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Waiting is HARD

Printed From: NYC Midnight : Creative Writing & Screenwriting
Category: GENERAL DISCUSSION
Forum Name: Creative Writing Corner
Forum Description: Discuss NYC Midnight Creative Writing Competitions or Creative Writing in general.
URL: https://forums.nycmidnight.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=20645
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Topic: Waiting is HARD
Posted By: mimzee
Subject: Waiting is HARD
Date Posted: 15 Feb 2019 at 6:45pm
Wow, I can't believe how impatient I am for April to get here and results for the short story contest to be posted. How do those of you who have done this before handle the endless waiting period?


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Replies:
Posted By: Random
Date Posted: 15 Feb 2019 at 8:17pm
Originally posted by mimzee mimzee wrote:

Wow, I can't believe how impatient I am for April to get here and results for the short story contest to be posted. How do those of you who have done this before handle the endless waiting period?


A story of a million words is a collection of some number of stories of 1-2 thousand words that all tie together and tell a larger story.  I've been writing a series of one and two thousand word stories that tie together.

Not having a word limit doesn't imply you have unlimited words.  It's still very important to keep writing tight, omit needless words, avoid chatter or rambling, dialog is still action rather than a conversation.  The rules are the same.

April?  I have a calendar reminder, otherwise I might forget.

<edit>
I should add that, statistically, there is a zero percent chance I'll be in round 2, so I don't get too worked up over results.
</edit>


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Posted By: nod1v1ng
Date Posted: 15 Feb 2019 at 8:54pm
Originally posted by mimzee mimzee wrote:

Wow, I can't believe how impatient I am for April to get here and results for the short story contest to be posted. How do those of you who have done this before handle the endless waiting period?

1. Work. 60 hrs a week (damn that day job, but the doggo has lifestyle expectations)
2. A novel in progress (aka never ending black hole of writing, revising, & editing)
3. 13 stories in submission status, 2 short listed
4. I should really be addressing line edits for a forthcoming short
5. But here I am, hanging out on the forums anyway 
6.  These silly real life people who keep imposing on my time. 
7. The Swedish Special Forces are visiting (more work) and my liver hurts. 
8. A 7 week writing contest starting in early March. 
9.  Read a few more forum stories. 
10. Did I mention the Swedish Special Forces? 

Edited to add:
Bonus: A late March vacation to FL to look forward to. Because here in Snowland, winter pretty much lasts  until May. 


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Posted By: Random
Date Posted: 15 Feb 2019 at 9:17pm
Originally posted by nod1v1ng nod1v1ng wrote:

[
10. Did I mention the Swedish Special Forces? 


Heh.   A bottle of wine later I'm in the mood to tell stories, fortunately there's nobody around to listen.

Some day Navy helicopter drivers will realize a 90' rope is only 90' long.  It's one reason I loved the 160th...at least they could count.

Back to the novel that will never see the light of day, because...just because.  If I ever finish it I'll write something else.


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Posted By: chrissie0707
Date Posted: 15 Feb 2019 at 9:18pm
Work, write, repeat. Add wine as needed.

Then one day, I'll look up and think, oh shizzle, results are coming next week! And then I try to keep my mind from becoming a vicious speculation machine.




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Posted By: nod1v1ng
Date Posted: 15 Feb 2019 at 9:47pm
Originally posted by Random Random wrote:

Heh.   A bottle of wine later I'm in the mood to tell stories, fortunately there's nobody around to listen.

Well, if no one is around for listening, then get those fingers scribbling.


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Posted By: Random
Date Posted: 15 Feb 2019 at 9:59pm
Originally posted by nod1v1ng nod1v1ng wrote:

Originally posted by Random Random wrote:

Heh.   A bottle of wine later I'm in the mood to tell stories, fortunately there's nobody around to listen.

Well, if no one is around for listening, then get those fingers scribbling.


Yes. ma'am.  On it.  Unfortunately focusing is hard, fortunately I learned how to type on a manual Royal, and focusing is optional.


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Posted By: sootfoot5
Date Posted: 15 Feb 2019 at 10:16pm
Writing is hard. But losing is harder.  So I just forget about it and write something else.  Like this post.  

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Posted By: thesaura73
Date Posted: 15 Feb 2019 at 10:56pm
Reviewing is always a good distraction!

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Posted By: OnyxLily
Date Posted: 16 Feb 2019 at 12:30am
I hear you! In the olden days when exam results used to be posted by snail mail I used to set up camp by the mailbox! Finding other competitions and submission dayes helps I think, and I’ve started putting in calendar reminders so i remember when everything is due out!

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Posted By: Alex Grey
Date Posted: 16 Feb 2019 at 3:08am
I might have gone mad with anticipation if it weren't for this forum and the feedback; but I am also a competitive marmalade maker (seriously!) and have a few jars entered in the World Marmalade Awards. Those results are due out in Mid-March so by the time I've finished grumbling about the difference between  judges' definition of "undercooked peel" and mine,  the NYC results will be in.

I can recommend it - both as a distraction and for having something delicious to put on your toast while you wait for the NYC results :-)


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Posted By: sootfoot5
Date Posted: 16 Feb 2019 at 5:36am
Alex- I would be glad to judge your marmalade - send me a jar!

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Posted By: Alex Grey
Date Posted: 16 Feb 2019 at 6:50am
Originally posted by sootfoot5 sootfoot5 wrote:

Alex- I would be glad to judge your marmalade - send me a jar!


Yeah, I never have any trouble finding "reviewers" for my marmalade :-D


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Posted By: beadbalm
Date Posted: 16 Feb 2019 at 8:28am
speaking of marmalade (and some distraction), it reminded me of this article
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/07/world/europe/george-orwell-marmalade-britain.html?fbclid=IwAR2gacQu_rbmwg3pcB2BN4-vVu_9DLaig_K4TWm5Z_gjCsbH6tVUyr-sQRg" rel="nofollow - https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/07/world/europe/george-orwell-marmalade-britain.html?fbclid=IwAR2gacQu_rbmwg3pcB2BN4-vVu_9DLaig_K4TWm5Z_gjCsbH6tVUyr-sQRg
Apparently, George Orwell was better at writing then making marmalade. 
Alex Grey - how nice to be good at both!


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Posted By: Random
Date Posted: 16 Feb 2019 at 10:29am
Originally posted by Alex Grey Alex Grey wrote:

I might have gone mad with anticipation if it weren't for this forum and the feedback; but I am also a competitive marmalade maker (seriously!) and have a few jars entered in the World Marmalade Awards. Those results are due out in Mid-March so by the time I've finished grumbling about the difference between  judges' definition of "undercooked peel" and mine,  the NYC results will be in.

I can recommend it - both as a distraction and for having something delicious to put on your toast while you wait for the NYC results :-)


See...this.  Exactly.  There is so much experience and skill and idea on this board.  It really doesn't matter what you need to research, someone has a personal perspective on it if you can figure out who to ask and convince them to help you out.

World marmalade awards.  Of course someone is a globally competitive marmalade maker.


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Posted By: Alex Grey
Date Posted: 16 Feb 2019 at 10:36am
Originally posted by beadbalm beadbalm wrote:

speaking of marmalade (and some distraction), it reminded me of this article
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/07/world/europe/george-orwell-marmalade-britain.html?fbclid=IwAR2gacQu_rbmwg3pcB2BN4-vVu_9DLaig_K4TWm5Z_gjCsbH6tVUyr-sQRg" rel="nofollow - https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/07/world/europe/george-orwell-marmalade-britain.html?fbclid=IwAR2gacQu_rbmwg3pcB2BN4-vVu_9DLaig_K4TWm5Z_gjCsbH6tVUyr-sQRg
Apparently, George Orwell was better at writing then making marmalade. 
Alex Grey - how nice to be good at both!

