10/1/09 - Guest Blogger Jeff Young - Writer's of the Future Finalist
Jeff Young is a very good friend and faithful fan. He runs the Watch The Skies reader's group out of the Barnes and Noble in Camp Hill, PA and his and his group have made me welcome on a number of occasions. He is also a growing talent in the fiction realm. Here is his account of his experience with the Writers of the Future Contest.
____________________________________________________
Maybe it’s because I shelve the anthologies, that I am surprised about how few people are aware of the Writers of the Future contest or its benefits. Somewhere along the line we’ve all looked at the contest route of gaining notice and perhaps gave it a thought. In most cases there are points that tend to give writers pause: length of time until judging, entry fees, limitations of acceptance, and final disposition of the work in terms of rights and publication. It just seems simpler sometimes to send your work to a magazine, e-zine or anthology. In most cases this would be true- Writers of the Future is a happy exception.
So what makes it different? WOTF is a contest where the judges are some of the most respected authors, illustrators and publishers in the business. Why would they get involved in a contest? Apparently some people really do believe in paying it forward and these folks are not only concerned about the future, but future writers as well. Writers like Frederic Pohl, Tim Powers, Rebecca Moesta, and Sean Williams and not only judge the contest, selecting 9 finalists each quarter and then three winners out of over 200 plus entrants per quarter, but also participate in a writer’s workshop with the winners before the yearly award ceremony. WOTF has 25 years of experience in how to run a contest and put together an anthology and it shows.
So what made me put something forward for Writers of the Future? A number of things, the first being that I met one of the winners published in anthology number 22, Michail Velichansky. Michail had nothing but good things to say about the contest and was very encouraging and the experience made me pick up the anthology and read it. Suddenly I realized that I was looking at works that reminded me of my own writing and it seemed kind of silly that I wasn’t at least trying. I will admit I am like everyone else; I did not go right home and send something out. In fact it took at least a year before I did actually write the two stories that I sent in. “Written in Light” was actually being feasted upon by the literary lions of the Yesterday’s Dreamers critique group when “The Locus Eaters” was being looked at by the WOTF judges. The last thing that I expected was to receive a phone call telling me I was an honorable mention.
Joni Labaqui, the head of Writer’s Services, seemed a bit puzzled when I said, “I can’t believe you’re calling me, I only got an honorable mention.” She quickly took me to task in kindly way and reminded me that my work stood out enough for the judges to recognize it.
“So when’s your next story coming?” she asked.
Again I would like to say that I immediately submitted something, but another quarter passed before I was happy enough with “Written in Light” after its many changes due to helpful critiques, to submit it. In all honesty, I let it go. I was hopeful, but lots of other things were happening like Balticon’s showing of The Space Stone, a film project I participated in; an invite to contribute to By All Means Necessary, Mike McPhail’s MilSci anthology and author visits to the Watch the Skies SF & F reading group I run. In fact it was one of the visits with Danielle Ackley-McPhail and Mike McPhail that got interrupted by another phone call. Fortunately Joni caught me sitting down with the news that “Written in Light” was now a finalist. Best kind of news to get in a bar with all of the members of the reading group and dear friends. Joni also gave me a quick interview as well before letting me know that it would be August or September before the final results came out.
Now I really was waiting and waiting and waiting. This year is the Silver Anniversary of WOTF, so there was a great deal of extra preparation that went into the awards ceremony. I almost thought we were going to run out of September and was rather pathetically looking day by day at the blog posted on the website. Half way through what started as a rough day at work, I was in the receiving area, surrounded by the recent book arrivals when I was paged that I had a phone call. Joni had tracked me down at work, from the information in our interview, to let me know that “Written in Light” had won third place in the second quarter contest. We chatted happily for several moments and then she dropped the other bombshell. Tim Powers had liked my story. That’s when I found someplace to sit down. Finally she said, “I need your address so we can send you the check.” I’d completely forgotten about that. I was going to be published, Tim Powers liked my story and they were going to pay me?
The receiving manager looked at me slightly askance, “What was that phone call about? You look a little dazed.” I think I had every right to be.
So today I got an invite from a Yahoo group created for the winners of the contest for this year so that we can get to know each other a little before the writer’s workshop and award ceremony next year.
I’ve waited until the end to make one very important point- if you look at all of the above you will notice that there is no mention of Scientology or L. Ron Hubbard. Now obviously if Mr. Hubbard had not started and endowed things there would be not contest, but I want to make it clear to those that have any concerns, that this contest is about the writing and the writers. Having said that, I should also mention that those of you who create wonderful works of art should avail yourselves to the sister contest Illustrators of the Future, for all of the same reasons as WOTF.
