Friday, June 03, 2005
Changing my luckI don't do contests anymore. Don't get me wrong, I had fun with contests. I did pretty well in contests, all things considered, and I'm proud of that. But I'm out of the game. Why, you might ask? After all, there is alot to be said for contests.
Dealing with deadlines - better yet, knowing you'll hear back by a specific deadline (well, supposedly). As someone with the patience of a two year old, knowing I'll hear within a certain time frame is a major thrill. Especially since I have submissions to publishers that I still haven't heard on after more than a year.
There is the feedback. An annonymous critique of your work, complete with a score sheet to catch a clue how it measures up. A chance to feel out how 'readers' will respond to the excerpt. Of course, judging is subjective. Our voices, our styles and our stories don't resonate with everyone. And the sad truth that some judges are just plain nasty.
The rush, the excitement, the thrill of finaling. Now that rocks. Of course, like blackjack, you don't get that with every deal of the cards. And the kicker is, it's alot of luck to final. Not just talent. Not just a great story that will wow an editor or snag the elusive attention of an agent. Luck.
How does that saying go? To sell in this industry, you need talent, dedication and luck. So I've decided to step out of the contest game and work on my luck. I have awesome CP's who give me honest feedback, I have a great agent who is getting my work in front of those editors, and I while I can't do anything to increase my chances of responses within a certain timeframe, I can work on the luck.
So - Rabbits foot, lucky penny, my quartz crystal and a few prayers. I'll keep color coordinating my submissions, going through my little rituals and save up the contest entry fees to pay for drinks in Reno. Maybe I'll get lucky in the bar.