You are kind - I make a decent marmalade but I haven’t won a doubke gold (top if the top) yet so hold the praise for now :-D I have Orwell’s treatise on how to make a proper cup of tea - he must have been an interesting chap :-p


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Posted By: sootfoot5
Date Posted: 16 Feb 2019 at 11:17am
Originally posted by Alex Grey Alex Grey wrote:

Originally posted by sootfoot5 sootfoot5 wrote:

Alex- I would be glad to judge your marmalade - send me a jar!


Yeah, I never have any trouble finding "reviewers" for my marmalade :-D



I'm sure you don't!  But, as someone who makes jellies and jams as well as pickles, I thought I'd offer.  (completely selfless of me, I assure you! LOL

I have plenty of people willing to judge my pie making skills.  I tell them so long as they wash their own plate and folk -- not that there is any residue left when they are done!  

I imagine we all have skills, hobbies, etc., that keep us busy besides writing.  You are probably one of the few that goes so far as to take your hobby to competition level.  GOOD FOR YOU!  




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Posted By: redhart
Date Posted: 16 Feb 2019 at 2:54pm
Originally posted by Alex Grey Alex Grey wrote:

I might have gone mad with anticipation if it weren't for this forum and the feedback; but I am also a competitive marmalade maker (seriously!) and have a few jars entered in the World Marmalade Awards. Those results are due out in Mid-March so by the time I've finished grumbling about the difference between  judges' definition of "undercooked peel" and mine,  the NYC results will be in.

I can recommend it - both as a distraction and for having something delicious to put on your toast while you wait for the NYC results :-)

I wish there was a chutney award, I would win a gold medal for a peach chutney I just made! Jams and chutneys and pickles, oh my! They are so satisfying to make. 


Posted By: NatalieJames
Date Posted: 16 Feb 2019 at 3:03pm
Originally posted by Alex Grey Alex Grey wrote:

I might have gone mad with anticipation if it weren't for this forum and the feedback; but I am also a competitive marmalade maker (seriously!) and have a few jars entered in the World Marmalade Awards. 

I love this so much.


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Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: 16 Feb 2019 at 4:06pm
Originally posted by redhart redhart wrote:

Originally posted by Alex Grey Alex Grey wrote:

I might have gone mad with anticipation if it weren't for this forum and the feedback; but I am also a competitive marmalade maker (seriously!) and have a few jars entered in the World Marmalade Awards.

I wish there was a chutney award, I would win a gold medal for a peach chutney I just made! Jams and chutneys and pickles, oh my! They are so satisfying to make. 

Salsa is my thing. I grow 3 types of tomatoes and 5 types of peppers (not all hot peppers) to 'brew' my Lobo Salsa, but of course that won't help keep me busy this time of the year, so in the meantime there's hockey; I just finished judging several short screenplays for the first round of a women-in-film contest; and I've got a pile of to-be-read books just begging for attention.


Posted By: redhart
Date Posted: 16 Feb 2019 at 4:21pm

[/QUOTE]
Salsa is my thing. I grow 3 types of tomatoes and 5 types of peppers (not all hot peppers) to 'brew' my Lobo Salsa

Ooh salsa! I make green tomato chutney with my leftovers at the end of the season, will try salsa this year. I also make plum, rhubarb and chilli jam all from homegrown produce. We should all swap recipes!


Posted By: Alex Grey
Date Posted: 17 Feb 2019 at 5:56am
Firstly, kudos to everyone who makes chutney - I do too, but I making hate it - the effort of preparing 1,000 ingredients, the smell of boiling vinegar and the whiff of onions...it always smells of onions even if there aren't any in the recipe!

For anyone biting their nails waiting for THE JUDGEMENT it is now obvious that making preserves is the way to go, it takes hours and demands concentration; if you're making jam or marmalade you might also be researching chants to the ancient Roman household gods of preserving - my favourites are "please set", "why won't you set", "set already, I need to go to bed". :-)

In the meantime, in case anyone in round 2 gets the prompts drama/competition/jam maker - there used to be a national jam-making competition called the "jampionships" - sadly it doesn't run any more, but I loved the name!

Good luck eveyone!






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Posted By: jennifer.quail
Date Posted: 17 Feb 2019 at 12:07pm
This is easy. This has a deadline and so far, allowing for an hour or two either way, NYMC has never missed a deadline. We know we'll get the results.

Meanwhile I am counting down on some real submissions where in one case, they said they had computer problems and are backlogged (but still that was last June), one that's been since September, and one that is coming up on the sixty days they say is their maximum turnaround time. On the other hand I have something with an anthology where the deadline was in November, and about for days after the editors sent a mass e-mail asking people to PLEASE not ask when they'd know because they had 700 submissions and had only started reading them, so I don't feel like I'm being too impatient. (Those people did reach out again recently to say if we were receiving this e-mail we'd made the cut from the first reads and they were now rereading about 20% of the submissions. Waiting definitely IS easier when you get SOME communication.)

No canning here. I stress bake. Just did no-bake rocky road brownies for my neighbor who plows my driveway. And it's never too early to start practicing for the county fair and I once again have new regular coworkers to use as test subjects. (And ex-coworkers from the defunct park still get together and always like when I have leftovers.) I wonder what wine pairs with brown-butter caramel cake...


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Posted By: Random
Date Posted: 17 Feb 2019 at 12:21pm
Originally posted by jennifer.quail jennifer.quail wrote:

I wonder what wine pairs with brown-butter caramel cake...


Something on the sweeter side.  Semi-sparkling muscat, an American Riesling, maybe (that's a dry wine in Europe, for some reason Americans make it sweeter).  If you like red a pinot noir, or even a good red sangria.

I'd probably open a pinot noir, just to contrast and cut through the caramel.  Too much sweet can be cloying.


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Posted By: sootfoot5
Date Posted: 17 Feb 2019 at 2:12pm
Originally posted by jennifer.quail jennifer.quail wrote:

This is easy. This has a deadline and so far, allowing for an hour or two, either way, NYMC has never missed a deadline. 



Bwah ha aha ha ha (falling down) omg hahaha laughing so hard can't stop seriously I mean it...  


GASP!


You've only been around for a bit over a year so I don't know how you can say "never".  Granted, in the amount of time you've experienced here, there haven't been any serious lateness issues.  But I'll explain my laughter. NYCM has been as much as 24 hours late.  And then no promises have been made as to when for certain when we'd receive results.  This is despite the fact that we needed to know because the next round started that weekend.  For people, who had to know whether or not to make arrangements to take off work or to have someone help with their children or livestock in case the made it to next round, this has been a real problem.

I do admit that they've gotten considerably better since they've switched from giving out the scores on Tuesdays to Wens.  I don't know why that should make any difference as it gives them less room for error, but it seems to have helped.  

And before everyone panics, treat this like you would if you were a boy scout --  "Be Prepared."  or what I think of in hurricane season - "prepare for the worst, but hope for the best." 









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Posted By: Random
Date Posted: 17 Feb 2019 at 2:25pm
Originally posted by sootfoot5 sootfoot5 wrote:

And before everyone panics, treat this like you would if you were a boy scout --  "Be Prepared."  or what I think of in hurricane season - "prepare for the worst, but hope for the best." 


So...think about what you do with: Thriller - A used Kleenex - A Wiener Wagon Driver


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Posted By: jennifer.quail
Date Posted: 17 Feb 2019 at 10:37pm
Originally posted by sootfoot5 sootfoot5 wrote:

Originally posted by jennifer.quail jennifer.quail wrote:

This is easy. This has a deadline and so far, allowing for an hour or two, either way, NYMC has never missed a deadline. 



Bwah ha aha ha ha (falling down) omg hahaha laughing so hard can't stop seriously I mean it...  


GASP!


