Submit or Not to Submit

May 26, 2015October 21, 2016 / Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 5 Comments

Photo courtesy of google & groggrog.blogspot.com

In the last several days, three friends have recommended writing contests to me. Intrigued I began the process of reviewing each site, contests details, and the guidelines. Hour’s later after reading back issues and making a list of deadlines, I’m exhausted. Submitting is hard and time-consuming work.

But life has taught me, the best things come with hard work and perseverance.

Even if your story or essay isn’t accepted, submitting on a regular basis, provides advantages.

What’s in it for you?

Themed contests are like prompts, spurring imagination and the desire to write.
Deadlines help you prioritize time.
Reading the works of others, introduce you to other writers and genres.
Many magazines offer feedback and/or a written critique from the judges (a favorite perk of mine.) Who wouldn’t want to receive information which will improve your skill as a writer and likewise, increase your chance of acceptance?
Practice makes perfect. You gain experience and knowledge with every submission and in the end, you might achieve your goal.
Provides a venue for others to discover your work.

As you well know, if you follow Duotrope, statistics on acceptance rates for many are dismal. However, when you receive that acceptance letter or email, it’s magic and well worth the time and effort.

A note of Caution When Submitting:

Read and follow the guidelines. A lack of compliance is a frequent complaint from many editors.
Check and double-check spelling and grammar. Read aloud, listen to it on your Kindle, or ask a respected friend for feedback.
Stay within the designated word count. Sounds easy enough, however, sometimes the title counts, sometimes it doesn’t. Knowing which will determine whether your story lands in the consideration or rejection pile.
Know the basics of the contest. Is there a theme, particular genre, or is the contest open?
Know whether it’s a blind submission or requires author identification.
Format according to submission guidelines. The guidelines differ for each magazine or contest.

Photo courtesy of google & http://www.smartfitbykatemartin.com

So, take the leap. Review the Call for Submissions in the sidebar; check out Duotrope, Every Writer’s Resource, and The Write Life for their list of current contests.

Remember, no risk, no gain.

Happy writing, submitting, and best of luck!

Why You Need a Theme – And How It Can Kill Your Writing

May 25, 2015October 21, 2016 / Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 2 Comments

When I began writing my novel, theme was not a conscious part of the early drafts. But, as I wrote the theme naturally evolved.
P.S. Hoffman points out, …”theme will help you find exactly where you need to end your writing, be it fictional, or other.”

P. S. Hoffman

This was the last thing Swen said to me, before he jumped off the cliff: “I’m going to do something that you will never forget. Witness me.”

As he fell upon the war band, I watched as a car, covered in spikes, collided with his body. I watched as the explosives fell from his hand, undetonated, and his body impaled on the car’s spear-covered hood.

But Swen died with a smile on his silver-stained lips. And he did not die in vain.

Weeks passed, the brothers were killed, and the fortress fell, but still, I could not rid myself of Swen’s dying words. It was only after the water began to run again, when the sanded bluffs turned from red to green did I fully realize Swen’s message.

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Do You Have Story Attachment Syndrome?

May 24, 2015October 21, 2016 / Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 2 Comments

Story Attachment Syndrome (SAS), as I like to call it, is similar to Helicopter parenting. And for those of you unfamiliar with the term, I’ll paraphrase. Helicopter parents hover over their children in a state of extreme concern, protect them from real or imagined harm, resolve stressful situations and get them out of trouble, even if they misbehave. Experts say overprotective parents hinder a child’s ability to grow into mature and responsible adults.

Writers often behave in a similar pattern when it comes to writing a story close to the heart. Our stories are our babies. We know them inside and out or think we do, and don’t want anyone else telling us a scene, character or, God forbid, the whole plot isn’t working. They hover, protect and refuse to accept constructive feedback, make revisions or edits, even when doing so would make the story stronger.

We’ve all been there at some point in our writing journey, but the key to finding a cure, as with anything, is to recognize we have a problem. SAS is no respecter of persons and can affect writers of all levels of experience. Long-term effects cause less confidence, a floundering work in progress (WIP), sense of hopelessness causing one to stuff the WIP in a drawer in defeat, or arrogance and sending a poorly written story to the world.

You Might be Suffering from SAS if:

You have a manuscript or story you’re struggling to complete (extreme concern). Think, as in years.
If you protect parts of your story, you know in your gut, may be detrimental to the story as a whole.
You insist certain scenes or characters are essential to your story, despite feedback they need revision or not working.
You avoid feedback altogether because it’s safer.

Children learn from making mistakes if we let them. So do writers. Overprotecting children or manuscripts, for the sake of avoiding failure, will result in the very thing we wish to avoid. Trial and error help us become skilled, confident writers and published authors.

Fortunately, like Helicopter parenting, SAS is curable.

How to overcome SAS?

Step back and honestly evaluate your story or solicit the help of a trusted editor or Beta reader.
Don’t shy away from thinking outside your plotline. Revisions are part of growing as a writer.
Remove your protective blinders and listen to constructive feedback.
Believe in yourself – not every story will be perfect, but practice does make perfect.

As someone who has been working on my novel, for several years, I can relate. I’ve revamped a few things in my story, changed the timeline, and scenes are in the trash.

My helicopter has landed.

If you would like more information, check out Jennifer Blanchard‘s video on story attachment.

What about you? Do you suffer from SAS? I’d love to hear your story.

Revise, Persevere, or Trash it?

May 22, 2015June 21, 2015 / Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 7 Comments

Photo Courtesy ofhttp://www.google.com/info.agmednet.com

I started writing my first novel, several years ago. Since then, I’ve revised, cut, changed the timeline, and rethought some of the characters in my current work in progress (WIP).

Am I going about the process the right way? Perhaps and perhaps not, opinions differ.

Janice Hardy at Fiction University (a favorite of mine) has a thought-provoking post on this today, “Onward…No? Write to the End or Go Back and Edit.” The reasons, she suggests, writers get into the revision and edit mode include:

The first chapter isn’t where the story starts.
The story just isn’t working.
You’ve decided the story you’re writing, isn’t the real story.
The character you thought was the protagonist isn’t.
Or, you’ve studied the craft, learned a few techniques, and want to fix your mistakes.

As part panster and part planner, I’ve experienced all of the above. I do study the craft; I read and sometimes make revisions and edits. I hope my novel will be better for it.

At any rate and well past 30,000 words, I’m too far to stop now. I plan to see this first draft to fruition.

Want more information on writing a novel, check out these resources:

Janice Hardy’s, Planning Your Novel: Ideas and Structure

Larry Brooks, Story Engineering @ Storyfix.com

C.S. Larkin’s, The 12 Key Pillars of Novel Construction: Your Blueprint for Building a Strong Story

or James Scott Bell’s, Super Structure: The Key to Unleashing the Power of Story