And the Award Goes to…

Recently the media was abuzz about the Academy Awards. I didn’t watch the Oscars this year, though I did spread a bit of their competitive spirit by sharing information concerning writing competitions I came across.

I enter and follow many contests across the net, hosted by several amazing individuals, or groups of amazing individuals, in the writing community. Be it a secret agent contest, a pitch contest, a log line contest, etc, they all share the same goal of aiding fellow writers in the journey toward publication. Usually, the prize for “winning” (no one is really a loser in these things) is a request from an agent, a critique or even the lovely gift of a personalized bookmark or ARC of a new release. Like I said, amazing, right? And most of the time, the only cost is the time it takes to follow a blog or write a post sharing the news so more people get involved.

I’ve learned a lot from entering these contests. In several instances, I received feedback on my query, my first 250 words and other sections of my manuscript. As a result I have tightened and polished my work as a whole, and even completely revamped my opening. The comments I receive on my entries are just as rewarding as the prizes offered to the victor.

These are just a few of the sites I follow with contests I enter on the regular:

Operation Awesome 6 – They host a secret agent contest on the first of almost every month, usually centered around a pitch. The rules and regulations are posted a few days prior.

Miss Snark’s First Victim – Another secret agent contest hosted nearly every month, focusing on the first 250 words of your manuscript. There are also smaller events where the emphasis lies on strengthening a particular scene or receiving help with a difficult bit of dialogue.

Mother. Write. (Repeat.) – Is currently on hiatus, but when things are up and running again, a secret agent contest is held or the first 250.

There is a plethora of contests out there, and this is but the tip of the iceburg. The writers community is all about aiding and uplifting one another, and everyone is incredibly supportive of those who are selected as winners. No poor sports here. As my granny always says, a little competition is healthy amongst friends.

Any cool contests you’ve recently entered or heard about?

 

Dealing with Disappointment

At the risk of sounding cliche, the writer’s path is rife with moments where nothing seems to go right. From characters who refuse to cooperate, resulting in writer’s block, to those rejection letters that feel like they’re just pouring in, there appears to be no end to the negativity one must face if they wish to break into this industry. Just this past week has been a landslide of disappointment for me. I received two rejection letters back-to-back, and was cut from a contest I entered.

Initially, I felt that immediate sense of deflation in my stomach. I know, I know, it’s not the end of the world and I’m supposed to pick myself up and get back on that horse. While I didn’t wallow in my dismay, I will admit I was completely bummed for a few minutes there. I’m human, we all are, so that sort of response is natural I like to think. The point is, you can’t stay there for too long. You have to drag yourself, kicking and screaming if necessary, back to your happy place. File that rejection letter away and consider it one more step toward finding your agent or editor. So I didn’t win that contest, there will be others. And frankly, I won’t care once my book is published (fingers crossed).

What am I saying, that being a writer isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s a lot of work, a lot of what feels like being kicked when you’re down, and a lot of struggling to pick yourself up. Writers are strong people, and I’m impressed by each and every one I meet who adds a little to my strength by sharing how they’ve brushed themselves off and continued on. Some people have hobbies they can turn to, like knitting or gardening, something physical that takes their mind off of whatever is going on. Other people listen to music, or move on to a different manuscript so they keep the creative juices flowing.

I read to deal with my disappointment. I pick up one of those wonderful books that captivated me and made me want to jump head first into this craziness in the first place. It reminds me of why I’m doing this. I also go to my favorite cafe with my Novel Clique girls once a week, order a large chai tea latte and polish my manuscript until I can see my face in the cover page. That’s the best way to get through the sour patches, taking that disappointment and turning it into drive.

How do you deal with disappointment?

Writerly Wednesday, Commitment

At our last group meeting, my Novel Clique girls and I rehashed our expectations of ourselves and each other as members of a group of professional writers. We outlined our goals and the steps necessary to achieve them. We listed the requirements for joining and remaining a part of Novel Clique, and we made clear the consequences of failing to meet those standards. In short, we reevaluated our present standings, and made a commitment to maintain if not do better than our current level of progression.

After the meeting, I took a moment to write down–make physical–just what this commitment meant. It meant letting go of stories that just weren’t working. It meant plugging into the social media scene more frequently, and it meant acting as a unit. In attending conferences, luncheons, or posting on our joint blog, we realize that what we do and say as individuals still reflects on Novel Clique as a whole. We’re in this together, and I am eternally grateful to have my writing sisters by my side.

The new year brings new promise, new challenges and new chances to break into the industry we love. New and exciting stories are already on the drawing board, even as we polish works we’ve been working hard on these past years. As we (re)make this commitment to one another, I look forward to what the writing world has in store for us.

What writing commitments have you made so far for 2012?

Back in the Saddle, and Campaigning!

Well, things have been insane the past few months, but it was a positive craziness. I dropped from the face of the Earth during NaNoWriMo, pouring all of my time and effort into hitting that 50,000 word goal. I made it! It was a struggle, but I made it. Then we fell into December, and the Holiday took up just as much time as NaNo. I poked my head up for a moment, but the season swallowed me up again. January did not offer much relief. My writers group and I had our noses to the grindstone, pardon the cliche, to prepare entries for the OWFI conference contest, but with February comes chocolate, flowers, and a getting back in the social network saddle!

First order of business with my return to the online world, another Platform Building Campaign! Rachael Harrie, wonderful gal and fellow YA author, is hosting another campaign where writers of many  genres come together to support one another’s efforts in building an online platform, or expanding one. I’ve participated in the last two, and have had a blast both times. I cannot wait for the festivities to begin, to reconnect with past participants and to make friends with new ones. For more information, click the link above, sign up and join in!

Meaningful Monday – Not Dead

Though I did fall from the face of the Earth for a while there, and from the face of the web. I went under for a while to participate in NaNoWriMo. This was my second year, and I’m proud to say that I won this time around! I reached 50,000 words, ahead of schedule even, though I didn’t complete a novel. Not really, I just added 50k words to my current WIP Heritage Blade: Awakening, and of that large chunk of literature, I may actually end up using…10,000 or so. It took 40,000 words to really get the story going, and I didn’t make any real progress until I neared the end. As a result, I’m about 78,000 words deep, and have yet to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

That’s right, where I should be tying up my story I’m just now cresting into ACT 2. I spent 70 pages in the same setting with my characters sitting around, talking, plotting and planning, but not actually doing anything. There was hardly any advancement, absolutely no growth, and the entire thing is just…stagnant. I’ve found that’s what happens when I focus on quantity and not quality. And that’s just for ME. While the method utilized in NaNo works for some people, I most certainly am not one of them. When I’m not allowed to think my writing through, I don’t get anywhere with it. I have something to edit, true, but most of it I’ll wind up cutting up anyway.

So, next year, when November rolls around, I don’t think I’ll be participating again. Of course, I say that now, but a lot can happen in a year. In the meantime, I’ll take what I’ve got and add onto it until I reach the end.

How was your NaNo experience?