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I'm running my story through the other group before I send it to this one, as that'll help me get it down to the 8,000 word limit. I'll send it out to you all at the end of the month.
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I didn't get my story out tonight to you all... for various reasons. One is on the Random Musings thread, and I played around a bit too much plus a couple of other reasons.
Hopefully tomorrow night but even so I think you all have enough stories to keep you busy for a day or three.
Snapper Osiris Jennifer Hicks Shimiqua Delli Utahute72
Snapper's already read the first draft of one of mine that I may be able to whittle down to the 8000 length. I have a second that will come in under that, but less further along. I should have something to send out by the end of the month to this group.
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I've only sent a copy of my story to one member of this group but I think I have received only two stories. Possibly three but that would be all.
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So far I've read and returned the two stories sent to me, one from Snapper and one from Delli. If anyone else sent me one let me know so I can look for it.
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I've come to my senses and realize I only have time to participate in one of the WoTF groups, so since this one demands less time from me, I've chosen it.
I've critiqued Jennifer's and will get to work on the rest soon. I need to cut some words from mine and then I'll send it out.
[This message has been edited by Osiris (edited October 24, 2011).]
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Teraen and LD can each send me theirs. I have critiqued and have been critiqued by everyone else on the list.
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No results from the other group so maybe it came from this one even though this is suppose to be shorter stories.
I have a 12,000 plus story someone sent me and I can't figure out who sent it. I must have deleted the wrong E-mail again even though I don't recall doing any. But the story has some magic and is probably a medieval setting.
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I've sent mine... to Beneath Ceaseless Skies...
I decided to go with a completely different story for WotF. But I haven't sent my new one to WotF yet. All finished, just have to go over it one more time to check for typos etc. But I'm too tired tonight... *sigh*
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Let's do this thing! . . . . . Should I do this thing? . . . . . Should I look over it one last time? . . . . . Should I get someone else to look over it one last time? . . . . . Should I send it to another market before WotF because I have time? . . . . . Can you tell the virgin WotF submitter? I think I should just send it in and write some more stories. In fact, I have already started on another longer short. Hmmm. Anybody else submitting theirs yet? Submitting now makes the wait even longer though...
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I wanna be a cool kid! I know I am late for the party, but I will swap with anyone that sends me their draft. I am also in the other group for those who already sent me theirs.
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I have sent my submission on its way. Thank you to all who took their time to read and offer me their opinions and advice. All I can do now is cross my fingers.
Goo d luck to you all!
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I'll send it to you but, other than the opening, nothing has changed.
BTW, "Cold Blooded Killers" was the title I gave it in my first draft. I've changed it a bunch of times since (not going to say what it is so I don't violate the WotF rules of revealing your work before it can be judged).
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I've basically given up Q1 as a lost cause. I've been fighting off a writerly depression for most of the past couple of months and haven't done much. I'll send in a story -- mostly so I can keep my streak of consecutive entries going -- but I don't expect to get much out of it.
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Fight that depression, Jennifer! And I'm glad you're sending in a story. Never miss a quarter. I think I recall that Brad won on a story he "just sent in" at the last second. Writers are the worst judges of their own work.
And in other news, if anyone needs a last second read on a story, I'll be happy to take a look. My Q1 story was sent in a while back so I've got time for reading. Though now I need to start thinking about Q2. Got a couple of story ideas brewing and as soon as I finish my latest novel, I'm going to have to whip them out.
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I'm trying, Tom. I have a good idea for Q2 and I'm almost done with the pre-writing legwork - the character profiles and world-building. I hope to get with the actual writing soon after Christmas.
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Although I wasn't part of the cool crowd, I find I've exchanged with a few of the folks above, so I thought I'd chime in and say mine's almost done. I'm planning to hard-copy mail on my birthday. The 28th.
Of course, with KDW reading electronic entries first, then hard copies, and mine coming in the final days, I'll be the last to know my story's fate. But that's ok, I'd rather not find out a month from now...
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A while ago, I decided I wouldn't send the story I cycled through here because I thought it needed more work. Today, I submitted it anyway.
Jennifer, I'm battling the depression stuff too, but since last week, I actually feel like I'm winning that battle. I found that just sticking to 'the plan', submit, submit and no matter what I think of my story, submit, is incredibly liberating. Submitting gives hope. I think we (or at least I) tend to bind ourselves with our own rumination, and breaking those binds will get the creative juices flowing again.