Here is some information that you, the reader might find useful:
The Contest Rules : http://www.writersofthefuture.com/rules.htm
The WOTF Blog: http://wotfblog.galaxypress.com/2009_09_01_archive.html
Frederic Pohl, on judging for WOTF
http://www.thewaythefutureblogs.com/2009/09/the-worlds-of-l-ron-hubbard/
So what’s next? Good question. I think that first place in the contest will open lots of doors for writers. I think third place will make an excellent wedge that I can use to hold open doors until publishers, editors or agents get tired of seeing my work and submit to the inevitable- or so I hope.
More importantly - have you sent in your story yet?
Jeff Young
(Jeff finds himself ever amazed at the crazy variety of projects he can get roped into without realizing it. Besides being editor for the book- The Drunken Comic Book Monkeys - Tales of Scary Scariness, he’s also had a part in a play he co-wrote and performed with Full Circle Productions, starred in a dual role in The Space Stone filmed by Spooky Moon Productions. In the past he’s been published in: Carbon14 as a reviewer, interviewer and fiction writer; Neuronet; Apprise and the Poetic Knight as well as the ever popular Trail of Indiscretion and its sister production Cemetery Moon. Jeff has led the Watch the Skies SF and Fantasy discussion group at Barnes and Noble in Camp Hill, PA for nine years and the Word Wrights writing group for eight years and looks forward to continuing as long as the powers that be will let him. He is also an instructor for the “Step Back in Time” class at the Dreamwrights Youth and Family Theater which prepares children for their first trip to Renaissance Faires.
Watch the Skies - http://mysite.verizon.net/res89guj/ and http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=110073910142)
Question for Today: What recognition have you received for your work? A great review? A nomination? Finaling? A win? A scathing review, even? Share with us your triumphs and heartaches.
For me, I have the following award credits for various projects I am affiliated with in one way or another:
Word Weaving Award For Excellence - Yesterday's Dreams
Fallen Angels Reviews Recommended Read - Bad-Ass Faeries
2007 Dream Realm Award, Finalist for Bad-Ass Faeries,
Best Anthology for Breach the Hull
2008 Dream Realm Award, Two-Time Finalist for Tomorrow's Memories
2009 EPPIE Award, Best Anthology for Bad-Ass Faeries 2: Just Plain Bad
2009 Indie Book Award, Two-Time Finalist for So It Begins
And a link to my worst review ever: http://www.greenmanreview.com/book/book_ackleymcphail_yesterdaysdreams.html (Ironically enough, for many years this was the only review that ever generated hits to my website, as a note, this review is based on the original Vivisphere edition of the novel, which by far was in the worst condition than anything that came after.)
____________________________________________________
Maybe it’s because I shelve the anthologies, that I am surprised about how few people are aware of the Writers of the Future contest or its benefits. Somewhere along the line we’ve all looked at the contest route of gaining notice and perhaps gave it a thought. In most cases there are points that tend to give writers pause: length of time until judging, entry fees, limitations of acceptance, and final disposition of the work in terms of rights and publication. It just seems simpler sometimes to send your work to a magazine, e-zine or anthology. In most cases this would be true- Writers of the Future is a happy exception.
So what makes it different? WOTF is a contest where the judges are some of the most respected authors, illustrators and publishers in the business. Why would they get involved in a contest? Apparently some people really do believe in paying it forward and these folks are not only concerned about the future, but future writers as well. Writers like Frederic Pohl, Tim Powers, Rebecca Moesta, and Sean Williams and not only judge the contest, selecting 9 finalists each quarter and then three winners out of over 200 plus entrants per quarter, but also participate in a writer’s workshop with the winners before the yearly award ceremony. WOTF has 25 years of experience in how to run a contest and put together an anthology and it shows.
So what made me put something forward for Writers of the Future? A number of things, the first being that I met one of the winners published in anthology number 22, Michail Velichansky. Michail had nothing but good things to say about the contest and was very encouraging and the experience made me pick up the anthology and read it. Suddenly I realized that I was looking at works that reminded me of my own writing and it seemed kind of silly that I wasn’t at least trying. I will admit I am like everyone else; I did not go right home and send something out. In fact it took at least a year before I did actually write the two stories that I sent in. “Written in Light” was actually being feasted upon by the literary lions of the Yesterday’s Dreamers critique group when “The Locus Eaters” was being looked at by the WOTF judges. The last thing that I expected was to receive a phone call telling me I was an honorable mention.
Joni Labaqui, the head of Writer’s Services, seemed a bit puzzled when I said, “I can’t believe you’re calling me, I only got an honorable mention.” She quickly took me to task in kindly way and reminded me that my work stood out enough for the judges to recognize it.
“So when’s your next story coming?” she asked.