You've only been around for a bit over a year so I don't know how you can say "never".  Granted, in the amount of time you've experienced here, there haven't been any serious lateness issues.  But I'll explain my laughter. NYCM has been as much as 24 hours late. 



LOL, a day? Call me when it's been six months. Or like someone I know got recently, "So we're basically broke and will get back to you if and when we're rolling on this again."  Even FW is more reliable than most semipro markets (they may not pay you, but they do remember their deadlines.) I'm giving one publisher one more cycle of their newsletter and then querying because I do have other places I can shop what they're holding. But it's been eight months. 


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Posted By: sootfoot5
Date Posted: 18 Feb 2019 at 1:47am
Originally posted by jennifer.quail jennifer.quail wrote:

Originally posted by sootfoot5 sootfoot5 wrote:

Originally posted by jennifer.quail jennifer.quail wrote:

This is easy. This has a deadline and so far, allowing for an hour or two, either way, NYMC has never missed a deadline. 



Bwah ha aha ha ha (falling down) omg hahaha laughing so hard can't stop seriously I mean it...  


GASP!


You've only been around for a bit over a year so I don't know how you can say "never".  Granted, in the amount of time you've experienced here, there haven't been any serious lateness issues.  But I'll explain my laughter. NYCM has been as much as 24 hours late. 



LOL, a day? Call me when it's been six months. Or like someone I know got recently, "So we're basically broke and will get back to you if and when we're rolling on this again."  Even FW is more reliable than most semipro markets (they may not pay you, but they do remember their deadlines.) I'm giving one publisher one more cycle of their newsletter and then querying because I do have other places I can shop what they're holding. But it's been eight months. 


If you wait 8 months past a deadline before you reshop a piece, you're a fool.  

And if you think not thinking a day isn't late when you have to know whether you have to write that weekend, well, you're more patient than most the folks here -- and I doubt you are.  No, you said they weren't ever late more than an hour or two, and I told you that you were wrong, so you're trying to blow it off.  Whatever.  See the first paragraph I just wrote this go-around.  


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Posted By: topangarose
Date Posted: 18 Feb 2019 at 4:38am
Originally posted by sootfoot5 sootfoot5 wrote:

Originally posted by jennifer.quail jennifer.quail wrote:

Originally posted by sootfoot5 sootfoot5 wrote:

Originally posted by jennifer.quail jennifer.quail wrote:

This is easy. This has a deadline and so far, allowing for an hour or two, either way, NYMC has never missed a deadline. 



Bwah ha aha ha ha (falling down) omg hahaha laughing so hard can't stop seriously I mean it...  


GASP!


You've only been around for a bit over a year so I don't know how you can say "never".  Granted, in the amount of time you've experienced here, there haven't been any serious lateness issues.  But I'll explain my laughter. NYCM has been as much as 24 hours late. 



LOL, a day? Call me when it's been six months. Or like someone I know got recently, "So we're basically broke and will get back to you if and when we're rolling on this again."  Even FW is more reliable than most semipro markets (they may not pay you, but they do remember their deadlines.) I'm giving one publisher one more cycle of their newsletter and then querying because I do have other places I can shop what they're holding. But it's been eight months. 


If you wait 8 months past a deadline before you reshop a piece, you're a fool.  

And if you think not thinking a day isn't late when you have to know whether you have to write that weekend, well, you're more patient than most the folks here -- and I doubt you are.  No, you said they weren't ever late more than an hour or two, and I told you that you were wrong, so you're trying to blow it off.  Whatever.  See the first paragraph I just wrote this go-around.  


 When you add up the years of late announcements on the multiple rounds of each writing comp  offered here, it's kind of  doubly funny.  If you were to look back on the forums a couple of years to see the bets flying on how late the announcement would come, because we ALL knew it was going be late. That was just a given based on past experience.

For like a decade every single announcement came late. Questions and answers if you can get back that far is packed with notes complaining about how work schedules are affected, babysitting, family activities due to upcoming rounds that need to be worked around with every late announcement, like Soot said.  I know I personally lost wages just by virtue of their announcement coming late any time I didn't move on to a next round. There gets to be a fine line at which you can't just say, "Ok, just kidding. I'm taking my shifts back I gave to you, now." 

it's a lot more than just sitting by your inbox waiting for an email saying yes or no you got it. It's been a true inconvenience.

Not only that, but it's just plain disrespectful to the contestants. ESPECIALLY  when no one bothers to send out an email saying the results are going to be late, and you've got 4000 people sitting up waiting.

What Soot's saying about being prepared is not about boning up on genre, it's 'don't count on knowing on time'.  if you need to make those kinds of arrangement, just do it. You might eat it in the end, but at least if you go forward you won't have to scramble.


Although they have been better lately.


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Posted By: steph9289
Date Posted: 18 Feb 2019 at 8:37am
A couple years ago, they were late with announcing PROMPTS during Short Story. And they were nice enough to tack it on the end, extending the deadline. And though these things have happened (and they are definitely frustrating and inconvenient), I never feel angry at NYCM the way I feel angry at FW.

At least NYCM isn't petty. They don't say inflammatory things about their paying contestants in the way FW was doing not so long ago.


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Posted By: jennifer.quail
Date Posted: 18 Feb 2019 at 9:00am
If you keep doing this CONTEST for years and aren't reliably making the top ten at least two times out of three, you're the fool. The fee here's astronomical. This is a fun thing if you have money, but if you do this for real, you should be hesitating at even paying submission fees, never mind coughing up almost fifty dollars. 

Eight months is long for a short. If you slush pile a real book publisher (which you can do for most genre; only literary fiction really REQUIRES an agent) figure a year on average. And maybe I'm more patient than most, even with slush I've never not gotten a personal response rather than a generic form letter, whether it's an accept or reject. The book publishers (Daw and Pyr in particular) were most detailed and actually read the whole thing, which given it was 85k words, was nice of them. So I'm maybe more patient with pros and probably give the semi-pros more leeway than I otherwise might if I were used to paying for responses.

As for "having to write"? Whether it's good or bad, I'll probably do ninety percent in the last few hours. I always do for everything. So a few hours one way or another doesn't matter.


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Posted By: steph9289
Date Posted: 18 Feb 2019 at 9:08am
I don't do this contest for the prize money. I get exactly what I want out of this contest. $160 a year is worth it to me to do all four contests. I do it to strengthen my writing, build a collection of stories, and to interact with like-minded people. If that's not why you are here, then maybe you are the fool. 

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Posted By: sootfoot5
Date Posted: 18 Feb 2019 at 12:19pm
Originally posted by jennifer.quail jennifer.quail wrote:

The fee here's astronomical. 



Since you feel that way then, please, don't sign up again.  You won't be missed.  



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Posted By: topangarose
Date Posted: 18 Feb 2019 at 4:42pm
Originally posted by steph9289 steph9289 wrote:

A couple years ago, they were late with announcing PROMPTS during Short Story. And they were nice enough to tack it on the end, extending the deadline. And though these things have happened (and they are definitely frustrating and inconvenient), I never feel angry at NYCM the way I feel angry at FW.

At least NYCM isn't petty. They don't say inflammatory things about their paying contestants in the way FW was doing not so long ago.


 Good point Steph! That FW thing was awful! WW did the same thing after their group comp last year. I will never go back there either, because of that, even after winning an entry into their single writer comp. I just threw it away after reading their responses to very real questions and critiques.

Was Never really too angry with NYC here, either, although a lot frustrated over time. Arrrg. I don't remember the prompts being late.This comp has been so valuable to me over the years it's still hands down above the rest whatever it's flaws! For many people it's not really about winning this thing whatever the cost. There's more valuable assets than that.



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Posted By: LaurieH
Date Posted: 18 Feb 2019 at 8:32pm
Originally posted by sootfoot5 sootfoot5 wrote:



Since you feel that way then, please, don't sign up again.  You won't be missed.  


