Hello writers. I’m writing this directly on the site instead of in a Word file, to prevent formatting snafus like last week’s. It feels weird.
Especially remembering not to double return.
Next week is Thanksgiving, and Write On! will be hosted by the redoubtable mettle fatigue.
NaNoWriMo is more than half over. Those trying to write 50k words by November 30th are on track if they have 31,673 words by midnight tonight.
These are the folks who’ve said they’re participating, with the last word counts they reported. (Which may be from last week or the week before.)
akadjian 9600; goal is 12k
Cassandra Waites ~10,000 words
Idaho07 27,708 words
mettle fatigue 22,330 words
Midwest Cohouser
moneysmith 31,000 words
Orinoco
shaso 34,174 words
Sonnet
terrypinder 31,703 words
I hope I didn’t miss anybody’s count from last week. It’s a little harder to scan late comments for numbers with the new format.
Anyway, some great numbers there… Write on, y’all!
Moving on to a topic we haven’t discussed in a while: Entering contests. I am in favor of this as a way of getting one’s foot in the door. It worked for me. But there are a few caveats, including one new one that’s popped up since I stopped entering them.
Reasons to enter contests
- A contest win is nice little fillip for the bottom of a query letter, especially if the story you’re querying is the one that won.
- Contests can be a way of learning what you’re good at and what you’re not good at.
- The prizes can be nice too.
- The door may be more open here than elsewhere for new writers, especially if already-published writers are barred from entering.
Things to watch out for
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Entry fees. While a few reputable contests have small entry fees, entry fees can also be a sign of a contest that’s being run to make money. Especially if the fee is high and there are numerous prize categories. (I avoided these completely on the grounds that I was usually broke and needed to win money, not spend it.)
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Rights grabs. This is something new since my days in the contest-entering trenches. Contest rules sometimes include a clause stating that the rights to any entry in the contest (not just the winners) become the property of the contest sponsor. Watch out for this and avoid!
How to win
- Write something specifically for the contest.
- Assume that half of the other entries will be extremely good, and prepare your entry accordingly.
- Follow the entry instructions precisely.
Finding contests
Most of what I know about has to do with writing for children, which I realize isn’t the cup of tea of most WO! regulars. However, some of these may be of interest to you. Be sure always to read the terms and conditions of every contest you enter.
- Freelance Writing has an updated list of no-fee contests.
- Ralan lists contests; note that some of these have entry fees.
- The Amtrak residency just re-opened for applications. The terms and conditions* give the entry period as March 2015, but I assume that’s an error as the entry form just went up today.
- As I said, I mostly know kids’ books. This contest is for unpublished** children’s writers of color.
- The organization We Need Diverse Books frequently holds children’s writing contests, although none are listed right now. Just watch that space.
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This contest is the one from which I’ve never looked back. You do not have to be Jewish to enter.
- Some writers’ conferences include contests for attendees.
Anyway, that’s a few to start with...
*This is the second year of the contest. The original terms and conditions appeared to contain a possible rights grab, but after Writer Beware remonstrated this was changed.
** For many contests, including this one, the actual requirement is that the writer be unpublished in that particular field. Always check the rules, and ask if you’re not sure.
Tonight’s Challenge:
One thing we all know about writing is that we should avoid cliches like the plague. Or else do something cute with them. Write a brief scenelet which takes any one of the following cliches literally:
stars in his/her eyes
what goes around comes around
s/he didn’t take it lying down
an ax to grind
a last ditch effort
hell to pay
jumping the gun
the whole nine yards
it was the last thing s/he expected
when cornered
living on a shoestring
The Write On! timeslot has returned to Thursdays at 8 pm ET (5 pm Pacific).
Before signing a contract with any agent or publisher, please be sure to check them out on Preditors and Editors, Absolute Write and/or Writer Beware.