This is a critique group for writers that will be entering a story for the third quarter of 2009 in the Writers of the Future contest (26th year).
Anyone is welcome to join. If you do though, please follow the directions for such. Currently, the group consists of me: WriterDan
If you want to join the group for this quarter, please re-post the current names list in a reply and add your name to the bottom.
Deadlines for this quarter's crits are as follows:
April 1st: Start writing May 14th: First drafts out for crits June 7th: Second drafts out for crits June 30th: Mail-in final drafts for Q03
When you send out drafts for critique, please do so in a generic format so that everyone will be able to open your file. (eg. rtf, txt. Pdf is okay too, but won't allow for in-text comments.)
So, it's the end of April and I haven't seen one of these go up yet. Anyone interested in this regular-timetable group? Usually we have a handful, but for some reason it's been a bit quiet. Where are you, people?
Posted by annepin (Member # 5952) on :
Having failed to meet the deadline and submit for the last, oh, 3 or 4 quarters, I've decided to give up. For the time being, at least.
Posted by WriterDan (Member # 6456) on :
Doesn't have to be a new story every quarter. Do I need to make a road trip to Cali and give you a swift kick in the pants?
Just grab one of the not-quite-done ones and stick to it. Even if it takes three quarters to finish the thing. We won't get tired of reading it because we know it's yours. Come on. No giving up, girl. Our attrition rate is already staggering. Don't think we could take this kind of hit.
We need you! You need us! Come on, girl and kick that cuss! (referring to your muse)
Am I getting annoying yet? This is all meant with the best of my intentions, I assure you.
And no, I was never on the cheer squad in high school.
Posted by annepin (Member # 5952) on :
Well all right then (pulls self up by bootstraps). I'll give it a go. Since I'm the only one in this here regular time table I'll peep over the the more advanced level when I'm ready for crittin'.
Thanks, Dan. And cute rally.
Posted by arriki (Member # 3079) on :
I've been sick lately, but I'm feeling better. I AM going to get THE VANISHING BASEMENT polished in time to submit this quarter.
I knew there was some fatal flaw in it and in most of my other writing but I COULD NOT figure what it was out. Then I got this new book -- THE 3RD ACT. It's the first book I have found that really addresses the problems of making endings satisfying. Of course I am having to rip through the whole story to fix the problem but I think (hope) I am finally on the right path.
Of course this is a juvenile and somewhat humorous so I doubt it can do better than at best an HM, but it's practice. CORY is my real hope for getting past HM again. That's what I'm going to work on (again) next.
So, count me in again here.
Posted by arriki (Member # 3079) on :
Is it just the three of us here -- Writer Dan, Annepin, and myself?
You guys have anything ready to critique? Mine isn't ready yet.
Posted by WriterDan (Member # 6456) on :
Woo-hoo! Annepin's in!!
Unfortunately arriki, mine isn't finished yet. I pretty much have it all planned out in my head. Just haven't gotten to put a whole lot of time into it yet. Have done 3 1/2 hours worth so far this week (~3400 words), which is pretty good for me. I'd really like to be able to have it done by Saturday, but I don't know if I can promise that or not. Will try to. If not, most likely by the end of next week. And I'm really liking this one, by the way. Sooooo excited to see it all come out. Looking forward to seeing what the two of you (and anyone else for that matter! Hint! Hint!) have for me this time around. Later.
Posted by arriki (Member # 3079) on :
I've been off line for days and days! Finally went out and bought a new computer. The old one here died and there is just no ressurrecting it.
Posted by WriterDan (Member # 6456) on :
Any luck with the story, Annepin? Arriki?
I got over a "sticky point" in my story just last night. Was nice to finally be past it. Just didn't know how it was going to work out before then. Not much to go yet. Hopefully fewer than 5-6k words. Don't have all that much room left!
How're things?
Posted by arriki (Member # 3079) on :
I'm having a terrible problem with the ending. It's flat and I haven't had any flash of inspiration about how to fix it.
