Unless you've been living in a cave, you probably know that Mills & Boon is holding the New Voices competition again. It's a great opportunity to get your work in front of eager editors and possibly win a publishing contract. It's also damn scary. Some of you may remember the first Mills & Boon contest — it was called Instant Seduction, and it was held in 2008. It wasn't quite the same format as New Voices. Basically, you submitted your work to the editors directly and they decided the winner and 2 runners up. All three chapters and synopses were then put on the I Heart Presents blog for public consumption.
As I was the lucky winner of that first competition, I can tell you that I was terrified when the moment came to reveal my work to the public. Everyone was nice to me, but I did see much later where a couple of people said nasty things about my first published book (which grew out of that chapter) and how they didn't understand how I won the competition. Probably, these were people who followed the comp and either entered it themselves and got nowhere, or didn't enter for various reasons but felt if they had, they would have won. Some people might have been readers only, though it's perhaps less likely they would follow a writing competition. (Though anything is possible.)
I'm telling you this today not because I'm complaining (I'm really over those comments after writing more than 10 books for Harlequin now), but because I know that many of you are terrified of encountering a nasty person if you enter the contest and have your work available to the public.
Basically, the truth is this: when you stick your work out there for the public to see, not everyone is going to be nice. That's hard to take when you're so full of hopes and dreams, and when you're sticking your work out there for the first time for strangers to pick apart. And they will pick it apart. Someone (maybe more than one) is going to hide behind the anonymity of their computer and say nasty things about your hard work. I can guarantee it.
This is a terrifying prospect, I realize! But you absolutely can't let that stop you from putting your work out there if you really want to take advantage of this opportunity. Never let ONE person stop you. If you win the contest, or even if you don't but you sell something later or somewhere else, I can promise you there will be people who don't like what you write. It can absolutely be soul destroying to have your work torn apart by strangers. It feels like they are saying evil things about you personally.
In some cases, they are. But in many cases, it's simply a reader's response to the work and not directed at you personally. It's still hard to take, believe me. I try not to read the negative reviews, but I have to admit that some of them have crept past my personal filters. If you want to see what I mean, just go read some Amazon reviews sometime. Or Goodreads. If you read mine, you will see where one person thought I must be a man or a computer. One person completely missed where I explained something in the book and went on to gripe about how it was never explained. It was, and he or she is the only one to say it wasn't thus far.
On Goodreads, some kind soul has put me on a To Avoid list. Makes me want to say, “But what did I ever do to you? I'm nice, I swear! People like me!” But, though it stings, that's probably not a personal criticism so much as a preference not to read the kind of stories I write (dark, heavy, intense alpha males). People are not obligated to like you, or even to care about your feelings when they are plunking down their hard earned dollars for your book. They can say what they will, and while I wish they were nicer about it, I have to accept that they don't have to be.
When you put your work on the New Voices site, you'll be hoping for the best and fearing the worst. And while no one is paying money to read what you've written (yet), they will still say whatever they feel like saying. You just have to get beyond it. If you start to read a comment, and it's negative, skim it or stop reading. Or get a friend to read the comments for you. If you're pretty sure you can handle whatever someone is saying, then read away.
But never, ever argue. Even when they are wrong (factually, as opinions aren't wrong), you're the one who'll look bad for arguing. You simply must get used to this now, because as a published author, you're going to have to be professional about reviews. You have to accept whatever people say and you have to do it without disintegrating publicly. The best policy, for me, is NOT to look. Because I am sensitive and I am hurt when someone complains about my book. I try to realize that most of them aren't criticizing me personally, but it can still be hard to take. Therefore, not looking is the best policy for me.
I've told you all this today so you will be brave when it comes to New Voices! Don't let the fear of that one person who hates your work or tells everyone to avoid you stop you from taking this chance. Take it with hope, optimism, and pride — because you were brave enough to put your work out there for others to see. It's a training ground, friends. When you are published, you'll get all kinds of comments. Some are great and make you bounce. Some are bad and hurt your feelings. Some are downright ugly and make you want to break things.
It's like anything in life. Not everything you do is going to succeed. But if you don't at least try, you'll never succeed. That is guaranteed. Best of luck to all you entrants! Be brave, do your best, and never, ever be ashamed of your work.
Solid advice.
I like to replace every verb(Or heck, as many words as possible) with ‘Smurf’. It gets a lot easier to read that way. This method probably only helps if you’re as big a goober as I am though…
@Darcy G: Ha, that would surely make it funny! 🙂 I may have to try that sometime.
This is some of the best advice I’ve read. I’ll have to say I haven’t had anyone say anyhting unpleasant to me. Yet. It hasn’t always been positive, but it has at least been said in kind manner. But if I keep putting myself and my work out there, it is coming.
