Nope, nothing yet. I expect as late and behind as they were last quarter,that this one won't be much quicker.
Posted by autumnmuse (Member # 2136) on :
Someone on Codex queried and was just told they will begin sending out notices within the next week.
Posted by Silver3 (Member # 2174) on :
So it sounds as if they're not running that late.
Thanks, autumn.
Posted by Silver3 (Member # 2174) on :
They've started sending out notices.
Posted by RedSakana (Member # 3127) on :
Got my notice by email today--a quarterfinalist yet again. (sigh)
Posted by Calligrapher (Member # 2985) on :
I haven't heard anything, so sent off an email inquiry today.
Posted by LMermaid (Member # 2778) on :
I got my email today, and I was a quarterfinalist. That was a big improvement over my last submission, so I was pretty excited.
Posted by ChrisOwens (Member # 1955) on :
Darn it! I've let two quarter deadlines go by now without having anything I felt comfortable enough to send.
It's interesting what Kathy Wentworth said on the WOTF newsgroup: "Quaterfinalist means that I did get all the way through it, and it had one or more elements that I considered well done: setting, idea, characters, plot, prose, voice."
Now just to figure what one or more elements we did well and what elements we did'nt...
Posted by Silver3 (Member # 2174) on :
Yeah, that's the problem.
That, and whether you're at the top or the bottom of the QF pile.
Posted by mommiller (Member # 3285) on :
In reading all of these, I just have to ask, what do you think you've learned from the experience? Especially those of you that have emerged into the Quartefinalist stage. As a newbie writer I would be interested to hear what you have to say.
Thanks
Posted by Silver3 (Member # 2174) on :
Honestly, I can't say I've learnt from the experience. QF at WOTF is still a form reject. You don't get to know what was wrong, or why. Sadly.
And QF isn't even an indicator of quality, since there is a huge difference between a story at the top of the pile (I sold one of those) and a story near the bottom (typically, the one that's gathering virtual dust on my hard disk after going through a flurry of markets).
QF means you're on the right track. But it's a long road
Posted by Spaceman (Member # 9240) on :
Is it too early to query for Q1 (ending Dec 31)?
Posted by pjp (Member # 3211) on :
I would think they could throw back a bone for the QFs. Even if it was one sentence fragment.
Posted by Silver3 (Member # 2174) on :
Spaceman, last I heard, Wentworth was still sorting out her piles. So it's probably a little early. (not to mention I've seen very few QFs or non-placers yet on other forums).
Posted by Spaceman (Member # 9240) on :
thanks.
Posted by Jammrock (Member # 3293) on :
WOTF?
Posted by Silver3 (Member # 2174) on :
Writers of the Future, a renowned contest for speculative fiction writers. They run on a quarterly schedule, and pubish an annual anthology. Prizes are pretty high money-wise, not to mention a win in WOTF can help kickstart a career.
Thank you, Silver3. Looks like an awesome contest. I'll have to get a script ready to be rejected for the contest.
Posted by Spaceman (Member # 9240) on :
A script will be rejected because this is for prose.
Posted by Jammrock (Member # 3293) on :
lol ... manuscript shortened, not a screenplay
Main Entry: 2manuscript Function: noun 1 : a written or typewritten composition or document as distinguished from a printed copy; also : a document submitted for publication 2 : writing as opposed to print
Posted by Survivor (Member # 213) on :
When you're using a shortened word, you need to put in the apostrophe for the missing syllable/s. Particularly if the shortened word would otherwise be identical to an existing term which might plausibly be intended.
I could have made this point by writing my message using words "shortened" in your style, but it would have been highly offensive and there would have been little chance that everyone would have gotten the joke. Even those that did get the joke would probably have found the method of illustrating the point unacceptable.
So I decided to be boring and just explain.
Posted by Snowden (Member # 3340) on :
Just one note about WOTF- this contest was started as a means of garnering publicity for L. Ron Hubbard when the demands of running a religion began to pale and he decided to re-jump start his writing career.
Yes, the contest is still sort of being facilitated by "the estate of L. Ron Hubbard". Which means- Scientologists.
That personally spooked me a little. I started talking to people on other writer's groups and looked up the websites from some of the past winners.
It turns out that WOTF is a completely legitimate, no upfront fee, no vanity press, no Scientology recruitment type contest. It is purely about "lets find the best amateur writers out there".
I personally find it a little weird when the the only contest you can trust is run by Scientology. Kind of tells you something about the dream of being an SF writer, doesn't it?
Posted by Rahl22 (Member # 1411) on :
Moreover, I've spoken with several winners and they have all agreed on one particular thing: while the contest administrators do talk about Hubbard's life, no one will even mention scientology unless you bring it up first.
Posted by Spaceman (Member # 9240) on :
It is intended as a seperate entity to be taken at face value. Hubbard was a good science fiction writer and I think it shows that he really loved the genre by initiating this contest. Whatever else you may think about Hubbard, this contest has done a lot of good for a lot of writers.
Posted by Jammrock (Member # 3293) on :
Survivor,
I meant no disrespect. The 'lol' was laughing at the joke you posted. Very cleverly done, I might add. The comment I made is response was not a retort, nor meant to be one. The ' ' at the end of a phrase is common netiquette meaning my reply was designed to be a return joke. Which makes any misconecptions about its meaning my fault, since I did not use common written etiquette - which I realize I should have for a writer's forum. For which I apologize if I made offense.