Posted by annepin (Member # 5952) on :
Sigh, no, no luck. I have a story but I have to dust it off. I already know what needs changing, I just haven't figured out yet how I'm going to attack it. Probably won't get it done in time.
Another quarter, come and gone....
Posted by BoredCrow (Member # 5675) on :
My story is floundering too... mostly because I don't quite care about it at the moment. I'm tossing myself into this group in hopes that I can make things happen by the end of June!
Posted by WriterDan (Member # 6456) on :
Arriki: break out the air compressor.
Annepin: five WEEKS left. Don't drop it now. Work toward the goal (turning in a story, NOT making a deadline) and keep your eyes on that goal. We're here to help.
BoredCrow(See, I got your name right this time): Glad to have you on board, girl! Deep character penetration. That's what you need. Get into the MC.
All this stuff is so easy to say and I know that it can be orders of magnitude more difficult to implement, but it's worth it. If any of you think that a quick read-through and some brainstorming would help you out, send your story (as-is) my way and I'll see what I can dish out. Not promising anything, but from what I've seen two minds are frequently better than one. Too bad my external brain port stopped working three years ago...
On my front, I got another scene out for my current story. Two more left to write: the climax and the denouement. And only 5500 word-slots left available. This is going to be a close one.
Onward!
Posted by annepin (Member # 5952) on :
Five weeks? Oh, I thought it was June 1! Okay, I can do five weeks!
Posted by arriki (Member # 3079) on :
Okay. I have a full draft with what might be a good ending.
Who's available here to take peek?
Be brutal but be honest.
thanks arriki
Posted by BoredCrow (Member # 5675) on :
Arriki - I can take a look at your story.
And I've switched my quarter's entry this year AGAIN, to a storoy that I know Anne and arriki have already read (the one about worms and a religious society). It's much more ready than the one I'd been planning to use. ::shrug::
Posted by Crystal Stevens (Member # 8006) on :
Sometimes I'm a little slow in discovering things... say like this forum? This is all new to me folks, but I do have a story ready for submission. I think. It's my SOMEONE IS WATCHING story about the horse abuser. I don't know how much time I'll have to look at other folks work, but I'm willing to try. Anyone up to reading my story?
Posted by arriki (Member # 3079) on :
Until I got this new computer, every time I came on this site it remembered my password. Where is the button to get it to do that again? Hmmm? It's so annoying to have to keep looking that password up.
Bored Crow -- I'm sending you this draft. The ending is still weak. Any suggestions?
Crystal Stevens -- I'll take a look at yours. I have mental space now that mine is going out for critiquing. I must warn you that I'm hard to please. If you can get a compliment out of me, you really earned it.
Anybody else able to review the basement story?
Posted by Crystal Stevens (Member # 8006) on :
Actually, that's probably what I need, Arriki. I feel it's ready to go but wouldn't be asking for someone to look it over one more time before I send it out if I was 100% sure. So fire away, and we'll see what I can learn.
Thanks for volunteering to read .
Posted by WriterDan (Member # 6456) on :
So, I'm open for crits. Arriki, BoredCrow, Crystal.
Was planning on finishing my story tonight (only have one section left to go, and it should be relatively easy to write <<crossing fingers>> ), but just got asked to help someone with their A/C tonight. So, it'll be out in the next few days or so. Man, I'm really behind.
Posted by Crystal Stevens (Member # 8006) on :
I can't guarantee how quickly I'll get it back to you, but I'll give it a read, Dan.
Posted by WriterDan (Member # 6456) on :
First draft, done and out!
Phew.
Chance to breathe...
Okay, time to get busy with the next one.
If anyone didn't get an email with my story that is open to critting it, let me know and I'll send a copy your way.
Later.
Posted by arriki (Member # 3079) on :
Sent mine to you.
Posted by Christopher (Member # 6336) on :
I'm baaacckkkk! Like a bad habit . I'm open to reading some stories. Anyone who wants a fresh crit (I can do two or three this week), send me their stories.
