To all who entered the WotC open call

dragonjax · Mar 26, 2005

To anyone who entered in the Wizards of the Coast Open Call, which ended March 1, 2005: as an FYI, I e-mailed Peter Archer, asking him how many entries they received, and what the timing was on contacting the finalists, given that they want to launch the new line in 2006. He replied that they received 400 entries, and they hope to "announce something" in "a couple of months."

WVWriterGirl · Mar 26, 2005

Thanks, Jax! 'Preciate the new info. I entered, and was wondering about what was happening.

WVWG

NicoleJLeBoeuf · Mar 26, 2005

Ditto what WVWriterGirl said. I've got a book proposal in that slush pile, too.

Super useful info, Jax. Thank you!

dragonjax · Mar 27, 2005

Glad to share what I've learned...and super glad that I'm not the only one here waiting to see what's going to happen. Anyone else doing the nail-biting thing?

Hummingbird · Apr 4, 2005

Wizards of the Coast does books? Isn't that the company that sends out all the card games? :Huh:

(I feel lost... LOL)

dhenderson002 · Apr 9, 2005

Thanks for the info

I have a book sitting in that pile as well, and though I am not particularly worried, I am a little anxious to see how it goes.

Anyone else here submit science fiction?

dragonjax · Apr 9, 2005

Hummingbird said:
Wizards of the Coast does books? Isn't that the company that sends out all the card games? (I feel lost... LOL)

I'm pretty sure Wizards is part of Hasbro. And yes, very big on gaming (D&D, for example) and trading cards for gaming purposes, but also a publisher in its own right. Dragonlance, for example.

The really big deal about this particular open call, for me, is that the writers of the winning manuscripts (yes, plural -- Wizards is looking to buy a few stories, although only one will be the winner of the open call and get all the yummy promotion and launch the new line) get to keep their own copyrights. This is a first for Wizards.

dragonjax · Apr 9, 2005

dhenderson002 said:
I have a book sitting in that pile as well, and though I am not particularly worried, I am a little anxious to see how it goes.

Anyone else here submit science fiction?

Heh, while I'm not worried per se, I am just as anxious as the next person. Here's hoping that we get some news in the next couple of weeks!

And nope, my entry was for a contemporary fantasy.

Hummingbird · Apr 9, 2005

Thanks Dragonjax! That's so cool!

Oh, that sounds like fun! I'm not going to enter, but I saw the thread and was curious. Good luck everybody! :Cheer:

Pencilone · Apr 10, 2005

Thanks for posting this Dragonjax!

My submission is contemporary fantasy too.
Best of Luck to Everyone! :Sun:

Pencilone

dragonjax · Apr 11, 2005

Hummingbird said:
Good luck everybody! :Cheer:

Thanks, Hummingbird! I'm sure I speak for all the WotCOC entrants here that if any of us make it to the finals, we'll be announcing it to everyone we've ever met. (And, in my case, stopping strangers in the street.)

:hooray:

Pencilone · Apr 22, 2005

Has anyone any good news to share? :popcorn:

dragonjax · May 1, 2005

Haven't heard anything yet. But Wizards just announced the two winners of their Magic: The Gathering Open Call, which ended on January 1, 2005, for publication in 2006 and 2007. So maybe the winner of the new line will be announced in two months' time. Which means that the ten finalists should be contacted within the next few weeks. At least, that's my guess.

Heh, you want a true guess? The finalists will be phoned on Monday, May 9, 2005.

Let's see if it's time for me to hand in my Magic 8 Ball...

Good luck, everyone!

Gogonith · May 14, 2005

No news

I, too, entered the Open Call with a novel (sword & sorcery). Haven't heard a thing more current than what's posted in this thread....

dragonjax · May 18, 2005

Me, either. And May 9 has come and gone. Guess I should hand in that Magic 8 Ball after all. Alas!

Here's hoping that someone hears something soon...

