« I Only Need to Make Four Hundred More | Home | Well, They’re Going »
and with joy…
By Nancy Lindquist | April 16, 2007
Sadly, my book, “How to Conjure a Man,” did not final in the Passionate Plume Contest. Lots of entrants and the books that did final, were some well known authors. Which is to be expected. Not only do people know their work, and love it, they are people that have had more time to hone their skills. While not everyone was famous in our circles, certainly some were.
One of the main difference between the contests is that the names of the authors are on the books in this contest, not the other. I’m not saying my book should be in the final five. I’ve got some tough competition and I’ve read some of the books that made it. I’m not quite there, yet. While two of my reviewers gave my book an excellent score, one did not. Is it because they don’t like me personally, or my book? I’ll never know. It could darn well be my book. I’ve said it a lot, my writing is not for everyone. Humor mixed with sex makes some people smile, others shudder. It did get my book into the hands of a few more people and gave it a shot to get out there. I like that and I’m happy I entered.
There was also the factor of having a year between writing the entry for the published novel contest and the thirty five page contest I finaled in. I’ve become a better writer, technically, emotionally in all areas. I can spot flaws in my own writing now, that I never saw a year ago.
I’ve recently edited two of my works. One of them, was the first book I wrote. The story was strong. My stories are strong. The technical flaws were so numerous I am embarrassed. The other story was written in January. A short, there were virtually no major fixes. No slips in point of view, no magic fingers that leave the body and wander on their own. I know better now.
The one thing I hope to learn from writing is to get better. To make my stories more readable, sexual, funny, interesting. To fill my pages with characters I find fun and interesting. So entering the contests helped me, even in the one I did not final in. I had the guts to do it. I stood up and threw my hat into a ring that had some big authors in it and I’m proud. So I didn’t win. So what?
Look out next year, big time authors.
April 16th, 2007 at 11:50 pm
You did good Nancy! And I know exactly what you’re saying. My second acceptance letter actually said in it, “this is going to need a lot of work in editing” lol Recently however I had an editor tell me I had the cleanest ms she’d ever seen. So yay for change and learning and growing and congrats to you for being brave and putting yourself out there. I think you definitely won!