I think my story is done. It's "Pod Soldier" that I didn't have enough time to polish and submit last quarter. Dan and Snapper read it for me then--when it was a lot more confusing. I think it's better now. If anyone else is willing to read it, it's fairly short.
So, let me have 'em. I want to read what you guys have been up to. I'm glad to see this group is still going strong.
Chris
Posted by arriki (Member # 3079) on :
Christopher, I'll read. I'm almost finished with Writer Dan's. still working on Crystal's.
I'll send you the basement story when I get yours in the email.
Posted by Crystal Stevens (Member # 8006) on :
Hi Christopher; I'll send you mine. I'm reading Dan's right now, and my time is limited. I'll let you know if I can squeeze yours in .
Posted by WriterDan (Member # 6456) on :
Countdown time, peoples!
Three weeks from today for final Q03 manuscripts to be in the mail!
This is crunch time.
Don't buckle!
Just git 'er done!
Posted by Crystal Stevens (Member # 8006) on :
I don't know if I'll make it or not. I'm trying to revise about 3 pages and having trouble getting it to sound right. Hopefully, I'll solve the problem before the end of the week.
Posted by WriterDan (Member # 6456) on :
TWO WEEKS!!
AHOO-GA! PREPARE TO DIVE CAPTAIN!
Posted by WriterDan (Member # 6456) on :
Seven days and counting. Time for minor tweaks and finishing touches. Hope everyone is coming up ready. After missing last quarter I'm nearly beside myself with excitement about this one. Good luck to everyone.
Posted by Crystal Stevens (Member # 8006) on :
I'm afraid that mine will have to wait till next quarter. After Arriki's crit, I'm back to the drawing board. I wrote the first scene totally over after taking her advice and can't believe the difference it made in how my story reads. So now I'll be revising the whole thing. Right now it's 48 pages.
She also suggested cutting out the first half. She might be right, but for now I'm going to revise the whole story and then decided whether the first part is really necessary.
Good luck to the rest of you.
Go get 'em, Hatrackers!
Posted by arriki (Member # 3079) on :
Crystal, I am relieved that you found my comments helpful.
This morning I mailed the basement off to WOTF. At last! We're having trouble with the computer I print out on. It on rare occasions edits stuff -- drops out lines of text. My husband sat with me and we compared printouts to catch these errors. Caught a few typos and one (yes, one!) missing line.
Now the problem is to figure out what to work on next. The one about CORY which needs work on the ending a la THE 3RD ACT by Yanno? I meant to send that in last December. Then I realized the end didn't really work. Subtle problems, but story killers all the same.
When do we open the topic for the next quarter?
Posted by WriterDan (Member # 6456) on :
The early submission group for next quarter is already open.
I figure the regular submission group will open up in the next week or so. I usually try to watch and if no one else does it within the first couple days of the quarter, I do it. Seems I'm always waffling between hoping to finish early and dealing with the reality of rewrites anyhow.
Still working on my draft for this quarter. Through about 30 of the 70 pages and anticipating only minimal changes to everything but the final scene, which is going to be completely rewritten. I couldn't get the end to work, but had a great suggestion from my local writer's crit group and it looks like the end is going to be really good after all. Thanks to everyone that gave me feedback. It's helped a ton.
Posted by WriterDan (Member # 6456) on :
My story is off!
Just wanted to thank everyone that sent me a crit. The responses I got were pivotal in making my entry this quarter into something really good. And I even finished it three-and-a-half hours earlier than I normally do. Ha, ha! Stress-be-gone!
Good luck to everyone. Hope to see you all next quarter.
Posted by arriki (Member # 3079) on :
I just received an email from somebody at WOTF telling me that my story -- and the gave the title -- had been received and was in the third quarter pile.
Is this normal? I don't remember receiving such a notice before.
Posted by snapper (Member # 7299) on :
Yes it is, Arriki.
Posted by WriterDan (Member # 6456) on :
Just got mine today.
Ooh!
