Contest Entry Discussion

[peteOcha]

I would like to say that I liked all of the entries I've read so far. It's only been about 10 or so (not enough time in the day) but everyone of them has been good.

P.S. Up until the voting started I was reading them in the order they where posted, so you can guess if I've read yours or not

Hey, that means you read mine!

[Dan Hocker]

Hey, that means you read mine!

That I did. I do plan on reading as many of these as possible. Hopefully before the first round voting is over.

[the_last_gunslinger]

I have obviously offended you which wasn't my aim. If you are only looking to publish short stories in various markets, then I agree that social networking is not as important. If we were talking novels and such, then it would be more beneficial to you. Good luck!

Perhaps my reaction was slightly misconstrued. I have no problem with you or what you said, and I don't really feel offended. My torrid response was directed more at the whole concept of social networking, a phenomenon that annoys me tremendously. There is nothing wrong with liking it, but for me, I kind of hate how the world is getting to the point where it feels you need a Facebook account just to get by.

It is this dominating philosophy that I was objecting to more than anything. I certainly didn't view what you said as an attack on me, especially since no one on here is privy to my networking dispositions.

[Dan Hocker]

Perhaps my reaction was slightly misconstrued. I have no problem with you or what you said, and I don't really feel offended. My torrid response was directed more at the whole concept of social networking, a phenomenon that annoys me tremendously. There is nothing wrong with liking it, but for me, I kind of hate how the world is getting to the point where it feels you need a Facebook account just to get by.

It is this dominating philosophy that I was objecting to more than anything. I certainly didn't view what you said as an attack on me, especially since no one on here is privy to my networking dispositions.

I completely get this. I used Facebook alot when it first came out, but then it was really more of a means for kids going to school to stay in touch with their friends from high school. These days (since being opened up to everyone, not just college students) it has become much, much, much more than that, and highly annoying. (No I don't want to visit your stupid farm made of pixels..... lol)

[Nik Houser]

Especially if you can get it in front of the right person to read it.

That was my whole reason for entering the contest. With no open submissions to the magazine right now, this was my only chance to show you folks anything, albeit of a super-short word count. If my story doesn't make it to the chapbook, I'm hoping I might get tapped on the shoulder for something else Cemetery Dance related. I think I'm voicing a hope that several of us have for our work. An AMAZING side-benefit has been getting in contact with the other writers here. I had no idea what a wonderful experience this was going to be. Seriously, this has really made the contest for me.

[Nik Houser]

In regard to hating the writing process:

I hate it. I've always hated it. But my mentor once told me, "Who said writing was fun?" And the answer was...nobody. The only writer I've ever talked to who actually enjoyed writing process was Salmon Rushdie (sorry to name drop, we're not pals or anything, it was just a public Q&A). Beyond that, almost without exception have I encountered writers who find the process pretty painful. I forgot the name of the writer, but I read a wonderful quote from someone who said "Writing is easy. All you have to do is sit down and stare at the blank page until drops of blood start to form on your forehead). The only time I begin to really enjoy writing is on the 7th or 8th draft, when the junk on paper starts to resemble what was in my head, if I'm lucky.

[the_last_gunslinger]

"Who said writing was fun?" And the answer was...nobody.

And this begs the question then: Why do we do it?

[Nik Houser]

In regard to what I look for in these contest stories: Everything that I look for in a published story. Which isn't to say it has to be as good as those, but it needs to share the same qualities which I enjoy in professional fiction, and which I think most people look for in their reading lives: quality of voice, interest in the narrator (not compassion, per say, but interest), and overall technical craft. But what matters to me most, is that I want to finish it. If a story doesn't grab me, in the contest or in life, it's hard for me to care about it, because there's so much other stuff that I could be reading. That's what I come to suspense fiction for: to be drawn in with a good, solid, narrative stranglehold, and to not be let loose until the writer is damned ready.

[peteOcha]

off topic-how many posts until we all cease to be "junior" members of the forum?

30. Or at least that's when I hit member. I don't know if there are any other requirements that need to be fulfilled though.

[Kenwood]

So without reading all 26 pages here, are some people saying they've had people sign up just to vote for them? Are these people reading all other entries then? No need to answer that. We all know the answer is no. So that's a little...unfair. This is a writing contest, not a voting contest, right?

There are over 100 stories entered, thus every story should have at least that many reads for it to be fair. Yet some have little more than 20 views. Clearly even the participants aren't going to read every entry. Which is a bummer. That was my misunderstanding, of course, thinking only the entrants would be doing the reading/voting. I was wrong.

