Contest result--Writers of the Future

[Incanus]

Received an Honorable Mention, which means it was in the top few hundred or so out of thousands of entries. The same story got the same result a few years back, so it is about what I expected.

The contest sure took a while this time--just short of three months.

Anyway, the best part is that I learned a few new things and have been applying them to my WIP.

 

[Rexenm]

Three months is a long time with a submission, you usually don’t get a reply till at least six months to a year with publishers. They sit around all day, being masters of the universe. Then they get out the dictionary, and thesaurus.

I have submitted to magazines, with not much luck. I have a habit of stargazing, then randomly ramble on about my idea of a gunners pit.

 

[Carnary Gurl]

I have tried the road to self publication, which is the other direction. Contests are of no interest to me. I have thought about becoming an editor, because I have a lot of things to say, all nice, but no independent idea of my own, just encouragement.

I have put those ideas to bed, I’m sold on the whole gist of the thing, but I have put that idea to rest.

 

[Demesnedenoir]

I have no idea what Writers of the Future is—it sounds sorta time travelly, heh heh—but all recognition is good recognition!

I assume the Terminator won everything if he entered.

 

[Carnary Gurl]

Terminator, good analogy.

Maybe Padme, making her plea to the senate?

 

[Incanus]

I have tried the road to self publication, which is the other direction. Contests are of no interest to me. I have thought about becoming an editor, because I have a lot of things to say, all nice, but no independent idea of my own, just encouragement.

I have put those ideas to bed, I’m sold on the whole gist of the thing, but I have put that idea to rest.

I'm not really heading in any particular direction--entering story contests doesn't preclude me from self-publishing that I'm aware of.

Also, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't want an editor to say only nice things about my work. I need someone to point to problems that I can work on.

It's entirely possible I didn't understand this post very well. If so, carry on----

 

[Incanus]

I have no idea what Writers of the Future is—it sounds sorta time travelly, heh heh—but all recognition is good recognition!

I assume the Terminator won everything if he entered.

It's the biggest short story contest for fantasy and sci-fi in the US. The judges are professionals. Brandon Sanderson is one. Frank Herbert used to be one, and I believe his son is now.

 

[Carnary Gurl]

I'm not really heading in any particular direction--entering story contests doesn't preclude me from self-publishing that I'm aware of.

Also, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't want an editor to say only nice things about my work. I need someone to point to problems that I can work on.

It's entirely possible I didn't understand this post very well. If so, carry on----

There is the lure of a prize pool, I am aware, but there is no discretion for unrealised talent. If you follow the logical conclusion to this, it is because markets become secular, trends move on.

In regards to my own feelings, I would hate to win a competition designed to groom talented writers, be they young or old.

 

[Incanus]

There is the lure of a prize pool, I am aware, but there is no discretion for unrealised talent. If you follow the logical conclusion to this, it is because markets become secular, trends move on.

In regards to my own feelings, I would hate to win a competition designed to groom talented writers, be they young or old.

Unfortunately, I'm unable to understand any of this.

Well, I guess I got one thing--you don't seem to care much for contests. That's OK.

 

[Carnary Gurl]

Not winning them at least

 

[pmmg]

Received an Honorable Mention, which means it was in the top few hundred or so out of thousands of entries. The same story got the same result a few years back, so it is about what I expected.

The contest sure took a while this time--just short of three months.

Anyway, the best part is that I learned a few new things and have been applying them to my WIP.

You received an honorable mention? Congrats to you, that is no easy feat. WOTF has a lot of entries. I knew a girl who took second place in it. Strangely, it was the thing that made her want to stop writing, but.... She got to her pinnacle.

Congrats to you again. Keep it up.

 

[pmmg]

There is the lure of a prize pool, I am aware, but there is no discretion for unrealised talent. If you follow the logical conclusion to this, it is because markets become secular, trends move on.

In regards to my own feelings, I would hate to win a competition designed to groom talented writers, be they young or old.

