Last night was my local RWA meeting. It was good – I love getting together with my group. They’re a fabulous bunch of ladies who love to talk all things writing. However, I’m starting to think maybe I shouldn’t hang with them anymore. After the last meeting, I got deathly ill with the flu and was on my back for a week. Today, I have the head cold from hell. Hmmm…I’m starting to think this is a sign…
One of the things I love so much about my group is that whenever I leave a meeting I’m fired up about writing. Last night was no exception. Part of it was the fact they flogged me with a wet noodle for not meeting my goal two months in a row (ahem, same goal both times – finish the darn wip), part of it was hearing Piper gush about my wip which she’s critting. (Ah, Piper, you’re good for the ego. I loves you!). When I got home I was too tired to write so I ended up taking a sleeping pill (because I’ve been so exhausted lately) and managed to get a really good night’s sleep. So as long as the head cold doesn’t get any worse, I’m hoping to get some work done on that goal later today. Wish me luck.
And going along with the theme of goals and RWA, I’m going to share a little of what we discussed last night. Paty and I gave a joint talk on contests at our meeting. If you read my post Monday at Romance Worth Killing For, you know I’m a non-planner and a procrastinator. I, of course, waited until yesterday to organize what I was going to say while Paty plotted her portion out days in advance. (Oh, eek. Sorry. Paty PLANNED her portion out. LOL) Regardless, I think we both presented some good info for the group and hopefully they learned something useful regarding contests.
As for what I want to share here, I put together a bunch of links to great articles on the pros and cons of entering contests. Best thing to keep in mind is know your goal when you enter a contest. Know whether you’re looking for feedback, prestige or name recognition, the chance to get your work in front of a specific agent or editor, a prize, or simply want to try a new experience. If you know what you want to get out of the experience, and you don’t have unreal expectations, you won’t be upset with your results.
Enjoy!
Can Contests Be a Freeway To A First Sale by Roxanne Rustand
Contests: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly by Bronwyn Jameson
The Pros and Cons of Entering Contests by Elizabeth Rose
10 Tips for Winning Writing Contests by Writers-Editors Network (via Sharyn Bowman)
Top Ten Ways to NOT Final in a Romance Writing Contest by Tami Cowden
One Size Does Not Fit All: Choosing The Contest That Works For You by Tami Cowden
Contests and Vanity Anthologies by SFWA
What Do Editors Really Think About Contests? by Tracy Cozzens and Roxanne Rustand
