Having Fun with Contests

I should have entered contests earlier. This is my first year at it, and so far each of my stories has at least made it to the final round somewhere. Sailing out of Darkness is the latest to have this honor in the Colorado Rocky Mountain Gold contest.

From the critiques of non-winning or non-placing stories, I have gleaned many insights and certainly learned that what one group likes, another may hate. The folk in DC loved one that here received a mediocre score. The folk in Toronto preferred another. The Wisconsin people lined up with the DC judges on their choice for a finalist (in DC Heavy Weather won the Marlene), but agreed with the Colorado judges on the second. This was my first time to submit Sailing out of Darkness (I think–sorry, I’ve been busy lately; hard to keep up with contests in the middle of so much editing), so I don’t really have any other point of reference for it.

The judges in each contest have obviously worked hard. From their comments, I can tell they spent a good deal of time pondering what to say. One or two had the courage to leave their email address so that I could ask questions. I used these to thank them, which was much nicer than writing to a generic Judge #00.  I’m trying to be faithful in giving thanks. The year I judged a contest, no one took the time to respond.

So, for all those judging and honoring my efforts with your time and thought, I also thank you publicly. I appreciate the affirmation this has given me. So many have written to compliment my writing, to wonder why my fiction has yet to see a publisher’s stamp on a book. I haven’t a clue, but I do know one thing: timing is everything. With each critique, I’ve learned something. And with each opportunity to revise, I think I’ve improved my work. I hate to imagine how I’d feel if my early efforts had achieved publication. So, I’m grateful for the time. Grateful for the wait. Grateful for the opportunity to learn and strive to be the best writer I can be, to craft the best stories possible.

I remember when I first tried my hand at fiction. What a huge learning curve lay ahead for this former non-fiction writer and editor. But the Bible says we’re to do with all our might whatever our hand finds to do. For me that has meant learning and studying and practicing this thing called writing. And, oh, haven’t I had fun!