posted
This was a critique group for writers that entered a story into the third quarter of 2012 in the Writers of the Future contest (29th year).
After the end of the quarter, entries submitted have been responded to as thus:
Finalist: Rebecca Birch (rabirch)
Honorable Mention: Jennifer Hicks (JenniferHicks) Anna Yeatts (A Yeatts) Frank Dutkiewicz (snapper) Melanie Meadors (mrmeadors) Dustin Adams (axeminister)
Congratulations to everyone that submitted!
If you participated in the group and got some kind of award for this quarter, let me know and I'll add you to the list.
posted
Okay, I'm in this time. When it comes to critiquing others works, I'm going to change from how I've done it in the past, though. On first drafts, I'm doing an alpha crit (no line comments, just comments on story-telling aspects), and on the second drafts, I'll go 50/50 on line comments and story-telling comments.
Thought about using the fantasy I just wrote but it's a bit short at just under 4,000 words and I think I would need to lengthen a scene or three to make it more adventurous.
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Hmmm, I need to decide which story. There's a UF story that has already been written, that by coincidence seems to meet some of the characteristics of the types of stories they put in 27. Probably needs lots of critiquing since it's my writing.
There's the fantasy I just wrote and revised. Ditto with the writing.
Or I can try a not yet written SF that is a bit dark and what I call quiet- with maybe a little violence. I think I just came up with most of the opening and most of the ending. Now if I could come up with most of the middle.
But to do that I would have to take time out from getting two of my novels ready. I decided it's been way too long, so I will cut down on my writing and mainly work on those two novels. I need to get them published one way or another. And of course I need to finish revising Q2's story. I keep forgetting.
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posted
Rats, can't make up my mind on which story to use. One I just wrote, one I have already or a third one I started but am not sure about.
On another thread, 2012 Q01, snapper suggests they like struggles. I can see that but all three stories have that. If I decide not to use the the one I just wrote I can put the first 13 on the F&F for stories and get some help with nitpicks and bad writing.
I know it's my choice, I'm just venting a little.
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I thought I had finished revising a story I wrote over four months ago but never got around to revising, At one point I lay down for a minute a rested my eye while I waited for my wife to finish with her Craft site, The idea popped into my head to use it for Q3. But I thought there isn't really all that much struggle- as has been discussed on another thread- in it but my muse said, oh but there could be very easily. Instantly I came up with ways to add more struggle not only physical but emotional also. So he has to fight an outward opponents and his own tiredness and "every thing goes wrong" attitude.
They story is UF which doesn't seem to go over too big with WotF but will shall see. Dr.Bob- who is good writer- has had problems with that genre and WotF. Without knowing the specific stories he sent in maybe they didn't have the right type of struggle. Maybe, maybe it wouldn't make a difference. I decided to take that chance.
At the very least this story will be improved, there will be more action and tension- more than one type I hope- plus my MC will change. More description of setting, of the human senses and more getting into my MC's mind. All of which is suppose to make a story a better tale. So if it works only half as well as I hope, it will be- as I said- a better story no matter what WotF feels about UF. Of course they are my problem with commas and it will still be my writing.
A PS I'm not an editor for a contest so I am quite satisfied with the amount of and type of struggle in Dr. Bob's Rabbi stories.
Sorry I forgot the good Rabbis' name. I would like to read enough of them to remember it.
posted
Good, the more chances of winning for the group. Not to mention more chances of learning something about writing.
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I have three stories I could use but I'm pretty sure I know which one I will be using. Unless the first critiquers say it's not right, that has happened once or twice.
I'm taking a chance but we're supposed to do that too. Anyway, I'm three fourths of the way done. The 14th is going to come quickly.
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posted
I see there are a few of us still beating our heads against the wall. I ran across a post by Dark Warrior on what KD Wentworth had to say about the contest from a couple of years ago, don't know if everyone has seen it. The information dovetails nicely with the post by Axe thumbtacked above.
posted
I'm a few days late. Sorry, folks. Here are the groups for this first quarter:
Group1: WriterDan Owasm Osiris A Yeatts Crank
Group 2: Axeminister Utahute72 LDWriter2 pivot
Send to the people in your group this time around. If anyone else shows up, they can slide into Group 2. More than that, they better have a real good reason for showing up so late... lol.
posted
Hmm, thought we had to the Fourteenth was that suppose to the be the Fourth? Or are you just being a bit earlier to get people on the ball?
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I've written 8k, with climax and denouement left to write. Anyone else close to being finished with their 1st draft?
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Nope. I went back to the drawing board last night. New concept that I'm excited about. Now I'm trying to match plot to concept.
