a copy as well arriki.
Posted by annepin (Member # 5952) on :
Okay, critted and sent back Bored Crow and Icared's. Anyone else?
Now on to writing mine...
Posted by BoredCrow (Member # 5675) on :
I've just gotten (and returned) Icared's story, and snapper's from the other group (which seems to be on the same schedule as us ). Anyone can send me a story for critiquing, and mine's ready if anyone else has time to crit.
Posted by annepin (Member # 5952) on :
WriterDan, what about you, buddy? Haven't heard from you in a while.
I'm about halfway through my story. I'm not really happy with it. I pretty much broke every "rule" in the book but that's how the story wanted to be told. The first time, anyway. We'll see if it works.
Posted by WriterDan (Member # 6456) on :
School is absolutely killing me. Writing my dissertation right now. About 80 pages into it. Trying to get my computer program to work (I'm developing it). Spending nearly all hours of the waking (and some of the non-waking) day. Have to justify my existence to the Graduate committee by the end of the month or they're going to kick me out of school with no additional degree. No more "Doctor Dan". Unfortunately, the end of the month is also the deadline for WotF. Humph.
Happily, I have finished my first draft of the story. Still needs some work. Mostly by putting the "main thread" into it. And I need to trim it a bit. Long, this one is. As is though, I'm going to HAVE to spend some time on the story this next week or I'm going to be in trouble of missing this quarter, which I don't want to do. So, look for something from me by next Friday.
I'd love to have a go at your story, Annepin, when it's done. And I'll take one from anyone else that needs the help. I need an hour+ in order to make good progress on my story, but considerably less than that hour to crit one and it does so help to break up the monotony of equations and figures and tables and graphs. So send em along, and lets get some good stuff into WotF for this quarter. They need something from us. I can feel it.
Posted by arriki (Member # 3079) on :
The ice that has been surrounding me seems to be finally breaking. I got the story transferred to a working (but horribly slow) computer. I polished up the bits about the doorknob. Now I'm facing the problem of revising the ending as I study Yanno's comments on how endings work.
Posted by tnwilz (Member # 4080) on :
Mine is complete as a first draft so I want to stew on it for a few days. Send me what you got, I need the distraction.
Posted by BoredCrow (Member # 5675) on :
I'm not sure I'm going to make this quarter; I got too involved in my novel. So I might push my story to next quarter.
Thing is, I have three publications, and several stories out to magazines. All of them were small magazines. Has anyone ever talked to WOTF before about being disqualified because of publications? And how on earth do you tell if a magazine has 3000 subscribers or not? Just ask them? Because I don't think any of the places I've been published at do.
Posted by WriterDan (Member # 6456) on :
So, I finally got my story done. I sent it out to a few of the people in this group, despite the fact that I'm in the other. If anyone is game to give me a crit that I didn't send my story to, let me know and I'll throw you a copy.
Posted by LAJD (Member # 8070) on :
I seriously dropped off the face of the writing earth this quarter. For some crazy reason the downturn in the economy translates into more work for consultants. Ah, well, consulting is a feast or famine business anyway. One of the reasons I like it. 8)
So, I am definitely not going to make it.
I'll probably use this piece for Q3.
Thanks Leslie
Posted by Icared (Member # 8091) on :
I guess I will be dropping out from this quarter also. I will be going on a 10 day long trip in 5 days and I still don't have the second draft ready. I don't want to rush and send in something that I am not happy with. Well, long live Q3 then!
If anyone wants crits I will be available this week.
Posted by Christopher (Member # 6336) on :
Anyone here who hasn't sent their story in yet? I'll read it if anyone needs a final readthrough (please post a message here in the forum if you do, so I remember to check my e-mail). I haven't sent mine in yet either. It's the shortest one I've ever written for the contest (about 2800 words). If anyone wants to read it, let me know.
[This message has been edited by Christopher (edited March 18, 2009).]
Posted by Christopher (Member # 6336) on :
Dan, send me your story if you haven't sent it out yet.
ADD: Icared, I'll sent you mine. It's fairly short. It shouldn't take you too long. Typos, general thoughts, whatever. Any feedback is fine.
[This message has been edited by Christopher (edited March 17, 2009).]
)
Unfortunately, the end of the month is also the deadline for WotF. Humph.