Wow.

This was totally uncalled for. Mean spirited much?


ETA:

I had no idea that one such sentence could affect me in such a way. It was so upsetting; so cruel; so...unnecessary that I threw up. And it wasn't even directed at me.

Bravo.


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SSC R1 G125 https://forums.nycmidnight.com/topic57953_post625170.html#625170" rel="nofollow - A Girl and Her Dog


Posted By: alisandra
Date Posted: 18 Feb 2019 at 9:42pm
This contest seems amazingly reliable when compared to some others I've taken part in, but I can see how frustrating it would be to not know whether or not you're going to be writing during a small time frame and having to essentially put your life on hold while waiting to find out. Most contests are a one-off deal - you submit by the deadline, and then you wait. So this one's a little different.

I just started trying to get serious about my writing and submitting some of my stuff a few months ago. It's definitely been a good exercise in waiting... patiently or not. :)


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https://forums.nycmidnight.com/r1-h3-the-winner-scifi_topic20081.html" rel="nofollow - SSC R1 Group 3 - The Winner (Sci-Fi)


Posted By: thesaura73
Date Posted: 18 Feb 2019 at 10:26pm
I would miss Jennifer! I feel it's too bad things get personal so fast when people are just stating their opinions. We don't need to agree on everything. I realize I'm a newbie but one person can be OK with a small delay in the assumed deadline with or without knowing the history of more egregious delays. I don't think anyone who chooses to participate long or short is a fool, either. Everyone has their own reasons for participating (or not!). 

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http://bit.ly/2L0amAL" rel="nofollow - SC R1 - Hothouse Flowers (Mystery)
http://bit.ly/2HDDbBl" rel="nofollow - SS Ch1 - A Curated Experience (Suspense)


Posted By: sootfoot5
Date Posted: 18 Feb 2019 at 11:51pm
Originally posted by thesaura73 thesaura73 wrote:

I feel it's too bad things get personal so fast when people are just stating their opinions. We don't need to agree on everything. . 

I would feel the same way if people were just stating their opinions.  But when they state their opinions as fact, then I get mad.  There is already too much misinformation going around about this competition as there is.  And there are too many newbies who don't know what's going on, who need assistance, who get confused by people giving misinformation. 

But I will take a page from my own book, as they say, and correct my prior statement -- don't sign up, Jennifer, if you are going to gripe about the fee, as I don't believe many people will miss you.  

Is that better?  

No, probably not.  Well, it is my opinion and not a fact.  


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https://shorturl.at/frKM9" rel="nofollow - The Newbie


Posted By: thesaura73
Date Posted: 19 Feb 2019 at 12:03am
I see your point! We can't control whether people state their opinions as fact or otherwise though...And I totally understand your opinion, too! I just feel some people word their opinions more strongly than others and it's not necessarily something to confront (of course, this is coming from one of the most non-confrontational people ever!) LOL Really don't feel anyone here meant harm. 

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http://bit.ly/2L0amAL" rel="nofollow - SC R1 - Hothouse Flowers (Mystery)
http://bit.ly/2HDDbBl" rel="nofollow - SS Ch1 - A Curated Experience (Suspense)


Posted By: steph9289
Date Posted: 19 Feb 2019 at 12:26am
Well, I hope we can at least all agree that calling the fee "astronomical" was a bit hyperbolic. LOL

If a person doesn't get anything out of this contest and continues to make that known in a less-than-pleasant way that makes multiple people uncomfortable, then perhaps this isn't the right place for that person.


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#amrevising


Posted By: Klieu
Date Posted: 19 Feb 2019 at 2:52pm
Newbie here. Is anyone kind enough to explain the FW fiasco? What is FW? What led up to the event that has upset their contestants? What was their response? I'm asking out of curiosity, but also because the information might help me decided which contests to avoid.

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Posted By: thesaura73
Date Posted: 19 Feb 2019 at 3:10pm
Originally posted by Klieu Klieu wrote:

Newbie here. Is anyone kind enough to explain the FW fiasco? What is FW? What led up to the event that has upset their contestants? What was their response? I'm asking out of curiosity, but also because the information might help me decided which contests to avoid.
 
Here is an article about it (from a blog that may help you decide what to avoid):
https://accrispin.blogspot.com/2018/08/contest-beware-fiction-war-magazine.html" rel="nofollow - https://accrispin.blogspot.com/2018/08/contest-beware-fiction-war-magazine.html


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http://bit.ly/2L0amAL" rel="nofollow - SC R1 - Hothouse Flowers (Mystery)
http://bit.ly/2HDDbBl" rel="nofollow - SS Ch1 - A Curated Experience (Suspense)


Posted By: Klieu
Date Posted: 19 Feb 2019 at 3:24pm
Wow! Talk about shady. Thanks for the info. FW definitely seems like one that should be avoided.


Originally posted by thesaura73 thesaura73 wrote:

Originally posted by Klieu Klieu wrote:

Newbie here. Is anyone kind enough to explain the FW fiasco? What is FW? What led up to the event that has upset their contestants? What was their response? I'm asking out of curiosity, but also because the information might help me decided which contests to avoid.

 
Here is an article about it (from a blog that may help you decide what to avoid):
https://accrispin.blogspot.com/2018/08/contest-beware-fiction-war-magazine.html" rel="nofollow - https://accrispin.blogspot.com/2018/08/contest-beware-fiction-war-magazine.html



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Posted By: Cassalass
Date Posted: 19 Feb 2019 at 3:29pm
Yikes! Thanks for the warning. I'm feeling lucky that NYC is the first  competition I tried.


Posted By: lisafox10800
Date Posted: 19 Feb 2019 at 3:31pm
Originally posted by Klieu Klieu wrote:

Newbie here. Is anyone kind enough to explain the FW fiasco? What is FW? What led up to the event that has upset their contestants? What was their response? I'm asking out of curiosity, but also because the information might help me decided which contests to avoid.

Fiction War. They promise publication to the Top 15 but they are about... I think, two years behind at this point with no resolution in sight. They pay their winners UPON PUBLICATION as well, so for many, the prize money has been essentially held hostage by their significant publication delays. I know several writers who were winners and withdrew their stories. Writer Beware issued a warning on this comp last summer.

Sad, really. They've got a really great premise. Horrible follow through.


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lisafoxiswriting.com
My short story collection, Core Truths, is now available wherever books are sold.


Posted By: Holdo
Date Posted: 20 Feb 2019 at 6:56pm
Here's a little something to tide you over till April. Sort of a snack-sized NYCM. Three prompts on the first day of every month. 55 hours to write 500 words. No entry fee. $AU500 prize. Based in Australia but open to all.
https://www.writerscentre.com.au/furious-fiction/" rel="nofollow - www.writerscentre.com.au/furious-fiction/


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Posted By: Random
Date Posted: 20 Feb 2019 at 7:20pm
Originally posted by Holdo Holdo wrote:

Here's a little something to tide you over till April. Sort of a snack-sized NYCM. Three prompts on the first day of every month. 55 hours to write 500 words. No entry fee. $AU500 prize. Based in Australia but open to all.
https://www.writerscentre.com.au/furious-fiction/" rel="nofollow - www.writerscentre.com.au/furious-fiction/


Yeah, but they don't speak English in Australia.  Dou we have to put all thouse extra u's everywhere?

Big smile

<sitting on Hay Street Mall in Perth, listening to those ladies talking with Strayan accents...oh.  My.  That was nice.>

...and I signed up because...the first is Friday, even though it's really Thursday.  I have my Domain of the Golden Dragon on the wall behind me, between the Order of the Ditch and Shellback.  If AU wasn't so far away I'd go back and visit.


