What's your take on contests? Are they worth it? Do they work? How high do you have to place in order for anyone to notice?
I got my name on a contest website. Quarter finals. Top 10%. 4400-ish enteries. If I go any further, then I can submit my shiny new draft. If I don't, then I'm happy that it made it as far as it has. I guess. Well, not really. That's kinda bull shit. I want to win. God, I've entered a slew of contests this year, spent a small fortune, and I'm really not sure yet if it was a smart investment.
I believe that we are entering contest announcement season.
It has me checking my emails like a Russian mail order bride.
Since I've started this blog, I've learned a ton about writing. About pitching, notes, persistence and humility. Humor is mandatory to survive in this crazy ass business. And the belief that no matter what, this is what I am meant to be doing. This is my path of trying to get a "written by" screen credit.
i think comps and contests are great for motivating writers to write. winning, placing, being mentioned, being read by third parties - the latter aspects in particular always seem a bit overhyped to me (but then maybe i don't like being screamed at with OUR ENTRY LISTS ARE SCRUTINIZED BY THE WILLIAM MORRIS AGENCY-type ballyhoo).
ReplyDeletethere are a million ways to break in - all it takes is commitment to write, and being in to win.
Wicked!! Thanks. Just the sanity check I needed. :)
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