@DomiSotto
Morning everyone. I wanted to wish everyone who entered good luck with the Wattys and Ambys. It's a major accomplishment!
My writing is still very slow, impacted by the burn-out, but I'm trying to finish Jilted by the Mafia. I haven't been reading much, switching to audiobooks, going through the Dune EU epic.
@DomiSotto Thank you! I entered the Wattys and plan to enter the Ambys too!
When will u make the stargazer series available to read for free? I’ve been waiting for them to come available to read without worrying about running out of free chapters to read
@Love_Moosekiller417 I don't know. I just commited them to Wattpad's care and don't plan to do anything with these books. All my other stories here and on Inkitt are free to read
Very nice
The Parasite joins my Completed and LOVED list. It's an absolute must for anyone who wants a story that cuts to the quick then heals you. Dark world where only refuge and hope is love, while not maudlin in the slightest. Just vibrating with life and compassion.
https://www.wattpad.com/story/361844254
Kudos everyone on passing the first round of the ONC, and thank you for all the grats. Unfortunately, I don't have the chops to participate further, so I drafted the story to preserve all the kind comments and will just focus on trying to finish my WIP on Inkitt. Good luck with your wonderful novellas!
@DomiSotto oh? Well, focusing is good. Good luck!
I started checking out fresh ONCs as much as I can. To no-one's surprise the first one is Starless. Cosmos, love story with that one perfect woman to who no other can compare, evil officials - yup, you'll find all these elements we come to expect from @wdhenning and more in this story. I love the sweet and lyrical introductions to each chapter! https://www.wattpad.com/story/407741668
@wdhenning my pleasure!
Aww, thanks for the shoutout.
Happy Valentine's Day to all those who love and have the capacity for love and empathy. I celebrate the lovers this year by starting this novella. I don't think I can stick to the ONC schedule, but I really liked the prompt about the mortal enemies bound together unless they share a kiss. So, it's a simple story where they hate each-other in the beginning and kiss on the last page. Love you all!
https://www.wattpad.com/story/407812823
Good luck everyone entering the ONC 2026. I'm bookmarking stories that caught my eye for reading when I have time. Usually it takes me a year or even more to go through my ONC picks, so my apologies in advance for being a slow reader.
@Kaiddance heh, I just started on a story from 2024 so...
lol I’m still reading last year’s entries…
I love space opera to bits, and so the story I've just finished reading is a classical space opera by @wdhenning . It has solid vibes of everything we love about Star Trek and Wars, and the world uniquely of its own. Highly recommend! https://www.wattpad.com/story/394534031-the-ranger-and-the-pirate-princess
Friends, the ONC is around the corner. I wanted to wish good luck to everyone who stands ready to take the plunge. I'll focus on Jilted by the Mafia to make 2026 the year I complete all my outstanding rewrites, and I want the Space Spinster rewrite as the next project. While this may hurt my readership, I want a clean desk this year as a part of my no-imposter-syndrome, no-burn-out, no-FOMO writing life.
@lisa_london_ Yes, the price of rejection is really stiff, while prize is not what I want. I want my own genuine audience. To find that, I need to write persistently until I find the perfect intersection of me and the audience's taste.
@DomiSotto Exactly that! So the equation for whether it's worth doing doesn't quite add up. And while I wish I wouldn't take rejections to heart, I know my brain doesn't work like that, and it sounds like yours doesn't either.
@lisa_london_ thank you! Yes, I feel that ONC is a double-whammy against mental health by both taking me away from my preference to work on something until I am done, and the fear of being told I am a garbage writer by the results.