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Posted By: Holdo
Date Posted: 20 Feb 2019 at 7:48pm
Originally posted by Random Random wrote:

Originally posted by Holdo Holdo wrote:

Here's a little something to tide you over till April. Sort of a snack-sized NYCM. Three prompts on the first day of every month. 55 hours to write 500 words. No entry fee. $AU500 prize. Based in Australia but open to all.
https://www.writerscentre.com.au/furious-fiction/" rel="nofollow - www.writerscentre.com.au/furious-fiction/


Yeah, but they don't speak English in Australia.  Dou we have to put all thouse extra u's everywhere?

Big smile


As an Aussie, and a grammarian, I am tempted to bite but will desist. Suffice to say all dialects and alternative spellings will be accepted. We actually use a mixture of BRE and AME spellings/usages here, reflecting both our historical obeisance to the "Mother Country" and our cultural cringe towards America. So we spell it 'colour' and 'favourite' and have mobile phones not cells, but we spell it 'program' now instead of 'programme', and we say truck instead of lorry, and so on. I've even seen the ugly and redundant American usage 'off of' start to creep in. And everyone seems to say 'I know, right?' to indicate the smallest of shared experiences. I know, right?!


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Posted By: SakuraHime
Date Posted: 21 Feb 2019 at 11:41am
I had a dream last night we received our judges' feedback. I was quite aggravated this morning to realize this hadn't actually occurred. LOL

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2019 FFC R1 https://forums.nycmidnight.com/topic22860_post288464.html#288464" rel="nofollow - Who Needs a Wall? (Gr: 35 – PoliSat/A Garbage Dump/A Grill)


Posted By: lisafox10800
Date Posted: 21 Feb 2019 at 12:03pm
Originally posted by SakuraHime SakuraHime wrote:

I had a dream last night we received our judges' feedback. I was quite aggravated this morning to realize this hadn't actually occurred. LOL

Your dream is half-prophetic. Judges' feedback for the Short Screenplay Semi-Final round just came in.


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lisafoxiswriting.com
My short story collection, Core Truths, is now available wherever books are sold.


Posted By: SakuraHime
Date Posted: 21 Feb 2019 at 12:11pm
Originally posted by lisafox10800 lisafox10800 wrote:


Your dream is half-prophetic. Judges' feedback for the Short Screenplay Semi-Final round just came in.

I suppose that must count for something!


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2019 FFC R1 https://forums.nycmidnight.com/topic22860_post288464.html#288464" rel="nofollow - Who Needs a Wall? (Gr: 35 – PoliSat/A Garbage Dump/A Grill)


Posted By: lisafox10800
Date Posted: 21 Feb 2019 at 12:32pm
Originally posted by SakuraHime SakuraHime wrote:

Originally posted by lisafox10800 lisafox10800 wrote:


Your dream is half-prophetic. Judges' feedback for the Short Screenplay Semi-Final round just came in.

I suppose that must count for something!

Tell me what numbers I should play in the lottery tonight and I'll let you know if it counts! LOL


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lisafoxiswriting.com
My short story collection, Core Truths, is now available wherever books are sold.


Posted By: fioOxf
Date Posted: 21 Feb 2019 at 1:14pm
Originally posted by lisafox10800 lisafox10800 wrote:

Originally posted by SakuraHime SakuraHime wrote:

Originally posted by lisafox10800 lisafox10800 wrote:


Your dream is half-prophetic. Judges' feedback for the Short Screenplay Semi-Final round just came in.

I suppose that must count for something!

Tell me what numbers I should play in the lottery tonight and I'll let you know if it counts! LOL

Just be sure to play a slightly different lottery from the one SakuraHime recommends - one with the same acronym but... Wink


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Posted By: Random
Date Posted: 21 Feb 2019 at 1:20pm
Originally posted by lisafox10800 lisafox10800 wrote:

Originally posted by SakuraHime SakuraHime wrote:

I had a dream last night we received our judges' feedback. I was quite aggravated this morning to realize this hadn't actually occurred. LOL

Your dream is half-prophetic. Judges' feedback for the Short Screenplay Semi-Final round just came in.


And Lisa kicked butt, again, for anyone who might have had doubts (or don't hang out in bars).


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Posted By: lisafox10800
Date Posted: 21 Feb 2019 at 1:35pm
Originally posted by Random Random wrote:

Originally posted by lisafox10800 lisafox10800 wrote:

Originally posted by SakuraHime SakuraHime wrote:

I had a dream last night we received our judges' feedback. I was quite aggravated this morning to realize this hadn't actually occurred. LOL

Your dream is half-prophetic. Judges' feedback for the Short Screenplay Semi-Final round just came in.


And Lisa kicked butt, again, for anyone who might have had doubts (or don't hang out in bars).

You are too kind, Random. Smile

And I'm fully expecting to get my butt kicked this weekend by the mad talent that remains in the comp! Just hoping for an inspiring prompt that lets me produce something I can confidently send out into the world later.

Wild ride this comp - Crime Caper / Drama / Rom Com. Hell of a combination!


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lisafoxiswriting.com
My short story collection, Core Truths, is now available wherever books are sold.


Posted By: Random
Date Posted: 21 Feb 2019 at 1:59pm
Originally posted by lisafox10800 lisafox10800 wrote:

Originally posted by Random Random wrote:

Originally posted by lisafox10800 lisafox10800 wrote:

Originally posted by SakuraHime SakuraHime wrote:

I had a dream last night we received our judges' feedback. I was quite aggravated this morning to realize this hadn't actually occurred. LOL

Your dream is half-prophetic. Judges' feedback for the Short Screenplay Semi-Final round just came in.


And Lisa kicked butt, again, for anyone who might have had doubts (or don't hang out in bars).

You are too kind, Random. Smile

And I'm fully expecting to get my butt kicked this weekend by the mad talent that remains in the comp! Just hoping for an inspiring prompt that lets me produce something I can confidently send out into the world later.

Wild ride this comp - Crime Caper / Drama / Rom Com. Hell of a combination!


There is no shortage of Mad Skillz in that round, yours included.  It wasn't an accident that you're a member of that club...hard work pays off.  I'm expecting to see some jaw-dropping entries, and since Less Short Screenplay is starts in April-ish I plan to go to school on all of you before tacking it.


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Posted By: Alex Grey
Date Posted: 16 Mar 2019 at 12:13am
5am and I've been woken by by an ancient dog coughing - now that I'm up he's gone back to sleep and is fine!

I'm using my time to read a few more tales, get familiar with different genres and enjoy the beautiful craft of the short story.

But I have a dilemma - I absolutely hate the horror genre, I find it quite repugnant - I've been trying to persuade myself to read some of the horror stories on the forum but I'm always reading late at night, which seems a very bad time to address a horror story!

Any tips on how to overcome this horror-phobia?

This competition has raised the fear that I might have to write a horror story one day - it is my absolute nightmare genre - grrrr!


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Rhyming R1 https://forums.nycmidnight.com/gp-21-i-was-a-dishy-daddy_topic51073.html" rel="nofollow - I was a dishy daddy but I'm allright now



Posted By: northernwriter
Date Posted: 16 Mar 2019 at 2:14am
Originally posted by Alex Grey Alex Grey wrote:

5am and I've been woken by by an ancient dog coughing - now that I'm up he's gone back to sleep and is fine!

I'm using my time to read a few more tales, get familiar with different genres and enjoy the beautiful craft of the short story.

But I have a dilemma - I absolutely hate the horror genre, I find it quite repugnant - I've been trying to persuade myself to read some of the horror stories on the forum but I'm always reading late at night, which seems a very bad time to address a horror story!

Any tips on how to overcome this horror-phobia?

This competition has raised the fear that I might have to write a horror story one day - it is my absolute nightmare genre - grrrr!

