We're pleased to announce the Round Two winners of the First Chapters Writing Competition!
Your votes were counted to bring Round Two to a close. The field has been narrowed to ten semi-finalists. Seven of the semi-finalists were selected by the Gather community and the balance by Gather editorial. As in all Gather competitions, the voting was monitored by sophisticated click fraud technology to assure an open and free competition from potential abuse.
It's Now Time to Pick the Finalists
Since we launched the competition in January, your participation has been critical in evaluating over 2,600 entries. Now it's time for the community to participate in the selection of the five top finalists. Remember, one of these five finalists will be offered a publishing contract with Simon & Schuster!
Read & Rate the Third Chapters
Through May 16, read, rate and comment on the third chapters of our Semi-Finalists. If you'd like, you may also read their first and second chapters to gain better perspective.
Our 10 Semi-Finalists are (in alphabetical order by last name):
Geoffrey Edwards, Fire Bell in the Night
Candida Korman, Wendy and Alice
J.M. LeTurk, The Wave Organ
Geeta Menon, Speechless
Scott Middlemist, Name Drop Zone
Robert Moscoso, Junction Boulevard
Stephen Prosapio, Dream War
Rebeccah Ruby, Big, Hairy & Bloodless...
Rachel Schipul, Forty-Two Blue
Terry Shaw, The Way Life Should Be
We will also be rewarding the most insightful commenter on each of the 5 advancing submissions with a $100 Borders gift card! Please click here for more details.
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Comments: 134
To everyone else who will be reading - these people do not deserve your nasty comments. Constructive criticism will help them improve their entry. Remember, one of these folks will become published and you have a direct influence in the final product. They are all very talented writers and marketers and, like it or not, marketing is a huge portion of publishing. So I'm asking each of you to rate the chapter on its own merit as a manuscript worthy of being published.
Having read these in round 2, it's going to be a tough call.
Enjoy the ride, Top 10!
What I'd really like to say, is that the internet doesn't forget. For people who are trying to have a career in publication, every word you put "out there" has the potential shelf life of forever. Don't say something you'll come to regret - in other words, be professional. That doesn't mean you can't criticize; it means say it professionally.
Okay, lecture over.
Watch him cheat his way to the top 5 everyone!!!
This contest is doggie doo!
You had every right to take pride in being a semi-finalist -- the top 20 of 2,675 entries. And now, to be in the top ten, you have accomplished something truely great. You're firmly planted atop America's slush pile.
As for me ... on to the first of the literary agents who expressed an interest in TRACKS ...
To the others who didn't make it to round three, let's cheer on the finalists as we continue to polish our own novels and proceed to the next opportunities to improve and share our work.
Best of luck to all ten of the finalists! Regardless of the outcome, you are all deserving winners.
Eric
www.edgewriter.gather.com
And thanks, everyone, for your continued good wishes and support. None of us would be here without you.
Despite the fact that there will inevitably be bitching and moaning, as we can obviously see, I also want to express thanks to the many people out there who offered constructive criticism, support and kindness to all the entrants who put their works out in the open like this.
To those of you that may not have progressed to this round, please know that Gather will be hosting additional writing competitions in the future. We will be making some exciting announcements soon.
In terms of any concerns expressed by some members around voting, please be assured that Gather utilizes the most sophisticated voting click fraud technology. Each of our winners should feel confident that they deserve to be on this list.
Once again, congratulations to our 10 Semi-Finalists and I encourage all Gather members to read, rate and comment on each of the third chapters of these books. To further incent our readers, Gather is providing $100 gift card awards to the writers of the best comments on each of the 5 Finalists being announced on May 22nd.
Carl Rosendorf, Gather President & COO
To those of you who didn't make the cut this round, I'm sorry. Judi, I truly thought I'd find yo9u here. You've got a lot going for you.
To the winners, my best wishes to you in this round. It's an achievement to have made it this far. May you each get the votes and commentary your works deserve.
Good luck -
Congratulations everyone!
For the most part there were some very good ones that didn't make the top ten and you have nothing to feel bad about.
Again; congratulations!
Judi and Eric - thanks for your words and thoughts. You two have a great chance to get out there and lead the way for the rest of us.
Carl, thanks for your assurances, and especially for stepping up with additional prizes!!!
I hope everyone enjoys the 3rd Chapters. Remember, we're all real people just like you. We're all writers attempting to improve. Constructive criticism is valuable. The mean and nasty comments are unnecessary.
Happy reading everyone!!!
PS – all this and I haven't yet been hit by a drive by!!!
:-)
I look forward to reading more...from everyone! I am an avid reader!
Once again...Congratulations!
and the best thing is, no one could guess in adavance who he/she would be. ( So we are waiting for the mstery to be revealed ) Amr
Good for me: I get to read the next chapter of a few stories I am really curious about. Bad for me: What about the others?
I recommend Gather sets up a group featuring all those of the 2600 who made it to the book stores. There is a lot of potential in here.
Caroline Scott
-B.LA$H
ann
I also look forward to reading some of the work from round 1 that authors have taken the time to polish. Good writing takes effort, but it is a journey worth taking.