Pencilone · May 24, 2005

I noticed yesterday that they have a new announcement on their website:

"Independent Fiction Writer's Guidelines

Submissions are accepted annually between the dates of September 1st and January 1st. Any submissions received outside of that timeframe will be returned unread.

This annual open call is for a speculative fiction imprint that publishes science fiction, fantasy, horror, alternate history, magic realism, or anything in-between. If it can be shelved in the Science Fiction/Fantasy/Horror section of your local bookstore, we want it! We're interested both in the first book in a trilogy or longer series as well as stand-alone stories. ...."

see: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=books/main/submissions
So from now on, WOTC will accept submssions only between Sep to Jan... Interesting...
I hope that they will still consider the submissions they've already got.

How's eveyone doing? :hi:

I'm still revising and reworking the same novel.

Pencilone

dragonjax · May 24, 2005

Interesting, Pencilone! I just sent Peter Archer an e-mail message, asking whether the entries from the 2004 open call were still being processed, and when the finalists will be notified. I'll let you know what he says...

:popcorn:

dragonjax · May 25, 2005

Update!

Peter Archer says that they're still reading the entries from the 2004 Open Call, so they're still looking for the launch book as well as a few others that would be appropriate for the new line. He expects to finish reading "sometime late this summer."

Regarding the annual Open Call, he says that because they will need submissions for the new line on an on-going basis, Wizards will have an Open Call annually between September and January; during other times of the year, they are closed to unsolicited submissions.

So, for those of us who entered the 2004 Open Call for new fiction, we need to sit tight until (I'm guessing) August or early September.

Good things come to those who wait...(I hope...)

:Shrug:

Pencilone · May 25, 2005

Dragonjax, Many thanks for updating us on what it's going on :Thumbs:

. It's looks like it's plenty of time to keep rewriting that novel and making it better. I wonder how they would react if they notice a difference between what they have already got in the proposal and the final product (if they ask to see it :hat:

).

I'm totally impressed by the speed with which Peter Archer answers his emails :Jaw:

.
All the Best,

Pencilone

dragonjax · May 25, 2005

Pencilone said:
I'm totally impressed by the speed with which Peter Archer answers his emails

Me too! The few times that I've e-mailed him over the last few months, he's always gotten back to me within one business day. Very professional, and always informative. :Clap:

Uncletrunx · May 26, 2005

Thanks for this. I've got a book in there, I assumed I'd have heard something by now (I know, I know!) so I'd pretty much given up on it. Nice to know it's still "live"

I thought the entries would be in the 10,000s and the shortlisted folks would be contacted in March / April?

Or is the 400 the list of books they've decided to shortlist? If so, I'll go back to assuming they didn't like my eforts...

dragonjax · May 26, 2005

When I first contacted Peter Archer back at the end of March, he replied that there were 400 entries. I had guessed there would be thousands as well. So I guess he's really, really taking his time to read every single entry and give it a chance. At least, that's how I'm getting through the waiting period. :idea:

Uncletrunx · May 29, 2005

Gotcha. I'll just have to hope he likes my style then...

*Crosses fingers*

LloydBrown · Jun 3, 2005

dragonjax said:
To anyone who entered in the Wizards of the Coast Open Call, which ended March 1, 2005: as an FYI, I e-mailed Peter Archer, asking him how many entries they received, and what the timing was on contacting the finalists, given that they want to launch the new line in 2006. He replied that they received 400 entries, and they hope to "announce something" in "a couple of months."

Do I know you? With a topic like this, I figure there's a good chance you know who I am. That is, if you live in Jax, Florida.

dragonjax · Jun 3, 2005

LloydBrown said:
Do I know you? With a topic like this, I figure there's a good chance you know who I am. That is, if you live in Jax, Florida.

Well, I'm a Jax, but I don't live in Jacksonville, FL. Happy to make your acquaintance, Lloyd! I'm just another hopeful who entered the WotC Open Call for Fiction...with a (perhaps annoying) tendency to request information via e-mail from people who may have the answers I'm looking for.

To all who entered the WotC open call

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