Hi Alex (that’s my name also!),

I’m with you 100%. I was terrified when people reviewed my story and I went back to return reviews and they had written horror! Something that helped me is that I had to respond to a horror prompt for a writing class I’m taking.  As I did it, I realized I was in control, not the scary monsters. I’m sure there are lots of excellent horror stories on the forum but one I particularly liked was “Mac, the Knife.” It was really well written and more of a “noir” story than straight up horror, but it wasn’t off-genre. I would recommend it if you are looking for some to read here. (There is another good one I just read but it deals more with the supernatural which freaks me out a bit more.)

Good luck! 

-Alex


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Microfiction 2021: 4th place overall
Flash Fiction 2020: 8th place overall


Posted By: trish1206
Date Posted: 17 Mar 2019 at 8:06pm
Easy.  I joined Short Screenplay and went through three rounds before I was unceremoniously tossed out on my Censored .

Also, I in the process of rehabbing a building in which I am opening a portrait studio, so that does keep me busy.  So busy, I forgot about this contest.  Not getting into screenplay finals HURT, so I guess I just plum forgot about short story, to avoid further pain.

Now that I've remembered, I'm nervous all over again.  More so.

This seems like a bigger interval between rounds than normal.  I wonder if the dates are based on the number of applicants?  Or are the dates selected in advance?




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3rd Place Finalist FF2013


Posted By: Alex Grey
Date Posted: 21 Mar 2019 at 5:31am
For those who we were in this thread earlier, you'll know that I was not worried about the short story competition results because I was preoccupied by anticipating the results of my five entries into the World Marmalade Awards!

I'm please to report my best marmalade results ever with one (seville with peated heather whisky) winning a gold award (20/20 against the marmalade standards) and the other four won silver awards (two scoring 19/20 and two scoring 18/20).

Although the gold award entry was in the top 50 jars in a competition of over 3,000 I am still ambitious to get top 20 place i.e. winning best in category (against other gold award winners) - it's hard to find that elusive X factor which takes a perfect 20/20 marmalade to an exceptional one.

Anyway,now that those results are in I can start fretting about the results of the short story competition :-D

If only my writing was as good as my marmalade!


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Rhyming R1 https://forums.nycmidnight.com/gp-21-i-was-a-dishy-daddy_topic51073.html" rel="nofollow - I was a dishy daddy but I'm allright now



Posted By: redhart
Date Posted: 21 Mar 2019 at 6:17am
Originally posted by Alex Grey Alex Grey wrote:

For those who we were in this thread earlier, you'll know that I was not worried about the short story competition results because I was preoccupied by anticipating the results of my five entries into the World Marmalade Awards!

I'm please to report my best marmalade results ever with one (seville with peated heather whisky) winning a gold award (20/20 against the marmalade standards) and the other four won silver awards (two scoring 19/20 and two scoring 18/20).

Although the gold award entry was in the top 50 jars in a competition of over 3,000 I am still ambitious to get top 20 place i.e. winning best in category (against other gold award winners) - it's hard to find that elusive X factor which takes a perfect 20/20 marmalade to an exceptional one.

Anyway,now that those results are in I can start fretting about the results of the short story competition :-D

If only my writing was as good as my marmalade!

Congratulations! Fabulous results, I’m sure your writing will be similarly rewarded. Clap


Posted By: Random
Date Posted: 21 Mar 2019 at 8:06am
Originally posted by Alex Grey Alex Grey wrote:

For those who we were in this thread earlier, you'll know that I was not worried about the short story competition results because I was preoccupied by anticipating the results of my five entries into the World Marmalade Awards!

I'm please to report my best marmalade results ever with one (seville with peated heather whisky) winning a gold award (20/20 against the marmalade standards) and the other four won silver awards (two scoring 19/20 and two scoring 18/20).

Although the gold award entry was in the top 50 jars in a competition of over 3,000 I am still ambitious to get top 20 place i.e. winning best in category (against other gold award winners) - it's hard to find that elusive X factor which takes a perfect 20/20 marmalade to an exceptional one.

Anyway,now that those results are in I can start fretting about the results of the short story competition :-D

If only my writing was as good as my marmalade!


This is seriously amazing.  Top fifty worldwide?  The people you can meet on these boards is mind-boggling.


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Posted By: topangarose
Date Posted: 21 Mar 2019 at 9:55am
Originally posted by Alex Grey Alex Grey wrote:


Although the gold award entry was in the top 50 jars in a competition of over 3,000 I am still ambitious to get top 20 place i.e. winning best in category (against other gold award winners) - it's hard to find that elusive X factor which takes a perfect 20/20 marmalade to an exceptional one.

Anyway,now that those results are in I can start fretting about the results of the short story competition :-D

If only my writing was as good as my marmalade!


Piling on here to offer congratulations Alex! I was am unfamiliar with Marmalade and so will go investigate, but doing a happy dance for you and your accomplishments! Sounds like you really nailed this thing! Congrats!


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Posted By: Jhill
Date Posted: 21 Mar 2019 at 10:10am
Originally posted by Alex Grey Alex Grey wrote:

For those who we were in this thread earlier, you'll know that I was not worried about the short story competition results because I was preoccupied by anticipating the results of my five entries into the World Marmalade Awards!

I'm please to report my best marmalade results ever with one (seville with peated heather whisky) winning a gold award (20/20 against the marmalade standards) and the other four won silver awards (two scoring 19/20 and two scoring 18/20).

Although the gold award entry was in the top 50 jars in a competition of over 3,000 I am still ambitious to get top 20 place i.e. winning best in category (against other gold award winners) - it's hard to find that elusive X factor which takes a perfect 20/20 marmalade to an exceptional one.

Anyway,now that those results are in I can start fretting about the results of the short story competition :-D

If only my writing was as good as my marmalade!

This sounds like a huge accomplishment. Congratulations! 


Posted By: Seacore
Date Posted: 26 Mar 2019 at 11:06pm
With the round 2 due next weekend, does anybody know when we'd expect to start seeing results/feedback? Particularly based off previous years?

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SSC R2 H2 - https://bit.ly/2Rpm2Od" rel="nofollow - Jetsam
SSC R1 H128 - https://bit.ly/2RAsItk" rel="nofollow - Truth and Fire


Posted By: stephenmatlock
Date Posted: 26 Mar 2019 at 11:32pm
Originally posted by sootfoot5 sootfoot5 wrote:

Writing is hard. But losing is harder.  So I just forget about it and write something else.  Like this post.  


I like what Nelson Mandela said:
Quote I never lose. Either I win or I learn.

I am learning so much! ;)


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Pithy sayings are for the apt. For a longer message, you need a condo.



Posted By: fioOxf
Date Posted: 26 Mar 2019 at 11:53pm
Originally posted by Seacore Seacore wrote:

With the round 2 due next weekend, does anybody know when we'd expect to start seeing results/feedback? Particularly based off previous years?

The email said by 11.59pm New York time on 2 April. 


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http://tinyurl.com/2hcv7m2d" rel="nofollow - Rhyming R2 Aging's a B... (FT)


Posted By: Seacore
Date Posted: 27 Mar 2019 at 12:06am
Thanks, I had a memory of a firm line, but couldn't remember if I'd imagined it or where I'd seen it.

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SSC R2 H2 - https://bit.ly/2Rpm2Od" rel="nofollow - Jetsam
SSC R1 H128 - https://bit.ly/2RAsItk" rel="nofollow - Truth and Fire


Posted By: fioOxf
Date Posted: 27 Mar 2019 at 1:24am
Originally posted by Seacore Seacore wrote:

Thanks, I had a memory of a firm line, but couldn't remember if I'd imagined it or where I'd seen it.
I'd forgotten it was next week so checked last night :) 


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Posted By: NYCNewbie
Date Posted: 27 Mar 2019 at 8:57am
Originally posted by fioOxf fioOxf wrote:

Originally posted by Seacore Seacore wrote:

Thanks, I had a memory of a firm line, but couldn't remember if I'd imagined it or where I'd seen it.