You're a good writer, don't lose sight of that.
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quote:Jennifer, I'm battling the depression stuff too, but since last week, I actually feel like I'm winning that battle. I found that just sticking to 'the plan', submit, submit and no matter what I think of my story, submit, is incredibly liberating. Submitting gives hope.
Thanks, Osiris. I'm submitting. As soon as I put my WotF entry in the mail today, I'll have five stories out. What I'm having a hard time with is writing new material. I've been having serious doubts about any talent I might possess and whether I'm wasting my time trying to "break in" to publishing. I'm not looking for affirmations by saying that, just explaining the reasons. There's nothing worse than thinking I'm on the verge of a breakthrough and then not breaking through.
Anyway, good luck to those who are entering in Q1. I hope we see a couple finalists -- and maybe, dare I say it, a winner? -- among us this time around.
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The line at the post office was damn scary, so the WotF submission will have to wait until tomorrow (along with my grandparents' Christmas gift). Yes, I'm doing it the old-fashion way this quarter. I'm with Axe in that I'd rather not get a reject e-mail on, say, Jan. 3.
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quote:Jennifer, I'm battling the depression stuff too, but since last week, I actually feel like I'm winning that battle. I found that just sticking to 'the plan', submit, submit and no matter what I think of my story, submit, is incredibly liberating. Submitting gives hope.
Thanks, Osiris. I'm submitting. As soon as I put my WotF entry in the mail today, I'll have five stories out. What I'm having a hard time with is writing new material. I've been having serious doubts about any talent I might possess and whether I'm wasting my time trying to "break in" to publishing. I'm not looking for affirmations by saying that, just explaining the reasons. There's nothing worse than thinking I'm on the verge of a breakthrough and then not breaking through.
Anyway, good luck to those who are entering in Q1. I hope we see a couple finalists -- and maybe, dare I say it, a winner? -- among us this time around.
There is no "breaking through" as far as I've heard it from the pros I've talked to. Rather it's a long slow, inexorable climb to a career and the only way to fail is to give up. The way I see it, the only thing you need in this business is an indomitable will to keep going no matter what happens, no matter how many rejections you get, no matter how bad it feels and no matter what anyone says.
The cold, hard facts is that we're all good writers. Any one of us could win it. Any one of us could make a sale to a pro market. The problem is that there are thousands and thousands of writers just like us. The key is to last longer than the others and keep improving until they are forced to deal with our peculiar strain of genius.
Have a happy holidays everyone and just keep swimming!
quote:There is no "breaking through" as far as I've heard it from the pros I've talked to. Rather it's a long slow, inexorable climb to a career and the only way to fail is to give up.
I get that. I'm not talking about some singular moment in which I will have arrived and a chorus of angels will sing halleluiah. My definition of a breakthrough at this point in my fledgling career is to make a SFWA-qualifying sale. Once that's accomplished, there will be another barrier to break through, and another one after that, and it keeps going and going. I'm taking it one barrier at a time, but this one is proving really tough.
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Hmm, I heard pros talk about when they reach a point where they start to sell and/or getting personal comments on a regular bases. By regular I don't mean every five stories they send out, it could be something like every twenty to fifty stories sell with a few personal comments mixed in there.
I would call that a break through. Of course you always have to keep pushing upward even if you sold a thousand stories and a hundred novels.
And I would also disagree that one hundred percent of us are good writers.
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As to a SFWA qualifying sale. I'm not sure if that is a market that SFWA has approved of already or a certain set of characteristics. Like Pro pay and 5,000 copies sold.
I'm sure someone will say for sure soon.
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SFWA recognizes magazines that have been open longer than a year, have 1000 or more subscribers, and pay $.05 a word or more. (paraphrasing, but I believe I'm correct.)
The newest is DSF. Here's their list, but it seems a little old...
1) If you've sent in your submission yet (hello - deadline)
2) If anyone would be interested in a WotF critique group for works of short submissions
3) If anyone wants to check out my tattoo. I got it for free from a guy in the back of a van. Pretty cool, huh? It's supposed to be a werewolf fighting a vampire. I can't see it, being on my back and all. How's it look?
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2) My Q2 story is going to be on the longer side, I'm afraid.
3) Oh, is that what that is? Next time, you might want to explain to the tattoo artist the difference between a werewolf and Big Foot.
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