@Julia Broadbooks: Not everyone will be nasty! Mostly, I think people want to help when it’s unpublished work. But there will be those who don’t. 🙁 I’m glad you haven’t encountered it yet!
@Lynn Raye Harris: It is totally true that not everyone is unpleasant! Last year I met some really wonderful people through New Voices. I still keep in touch with many of them.
@Julia Broadbooks: That’s an awesome thing to make friends that way! I stayed in touch with one of the IS runners up for a very long time — in fact, I need to email her! It’s been a while.
Great advice, Lynn! I’ve put myself ‘out there’ a few times now, and haven’t gotten the really mean-for-means-sake comments…sometimes even the most nicely said criticisms can hurt, though.
PS: You’re on my own personal auto-buy list…no avoidance here!!! 😆
@Kristina Knight: Thank you, Kristina! That’s very nice to hear. 🙂 I think most people in the competition are nice, really. Most people want to be helpful. But unfortunately there are sometimes those who don’t. You’re right that even good criticism can hurt. Not everyone is being mean! But it all stings.
Goodreads is such a myriad of snarky and full of meanies. 😀 I stopped rating there a few months ago.
@Pam: I tell myself not to read them, but I’ve also had some really lovely reviews there. Now, I skim to see if I’ve gotten any new 4 or 5 star reviews. Those are the ones I like to read. 3 stars are sometimes fine, but anything less and…no, not reading. 🙂
Great advice and so true. I have received a few negative comments in competitions over the last year and it’s not nice, but I’m growing a thick skin.
One was so outrageous I did laugh. 🙄
@Doris O’Connor: Hi, Doris! Sometimes they can be funny. Another author I admire got a comment once that said something along the lines of how much this person hated the story, but kept turning pages not because she liked the book but because she wanted to see what happened to the characters. LOL!
I myself have been considering putting one of my projects up onto the new voices competition, and I was only saying to my father earlier how I feared the negative feedback I might get, because I know, all to well that I degrade my writing far to much, I am my own worst enemy.
And reading this made things seem a little less scary, so thank you, because I really needed to know that there is good and bad and that I should never give up on my dreams.
And I pretty much promise to continue to write for the rest of my life, and continue to send in my manuscript to Harlequin mills&boons until finally they will either take pity on me, I will get it right, or they will grow bored with turning me away.
And I will forever, be reading the books written by authors such as yourself.
🙂 <3 x
@Victoria Evanshart: Hugs, Victoria! We can all be our own worst enemy. Trust me, even after all these books, I still go through periods where I think everything I write sucks and my career is over. It’s very normal! Follow your dreams and don’t give up! The competition can be a wonderful experience, and can help you grow in many ways even if you don’t win. So don’t be afraid — and get someone else to read those comments if you’re worried about it! Don’t let anyone stop you from following your dreams.
Great blog post and very helpful. This is a tough industry where rejection is very common. We are only human and reading spiteful reviews or feedback does hurt. My mother always used to say ‘If you can’t say anything nice, then don’t say anything at all’ – I realize you can’t do that with reviews. BUT you can offer constructive criticism. Far too often I see people trying to make a name for themselves by writing reviews that ridicule the author in the hopes that it’s funny. I feel that is just plain mean. I wish those people would stop and think for a moment about the work and effort that went into writing a story. You have every right not to like a book, and say so, but you can say so in a helpful and pleasant way.
Not everyone likes every book – even my writing friends and I disagree over books. But we are never mean about it.
@Bronwen Evans: Hi, Bronwen! You are so right this is a tough industry and rejection hurts. It can make you curl into a tight ball and not come out for days. I don’t mind people not liking my books (although I wish *everyone* loved them, ha!) but yes, ridiculing me as a writer hurts. When I’ve gotten reviews that said, “Well written but didn’t work for me because blah blah blah,” I’m actually kind of proud of those. We don’t all like the same thing, that’s for sure!
Excellent advice. And yes, IMHO, the snarky comments at some review sites are uncalled for – especially when made by those who haven’t even read the book!
I hope everyone heeds your advice, Lynn. Although I didn’t win, my Feel the Heat comp submission is what finally earned me “the call.” Whether you place or not, it’s definitely worth taking the risk and putting yourself out there.
Good luck to all who participate this year!! I look forward to reading as
many entries as I can.
@Aimee Carson: Hi, Aimee! And congrats again on that sale, btw! You are exactly what I’m talking about when I say that it’s possible to not win and yet still gain something by the experience. You didn’t win but you persevered and you sold because you grew as a writer. I look forward to reading entries this year too! Brava to everyone who enters!