I'd forgotten it was next week so checked last night :) 


I wouldn't hold your breath. They are already over a week late with the Short Screenplay final results! Perhaps that's because it is a final and the judges' energies need to be focussed on Short Story as folks will need to know before Round 2. Nevertheless, I am very disappointed and think they've bitten off more than they can chew. Tsk tsk...…(adopts disappointed teacher/Mum face) !!!

P x


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Posted By: Alex Grey
Date Posted: 27 Mar 2019 at 9:10am
I wouldn't hold your breath. They are already over a week late with the Short Screenplay final results! Perhaps that's because it is a final and the judges' energies need to be focussed on Short Story as folks will need to know before Round 2. Nevertheless, I am very disappointed and think they've bitten off more than they can chew. Tsk tsk...…(adopts disappointed teacher/Mum face) !!!

P x
[/QUOTE]

If they were very late and if one got through, what are the chances of a boss noticing that their brand new employee was spending their first week actually writing a short story instead of getting on with their induction training? Asking for a friend....:-D


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Rhyming R1 https://forums.nycmidnight.com/gp-21-i-was-a-dishy-daddy_topic51073.html" rel="nofollow - I was a dishy daddy but I'm allright now



Posted By: Alex Grey
Date Posted: 27 Mar 2019 at 9:15am
While we're waiting, is there a protocol for making sure that everyone on the short story entry forum gets a review?

There are a few late entrants and a few stories that haven't been reviewed - part of me wants to read them and make sure they get some feedback; but part of me is a bit weary as I have read around 60 stories so far (and enjoyed them all to a greater or lesser degree).

I've had some tremendously encouraging comments for my entry and have really benefitted from the forum, I would want others to have the same experience :-)

I should add that I believe that I am up to date with reciprocating reviews from my readers, but if I've missed you please let me know!


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Rhyming R1 https://forums.nycmidnight.com/gp-21-i-was-a-dishy-daddy_topic51073.html" rel="nofollow - I was a dishy daddy but I'm allright now



Posted By: crumhorn
Date Posted: 27 Mar 2019 at 12:27pm
Originally posted by Alex Grey Alex Grey wrote:

While we're waiting, is there a protocol for making sure that everyone on the short story entry forum gets a review?

There are a few late entrants and a few stories that haven't been reviewed - part of me wants to read them and make sure they get some feedback; but part of me is a bit weary as I have read around 60 stories so far (and enjoyed them all to a greater or lesser degree).

I've had some tremendously encouraging comments for my entry and have really benefitted from the forum, I would want others to have the same experience :-)

I should add that I believe that I am up to date with reciprocating reviews from my readers, but if I've missed you please let me know!

This is a nice idea.  I'll go sort by the folks who have zero reviews and read a couple.  It would be very satisfying to see that everyone has at least one review.  Nice of you to read 60! You're a champ.


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FF22R1: https://tinyurl.com/2bavv5rw" rel="nofollow - Stories

SS22R3: https://forums.nycmidnight.com/r3-g5-mystery-in-the-locker-room-comedy_topic47632.html" rel="nofollow - Mystery


Posted By: crumhorn
Date Posted: 27 Mar 2019 at 12:56pm
Hokay, there were 14 stories with no critiques and I've knocked it down to 11. Someone else's turn. :-)

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FF22R1: https://tinyurl.com/2bavv5rw" rel="nofollow - Stories

SS22R3: https://forums.nycmidnight.com/r3-g5-mystery-in-the-locker-room-comedy_topic47632.html" rel="nofollow - Mystery


Posted By: NYCNewbie
Date Posted: 27 Mar 2019 at 1:13pm
Originally posted by Alex Grey Alex Grey wrote:

I wouldn't hold your breath. They are already over a week late with the Short Screenplay final results! Perhaps that's because it is a final and the judges' energies need to be focussed on Short Story as folks will need to know before Round 2. Nevertheless, I am very disappointed and think they've bitten off more than they can chew. Tsk tsk...…(adopts disappointed teacher/Mum face) !!!

P x


If they were very late and if one got through, what are the chances of a boss noticing that their brand new employee was spending their first week actually writing a short story instead of getting on with their induction training? Asking for a friend....:-D
[/QUOTE]


.......Just bribe your boss with award winning marmalade???? Well done.....shame you can’t change your name on here to ‘Lady Marmalade’......Just realised that they’re not quite a week late with Short Screenplay - I thought the result were due Tuesday.....anyway, I don’t actually think they’ll be too late for R1 Short Story as R2 is scheduled for 4th April.....5th for us in the UK.....Unless they put back R2. Who knows?
I hear you though. Writing around work is so hard!
All the best!

Paula x


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http://tinyurl.com/2s3bypdt" rel="nofollow - R2 Micro 250 2023


Posted By: RiskWonder
Date Posted: 30 Mar 2019 at 12:17pm
Alex,
Congrats on your Marmalade awards!!
As for your thoughts on horror - yes, I totally share them. I don’t read horror, I don’t watch horror, I don’t write horror. So, imagine my *horror* when that was my assignment this time! A family member read it and said they couldn’t imagine that I had written it. Haha! I then found myself reading through other horrors and found that none of them really ended up bothering me. Not that I’m planning to go out and buy a horror book, or watch a movie, but I was able to read others in my category and it was okay.
Good luck with the results!


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https://forums.nycmidnight.com/topic20534_post263574.html#263574" rel="nofollow - 2019 Round 1 Heat 147 Horror / A one-way ticket / A mayor


Posted By: Alex Grey
Date Posted: 31 Mar 2019 at 6:57am
Originally posted by RiskWonder RiskWonder wrote:

Alex,
Congrats on your Marmalade awards!!
As for your thoughts on horror - yes, I totally share them. I don’t read horror, I don’t watch horror, I don’t write horror. So, imagine my *horror* when that was my assignment this time! A family member read it and said they couldn’t imagine that I had written it. Haha! I then found myself reading through other horrors and found that none of them really ended up bothering me. Not that I’m planning to go out and buy a horror book, or watch a movie, but I was able to read others in my category and it was okay.
Good luck with the results!


Ooh, if I'd drawn horror in the first round I'm not sure I'd have even entered! I've been pepped up by the encouraging words I've had here and I have been writing mini-horror stories in my head - I really don't like them, but I've surprised myself by finding them there! Of course, having faced up to this, if I get through (and it's a big IF), I'll probaby be assigned romance or comedy or, eeek, romantic comedy and have no clue!


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Rhyming R1 https://forums.nycmidnight.com/gp-21-i-was-a-dishy-daddy_topic51073.html" rel="nofollow - I was a dishy daddy but I'm allright now



Posted By: Seacore
Date Posted: 01 Apr 2019 at 11:52pm
Assuming I've got the time zones right, there's about 24 hours before the results are due. I'm going to try and pass that time by reviewing as many as I can. That way, if it's late, I can fit in more.

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SSC R2 H2 - https://bit.ly/2Rpm2Od" rel="nofollow - Jetsam
SSC R1 H128 - https://bit.ly/2RAsItk" rel="nofollow - Truth and Fire


Posted By: northernwriter
Date Posted: 02 Apr 2019 at 12:42am
You are awesome and very thoughtful, especially since participation has dropped off and since you are making an effort to review stories that don’t have as many reviews. I noticed that. I wish you the best of luck in this competition! 

Originally posted by Seacore Seacore wrote:

Assuming I've got the time zones right, there's about 24 hours before the results are due. I'm going to try and pass that time by reviewing as many as I can. That way, if it's late, I can fit in more.


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Microfiction 2021: 4th place overall
Flash Fiction 2020: 8th place overall


Posted By: Paula-Jane
Date Posted: 02 Apr 2019 at 9:22am
Oh I hear you! 
I am obsessively checking my inbox, and worse even, I am unable to figure out what the corresponding time zone for me is, so I have no idea when to expect anything. I keep imagining that I've been dropped off the list or something... yay!  