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mb I think you're fine. At least with your timing. You might be the last person to place your name on the list but your the first one to send out your story... at least in group two.
I was going to wait 'till closer to the 14th but oops it is closer. This weekend then-- I will shoot for Friday night.
Almost finish anyway. But the spell check and new proofreader might take a while.
But changing the topic a bit. Since it's been decided that we can send in stories again- as long as they weren't finalists. I thought about sending in my first HM again. I'll just add a touch more struggle and run it through you guys or who ever does Q4.
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quote:Originally posted by LDWriter2: But changing the topic a bit. Since it's been decided that we can send in stories again- as long as they weren't finalists. I thought about sending in my first HM again. I'll just add a touch more struggle and run it through you guys or who ever does Q4. [/QB]
Oh, it has? I didn't know about that. I've been working on my HM story, too, cutting down from the 17k monstrosity it was to something much shorter. I won't use it for this quarter, but maybe for a future one.
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posted
I'm a genius. I was shooting for the 7th, which is obviously the date of the "second" crit swap. Oh well. At least the groups are up beforehand, eh? Posts: 599 | Registered: Sep 2007
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Okay, sent mine. The spellcheck, and proofreading didn't take as long as I feared. Not sure if that is good or a sign I missed a lot of nitpicks.
The proofreader software is interesting. It does help and even helped me to change a word or three when I noticed I had the same word to close together.
We shall see how it reads.
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posted
Will send my draft out later today! Hoping to fix up a few things before then.
What is this 'new proofreader software' you mention (maybe I missed this earlier on the thread?)? Is that the feature bundled into word, or a standalone package?
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posted
I'm way behind. I will crit, but I don't expect to get a story out before the end of next week.
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posted
pivot it came included in my new word processor. I finally broke down and bought a new one... pages by apple. A lot cheaper than when I checked on a few years ago.
It's way different from my old one. I've had to find certain menu items and they have renamed other items. In some ways that's neutral, in some ways it's good; like the proofreader, in some ways it's bad. I can't seem to do a .rtf in a full format. In other words the headers don't go through. At least in one test.
I need to remember to see about watching one of their how -to videos
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posted
Thanks for the info on the proofreader - I'm mostly stuck on word and scrivener, but it's good to hear about other options.
I sent out a draft tonight, let me know if you don't get it and I'll send it again tomorrow. First draft on a first attempt at this thing - I suppose that deserves a celebration! (no matter how _rough_ the draft is Posts: 5 | Registered: Mar 2012
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posted
I was going to say that I may have gotten three stories which meant there was one more to come in, and despite the fact that pivot sent one to herself-I happened to notice that when I glanced at the people she sent the same E-mail to-- there are only four stories to do this time around.
But I remembered that it was only two stories. I received a crit already... 'tis good. That was really quick especially for the type of crit it is.
And I found out another good thing about pages. I can now receive side comments.
I have a habit of saying things like this.
But according to the list of deadlines I have a little bit so my crits will probably start showing up somewhere between Wednesday and Friday.
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Sent mine to group one. I haven't received one from anyone else. Please let me know if you're in my group and didn't get my email. Thanks! Anna
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Soft voice in passing: Sometimes I think "I'll participate in Writer Dan & Co.'s next WOTF Critique Group." But while I sometimes can make the WOTF entry deadline, I can never make this Group's 1st two weeks of the quarter deadline. Tough group.
Respectfully, Dr. Bob
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Bob, a lot of people don't hit the deadlines on the nose. Consider them more of a suggestion. People still crit each others work even if it comes in a little late.
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quote:Originally posted by A Yeatts: Sent mine to group one. I haven't received one from anyone else. Please let me know if you're in my group and didn't get my email. Thanks! Anna
Mine will go out to group 1 sometime this week.
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posted
I'm sending out crits this afternoon, slowed by a crisis at home.
On a related note, I will be withdrawing from the critique group (#2) but you all should still have four in the group. Those who would still like a follow-up crit are welcome to send me their story second-draft.
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I was hoping to send out one more tonight but it took me probably an hour to figure out my new word processor. I needed to add headers and the file didn't want to header. Finally I copied my story and placed it on a blank file. That worked, even though I never did figure out how to undo the header on the first page.
They changed-added-renamed so many menus sometimes I want to throw it out and go back to my old one. A lot less complicated.
Anyway, I read axe's story. And I will get to it tomorrow and one other I read last night. Guys you need to put your names some place on the file. I have to go back to the e-mails to figure out who sent what. I know WotF doesn't want names but you can delete them.
By reading it I know three things I will be saying about axe's story. I'll save it for the E-mail but I have that much figured out at least.
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