I hope some of the entries holding good promise but could not make it to this list got noticed and won publishing contract from other publishers.
Good luck to all!
http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474976973463
Marcia D
Marcia D
There was no one submission that was truly clean, which means none of these 'top ten' authors can truly write to professional standards. They are either novice writers, or they were in a rush to submit their manuscripts. Professional editors have little sympathy for either.
There are six parameters for judging a novel:
Opening; Plot; Character; Setting; Dialogue; and Writing.
I used these to judge the entries.
Specific submissions:
Edwards submission was one of the more polished entries.
Korman's piece was relatively cleanly written, with the exception of the some niggling errors. The story continues to build tension, with conflict evident.
LeTurk novel had a wandering POV, an excess of verbiage and no clear evidence of a plot.
Menon's writing is a mish-mash of three characters, no conflict, no tension, i.e,, no story.
Middlemist's piece is a panache of impressions pretending to be a war-damage warrior. It is pretentious, but poorly written.
Morosco's submission (ch. 3) is a long-winded exposition Rico's progress with a seduction, replete with saidisms, wandering POV and excess verbiage.
Prosapio's writing makes us suffer through all of his research on dreaming, while starving the reader for a story, combined with infodumps and lots of 'telling.'
Ruby's writing is a failed attempt at experimental writing. There's no conflict, tension, plot. It's not a story.
Schipul's writing is generally clean, however, there's no conflict, tension. What's the story?
Shaw's first two chapters were better than the third. This submission slipped with saidisms, even though it moved forward.
The GATHER contest used a selection mechanism that fails to bring the best stories forward by using the 'popular' vote. The vote has been abused by the 'vote trawlers' who have recruited school children, affinity groups, co-workers and others who have little knowledge about writing, and have substituted loyalty for judgment.
Those who write, know writing and can judge writing have been out-voted en mass.
As a result, the 'top ten' are not the best of the writing submitted to Gather. If this contest is run again according to the same rules, I recommend that serious writers ignore it.
I have commented on the top ten, but gave votes to none of the entries. As for the Gather contest, I voted.
Julie's comment nothwithstanding, I agree with M.B. W. We disagree on science and what constitutes current authority, although I am right scientifically. We are one in this assessment. It reminds me of blog shills, who run newcomers out of town on a rail in favor of the homeboys and girls no matter how full of it they are. Then the truth tellers are banned to emphasise the power of the group.
I found this comment interesting. Wasn't this a contest for novices? I have great hope for these books. True, they may be far from perfect, but I'm sure the authors have learned a lot from the comments they've received and with the help of a professional editor, I'm sure they will probably be changed before they are published. These stories are great beginnings, and they'll only be made better by going through this contest.
There are no short cuts, no easy way. To become a good writer, you must both read a lot and write a lot. And the definition of reading a lot includes classics, your genre and genres you normally wouldn't touch. As for writing, it has been said (I wish I knew by who) you must write a million words before you're ready to write your first novel.
Those dues I have completed, and I have yet to get published.
And, this 'Gather contest' has winnowed many who wish to take the short cut by recruiting family, friends, students, whatever, to climb to the top of the pile. But if the quality isn't there, then, this too, is futile.
To E.C., yes, this contest may be for 'novices,' but if I remember correctly, it is actually for unpublished authors. I suggest that there is a difference between a novice and a seasoned (unpublished) writer.
A seasoned writer has learned to avoid the mistakes that spells out 'novice,' and has the skills to write comfortably while focused upon the story. For if the 'story' or 'yarn' isn't present, even the best command of the English language is for naught.
As for 'professional editors' rescuing a manuscript by careful and caring revision, don't believe that for one second. Today, editors want polished, clean manuscripts that engage the reader from page one. In addition, they want every word to drive the plot forward. Excess verbiage is deadly.
Most of the 'top ten' fail to meet these criteria. And that's why I did not give any of them a score. None are to a professional level.
Remember the first rule of writing... Write!
You covered the topic of first reader (and without saying it, the 'slush pile' too), and why any submission should be a polished, finished, professional piece of work.
Also remember; the first chapter will sell your book, the last chapter will sell your next book. But the stuff in between had better be good, too!
'Nuff said about writing. I could go on, but I usually get paid to do so.
Tom Hunter – I agree that Gather's 'American Idol' approach to selecting winners has the weakness of substituting loyalty for quality. However, as you say, there will never be enough 'friends' to make a best-seller out of a crappy piece of writing.
Unless Gather revises its rules for future contests, I suspect serious writers will refuse to enter. I sure won't.
Well, I guess the party's over. Time to go.
Tom Hunter - I disagree with you about Middlemist's piece.
I believe that 'Name Drop Zone' is more like experimental fiction. I do not see a story, plot line or any logical unfolding action. Sure, you can say, 'but it's a dream.'
And that is a cop-out for serious writing. As an experiment? Mebbe.
It's like taking a tab of acid and spewing forth images or recollections. Different, startling, unusual… yeah. But is it a story? NO.
