Finished reading the 225,000+ words of entries, and I’ve narrowed it down to five finalists and five honorable mentions. All will be revealed tomorrow!
In the meantime, here’s your suspense/chase scene Wordle.net word cloud for all the entries:
I told my mom about you and she was in awe as well! She was like, "Wow," when I told her just how much you did. That must mean you're super-human. Will you share your awesome, secrety-secrets with us so that we may be awesome too?
I wasn't surprised by 'back' being a big one in this contest.
I was surprised by "back." I want to go back through the entries and see why now. 😉
Also thanks. You are definitely made of awesome. 😀
Or you are part of a secret government experiment that has increase your speed-reading skills tenfold beyond the normal human! Hm…that could potentially have made for a funny entry. Nathan Bransford: saving the world one book at a time.
That's odd. Some other important words are missing too: daisies, lollipops, sweet little kitty cats, muffins and beautiful pinky white butterflies. What is up with that???
Are you sure that things working?
Very much looking forward to the winning entries! So fun. 🙂
Twitch…twitch. Suspense is the perfect topic for this contest. Waiting to see the final five is extremely suspensful. And I have a camping trip, so I'm going to have to call someone and have them read the entries to me.
Of course, I probably won't be up there. It's what, five out of five hundred? Then again everyone has a 1/100 chance, not just me.
Amazing job by the way. No way I could have read that much in a day.
Exactly how many coffees did you down last night? Or was it shots of espresso? Do you have it on an IV drip? Does caffeine flow from your kitchen faucet?
You are amazing.
You are also amazing for resisting reruns of both The Office and 30 Rock.
Seriously, you MUST be superhuman.
Cool word cloud. "Back" didn't surprise me; there were lots of characters "looking back" and feeling chills run down their backs. For suspense and chase, it makes sense.
I read probably 90% of them through in their entirety – it's tough to make a call on them without reading all. Every now and then I'll read one where I know it's not a finalist within a couple of paragraphs and so I'll move on to the next one.
Thank you for giving everyone the opportunity to have some fun, even though it makes you work fiendishly to bring it to fruition. Tell your wife we appreciate her too.
This contest was absolutely fun! I enjoyed reading everyone's entries. And, I did read them all. So much talent out there!! Congrats to all future writers of the world. Amazing stories!! A few people had a definite writing voice. Hats off to Nathan. Cheer, cheer!
This contest reinforced your earlier series of posts themed on "Being an Agent For a Day," to me. By the time I made it through half I noticed the difference in my approach to each entry. And my eyes, I just kept blinking to clear them. Further in they burned. I have to wonder if you are loving eye-drops.
Being an agent requires an attitude and determination similar to a writer's. But I think maybe it's a love of people, and therefore the variety in works of art, that drives agents through all this. Competition, survival, and everything else aside…
To keep going it would have to be love. Love of the written word, yes, and for humanity. True no matter how many queries from the Devil you get that begin with rhetorical questions.
Disturbing to see one of my nemeses, "just," so prominently in the cloud. More disturbing to know my entry probably contributed. I JUST can't help myself.
It seems like there should be some sort of "honorable honorable mention" for @Regan Leigh's brilliant story constructed from the word cloud! I want to read THAT book! Lyrical mystery!
Tahereh says
!!!!!
you are like the BIONIC man!
do you ever sleep??
i envy your energy. 🙁
Nathan Bransford says
T-
I definitely sleep! Though tonight Office and 30 Rock reruns nearly derailed the entire contest. I resisted.
Kat Zhang says
I am awed. Honestly. I have to bow down to your rapid reading powers!
ggwritespoetry says
WOw…30 Rock reruns are worth staying up for…
Hillary says
You're a maniac…maniac.
Tricia J. O'Brien says
Total awe.
Remilda Graystone says
I told my mom about you and she was in awe as well! She was like, "Wow," when I told her just how much you did. That must mean you're super-human. Will you share your awesome, secrety-secrets with us so that we may be awesome too?
I wasn't surprised by 'back' being a big one in this contest.
Jaimie says
I think "one" is interesting.
swampfox says
Hats off to you, Nathan. How do you stay married?
Kaitlyne says
I was surprised by "back." I want to go back through the entries and see why now. 😉
Also thanks. You are definitely made of awesome. 😀
Or you are part of a secret government experiment that has increase your speed-reading skills tenfold beyond the normal human! Hm…that could potentially have made for a funny entry. Nathan Bransford: saving the world one book at a time.
Shelley Watters says
Ugh! The suspense is killing me!
I can't wait for tomorrow to read the finalist's entries!
Other Lisa says
"Back"?
I for one am mystified!
Greg says
I just watched Dr. No, and I have to quote a line, Mr. Bransford:
"When do you sleep, 007?"
David Shepherd says
Technically it's morning now…
Regan Leigh says
Because I did it last time and it was oh so fun…
A story straight from the Word Cloud:
Three men — eyes red, almost black — trying door. Just looked inside. Next moment, hands open window. Small gun.
See enough. Back away. Run.
Two running behind come close enough. Hear voice, go cold. Hit something. Face onto ground, feet caught. Fingers around throat.
Last breath. Heart stop. Feel nothing.
Mira says
Back? Why back?
That's odd. Some other important words are missing too: daisies, lollipops, sweet little kitty cats, muffins and beautiful pinky white butterflies. What is up with that???
Are you sure that things working?
Very much looking forward to the winning entries! So fun. 🙂
Kaitlyne says
@Shelley–But of course! It wouldn't be a suspense contest without a little extra suspense, would it? 😉
Ted Cross says
I guess that rules my story out; I don't see my words in that cloud!
