tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076421823686012107.post4714155100117788452..comments2024-03-18T13:52:08.967-04:00Comments on IWSG Anthologies: How to #Win a #ShortStory Contest!Tara Tylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07587802105993889515noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076421823686012107.post-27290356515195926832018-12-29T20:37:45.237-05:002018-12-29T20:37:45.237-05:00Judging was eye-opening for sure. So much talent t...Judging was eye-opening for sure. So much talent that I had to keep revisiting the stories and what I liked about them in order to choose—a nearly impossible situation! Gwen Gardnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13132836346305559246noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076421823686012107.post-22651658384818857122018-12-29T20:35:10.205-05:002018-12-29T20:35:10.205-05:00So many talented people these days!So many talented people these days!Gwen Gardnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13132836346305559246noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076421823686012107.post-73951135544502992282018-12-29T20:34:24.293-05:002018-12-29T20:34:24.293-05:00You’re so right, Cherie. Subjective is the key wor...You’re so right, Cherie. Subjective is the key word. And it can change on any given day. Gwen Gardnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13132836346305559246noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076421823686012107.post-45864213078492407352018-12-21T21:25:26.935-05:002018-12-21T21:25:26.935-05:00Great tips! So helpful not just for contests, but ...Great tips! So helpful not just for contests, but story-crafting in general. And I can only imagine how tough it must be to judge countless amazing stories like that!Heather R. Holdenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04309060285955963459noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076421823686012107.post-21255426834745965222018-12-16T23:37:02.303-05:002018-12-16T23:37:02.303-05:00I judged Write Club one year and came out with a m...I judged Write Club one year and came out with a much better sense of why writing was so hard- there is tons of talent for us to compete with. <br /><br />These are great tips. I enjoy a tight story. Elizabeth Seckmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00045076826326574984noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076421823686012107.post-13355510068661077082018-12-11T17:42:42.070-05:002018-12-11T17:42:42.070-05:00Those are fantastic tips, Gwen! And it can be terr...Those are fantastic tips, Gwen! And it can be terribly hard to judge stories. Sometimes it's the smallest of things that make one story a winner over another, and, even then, it's all subjective.Cherie Reichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16663147386014122939noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076421823686012107.post-65209459271601939312018-12-08T18:45:25.011-05:002018-12-08T18:45:25.011-05:00Thank you, Angela. Your input as my critique partn...Thank you, Angela. Your input as my critique partner helped me to make it a great little story!Gwen Gardnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13132836346305559246noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076421823686012107.post-96638772812825272018-12-08T14:51:11.258-05:002018-12-08T14:51:11.258-05:00Your short story was, indeed, a very enjoyable rea...Your short story was, indeed, a very enjoyable read. <br /><br />Thank you for the tips. Angela Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03324366495151363782noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076421823686012107.post-50554187709377853152018-12-08T12:43:59.313-05:002018-12-08T12:43:59.313-05:00Keeping it tight is probably the hardest part. Tha...Keeping it tight is probably the hardest part. That's why cutting is important too. But it's hard!Gwen Gardnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13132836346305559246noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076421823686012107.post-62962189126849719082018-12-07T21:10:43.000-05:002018-12-07T21:10:43.000-05:00Good post! Yes, keeping the themes and requirement...Good post! Yes, keeping the themes and requirements in mind is important, as is keeping the story tight! I like the point about bringing the ending back around to the beginning, too. I'm not as good at that. I'll have to think about it more!Rebecca M. Douglasshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07260530063164127746noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076421823686012107.post-18191174383069726992018-12-06T18:06:23.295-05:002018-12-06T18:06:23.295-05:00Thanks, Ellen. I had fun with my bio, LOL. Thanks, Ellen. I had fun with my bio, LOL. Gwen Gardnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13132836346305559246noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076421823686012107.post-68630136340078627202018-12-06T18:05:20.054-05:002018-12-06T18:05:20.054-05:00You're welcome, my pleasure :)You're welcome, my pleasure :)Gwen Gardnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13132836346305559246noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076421823686012107.post-64717982184198552662018-12-06T08:46:12.952-05:002018-12-06T08:46:12.952-05:00Great tips, Gwen! BTW, I love how you've woven...Great tips, Gwen! BTW, I love how you've woven humor into your bio with the reference to running away if you ever meet a ghost :-)The Cynical Sailorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11047491682363507834noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076421823686012107.post-19259930316700313642018-12-06T08:32:53.552-05:002018-12-06T08:32:53.552-05:00useful tips.
