And here it is....the WotC contest Delay.

[King_Stannis]

i myself, am glad for the extension. i only ask that they weigh my sumbission with more than a bleary eyed glance. at least this way, a good majority of the submissions will get read. no way that was happening under the former deadline.

 

[Saracen]

Chromnos,

I agree with you that smaller publications allow for a greater chance of being published. But even with 60 submissions a month that does not mean that someone who submitted has a 1 in 60 chance of acceptance. Again, a submission is read and considered so for some of those 60 the chance of being published is 0. For others it is much better. For some, like well known authors, they are assured of publication, regardless of whether or not a better story was submitted.

Also, many publications will buy manuscripts from writers that they have established relationships with, again improving their odds, and limit the amount of stories they accept from first time authors. Lowering their odds considerably.

Third, I did not say that the odds of getting published were worse than winning the lottery. I stated that the odds of "making it" as a writer were worse. What I mean by "making it" is a writer earning enough income where they can devote all their time to writing and it is their sole source of income. I apologize for not being more clear in my statement.

My background is as an editor and writer as well, so I also have many writer friends. Some of them have found success and some have yet to publish. In some instances the unpublished writers in my circle are the stronger writers but have had some bad luck as it were.

Finally, I have to agree that I welcome the additional time WotC is spending on the review process. It ensures that all the submissions are judged on their merits and not arbitrarily dismissed.

I wish you the best of luck with your submission.

 

[Chromnos]

Alas how true!

I took the day off this past Monday to work on my novel (I went through four full length edits and decided to completely rewrite the first three chapters from scratch) and banged out 20 pages. It was just scratching the surface of satisfying my drive to write.
I annoy everyone who gives a crap about me by spending what moments I can snatch writing. When I started I could barely manage a page a night. Now I can barely manage to quit at four and snatch some sleep.

It's like some drug of the heart you just can't quit, the itch that keeps getting worse the more you scratch. I often chastize myself for not being a courageous Ray Bradbury and just living out of a library for the first few years. But how would I fund my submissions?

I rationalize by saying- "I've done well for myself. I'm an editor for a well-known publisher of defense related products, I get to write features, and rub elbows with some big whigs." But it doesn't work. I'd trade it all to be barely making it as writer. To earn enough money to pay rent, buy beer, and feed my Maine Coon.

Sure I dream about being a Tolkien. But I'd give my left arm to be some guy who writes fantasy paperbacks.

I apologize for the misunderstanding as well and appreciate your patience and willingness to explain your point of view (which I whole-heartedly respect).

Good luck to you! If I win (or make it into a finalist position for that matter), I'll get your email and buy you a beer sometime if you promise to return the favor were the roles reversed.

-C

 

[Mouseferatu]

Sure I dream about being a Tolkien. But I'd give my left arm to be some guy who writes fantasy paperbacks.

You sound just like me. I've written seven novels (the first three of which are hopeless, but at least I learned from writing them), and haven't yet managed to publish one. I'm grateful for the opportunity to do the freelance RPG writing that I do, but I want to be doing novels, darn it!

I'll make a deal with you, kinda like the one you offered. If I happen to discover/develop an in with a novel publisher, I'll let you know, if you'll do the same for me.

 

[Lizard]

A delay was a sure thing. It'll be a long month. Perhaps they'll announce at GenCon...

I've been skimming a lot of threads on different sites and have come up with the following common world themes.

Water worlds with Islands.
Flying cities world
Golden age of magic setting
apocalyptic world setting
dragon setting
demonic setting
evil has taken over the whole world setting

Anyone do any of these?

gary p.

Neither of my two fits in any of those categories.

 

[Chromnos]

Mouse-

You've got a deal. I know there's a big writers/publisher's convention going on in the fall of this year in DC (haven't pinned down the date yet) and in March of 2003 in Charlottesville. I know a few publishers I could introduce you to who at least have a passing interest in Sci-fi/Fantasy.

Let me know if you'd be able to make any of these conventions and I'd be happy to introduce you to the crew (I don't know where in the world you are or if this is even very practical).

In either case, maybe we should figure out a way to put together some type of support structure for starting writers of Fantasy/Sci-fi.

You mentioned that you develop games. Which ones?

-C

 

[Chromnos]

Lizard-

I'm like you. My setting doesn't fit into any of the above pigeon-holes. There are elements of some (containing apocalyptic themes, containing demons [badass get under your skin demons- with different names of course], sure flying castles could exist there, Islands-no prob) but none of them characterizes the setting.

I'd characterize it more as an epic fantasy setting just dripping with a wild variety of conflict and action. It does not exist as an subtype.

-C

 

[Mouseferatu]

Mouse-

You've got a deal. I know there's a big writers/publisher's convention going on in the fall of this year in DC (haven't pinned down the date yet) and in March of 2003 in Charlottesville. I know a few publishers I could introduce you to who at least have a passing interest in Sci-fi/Fantasy.

Let me know if you'd be able to make any of these conventions and I'd be happy to introduce you to the crew (I don't know where in the world you are or if this is even very practical).

In either case, maybe we should figure out a way to put together some type of support structure for starting writers of Fantasy/Sci-fi.

You mentioned that you develop games. Which ones?

-C

Writing, actually, not developing.

To date, the vast majority of my work has been for White Wolf. I've got five published credits on the shelves, all for Vampire: The Masquerade. In the upcoming months, however, I've got many more scheduled for release, for Vampire: TM, Dark Ages: Vampire, Mummy: The Resurrection, and--to bring things back around to D&D, since we're on EN World --some Scarred Lands stuff for the Sword & Sorcery imprint.

I've also got a D20 module out from Monkey God Enterprises, called "Shadows Under Thessalaine," with a second module and a much larger project (hush-hush for now) on the way in the future.

I live in Austin, Texas, but I'd be more than happy to try to make it to one of those conventions. The one next March seems like a better fit. That's right around my birthday and my anniversary, so I should have plenty of gift money with which to buy airfare.

I'd love to meet any and every publisher you may happen to know. I've had no luck with the slush piles at the few publishers who still accept unagented manuscripts. And I haven't been able to find a new agent since my last one quit the business for health reasons.

Heck, I can even bring copies of the manuscripts on disk. My early novels may be pretty much hopeless, but I dare say--at the risk of sounding egotistical--that I've got at least two or three later ones that are worth a once-over.

 

[BiggusGeekus]

You've got a deal. I know there's a big writers/publisher's convention going on in the fall of this year in DC (haven't pinned down the date yet) and in March of 2003 in Charlottesville.

I live in DC! Where? Who? When?

I'm very interested.

 

[jboress]

change of address & phone number

Hiya!

I'm living out by a university, and nearly all the students in town - including myself - shuffle around at the end of July or the beginning of August. I would like to think that in the rare case my submission makes it to the next round, it won't be tossed out for having invalid contact information.
My email address will be the same, but my address will be different and quite possibly my phone number. What I'm looking for here is some sort of reassurance that WotC will attempt to notify the next round participants by all means. Will they send an email, make a phone call, and drop off a letter?
This isn't a panic along the lines of "Oh no, I didn't staple my entry in the right order!" but a small bit of concern is there.

- Jon