Tor opening for short fiction 1st October

[Kerrybuchanan]

Is anyone else thinking of entering anything? I have a couple on the back burner I'm thinking of sending. If you're not in, you can't win.

 

[Dan Jones]

Yes I have something but it requires a hard edit first. But I think that's doable as its a short. The payment is crazy, up to something like $3000?!

 

[Jo Zebedee]

When I get free of my hideous amount of work-work and my exciting con this weekend, I have one forming in my mind which will be subbed. I also have a couple of outlines for non-fiction thoughts.

I see no sign of a mimimum word count? Anyone else? My shorts tend to be truly short....

 

[Foxbat]

I don't see a minimum word count.

I have a few stories gathering digital dust so I'll probably send one and see what happens. Reading the info, it looks like it will be months before a reply is forthcoming so I think I will have to be prepared to 'fire and forget'.

 

[Kerrybuchanan]

I think I will have to be prepared to 'fire and forget'.

That's what I always do. The only exception so far has been the Hodderscape one, because it keeps popping up on my news feed and reminding me of its existence. When a story is accepted it comes as a pleasant surprise and if it isn't (far more common), I barely notice.

 

[Foxbat]

I keep track of mine on a colour-coded spreadsheet (so that I don't inadvertently submit one which has already been submitted elsewhere). Amber is submitted, red is rejected and green is accepted. Needless to say there's more red than green.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

I keep track of mine on a colour-coded spreadsheet (so that I don't inadvertently submit one which has already been submitted elsewhere). Amber is submitted, red is rejected and green is accepted. Needless to say there's more red than green.

I have exactly the same system. Also mostly red.

 

[Foxbat]

I have exactly the same system. Also mostly red.

Ah well, at least you ain't alone when you've got a mostly red spreadsheet

 

[ratsy]

Only the coolest have a mostly red spreadsheet... But doesnt it look great when you start getting some green spatterings on it!

 

[Vaz]

I'm so cool I don't have a spreadsheet. I have a mind palace instead

 

[Vaz]

Really though I should start sending stories off. Need to get the Psekrit Pstory done first though...

 

[Andersson]

I have started writing a story to submit. It’s an idea that I had a while ago but since it wasn’t long enough for a novel I put it to the side. The problem is that it might be too long but I’m hoping that I can manage it with 12,000 words.

Since I have a very hard time actually finishing things I think a short story will be a good challenge for me. Writing for a specific purpose also puts some extra pressure on me to get it done, as does posting about it here.

 

[Denise Tanaka]

A 17.5k word limit? That's barely a chapter! I don't get out of bed for less than 100,000 words...

On a serious note though: I know a lot of writers work on short stories for various reasons, whether it be for fun, building a name through magazine publications, and probably plenty of other reasons. I've never been a great fan of short stories as a reader, and as a writer I just haven't had the enthusiasm for them. So I was wondering: is there anyone else out there who writes only full-length novels? Or am I something of a curiosity?

I've taken to writing short stories in an effort to "get my name out there" and I've had a few places where my name did in fact appear. It gives one a boost of validation and something to put on the CV.

 

[Juliana]

Word of warning for the impatient: I sent a short in last year (rejected) and they really do take the three months mentioned in their sub guidelines to get back to you. Almost to the day, in my case.

 

[Foxbat]

Just submitted a new story. It's what I consider to be my first ever Fantasy short (I normally tend to veer towards the horror/supernatural side of things).

If I'm honest, I'm not expecting to be accepted but any positive points in the rejection of the piece would be my classification of success

 

[Dan Jones]

If I'm honest, I'm not expecting to be accepted but any positive points in the rejection of the piece would be my classification of success

It'd certainly be nice to get something other than a standard form. Not something I've experienced yet!

 

[Jo Zebedee]

It'd certainly be nice to get something other than a standard form. Not something I've experienced yet!

It will come, never fear. (actually, I took some comfort when I won a challenge since all the other winners were awesome writers I took huge encouragement from it.)

I've been working at mine. It's short, as mine often are, about 2000 words, but it will be getting some beta-mauling this weekend and then we'll see what happens with it.

 

[Dan Jones]

Thanks for the encouragement! Happily, there seems to be plenty of that to feed upon

2000 words, eh? Mine's at the opposite end of the spectrum; I've just managed to squeeze it down to the high end of the brief at 17,000 words, but may look for another beta read to try and skim away a bit more fluff before submission.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Thanks for the encouragement! Happily, there seems to be plenty of that to feed upon

2000 words, eh? Mine's at the opposite end of the spectrum; I've just managed to squeeze it down to the high end of the brief at 17,000 words, but may look for another beta read to try and skim away a bit more fluff before submission.

I think my lomgest ever short is about 6000 words... But I also struggle to get novels up to the word count. Possibly I write too lean. swap?

 

[Dan Jones]

swap?

Maybe let's add them together and divide by two, and we'll both be slap bang in the middle