One does not have to appreciate contests to know it is still a feat for others to do well in them.

 

[Incanus]

Thanks, pmmg!

For some reason, it was more exciting the first time. Back then, I didn't know what results were possible beyond 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place. So the HM was a novelty, and quite a surprise.

I remember you mentioned you knew someone who 'won' that contest, and promptly quit writing. It still seems like an unusual response to me. There sure are all kinds of people out there...

It's back to the WIP for me----

 

[pmmg]

Yes, that was Sylvia Anna Hiven. I think she is in this one: WOTF Vol 32.

She placed. She said to me then that it felt like she had reached the mountain she was reaching for, and there was nothing left to prove. She moved off into cake decorating instead, saying it was a faster path to making something creative, and...she got to eat the cake.

Looking at that one again now, I see the name Stewart Baker, I think that might be a Stewart Baker I also knew. They were also friends with Anna. No idea if he is still writing or not.

 

[Devor]

An Honorable Mention in that competition is not an easy feat. Short stories are harder than novels, so you should take it as a go signal in favor of your writing efforts.

 

[Carnary Gurl]

I remember you mentioned you knew someone who 'won' that contest, and promptly quit writing. It still seems like an unusual response to me. There sure are all kinds of people out there...

One does not have to appreciate contests to know it is still a feat for others to do well in them.

Myself, I don’t feel like fighting the losing battle. I would do terrible in a contest. I have thoughts that are like a pointless character in a point and click adventure.

 

[pmmg]

If you set your sights low, its not hard to hit them.


Incanus did well. Can we not share his joy?

 

[Demesnedenoir]

Off to eat her cake too, that's awesome, LMAO.

Two honorable mentions are absolutely feathers in one's cap, more so that I now know the contest! Congrats indeed, although I think I recall reading about the first one, too, LOL.

Yes, that was Sylvia Anna Hiven. I think she is in this one: WOTF Vol 32.

She placed. She said to me then that it felt like she had reached the mountain she was reaching for, and there was nothing left to prove. She moved off into cake decorating instead, saying it was a faster path to making something creative, and...she got to eat the cake.

Looking at that one again now, I see the name Stewart Baker, I think that might be a Stewart Baker I also knew. They were also friends with Anna. No idea if he is still writing or not.

 

[Incanus]

An Honorable Mention in that competition is not an easy feat. Short stories are harder than novels, so you should take it as a go signal in favor of your writing efforts.

re: Short stories/novels: in my experience the reverse has been true. I've done somewhere above 20 shorts in the last decade or so (including a 35K novella), with maybe close to half of them turning out more or less 'good' do varying degrees. I think I've attempted novels 10 times, only completed a single one, which turned out quite awful and un-fixable (it had one or two OK things about it, I suppose). My current attempt is looking good so far, but I'm often plagued with doubts about it.

re: 'go signal': When I got the first HM about 3 years ago, after a few days or so, this is precisely how I chose to look at it. I had a project I'd been developing that started back in 2011 that I eventually realized I was not yet good enough to tackle. The project deserved the best I could do for it, so I set it aside. After that little victory of sorts with the WotF, it suddenly hit me: Perhaps I had finally gotten good enough at this stuff to tackle the 'big' project. With some luck, and some great, timely help from by best writer friend, it is working so far.

I'm contemplating dusting off one of my other shorts and sending that in to the contest to see if it fares as well.

 

[Carnary Gurl]

I'm contemplating dusting off one of my other shorts and sending that in to the contest to see if it fares as well.

You know, I’m all for sending in snippets, myself. There is a lot of effort that goes into a personal experience, though from my experience I don’t know why I shy away from the bigger projects. A book, tome or what have you, is a better ideal for a short story competition or magazine and there are plenty of awards that go with the should I say territory, but for hovering in one place, looking for the sign of that mouse… maybe there is a lower devision that could be for youthful and schools, clubs for elderly folk, something like that.

But, congratulations! You have done very well.