The definition at the end was merely there to point out the difference between script and manuscript for those who may not know the subtle difference, since most of the people on the forums are ametuer writers (myself included).
Jammrock
[This message has been edited by Jammrock (edited April 07, 2006).]
Posted by Robert Nowall (Member # 2764) on :
Oh, yeah, Hubbard was a good SF writer. I was happy to pick up solid hardcover editions of his "Fear" and "Final Blackout" and "Ole Doc Methuselah" when his, er, people, put them out in hardcover a few years ago. (Sometimes at the discount table, though.) Nothing to do, in my mind, at least, with my unease at submitting to the contest.
*****
I feel the need to add a comment on "shortening," for some reason. I've never gotten into the habit. Though I might abbreviate something, I generally try to spell things out thoroughly and completely. Probably because reading things like that tend to confuse me...I know most of the abbreviations in current use, but not all of them.
Certainly, I'm sure, my own posts can be confusing enough, but not from being written in cryptic abbreviations...
Posted by Survivor (Member # 213) on :
I love using abbreviations and acronyms. Heck, look at the thread we're posting on here. It's even fun to use ones that not everyone will understand right away. I'm just saying that you need to punctuate them correctly. Informally abbreviated words get a "'" to indicate the dropped bits.
Posted by Smaug (Member # 2807) on :
Okay, so what's WOTF? I either don't frequent this place enough to know, haven't read the right threads, or haven't been paying attention--either that or it's an acronym from way back that a lot of you know already--but some of us fairly recent converts do not.
Posted by Spaceman (Member # 9240) on :
L. Ron Hubbard's Writers and Illustrators of the Future contest.
Posted by Robert Nowall (Member # 2764) on :
My life and means-of-support are loaded with acronyms. Some of the most important have never actually been defined for me, management being pathologically averse to sharing any information with the workers...
Posted by Smaug (Member # 2807) on :
I suppose if I were a real writer, I would've known. Posted by Jammrock (Member # 3293) on :
If most of the people on this site were "real" writers, people would be coming to our websites instead of us coming here. But you have to start somewhere, and I've found the people who frequest the Hatrack Writer's Wrokshop to be very friendly and helpful. Welcome aboard!
Jammrock
PS - I posted the same question about 15 posts up
Posted by Spaceman (Member # 9240) on :
Several "real" writers come to this site regularly, if you consider a "real" writer to be one with a pro sale.
[This message has been edited by Spaceman (edited April 10, 2006).]
Posted by Calligrapher (Member # 2985) on :
I just received my rejection by email. This writing / submission process is turning out to be a masochistic endeavor. But guess I'll try one more time.
[This message has been edited by Calligrapher (edited April 10, 2006).]
Posted by Smaug (Member # 2807) on :
quote:If most of the people on this site were "real" writers, people would be coming to our websites instead of us coming here. But you have to start somewhere, and I've found the people who frequest the Hatrack Writer's Wrokshop to be very friendly and helpful. Welcome aboard!
Yeah--I know!! I was just kidding about the real writers thing. And I know a lot of folks here are real writers--in fact most of us are or we wouldn't be bothering with any of this stuff. We all just need to keep plugging away. The eventually most of us will also be selling/getting our work published on a regular basis--those of us who aren't already.
Posted by luapc (Member # 2878) on :
I just got an email today that notified me that my entry for the quarter ending December 31, 2005 was a semifinalist. This is my first semifinalist finish, so I'm pretty happy with it. It gives me hope that I can write at a level worthy of winnning sooner or later.
I would expect then that most everybody should be hearing soon about theirs if they haven't already.
Posted by Kickle (Member # 1934) on :
Congratulations!
Posted by RedSakana (Member # 3127) on :
Congratulations luapc!
Posted by Silver3 (Member # 2174) on :
Congrats, luapc!!!
(why do I, no matter what happens, seem to fall into a crack of their desk...? )
Posted by Dude (Member # 1957) on :
Congratulations luapc--glad to see you moved up the list this time. My entry was a quarterfinalist.
Posted by Silver3 (Member # 2174) on :
Actually, I spoke too soon. I was a semifinalist this quarter. Blink blink. This has been a good week for me Posted by luapc (Member # 2878) on :
Congrats, Silver3! That makes two in a row, doesn't it? Sounds like you're getting consistently good! Third time's a charm, so they say. Good luck on the next one.
Posted by RedSakana (Member # 3127) on :
That's wonderful Silver! Congratulations Posted by Silver3 (Member # 2174) on :
Thanks ! I wouldn't say "consistently good", but at least I am getting closer...
Posted by Kherezae (Member # 2855) on :
I was just on the WotF website, and the rules there say the overall annual prize is $5,000 additional -- does anyone know if they increased the price recently or if it was just a typo?
Posted by Jammrock (Member # 3293) on :
$1000 if you win the quarterly award. At the end of the year they gather all of the quarterly winners and have a banquet, at which time a yearly winner is announced. The yearly winner gets an additional $5000 for having the best story of the year, so $6000 in total.