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FF 19: R1 - 37
https://forums.nycmidnight.com/r1-h37-horror-the-first-time_topic22383.html" rel="nofollow - The first time


Posted By: Indigo502
Date Posted: 02 Apr 2019 at 9:36am
Hi! I noticed you're from Switzerland.....it's 3:33PM in Bern as I write this and 9:34A in NY, USA, so you're 6 hours ahead. Apparently the results are released at midnight tonight, so you should see them at 6AM your time, tomorrow. Hope this helps and good luck!

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Read my R1 Story titled https://bit.ly/2RpUNAc" rel="nofollow - The Ties That Bind (Horror)


Posted By: nod1v1ng
Date Posted: 02 Apr 2019 at 9:36am
Originally posted by Alex Grey Alex Grey wrote:

While we're waiting, is there a protocol for making sure that everyone on the short story entry forum gets a review? 

There's no protocol per say, besides just taking it on yourself or encouraging your peers. I know a while back some of my writing group & I were making an attempt to review a bunch of stories that had no comments. At the time we were pretty close to getting everyone at least one review, but there must have been some more latecomers since. 

The thing is, by this time a lot of folks will have hit their fatigue point and won't really get excited about reviewing until the next round of stories comes out. For myself, once I hit about 50 stories, I stopped seeking out new reads and only did return reviews...

The trend is that if you do not post your story in the first 2 weeks or so the forum participation goes way down. I'd encourage folks who want to participate in the process to jump in early. Although there is some upswing when it gets close to results time and folks start getting antsy. LOL


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https://shorturl.at/pOW45" rel="nofollow - SSR1
https://rb.gy/i8cxfo" rel="nofollow - 250R2


Posted By: Indigo502
Date Posted: 02 Apr 2019 at 9:37am
Originally posted by Paula-Jane Paula-Jane wrote:

Oh I hear you! 
I am obsessively checking my inbox, and worse even, I am unable to figure out what the corresponding time zone for me is, so I have no idea when to expect anything. I keep imagining that I've been dropped off the list or something... yay!  


Hi! I noticed you're from Switzerland.....it's 3:33PM in Bern as I write this and 9:34A in NY, USA, so you're 6 hours ahead. Apparently the results are released at midnight tonight, so you should see them at 6AM your time, tomorrow. Hope this helps and good luck!

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Read my R1 Story titled https://bit.ly/2RpUNAc" rel="nofollow - The Ties That Bind (Horror)


Posted By: Paula-Jane
Date Posted: 02 Apr 2019 at 9:39am
This is so kind of you! I feel like I want to invite you over and give you lots of cookies in return!
It's actually ridiculous just how nervous I feel about this, but doing this "ordered" writing was an intense experience... 



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FF 19: R1 - 37
https://forums.nycmidnight.com/r1-h37-horror-the-first-time_topic22383.html" rel="nofollow - The first time


Posted By: Indigo502
Date Posted: 02 Apr 2019 at 11:35am
Originally posted by Paula-Jane Paula-Jane wrote:

This is so kind of you! I feel like I want to invite you over and give you lots of cookies in return!
It's actually ridiculous just how nervous I feel about this, but doing this "ordered" writing was an intense experience... 



Lol! If I wasn't almost 6,500 kms away, I would take you up on those cookies! Thanks for the thought, though- it made me smile :) Not much longer now!

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Read my R1 Story titled https://bit.ly/2RpUNAc" rel="nofollow - The Ties That Bind (Horror)


Posted By: Seacore
Date Posted: 13 May 2019 at 12:55am
And now I'm struggling to wait again. Less than 48 hours to go!

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SSC R2 H2 - https://bit.ly/2Rpm2Od" rel="nofollow - Jetsam
SSC R1 H128 - https://bit.ly/2RAsItk" rel="nofollow - Truth and Fire


Posted By: northernwriter
Date Posted: 13 May 2019 at 2:21am
Originally posted by Seacore Seacore wrote:

And now I'm struggling to wait again. Less than 48 hours to go!

Same! Although I thought it was 72 hours? Wednesday night at 11:59 PM Eastern, correct? I am filling my time reviewing stories I haven’t gotten to yet! Yours is on the list, coming up soon!

Good luck!


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Microfiction 2021: 4th place overall
Flash Fiction 2020: 8th place overall


Posted By: Seacore
Date Posted: 13 May 2019 at 6:20am
Gah, you're right, waiting just got harder

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SSC R2 H2 - https://bit.ly/2Rpm2Od" rel="nofollow - Jetsam
SSC R1 H128 - https://bit.ly/2RAsItk" rel="nofollow - Truth and Fire


Posted By: nod1v1ng
Date Posted: 13 May 2019 at 7:22am
So I was silly enough to sign up for another writing contest that runs congruent. We find out who moves on to the finals for this comp this week as well. 

Murphy's Law says I'll either move on in both and have 2 stories to write this weekend, or neither and be stuck twiddling my thumbs. Ack!  


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https://shorturl.at/pOW45" rel="nofollow - SSR1
https://rb.gy/i8cxfo" rel="nofollow - 250R2


Posted By: northernwriter
Date Posted: 13 May 2019 at 12:10pm
Originally posted by nod1v1ng nod1v1ng wrote:

So I was silly enough to sign up for another writing contest that runs congruent. We find out who moves on to the finals for this comp this week as well. 

Murphy's Law says I'll either move on in both and have 2 stories to write this weekend, or neither and be stuck twiddling my thumbs. Ack!  

Hi there! Good luck to you in both competitions! Did you do the Yeah Write Super Challenge? I signed up for that one one, then got really sick during the time I was supposed to be writing, so I didn't do it. (So that's one fewer person in group 1.) I know round 2 of that is this weekend as well!

To move forward in this competition, I would have to get just the right judges for my piece - ones who appreciate my voice and wacky characters. But I have decided that I will spend some time writing this weekend - either my round 3 piece if I am fortunate enough to move forward, or a nonfiction essay I need to add 200 more words to before submitting to a publication. So either way I have blocked out some time for writing, so it will be okay. 

Good luck, nod1v1ng and everyone else!

-Alex


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Microfiction 2021: 4th place overall
Flash Fiction 2020: 8th place overall


Posted By: nod1v1ng
Date Posted: 13 May 2019 at 12:44pm
Originally posted by northernwriter northernwriter wrote:

Hi there! Good luck to you in both competitions! Did you do the Yeah Write Super Challenge?

I did.... 

And it looks like SS results are out. Always a bridesmaid. Looks like yet another HM for me...


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https://shorturl.at/pOW45" rel="nofollow - SSR1
https://rb.gy/i8cxfo" rel="nofollow - 250R2


Posted By: G1nsbergB3ats
Date Posted: 13 May 2019 at 12:45pm
Well, I tried to "stay safe" with what I wrote and it turned out not to matter this time around. I guess I'll have to look into the flash fic contest, at least these things give me something to look forward to/hope for. Best of luck to everyone advancing!

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2020 SSC R1 G36 https://bit.ly/36E0u53" rel="nofollow - The Last Troll Boy


Posted By: northernwriter
Date Posted: 13 May 2019 at 2:21pm
Originally posted by G1nsbergB3ats G1nsbergB3ats wrote:

Well, I tried to "stay safe" with what I wrote and it turned out not to matter this time around. I guess I'll have to look into the flash fic contest, at least these things give me something to look forward to/hope for. Best of luck to everyone advancing!

I did the opposite. I had a "safe" entry and went with my wilder option. It didn't make it either. Looking forward to flash fiction now! See you there!

-Alex


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Microfiction 2021: 4th place overall
Flash Fiction 2020: 8th place overall



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