They did. Played us like a Tennessee fiddle, but I wouldn't want to be Gather.com when they have a whole lotta splainin to do as to why the winner isn't publishable. And I'm sure the New York Times will find it entertaining as well. Especially if said winner is shown to have copied a TV episode into scenes. Some of these are sure familiar to me. I recall the old actor even. Slushpiles today go through the agencies. These are the so-called first readers: the agent's assistant. No editor ever sees them, because only agented submissions get to an editor's desk. How many rejections did these winners have under their belt before this? I bet none.
I agree with so many positive posts - character development, captivating, interesting, intriguing - page turner chapter, nice pace. - One point. Agreed with previous post -
'The craft elements are all in place and you write with a distinctive voice. It's what you are saying that gives me pause. The opening domestic scene is effective but, IMHO, does not set us up for the extended dream or nightmare sequence to follow.'
Descript of kids visit was too brief.
Here's an article Dave wrote on the subject:
http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474976992434
Big Hairy & Bloodless
Wave organ
Fire Bell in the night
M.B. W. has some really thoughtful things to say about the contest and the final 10 entrants. Rand P also has some very good things to say. By "good" I mean that I find them easy for me to agree with after reading all of the final 10 entries.
I agree with those folks but none of them touched on this point so I'm going to say something about the format of gather.com in presenting the entries. For each entry one must WAIT for the page to download. Some of the entries (like Speechless) have HUNDREDS of comments) and it takes a long time for the page to download. As a suggestion for gather.com (IF they are to do this again - although I'm not sure if ANY of the folks that have participated in this one will be back) how about presenting the chapter on a page and having COMMENTS on a different "linked" page? This way a reader can get to the entry quickly - and get to the other finalists quickly without waiting for all the comments to download.
When one rates the piece the screen changes and then when one posts a comment the screen changes - it then takes twice as long to get back to the start in order to select another entry to read. Think about changing the way this is presented so that the reader can get to the entries quickly and not spend so much time just clicking back and forth to find the start again.
I found the site NOT well programmed for ease of moving around.
Also the fiasco that took place in the comment region of Junction Boulevard is something that I find very poorly handled by the administrator and by the site management. First of all if gather.com is really altering the ratings and eliminating comments due to some judgement of fairness or qualified sources then the entire contest is questionable as to validity. If the admin thinks unqualified ratings are taking place to inflate the rating of that entry - the entry should be found disqualified. Unqualified positive ratings = unqualified entry. Period. Why should an entry be left in the contest if the admin has removed some of the ratings? How can the admin be confident that they know what they are doing? Very poorly managed IMHO.
As another suggestion: Let the readers see the synopsis that was required of each entrant along with Chapter One. At least the reader will then have some idea of where the author THINKS he/she(they) is going with their story since some of us still couldn't be sure after reading three chapters. At least in that instance we would have some chance to judge how well they are setting it up if they still haven't made it clear.
I wish I could say it's been fun.
It HAS been informative to me as a hopeful author to see what and how others have presented. I WAS terribly disappointed in the obvious use of clubs, groups, students, possibly countries :o) to send in positive comments on some of the entries. The mish-mash of commenters in the Name Drop Zone entry was really awful! Another disqualification candidate in my view.
To reply to Scout's question:
Fire Bell in the Night
Forty-Two Blue
Wendy and Alice
Dream War
The Way Life Should Be
Is it just me or is it really telling that only one of you above me actually listed FIVE when answering Scout's question?
Good Luck to all of you and most of all to gather.com - I think they need it more than any of us.
Big Hairy and Bloodless
The Way Life Should Be
Wendy and Alice
Forty-Two Blue
Junction Blvd.
Hear anything else about your book?
The five I would like to see advance:
Name Drop Zone
Fire Bell in the Night
The Wave Organ
(Would have put Junction Boulevard here)
Dream War
Forty-Two Blue (if Junction Blvd is out)
I'll be rating and commenting on all chapters this weekend.
Cathy
Cathy
my top 3:
Speechless (and as someone suggested, NO its not about the country!!!!)
Big Hairy and bloodless
Forty two blue
Its interesting to see so much passion put into criticizing the authors, how about some appreciation for all their hard work????
"I think I'm getting the picture here. This is the motherlode of comments. 489 and about as 502 votes. What we have here, is the Bangladore Consortium. Silicon Valley day players as it were, on green cards. Might just work with these rules. As for publication. No way."
Mark Y:
If you took the troube to check my comments before making your allegations, you would see that most of the comments are from non-Indian Americans living in the US. AND they were members of Gather long before I even knew about this site. AND most of them aren't from Silicon Valley. But, of course, you don't check facts. You just spew out your venom. And racist venom at that.
I'm not going to communicate with you after this. So feel free to rant and rave until 2078 A.D. I won't be reading any of it. It's just not worth my time.
Have a nice day!
"I am SPEECHLESS when I read all the overwhelming comments on this rather disappointing entry - however, I am entertained by comments like the one above by Mark Y.
I think you 've got it figured out Mark!"
Nice, Tom. You find racial slurs entertaining?