thank you for sharinguseful tips.<br />thank you for sharingTanza Erlambang - Every Day Issueshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08847094474223976043noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076421823686012107.post-58000898449600766772018-12-06T08:21:53.115-05:002018-12-06T08:21:53.115-05:00All the stories were awesome! The next anthology i...All the stories were awesome! The next anthology is excellent too. I’m excited for the winners to be announced. Gwen Gardnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13132836346305559246noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076421823686012107.post-35773998159168700442018-12-06T05:30:36.348-05:002018-12-06T05:30:36.348-05:00Your story was awesome! Such great tips here.Your story was awesome! Such great tips here.Christine Clemetsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11282446601468387198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076421823686012107.post-83882911164365726922018-12-05T17:41:19.778-05:002018-12-05T17:41:19.778-05:00Carrie-Anne, cutting and rewriting is part of the ...Carrie-Anne, cutting and rewriting is part of the process! I'm in the middle of a short story that I've been struggling with. I was trying to fix it, but it's just not working. So rewrite, here I come!Gwen Gardnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13132836346305559246noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076421823686012107.post-57145511466285299292018-12-05T17:07:16.013-05:002018-12-05T17:07:16.013-05:00Good luck on judging! I had to trim 1,200 words o...Good luck on judging! I had to trim 1,200 words out of my story not only to get it down to wordcount limits (which then gave me room to add in 900 new words), but to put the meeting of the couple much earlier, without so much lead-up.Carrie-Annehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05810154378449825641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076421823686012107.post-15656404487998840412018-12-05T16:02:12.374-05:002018-12-05T16:02:12.374-05:00Thanks, Juneta, you've been so supportive of t...Thanks, Juneta, you've been so supportive of the anthology, You Rock!Gwen Gardnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13132836346305559246noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076421823686012107.post-37052406731090807662018-12-05T15:59:02.602-05:002018-12-05T15:59:02.602-05:00Thank you, Diane, I really had fun coming up with ...Thank you, Diane, I really had fun coming up with it too :)Gwen Gardnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13132836346305559246noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076421823686012107.post-47240570654870903612018-12-05T15:13:39.572-05:002018-12-05T15:13:39.572-05:00Great tips. I thought you had a great story too. ...Great tips. I thought you had a great story too. Happy IWSG Day. Juneta keyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08815758043024184034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076421823686012107.post-63273976131756968852018-12-05T14:18:29.762-05:002018-12-05T14:18:29.762-05:00It was so tough to choose! Like I told Alex, it ca...It was so tough to choose! Like I told Alex, it came down to nitpicking. They were all so good!Gwen Gardnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13132836346305559246noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076421823686012107.post-26430765354001518502018-12-05T14:17:42.278-05:002018-12-05T14:17:42.278-05:00I loved your story (and the character) and your pl...I loved your story (and the character) and your play on words with the title. It was perfect.L. Diane Wolfehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06425864276166334896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076421823686012107.post-24630181632027128312018-12-05T13:26:13.298-05:002018-12-05T13:26:13.298-05:00I loved your cozy story!
I didn't enter this ...I loved your cozy story! <br />I didn't enter this anthology competition (life went completely sideways for a bit) but the story I started for it has potential and is nagging at me to finish it! It must be tough to find the top 3 stories in what I bet is a wonderful pile of writing!Jemi Fraserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02214408467456320167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076421823686012107.post-30195930432869766902018-12-05T13:10:56.541-05:002018-12-05T13:10:56.541-05:00Thanks, Alex. I worked really hard on it and tried...Thanks, Alex. I worked really hard on it and tried to cover all the bases. I feel so blessed and honored to have won a spot. I saw how tough it was to choose between stories as a judge. It comes down to nitpicking!Gwen Gardnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13132836346305559246noreply@blogger.com