What am I doing differently with T4 that I couldn’t do with T3?

Getting involved with Twisted50 and Volume 3 (T3) in 2024 was a fortunate stroke of luck.

I’m still not entirely sure how I stumbled upon the T3 contest—likely through one of the many internet rabbit holes I tend to explore.

Unfortunately, by the time I discovered it, the submission deadline was fast approaching, leaving me scrambling to complete and submit both the first and second drafts. Given how late I entered the process, there wasn’t much time for extensive reviews and feedback. However, the critiques I received were incredibly constructive.

Because my focus was on refining my own submission, I wasn’t able to dedicate as much time as I would have liked to read and engage with other entries—there were simply too many to keep up with.

When 2025 arrived and the Twisted50 team announced a new contest for Volume 4 (T4), I realized I needed to submit early, with the potential of capturing a fair share of reads, reviews, and comments, which would span over several months, not just a few short weeks like what happened to me for T3.

This time, I set two clear goals for myself:

1. Submit at least two stories.

2. Read and thoughtfully comment on every submission.

The more I immerse myself in reading, reviewing, and analyzing the stories, the more I can grow and evolve as a writer—sharpening my ability to craft truly twisted tales.