A WotF winner

One last note(I hope) about my Nemesis--

So here is another more clear explanation of why I use that term.

By the way I don’t use her name because I’m not comfortable using it since I sort of criticize her. I call her that for two reasons, the first is all my fault and most probably any readers here would look down on me more than her because of it but the second reason might be considered a small criticism. 

Anyway, here is more why I feel that way about her.

As I said She is where I think I should be especially after that all too short period of time over five years ago. I’ve mentioned it before. Things were looking up with my writing, sold one story- another one was written well enough but was rejected for other reasons, another one came very close. I received a hand written note form John Jacob Adams while he worked for F&SF. Three of the stories I wrote during that time received HMs at WotF. Obviously my writing still needed work but agreeable obvious I was doing better... my writing was on the way up. But then, as I like to say, I forgot how to write. Can’t get past mediocre now. Well, I like to think I am somewhere between mediocre and good. But in either case I can’t break through to the next level. I came close with one story and another HM with lots of help but that's it.

My nemesis tore up my writing, she hardly ever had any good thing to say about it... She had something good to say about the writing of the vast majority of the other writers on the same forum on almost every crit. Made me feel like I wasn’t even mediocre. 

Who knows maybe I’m not but I have had a couple of good things said about my writing and most markets will tell me I can send something else. On Hatrack I’ve been told more than once that editors do not say that unless they mean it. They aren’t saying it just to be nice. 

But back to her. Yesterday it hit me that I should send a Congrats to her for winning WotF. I did, had to place it as a reply on her blog so I hope she reads it but it’s sent. 

Her story is well written and well told. An ingenious(hopefully I got the right word there) idea and-- hmm, using that word again so soon, well thought out. There were a couple of places I personally didn’t like but that had to do with my tastes not her writing. It is worth reading. As they say in music and now more in writing-- this story shows she has the chops for good storytelling.