To all who entered the WotC open call

Pencilone · Aug 30, 2005

I'll say one week and someone is going to get the call (the rejection letter will take much longer, depending on location). I've looked into my magic bowl and that's what it said.

dragonjax · Aug 30, 2005

Yeah, I'm guessing that Tuesday, September 6, is going to be The Day Of Phone Calls. And Friday, September 9 will be the Black Day of Rejection Slips.

But hey, what do I know? I originally guessed we'd be hearing something in May. Silly me...

:Shrug:

dhenderson002 · Sep 2, 2005

LloydBrown said:
Three tries for that? You having a bad day?

Bad day, strange week, cool nightmares.
Sometimes I think I am too slow in the head to get these things to work right. However, since this is only my third post anywhere ever, maybe there is hope.

Thanks for the news everyone, if they are sending letters out, I might want to finish the book.

Uncletrunx · Sep 5, 2005

I still await any news. I'm wondering how they'll contact me as I'm in the UK.

My bet is using the stamped envelope I gave them, with a letter saying "sorry, no."

I'm an optimist, me!

dragonjax · Sep 5, 2005

I heard that Peter Archer was very sick; I'm not sure of the duration of the illness, but it was serious. This obviously would have had an impact on his ability to pore through the entries.

I'm wishing him good wishes and a speedy recovery. And as of now, I am officially no longer eyeing the mailbox, hoping against hope. When news comes, it comes. (This is the new, serene Dragonjax.)

Uncletrunx · Sep 6, 2005

Ah, that would explain the delay. I'll stop looking at the inbox constantly!

I hope he makes a full and rapid recovery.

direkobold · Sep 7, 2005

I got my rejection letter yesterday.

I guess that means I was in the "we definitely don't want to see anything else from this guy" category. There was a number on the envelope, 46, I'm wondering if that's the order it was received. I sent mine in about three weeks before the deadline, so that would make a certain amount of sense, I'm curious what other peoples numbers were and whether they correspond to the order-it-was-received theory.

NicoleJLeBoeuf · Sep 7, 2005

direkobold said:
I got my rejection letter yesterday. I guess that means I was in the "we definitely don't want to see anything else from this guy" category.

Oh, now, I doubt that. I'm sure all it means is, "Definitely not this book." It looks like there will be ongoing submission periods for the open fiction line, and no reason those of us who don't win the flagship contract couldn't continue to submit in the future.

No rejection letter or acceptance phone call here yet, but I'm glad to hear that decisions are coming down now. I'll keep an eye on the mail and let y'all know as soon as I here anything.

Pencilone · Sep 7, 2005

direkobolt,

Chin up and don't let it affect you! The new open call is now on, and it'll still be on till 1st of January: all the time to write a new novel

! And send the current novel somewhere else right away.

At least that's what I indend to do when I get my letter...

Best,

Pencilone

dragonjax · Sep 7, 2005

direkobold said:
I got my rejection letter yesterday. I guess that means I was in the "we definitely don't want to see anything else from this guy" category. There was a number on the envelope, 46, I'm wondering if that's the order it was received. I sent mine in about three weeks before the deadline, so that would make a certain amount of sense, I'm curious what other peoples numbers were and whether they correspond to the order-it-was-received theory.

Bummer, Direkobold. I'm sorry that this particular book wasn't a good fit for WotC. But really, do not equate this with your skill as a writer. All this rejection means is that this particular book didn't resonate with Peter. Period. Maybe it will with Patrick at Tor, or Peter S. at DAW, or Toni at Baen, or...well, you get the idea. Keep on trucking.

As for the number, that's interesting. I'll keep that in mind when I get my letter.

I sent mine in on February 25 (not that I, like, memorized the date or anything). When I get my letter, I'll post whether there was a number, etc. But if yours was No. 46 out of 400, then yikes, mine must be close to No. 383. Heh. Anyway, I'll let everyone know what number I get.

Uncletrunx · Sep 8, 2005

Sorry to hear that, Direkobold. But as everyone said, don't let it kill your enthusiasm. Someone, somewhere will be your perfect audience.

I'm expecting that my letter will take a little longer to arrive, as it has to get to the UK. But there's been no phone call so I'm expecting it. I'll let you know the number when it arrives.

dhenderson002 · Sep 12, 2005

direkobold said:
I got my rejection letter yesterday.

