I’ve entered my very first writing competition….go me! I’m quite proud of myself but I’m under no illusions….so I don’t expect to hear anything back from it.
It’s a 500 word short story entitled “Keep You” which is about a woman who’s baby son was abducted by her ex husband. The 500 words describe the scene where she actually sees her son for the first time in 4.5 years (who said I don’t do happy stories?). At a later date I’d like to elaborate it and extend it so that we see her get her son back. The whole thing was inspired by a photo I saw of a woman who had her head in her hands crying.
Plan for today will be to get at least 1 of the exercises done for my course, 2 if I can manage it 🙂 I also want to do some work on another short story I’m working on for another competition. It’s about a woman who’s husband is a famous author. I have just over 1000 words, but can submit up to 2000. Most of the competitions offer a critique service. I didn’t bother asking for one with “Miss You” but I think I will with this one 😉
I have this idea……at some stage in the future I’m sure I will have piles and piles of rejection letters….so I’ve promised myself that when I do, I will decorate a wall in my dressing room with them. I know I have to develop a thick skin, I know that I’ll have to get use to “thank you, but no thank you” on a regular basis….and that’s ok, I know that often, being a successful writer doesnt necessarily go hand in hand with talent. I’ve read books by famous authors that, to be quite honest, are complete shite! Likewise, the writing of amateurs that I’ve thought is amazing but they never get that break.
At the moment, I’m happy to just keep plodding along, learning all that I can, and tentatively dipping my toe 😉
The View Outside 
Popped across to catch up with your site from BookCrossing.
Those wallpaper rejection letters are only because editors receive too many MS to read through and they prefer to promote established authors. New author-profiles need more building and it’s rare a first book get’s a lot of notice. If you have a great book, publish it as your second book. Let you first book introduce you to the World.
Sometimes books need to get out there no matter how. Some books MUST surface regardless of rejection letters. A good friend of our used the free publishing site http://www.lulu.com (yes .. no cost) and has sold a fair few copies so far. OK the % profit is lower but it does get the book out there and in front of buyers and fans.
Say hello when next over at BookCrossing (HoBB-BookBod)
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Hi ya 🙂
I know…..it’s shocking really isn’t it 😦
Yeah, I know a few people who publish on LuLu and I’ve bought off there myself. I think the way to go now is eBooks….. I’m still a lover of ‘real’ books, but I know authors who have had a lot of success with them. I have bought a few myself, especially ones that aren’t available in printed form.
Anyway, glad to hear you’re still about….. I don’t do much in the way of BookCrossing anymore, writing seems to have taken over my life lol
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