Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Writing Contests – Romance is Dead (Or Not)

Okay, so that title is probably sour grapes. The sourest, in fact.

Like so many other aspiring romance authors (822 in total), I entered last year’s Romance is Not Dead writing contest, part of the New Voices campaign from Mills & Boon. My entry, At the Desert King’s Pleasure, ended up in the middle of the pack, according to the user votes, and wasn’t short listed for the ultimate prize.

Here’s the link: see for yourself:

my contest entry

I was devastated.

In fact, I haven’t posted on the Harlequin/ Mills & Boon forums since, although I was active before and during the contest and received (and gave, I hope) a lot of support from my fellow writers in the community. Not a word. Not even a “J”. I was too upset. And I sincerely thought that I was done with

My problem? Aside from presumably terrible writing (or worse, mediocre writing – blech), I mean. It’s that I have an eternally optimistic disposition. I honestly believe that every query I send out, every contest entry I submit, every step I take in my writing journey, will be accepted, winning, or ultimately successful. I’ve thought about it a lot and I also believe that I have a more realistic view of my own writing. So, no, I don’t think every word I put down on the page is gold. Heaven forbid.

So, end result?

Next contest, you will find me there. Front of the line, clutching my potentially prize-winning entry in hand. I can’t say I won’t be devastated if I lose but I can tell you that I won’t be checking out for half a year afterwards. Next time, it might only take me five months to recover.

Photo courtesy of healingdream at freeditigalphotos.net

4 comments:

  1. Never give up, never surrender, Nan! (Thanks Galaxy Quest) It took me years of being stuck in the middle of the pack before I sold. What matters most is attitude and perseverance. As long as you keep getting in line and trying, you'll succeed.

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  2. Thanks for the words of encouragement, Barbara! I know it takes a lot of hard work and perserverance. Don't worry, I am determined to keep trying.

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  3. You have the right attitude, Nan - just keep writing and submitting. I got both my agent and editor through contests, so I firmly believe in entering them. Good luck with your next sub!

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  4. Thanks, Helen. I will keep at it, whatever it takes. Stories like yours give me hope :)

    And thanks for reading my blog!

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