I guess that means I was in the "we definitely don't want to see anything else from this guy" category. There was a number on the envelope, 46, I'm wondering if that's the order it was received. I sent mine in about three weeks before the deadline, so that would make a certain amount of sense, I'm curious what other peoples numbers were and whether they correspond to the order-it-was-received theory.

I got mine a couple of days ago too. Actually very encouraging to me foe some reason

. It opens up submissions to other places that I am more likely to get this book picked up (i hope). My envelope had no number on it.

I am a real novelist now, though. I have a rejection letter to prove it!!

dragonjax · Sep 13, 2005

dhenderson002 said:
I am a real novelist now, though. I have a rejection letter to prove it!!

Oh my God, I love this quote! This RULES!!! It's the right attitude, and it's damned funny!

:Hail:

dragonjax · Sep 13, 2005

Hey, dhenderson, was there a number on your envelope? We know you couldn't have been No. 46. I'm guessing you were...No. 215.

WVWriterGirl · Sep 13, 2005

dhenderson002 said:
My envelope had no number on it.

Don't worry, Jax, I missed it the first time I read it, too.

:Hug2:

WVWG

dragonjax · Sep 13, 2005

D'oh!

Can I blame watching an episode of GO DIEGO GO for my lack of reading comprehension?

Okay, I'm officially assigning dhenderson with No. 215. I can do that. I have the power. So there.

Uncletrunx · Sep 13, 2005

Just don't assign me a number! I don't want one!

dragonjax · Sep 13, 2005

Note to self: No. 376 is now available.

WVWriterGirl · Sep 13, 2005

dragonjax said:
Note to self: No. 376 is now available.

I'll take that one, since I'm the goon-ess who had to FedEx her package to WoTC.

:Headbang:

:Smack:

WVWG

trebuchet · Sep 14, 2005

Ya ain't alone, Writer Girl!
I overnighted mine.

Pencilone · Sep 15, 2005

Does anyone think that there might still be a chance, or all of us (who have not received a phone call yet) have our letters in the post by now?

Of couse, here in UK the letters will arrive much later...

Uncletrunx · Sep 15, 2005

Without wanting to be pessimistic, I get the feeling that we'd know by now if they wanted to see more.

Of course, it may be that they are writing letters as they read each submission so there may be some unread submissions which they'll want to see more of. But I think they probably know what they want to see more of by now.

Irysangel · Sep 15, 2005

I would think they'd send letters rather than 'calling' everyone. They're basically asking for full manuscripts at this point, and most publishers don't call and ask for the full, they send a letter.

This is just the sensible way to do it, or so it seems to me, so I could be quite blatantly wrong.

NicoleJLeBoeuf · Sep 15, 2005

I assumed that the finalists would receive phone calls simply because of this:

WOTC said:
At the end of the open call we will review all the submissions received. We will then choose our ten favorite submissions and ask you to send us the complete manuscript of the first draft of the novel. You must send us the complete manuscript within ten business days of our request.

The only way for both WOTC and the authors of the requested manuscripts to know and agree on exactly when the "ten business days" begins is if the request is made via phone call. (Or email, I guess, but the author could dither about not having seen the email for a few days.) With postal mail, unless the request is sent with delivery confirmation, all that's documented is the date of the postmark, not the date of receipt by the author. There could be delays in the transaction that one party is not aware of.

But of course I'm just speculating here, same as you. I'll tell you what, though; I haven't been letting a day go by without checking email, checking the physical mailbox (barring Sunday/holiday), and wearing my cell phone.

When I hear one way or the other, I'll post about it right away.

dragonjax · Sep 15, 2005

I just emailed Peter. I'll let you know what he says.

:popcorn:

To all who entered the WotC open call

Muse Lover

I write stuff and break boards.

dhenderson002

Limited by talent

I write stuff and break boards.

Limited by talent

direkobold

a work in progress

Muse Lover

I write stuff and break boards.

Limited by talent

dhenderson002

I write stuff and break boards.

I write stuff and break boards.

Inked Mom

I write stuff and break boards.

Limited by talent

I write stuff and break boards.

Inked Mom

Hurls Adverbs

Muse Lover

Limited by talent

She of Many Names

a work in progress

I write stuff and break boards.