What a fantastic post! I’m going to enter this year, no doubt about it. I can’t wait to try, and I can’t wait to read other entries. Positive and truthful comments are what I hope to get. Good luck to all who are entering!
@Jessica Russell: Best of luck to you, Jessica! 🙂
I suspect some critics fail to realise how much a review reveals of the reviewer. So often the snarky comments, even the truly high falutin’ ones, expose the critic’s prejudices and belief in their own intellectual superiority.
It’s so easy to knock something down.
@Anna Cleary: Hi, Anna! It’s true that it’s easy to knock things down. Anyone can do it, which explains all those crazy comments on news stories on the web now. 😐
I’m planning on entering this year 🙄 I don’t think it’s completely a mills & boon story, but hoping other good things will come of it. 😉
Unfortunately the internet is the home of some extremely cruel 😈 and snarky 👿 people, who make it their lifes mission to make other people feel as miserable as them 😥
I say, don’t let the haters get you down, and remember that you your brave and tough enough to get this far.
Thanks Lynn for a fantastic post.
@Mel Jolley: Hi, Mel! Thanks so much! Glad the post was useful for you. Best of luck with your entry!
Brilliant post, Lynn!
I have been very lucky so far and throughout New Voices last year I did not see one nasty thing written about me or my entry. I was actually a little overwhelmed by how much support I received from total strangers – was so unexpected!
Having said that, I am bracing myself for the release of the finished book, as I’m sure some people will think “how on earth did *she* win?” (on bad writing days that’s exactly what *I* think). Especially given it’s being released during New Voices, so will surely be scrutinised by this year’s entrants. For now, I’m just reassuring myself that in order to get a bad review, my book must actually be published – and that is totally awesome in itself 😀
@Leah Ashton: Hi, Leah! Major congrats again on winning last year’s competition! It’s such a charge to be the winner, isn’t it? You feel so many things: excitement, gratitude, awe, pride, fear, etc. And yes, you do wonder why you won from time to time. I sure did.
Having that first book out is a scary thing, but you’ll be fine. Most people were nice to me. The ones who weren’t were few and far between.
I had an experience recently where I uploaded a poem to a site (not going to mention) and every remark was bad. Unbelievable. I did several rewrites and the reviewers seemed to get angrier.
Just to make sure that I was not the problem, I checked to see what was written about some poems that I thought were not excellent, but were decent and even good.
NOT A SINGLE GOOD REMARK. I was astounded.
So I put in my good remarks to the people that I liked. Then I quit putting poetry on that site. When I left, one of the site organizers apologized to me. But it was their policy to rip apart any poem on the site. I will never go back. Having a bad review is one thing, but having an entire site of folks who tear apart the poem and don’t allow return comments??? It was not a good place for me. There was no back and forth so that the poem could get better. It was just a lot of bitter people.
So I have learned from that little episode to be careful what I say to others. I try to couch my negative remarks in helpful terms. 😛
@Cyn Bagley: Hey, Cyn! Well, I’m glad you aren’t using that site anymore. But I wouldn’t ever change my work to please reviewers. Down that road lies madness. People like that would criticize T.S. Eliot or Robert Frost, you can bet. Now, having a critique group who helps you make your work the best it can be is different. I think those can be helpful. I don’t have a group or partner now, but I did for a long while. Find those kind of people if you can.
Oh, this was a fantastic post, Lynn! Coming at a really important time in my life too. Thank you for opening up about how you deal with criticism, as well as nurturing others via your advice and tips on what you’ve learned in the industry.
I didn’t realize there was another contest coming up. Is this one for Presents this year? Other than withstanding criticism, what tips do you have for writers submitting their work?
@Katherine Bone: Hey, Kathy! Yes, criticism is something you never stop dealing with if you’re writing. From contest scores to editors/agents and then readers and reviewers, it never stops.
The contest is for all the lines published my Mills & Boon. This includes Historical, btw. Bookmark that site and keep checking back. The contest opens in September.
As for submitting your work to the contest, I think I’d make sure it was the best story I had. Don’t submit something you’ve already submitted elsewhere (that might be in the rules anyway). Write something fresh and new instead of reworking old rejected stories. They only want the first chapter. If you make it to the next round, they’ll want a second chapter. I think the rules are that all your writing cannot exceed 10,000 words. So don’t turn in a 9k word first chapter. If you get to the 2nd round, you’ll be in trouble.
The story does not have to be finished to enter. So start writing new things now. Write first chapters, pick the best one, and submit it. But get started now, because you don’t want to be trying to come up with a new idea at the last minute.