Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Contests

We've had this discussion before and it's widely debated ~ to enter contests...or not. I recently broke down and tried my luck. I didn't win...or even place. But I was pleasantly surprised at the critiques. But I guess the main thing I got was validation that I'm not wasting my time.

Don't get me wrong...I belong to a valuable critique group full of creative and intelligent women who are very talented. Several of them are published and many others on the verge. But I began writing my first manuscript with their guidance and it's kind of like my mom telling me that I'm pretty...

It felt good for someone outside of my group to tell me I'm not a complete idiot. It also makes me very proud to be in the Romantic at Heart Critique Groups. Will I enter another contest? Don't know. Not right now. Is it worth it? It's an expensive critique when I feel very confident in my group. Will I get the same response from another set of judges? Probably not.

4 comments:

Jennifer Shirk said...

Chelle, for a first contest, encouraging & helpful comments are FANTASTIC!
You should be very proud. Plus, it got your name out there, too.

When you enter a contest next time, take a look at the score sheet ahead of time and make sure what you're sending them has all the bullet points they're looking for, and you'll do EVEN BETTER!

Way to go! You rock as a writer!

Chicki Brown said...

Comments from the judges are always helpful in revising your MS. I'm kind of ambivalent about contests. They're good for feedback, but as you said, very expensive.

Some say contest wins can get the attention of agents/editors and they look good on your resume. I'm not so sure about that anymore. I won first prize in the first contest I ever entered, and it was a pretty big one, but it didn't result in ANYTHING!

I guess it all depends on what you expect from entering...

Chelle Sandell said...

I've heard good and bad aspects...I guess it depends on money situation and type of contest.

If I had read the scoresheet I would've seen that 30% was grading the interaction between the H & heroine. I may have been able to final if I had followed the guidelines and moved the wreck scene.

Chelle Sandell said...

Thank you Jennifer!!