Christi Goddard says
That's awesome. You rock, though you knew that already.
Josin L. McQuein says
Alright, just how many clones do you have stashed in the office closet?
William says
Twitch…twitch. Suspense is the perfect topic for this contest. Waiting to see the final five is extremely suspensful. And I have a camping trip, so I'm going to have to call someone and have them read the entries to me.
Of course, I probably won't be up there. It's what, five out of five hundred? Then again everyone has a 1/100 chance, not just me.
Amazing job by the way. No way I could have read that much in a day.
Laur says
Now, a word cloud of the finalists, that would be interesting haha.
The word "back" is curious though. "Like" is pretty understandable (all those similes) and "eyes".
Sommer says
You're kind of amazing.
Marjorie says
I give you credit for reading all the entries! The contest was fun!
Magdalena Munro says
Another contest! HA! That was great fun both as a writer and a reader.
Victoria Dixon says
Nathan, you must have serious stygmatism. You never blink, do you?
Have a well-earned rest tonight. ;D
Max Munro says
That word cloud's great. I just ran my novel through it and "back" is the second or third most popular word outside character names.
Maybe I need to work on that…
Emily White says
I was tucked into my cozy little bed when you posted this. Now I feel ashamed.
Jewel Allen says
Simply amazing. Thanks!!
Ishta Mercurio says
WOW!!!
Exactly how many coffees did you down last night? Or was it shots of espresso? Do you have it on an IV drip? Does caffeine flow from your kitchen faucet?
You are amazing.
You are also amazing for resisting reruns of both The Office and 30 Rock.
Seriously, you MUST be superhuman.
Cool word cloud. "Back" didn't surprise me; there were lots of characters "looking back" and feeling chills run down their backs. For suspense and chase, it makes sense.
SquirlGirl says
I am sincerely impressed, both by your incredible reading speed and your ability to resist the Thursday night line-up. Nicely done!
Sleeping Beauty says
I dub thee, Nathan Bransford, the Patron Saint of Word Clouds.
Great job on this contest. I look forward to reading the shortlisted entries!
Becca says
You are insane, but in a good way.
Look forward to seeing what you would pick from that very long list!
William Highsmith says
Maybe you could give them another turn and sort them into an epic novel 🙂
Becca says
Can I ask a question? (Besides that one.)
I'm gonna ask anyway, in case the answer is yes. Maybe you'll answer.
Do you read the entire entries when you do this, or do you read it like a slush pile?
When I read for things like this, I read like a slushpile reader. I stop when I lose interest.
If you are reading through all of these in entirety, I am impressed. (I am impressed either way, to be honest, but that would be above and beyond)
Nathan Bransford says
becca-
I read probably 90% of them through in their entirety – it's tough to make a call on them without reading all. Every now and then I'll read one where I know it's not a finalist within a couple of paragraphs and so I'll move on to the next one.
Jill Elizabeth says
now i feel guilty about complaining about going to work this morning!
Kathy M. says
Nathan:
Thank you for giving everyone the opportunity to have some fun, even though it makes you work fiendishly to bring it to fruition. Tell your wife we appreciate her too.
Anonymous says
This contest was absolutely fun! I enjoyed reading everyone's entries. And, I did read them all. So much talent out there!! Congrats to all future writers of the world. Amazing stories!! A few people had a definite writing voice. Hats off to Nathan. Cheer, cheer!
Mel Skinner says
This contest reinforced your earlier series of posts themed on "Being an Agent For a Day," to me. By the time I made it through half I noticed the difference in my approach to each entry. And my eyes, I just kept blinking to clear them. Further in they burned. I have to wonder if you are loving eye-drops.
Being an agent requires an attitude and determination similar to a writer's. But I think maybe it's a love of people, and therefore the variety in works of art, that drives agents through all this. Competition, survival, and everything else aside…
To keep going it would have to be love. Love of the written word, yes, and for humanity. True no matter how many queries from the Devil you get that begin with rhetorical questions.
Anyway, that's how it seemed to me.
Horror with Heart says
Disturbing to see one of my nemeses, "just," so prominently in the cloud. More disturbing to know my entry probably contributed. I JUST can't help myself.
Steve Jensen says
Damn…that word cloud is more exciting than my entry.
*cries* 😀
Amanda says
Thanks, Nathan, for having such a wonderful blog. Not only do I learn things here, but I have fun too.
As repeated many times before, I don't know how you do it. Being a literary agent seems like a great job, then you show us how much work it really is.
How does one even become an agent, a slush pile reader, or someone who works for a literary agency if there are none in your city?
It is an area I would love to become involved in.
Amanda says
Wow, the word "back" is really large. I know a lot of us probably used that word, I know I did, but I'd really like to know whose "back" stood out.
I'm sort of surprised the word "wolf" is not in the bubble since so many used it.
Jen Sadler says
Mentioned your blog on my own today. Hope you don't mind.
https://withapenatmycommand.blogspot.com/
Becca says
Thanks for answering my question 🙂 I think that's really awesome of you!
holly says
thats a lot, i agree with everyone.
Courtney says
I love the word cloud!!! I actually was thinking something along the lines of, I wonder how many entries used the word blood. A lot.
So, we won't know until tomorrow? Oh, the suspense! 🙂
Charlee Vale says
Is it bad that I find myself compulsively refreshing every few minutes?
Haha, I'm not the most paitient person in the world. ;P
CV
Sarah Scotti-Einstein says
It seems like there should be some sort of "honorable honorable mention" for @Regan Leigh's brilliant story constructed from the word cloud! I want to read THAT book! Lyrical mystery!