Posted by darklight (Member # 5213) on :
I'm very relieved that the confirmations are just coming through. I've never waited this long before hearing they've got my story. I sent it off very late, and I was beginning to think it had got lost in the post. Fingers crossed my confirmation will arrive soon.
Posted by WriterDan (Member # 6456) on :
Well you also have to factor in the ramp-up for the 25th Anniversary gala that they're going to be throwing. Even the timeline in the email I got for finalist announcements (4 months!) was extended. I'm sure things are really going to get stretched out this quarter.
Posted by Owasm (Member # 8501) on :
For a point of reference, I sent mine in about ten days early and got an acknowledgement on 7/23.
Posted by darklight (Member # 5213) on :
I think I've waited a bit longer than that. Sent mine on the 29th, still haven't heard anything.
Didn't know about the 25th Anniversary gala. Guess none of us will be hearing how our stories have done any time soon.
Posted by arriki (Member # 3079) on :
Isn't time for the results to start being posted?
I couldn't find a place even to look for them with google.
Posted by darklight (Member # 5213) on :
The first set of Honourable Mentions for Q2 came in on June 1st, almost three and a half months ago, which ordinarily would mean they should start coming in for Q3 around now, but with the 25th Anniversary going on a little while ago, they'll probably be a little late. But I'd expect we'd hear something in the next couple of weeks--the end of the month at worst.
Posted by snapper (Member # 7299) on :
quote:Isn't time for the results to start being posted? I couldn't find a place even to look for them with google.
My name is there. Saw a bunch of others that I recognize too. Congrats everyone!
Hope you all are signed up for this next quarter. See you around.
Posted by darklight (Member # 5213) on :
Congrats to all. I noticed a few names myself I know well. We're clearly heading in the right direction.
Is there anyone else from our group that hasn't heard one way or the other yet? I've had no 'sorry, you didn't win' email, or confirmation of a HM, or anything else.
Saying that, when I do get a HM, I'm usually the last to know, finding out when I wander onto the WotF blog website and see my name there.
Posted by AWSullivan (Member # 8059) on :
Thanks and Congrats to all the other HMs. Finalist and Semi's have been notified so far as I know. A friend I exchange MS with got his finalist call yesterday.
~Anthony
Posted by Owasm (Member # 8501) on :
Congratulations on the HMs.
I was really surprised to score one with the story I sent in. I recognized more hatrackers on this list.
- Owasm
Posted by satate (Member # 8082) on :
Woo Hoo I got an HM!
Posted by snapper (Member # 7299) on :
Congrats!
Posted by Owasm (Member # 8501) on :
Congratulations to Darklight for her HM in the last group just posted today. I didn't recognize any other hatracker names.
83 HM's in all this quarter.
[This message has been edited by Owasm (edited October 12, 2009).]
Posted by WriterDan (Member # 6456) on :
Christopher Cook is another Hatracker, though he hasn't been around here lately. Been working on his middle-grade novel more, and focusing on short-story stuff a bit less. Is the jury still out for anyone in the group?
Posted by arriki (Member # 3079) on :
I haven't heard anything yet. It was that childish fantasy about a basement, remember? I thought it was pretty good. Guess they didn't. Maybe too juvenile.
Posted by darklight (Member # 5213) on :
Thanks, Owasm. That's two in a row.
Posted by WriterDan (Member # 6456) on :
So I got my HM back in the mail, and on the first page of the manuscript was a message from KDW:
Very well written. Keep entering. --KDW
Now, granted, that's not a whole lot, but WHOO! Something is better than nothing. Makes me think that perhaps this entry was close to the top of the HM pile.
Posted by annepin (Member # 5952) on :
That's really cool, WriterDan! And congrats to darklight and all the other HM-ers.
Posted by snapper (Member # 7299) on :
Congrats to all of you HMers.
I'm jealous.
Posted by arriki (Member # 3079) on :
Satate and annepin -- I've got my story ready for critiquing. Are you still willing?
Sooooo excited to see it all come out. Looking forward to seeing what the two of you (and anyone else for that matter! Hint! Hint!) have for me this time around. 
.