Anyway, I would hope that anyone voting would do the honest thing and vote for quality fiction. Hope and reality rarely meet, though. =(

[Nik Houser]

And this begs the question then: Why do we do it?

Very fair question. I assume it's different for everybody, but for me, it's because I have to. I gotta write, even if it hurts to do so, because I...gotta write. It hurts to write, but it hurts worse not to. Even if my career is never at the point where it financially supports me, I'll still be writing because the alternative is even worse. That probably sounds far more pretentious that I mean it to, but it's the simplest, most honest answer I can give. How about you, gunslinger? What sits you down to blank page/screen? Anybody else care to chime in?

[ozmosis7]

I do it for the same reason my Grandfather did when he told me stories as a kid. Truly, there is nothing better for any artist/creative type then when someone "gets" it. Or at the very least enjoys it.

I do use social networks, although I have been toying with deleting my myspace account, as it appears defunct. I met many writers through social networks, and many of them have helped me out along the way. I don't think it is a requirement however. I have read about people who still use typewriters even, or longhand. You can limit who you socialize with though, and what content gets to you. So you could barebones your network to say a writing circle only. But, to each their own, and I say good for you to be able to abstain for the temptation. Perhaps there is a local group you can meet with that serves the same function? Ask around on forums.

I do believe my family will vote for me, and so I will be guilty of that much. I have called and emailed them all, to ask that they only vote for mine if they think it is the best--not that they will. that's just how I roll though. The reason being, there is far more worth in an honest opinion to me, than one that comes biased. I'll get no where if people make believe my stories are full of glistening vampires that will make me millions. Sorry, bad joke. I value everyone's comments and criticism to better myself. That being said, no one should expect any different when asking my opinion.

Of the stories I have read so far, most have been pretty good and enjoyable. It makes the voting difficult.

[the_last_gunslinger]

Why do I write? I really don't know. I guess I have that burning desire to contribute in some way to the large body of literary canon. I'm a literature major, so I'm exposed to a great deal of writing and it makes me want to do it too. I'm not even longing for bestsellerdom, though it would be a dream. I just need to say I published something in the speculative fiction genre before I die. I think it would be a sort of validation, like a fulfilled calling, as trite as that may sound. But to create my own worlds and characters and creatures, my own mythos...well, that holds a strange allure and despite my constant fretting over the quality of my stories, I can always count on eventually being drawn back to finish what I keep starting.

[peteOcha]

I do it for the same reason my Grandfather did when he told me stories as a kid. Truly, there is nothing better for any artist/creative type then when someone "gets" it. Or at the very least enjoys it.

I do use social networks, although I have been toying with deleting my myspace account, as it appears defunct. I met many writers through social networks, and many of them have helped me out along the way. I don't think it is a requirement however. I have read about people who still use typewriters even, or longhand. You can limit who you socialize with though, and what content gets to you. So you could barebones your network to say a writing circle only. But, to each their own, and I say good for you to be able to abstain for the temptation. Perhaps there is a local group you can meet with that serves the same function? Ask around on forums.

I do believe my family will vote for me, and so I will be guilty of that much. I have called and emailed them all, to ask that they only vote for mine if they think it is the best--not that they will. that's just how I roll though. The reason being, there is far more worth in an honest opinion to me, than one that comes biased. I'll get no where if people make believe my stories are full of glistening vampires that will make me millions. Sorry, bad joke. I value everyone's comments and criticism to better myself. That being said, no one should expect any different when asking my opinion.

Of the stories I have read so far, most have been pretty good and enjoyable. It makes the voting difficult.

I write longhand, of course I type it up later, but my first draft and sometimes the second is usually longhand. That's because I like to write when the urge grabs me, and that means I'm not always in front of a pc. Once I got a an idea and wanted to start writing right away, but I didn't have anything to write with so I saved my work as text messages on my phone (this was on a bus ride somewhere). Plus, i just like do it that way, I find it easier to organize my thoughts and put them down on paper if I'm using a pen.

And on the topic of writer friends, I'd really like to make some. That's why I feel that everybody who entered this contest is already a winner. There is much more to this contest than the prize being offered.

[AJ Brown]

It is pretty evident in some of the groups that some stories have been 'ballot stuffed,' but I'm like MLD, I don't want to win anything by asking for folks to vote for me specifically. I want my work to stand out because it's good. At any rate, it is what it is.

I tend to call things the way I see them and the best thing about this is that 110 people entered and many of those were probably written specifically for this contest. Anything that gets folks writing is always a great thing.

AJ