Again I would like to say that I immediately submitted something, but another quarter passed before I was happy enough with “Written in Light” after its many changes due to helpful critiques, to submit it. In all honesty, I let it go. I was hopeful, but lots of other things were happening like Balticon’s showing of The Space Stone, a film project I participated in; an invite to contribute to By All Means Necessary, Mike McPhail’s MilSci anthology and author visits to the Watch the Skies SF & F reading group I run. In fact it was one of the visits with Danielle Ackley-McPhail and Mike McPhail that got interrupted by another phone call. Fortunately Joni caught me sitting down with the news that “Written in Light” was now a finalist. Best kind of news to get in a bar with all of the members of the reading group and dear friends. Joni also gave me a quick interview as well before letting me know that it would be August or September before the final results came out.
Now I really was waiting and waiting and waiting. This year is the Silver Anniversary of WOTF, so there was a great deal of extra preparation that went into the awards ceremony. I almost thought we were going to run out of September and was rather pathetically looking day by day at the blog posted on the website. Half way through what started as a rough day at work, I was in the receiving area, surrounded by the recent book arrivals when I was paged that I had a phone call. Joni had tracked me down at work, from the information in our interview, to let me know that “Written in Light” had won third place in the second quarter contest. We chatted happily for several moments and then she dropped the other bombshell. Tim Powers had liked my story. That’s when I found someplace to sit down. Finally she said, “I need your address so we can send you the check.” I’d completely forgotten about that. I was going to be published, Tim Powers liked my story and they were going to pay me?
The receiving manager looked at me slightly askance, “What was that phone call about? You look a little dazed.” I think I had every right to be.
So today I got an invite from a Yahoo group created for the winners of the contest for this year so that we can get to know each other a little before the writer’s workshop and award ceremony next year.
I’ve waited until the end to make one very important point- if you look at all of the above you will notice that there is no mention of Scientology or L. Ron Hubbard. Now obviously if Mr. Hubbard had not started and endowed things there would be not contest, but I want to make it clear to those that have any concerns, that this contest is about the writing and the writers. Having said that, I should also mention that those of you who create wonderful works of art should avail yourselves to the sister contest Illustrators of the Future, for all of the same reasons as WOTF.
Here is some information that you, the reader might find useful:
The Contest Rules : http://www.writersofthefuture.com/rules.htm
The WOTF Blog: http://wotfblog.galaxypress.com/2009_09_01_archive.html
Frederic Pohl, on judging for WOTF
http://www.thewaythefutureblogs.com/2009/09/the-worlds-of-l-ron-hubbard/
So what’s next? Good question. I think that first place in the contest will open lots of doors for writers. I think third place will make an excellent wedge that I can use to hold open doors until publishers, editors or agents get tired of seeing my work and submit to the inevitable- or so I hope.
More importantly - have you sent in your story yet?
Jeff Young
(Jeff finds himself ever amazed at the crazy variety of projects he can get roped into without realizing it. Besides being editor for the book- The Drunken Comic Book Monkeys - Tales of Scary Scariness, he’s also had a part in a play he co-wrote and performed with Full Circle Productions, starred in a dual role in The Space Stone filmed by Spooky Moon Productions. In the past he’s been published in: Carbon14 as a reviewer, interviewer and fiction writer; Neuronet; Apprise and the Poetic Knight as well as the ever popular Trail of Indiscretion and its sister production Cemetery Moon. Jeff has led the Watch the Skies SF and Fantasy discussion group at Barnes and Noble in Camp Hill, PA for nine years and the Word Wrights writing group for eight years and looks forward to continuing as long as the powers that be will let him. He is also an instructor for the “Step Back in Time” class at the Dreamwrights Youth and Family Theater which prepares children for their first trip to Renaissance Faires.
Watch the Skies - http://mysite.verizon.net/res89guj/ and http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=110073910142)
Question for Today: What recognition have you received for your work? A great review? A nomination? Finaling? A win? A scathing review, even? Share with us your triumphs and heartaches.
For me, I have the following award credits for various projects I am affiliated with in one way or another:
Word Weaving Award For Excellence - Yesterday's Dreams
Fallen Angels Reviews Recommended Read - Bad-Ass Faeries
2007 Dream Realm Award, Finalist for Bad-Ass Faeries,
Best Anthology for Breach the Hull
2008 Dream Realm Award, Two-Time Finalist for Tomorrow's Memories
2009 EPPIE Award, Best Anthology for Bad-Ass Faeries 2: Just Plain Bad
2009 Indie Book Award, Two-Time Finalist for So It Begins
And a link to my worst review ever: http://www.greenmanreview.com/book/book_ackleymcphail_yesterdaysdreams.html (Ironically enough, for many years this was the only review that ever generated hits to my website, as a note, this review is based on the original Vivisphere edition of the novel, which by far was in the worst condition than anything that came after.)