Nov 9, 2007 | Contests, Writing |
I went through a contest phase when I first joined RWA (we won't say how long ago that was) and had some early success with the first book I ever wrote. I kind of wish I hadn't had success, to be honest, but that's another story. Basically, if I'd realized I needed to keep writing and improving and that first books don't typically sell, I'd have been better off.
Anyway, starting to look at the contests again for a variety of reasons. Though having bad things potentially said about my writing or my entry won't make me happy, it won't stop me either. I have reached the point where negative comments make me pause, but don't ultimately affect me. I know the secret to staying in the game now. The secret is to KEEP WRITING NEW BOOKS. There, I said it, so now you know. 🙂
As I look at the contests, I consider a few things. Cost, yes, but it's not the biggest factor. I love being able to enter electronically, and those contests get a harder look from me. Final judges are the biggie though. Prestige of the contest is a consideration, but lack of prestige won't stop me if the final judges are acquiring agents or editors.
Which brings me to research. Do you research the final judges? I do. I've noticed a couple of judges in contests lately who either aren't acquiring or who don't have sales to their name. I realize that a fabulous story can make a non-acquiring person take on one more. But what about the final judge who has no sales listed in Publisher's Marketplace? If it's a new agent, sure, that's okay. But one who's been around for a while?
If all I want is feedback, that's different. (But I have a great CP who does that for me, so I don't necessarily need contest feedback.)
On the flip side of the coin, I think judging contests is a good thing to do. I'm judging two right now, and it really opens my eyes to what works and what doesn't to see so many entries arrayed before me. Some shine. Others are painful. Most are well written. Very few are poorly written. But even when the language is good, you can tell when a story doesn't pop. When it isn't fresh and new, when it probably won't sell as written because there's nothing there to make it stand out.
I am a conscientious judge. Maybe I'm too easy, but I never give anyone the lowest score possible. I don't want to batter someone, though I give copious comments if it's allowed. And I never sign my comments, not because I don't stand behind them, but because you just never know how someone will receive what you have to say. If someone sends me a thank you note (which they rarely do, btw, even though we are told we should thank our judges), I might out myself. I have mixed feelings about not signing, btw. I want to stand behind what I say, but I don't want to get abused for saying it. It happens sometimes, unfortunately, which is why I remain anonymous for now.
Have you entered any contests lately? Do you also judge contests and have you learned anything from that experience?
Nov 8, 2007 | Uncategorized |
VAPID – Virginal Angry Prudes in Denial. Used by Lynn Viehl to describe the people who got Wal-Mart to put wrappers on romance novels.** ROFL!
In fact, the whole post — where a vampire shows up at an editor's office to protest the portrayal of his kind in romance novels — is hilarious. Go read The Vampire Smythe and have a laugh.
**She's also the coiner of SOILS, Sisters of the Immaculate Love Scene, which describes romance authors who bitch about too sexy sex in books today. 😉
Nov 7, 2007 | 70 Days of Sweat, Photos, Writing |
Can you imagine writing before copy-paste-delete? Not me! I know some people still write longhand, and then transcribe it into the computer. I can't do it. I tried it, but my brain moves much faster than my hand, and I got frustrated.
Today is a Sven check-in. My writing has slowed down because I finished the book, and instead of launching into the next one, I started the revisions. I know you're supposed to let the book sit, but I've been writing this one long enough that I've pretty much forgotten the first half by now. Really.
Anyway, I wrote 1685 words yesterday, which is kind of scary because the book is over 70K now. Hopefully, today, I'll do some cutting. But what I'm (re)discovering in this process is that I love rewriting. Once the story is finally on the page, it's so much fun to go back and expand the stuff I glossed over in my rush to reach the end. It's amazing to see a scene with new eyes and to be able to pull out the nuances I wanted the first time but couldn't find because the story wasn't complete and I didn't know the characters.
And that's another thing: knowing the characters. By the end of the book, I know them so well that I have to go back and fix them in the beginning. They weren't fully formed in my head, and I made them do things that weren't right. Easy enough to fix once I know them.
I love hearing about process, which is why I like to talk about mine. Everyone is different, but it's always helped me to know how writers work. I used to think there was a correct way to write a book. Now I know there isn't.
Process is also a journey in self-discovery. When I first started, I worked on one book for a year, rewriting it as I went, polishing and polishing, until I had a finished product at the end. Truthfully, the book could have stood some revision. I didn't realize that beautiful sentences and a good story weren't necessarily the same thing. I had a beautifully written cliche.
The next book I entered in the GH and had to write like mad to get to the end. It was horrible, it didn't final, and I didn't bother revising it (pretty much because I didn't know how). The next book I gave up on. I wrote another book very quickly, then abandoned it during revisions because I got bored.
That brings me to the current book. I rewrote the first 150 pages twice. Threw it all out and rewrote it. Ouch. Finally reached the end by writing to a deadline (thanks, Sven) and now I'm revising. I'm not bored, and I'm not worried I won't get to the end. In fact, I think I've finally found my process. Write the first third or half, rewrite it once or twice, write to the end, and revise.
I don't plot (tried it and failed). I don't plan. I have two characters and a problem and I launch into nothingness. Not pretty, but that's the way it works. Why am I sharing this? Because I remember floundering and wondering why I couldn't do it “right.” I didn't realize there was no right. If talking about my process helps even one writer who is struggling, I'm glad to do it.
How does your process work? Do you plot? Or do you launch into nothingness and hope you make it to the other side? I love hearing about it, so tell me!
Nov 5, 2007 | 70 Days of Sweat, General, Goals, Life |
How does Monday creep up on me every week? I don't know about you, but the older I get, the faster the weeks go by. In August, I was looking at Caribbean cruises to book. Now, it's less than two months before I get on the ship. Where does the time go?
It also means that, once again, I'm facing the end of a year in which I haven't necessarily accomplished the things I wanted to accomplish.
Every January, I feel like a new woman. I have goals and plans and by golly I'm going to do everything I can to reach my goals. I guess I can't complain about this past year too much since it entailed a complete change in my life — a transition from military life to civilian life, a new home in a new state, a new RWA chapter, new friends, etc. I really LIKE where I am in my life. And I have been working on my goals, so I can't complain too much.
But the new year is approaching, and that means new plans. It also means a reevaluation of old plans. I have to decide what's working, what's not, and what more I can do to get where I want to go. It's only November, and I'm thinking about it, probably because I have a busy two months ahead of me. Company for Thanksgiving, company after Thanksgiving (hubby just informed me of this one over the weekend), parties, events, a cruise over Christmas, and who knows what else will pop up between now and January.
It's never too early to consider goals and plans, IMO. One of my goals is to write the first draft of a new book during the 70 Days of Sweat. How am I doing with that? Since finishing my other WIP on Wednesday, I've written only about 300 words. Been a busy few days. Guess I better get cracking if I'm going to reach my goal.
Are you on track for your goals this year? Need to reevaluate? Thinking about next year already?
Oct 31, 2007 | 70 Days of Sweat, Writing |
Woohoo! I typed 2763 words today to reach THE END, finally, of this frickin book!!!!
I'll think about revisions tomorrow. Just call me Scarlett O'Hara. 🙂
