J.W. Alden, 2016 Winner of Scientology's Writers of the Future Contest, repudiates the contest

[CommunicatorIC]

J.W. Alden, 2016 Winner of Scientology's Writers of the Future Contest, repudiates the contest.

The article is long, well-written, and thoughtful. Among other things, it is the story of how he was invited by Writers of the Future to a "Barnes and Noble book signing" that ended up being a Church of Scientology event at their spiritual headquarters.

Going Clearwater: The Illusory "Firewall" of the Writers of the Future Contest

https://www.authoralden.com/2018/08/goingclearwater.html?m=1

* * * * * BEGIN CONCLUSION * * * * *

I do not support the Writers of the Future contest, and I cannot recommend it to emerging writers.

* * * * * END CONCLUSION * * * * *

EDITED TO ADD:

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[CommunicatorIC]

According to author David VanDyke, the SFWA (Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America) is debating delisting the Writers of the Future Contest. See:

https://www.kboards.com/index.php/t...D=c5cf4870f33bc6762979e8c35b385e37#msg3704423

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[CommunicatorIC]

J.W. Alden on Twitter yesterday before he posted his essay:

"This morning, I posted The Sun Falls Apart, the story of mine that won Writers of the Future in 2016, on my website for free. My reason for doing that will become more apparent later this afternoon. "

https://twitter.com/AuthorAlden/status/1027921185747681282

Direct link to J.W. Alden's 2016 Writers of the Future Award winning story "The Sun Falls Apart."

https://www.authoralden.com/2018/08/the-sun-falls-apart_9.html

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[Type4_PTS]

I read his post. It's very detailed and I found a number of aspects of his experience very interesting, including the role played by Barnes and Noble at the book signing event.

I LOL'ed upon reading his favorite passage from TWTH (The Way to Happiness).

 

[CommunicatorIC]

Authors who have repudiated Scientology's Writers of the Future [@RealWotF] contest:

- J.W. Alden / @AuthorAlden (2018):

https://www.authoralden.com/2018/08/goingclearwater.html?m=1

- C.S. MacCath / @CSMacCath (2017):

http://www.forum.exscn.net/threads/...s-of-the-future-because-of-scientology.44280/

- Carl Frederick (2012):

https://www.villagevoice.com/2012/0...contest-loses-a-participant-after-our-expose/


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https://twitter.com/IndieScieNews/status/1028763416545173504

 

[CommunicatorIC]

Stewart C. Baker, a past winner of Scientology's Writers of the Future Contest:

https://twitter.com/stewartcbaker/status/1028679190155907072

 

[CommunicatorIC]

M.D. Nelson won Scientology's Illustrators of the Future contest:

https://twitter.com/Arapersonica/status/1028461216434405376

 

[CommunicatorIC]

Sophie Giroir is a writer and bookseller at Cavalier House Books.

https://twitter.com/SophieGiroir/status/1028403439829745664