Free Critique
Contests for Writing and Books, Oh My!
Jan
12, 2011 |Filed in:
UncategorizedIt’s contest season, folks. Let’s see what’s cooking:
At Margo Berendson’s “Writing at High Altitudes” you’ve got an awesome contest to help push yourself and a fellow author. Margo is offering a commenter a $30 Amazon giftcard for their comment regarding her New Year’s resolution word count goal. Read her post, get inspired.
Many of you know I entered and won second place for fantasy in the 2010 Sandy Writer’s Competition last year. It’s time to send in your chapters for 2011 and I can’t recommend doing this enough. Seriously. For $30, you get constructive criticism from three published authors AND if you place in the top three positions, your ms goes before an agent. Ginger Clark was my agent-judge last year and she requested my first 50 pages. Pretty darn cool. Check out the competition’s guidelines and get your work in. The deadline is February 13th.
Unless you’re dead or uninterested in writing, you’re aware the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Competition opens on January 24th and closes to entries on February 6th OR when they receive 5,000 entries in a given age range (adult or YA). This competition is FREE and as I posted a few days ago, there are communities at the site who will critique your opening chapters for you while you await the judges’ decisions. Two years ago they helped me polish my opening and made winning second place in the Sandy possible. This contest is well worth your time and you have nothing to lose.
The annual Chase the Dream contest (for you Romance authors) will be rescheduled this year. Make sure you check their website periodically for more information, but if I hear when it will be, I’ll try to post the dates here, too.
Addendum! Maria Zannini was so kind as to let me know about her critique contest! Be sure to go there next for a chance to win a free critique!
Good luck and God bless you all!
New Markets, Residencies and Other Opportunities
Jan
01, 2011 |Filed in:
Uncategorized
I’ve got several different types of markets and opportunities today. I wish I could take credit for them, but oh well. 😀
This first one is courtesy of Hope Clark:
This first one is courtesy of Hope Clark:
GLOBAL ARTS VILLAGE – INDIA
http://www.globalartsvillage.org/residencies.htm
—
A residency can provide much needed time away from your normal
environment and routine. You are encouraged to develop your work
based upon your Indian experience and inspiration. The Village
offers residency programs to emerging, mid-career and established
artists. Residencies are offered for all major creative disciplines
(visual, performing, literary, healing arts) and we also welcome
professionals, researchers and scholars. Residents choose from
standard, duplex or accommodations in administrative staff quarters
and are provided with work studio space, three prepared vegetarian
meals per day, laundry service, broadband wi-fi internet access
and airport pick-up. Specific requirements, benefits, conditions
and additional information are outlined within the program and
facility descriptions. India is a land full of contrast, beauty
and surprises. The residencies provide the perfect amount of
time to absorb the Indian experience, create work and allow for
travel time before or after the residency period. Selection
Procedure: Applications are reviewed by a panel and selection
is based upon your current body of work, project description,
and motivation to develop your art, project, and/or work in
India.
I can’t take credit for this one, either. It’s many thanks to Eve in the Authors of Asian Novels Group.
A new magazine (short story market) is available at http://kunlunjournal.blogspot.com/2010/12/welcome-to-kunlun-journal.html. He’s especially interested in Wuxia, which is the type of story where you have a wondering warrior. Think “Seven Samurai,” “Lone Wolf and Cub,” etc.
http://www.globalartsvillage.org/residencies.htm
—
A residency can provide much needed time away from your normal
environment and routine. You are encouraged to develop your work
based upon your Indian experience and inspiration. The Village
offers residency programs to emerging, mid-career and established
artists. Residencies are offered for all major creative disciplines
(visual, performing, literary, healing arts) and we also welcome
professionals, researchers and scholars. Residents choose from
standard, duplex or accommodations in administrative staff quarters
and are provided with work studio space, three prepared vegetarian
meals per day, laundry service, broadband wi-fi internet access
and airport pick-up. Specific requirements, benefits, conditions
and additional information are outlined within the program and
facility descriptions. India is a land full of contrast, beauty
and surprises. The residencies provide the perfect amount of
time to absorb the Indian experience, create work and allow for
travel time before or after the residency period. Selection
Procedure: Applications are reviewed by a panel and selection
is based upon your current body of work, project description,
and motivation to develop your art, project, and/or work in
India.
I can’t take credit for this one, either. It’s many thanks to Eve in the Authors of Asian Novels Group.
A new magazine (short story market) is available at http://kunlunjournal.blogspot.com/2010/12/welcome-to-kunlun-journal.html. He’s especially interested in Wuxia, which is the type of story where you have a wondering warrior. Think “Seven Samurai,” “Lone Wolf and Cub,” etc.
My own story is a member of the Wuxia family as it’s based on one of the early Wuxia classics, “The Romance of the Three Kingdoms.” If you’re interested in helping me polish the new opening I’ve made thanks to Tessa Elwood and Donna Hole (you ladies have my gratitude and a critique coming whenever you need it!), go to Mourn Their Courage and let me know if you have any questions.
Are you aware of any markets I should post about? (I’ll give you credit and many thanks.) Do you have a critique concern you’d like to share? Drop me a note and we can brainstorm.
One more at Shooting Stars
Mar
08, 2010 |Filed in:
UncategorizedGo to Suzette Saxton and Bethany Wiggins’ site and make sure you sign up for prizes galore including a 40 page critique. I can’t express how much I want to win this prize.
I just endured another Flogging the Quill critique and I don’t know what to do. Last year a resounding 2/3 of readers disliked my opening hook (in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel contest) because it dropped them into the action too fast. They wanted to be submersed in the culture before being subjected to a body in the orchard. Ok, 2/3 of around 30 respondents is statistically valuable, so I re-wrote my hook.
Ray at Flogging the Quill and the only other critiquer make great suggestions and comments – I am not bucking what they’re saying as I always preferred my first hook. The problem is, what do I believe – the statistics or the professionals? I just don’t know what to do about this book. It’s impass time again and I don’t know if I’m interested in working the hook again without further professional input. I’ve spent 16 years of my life on this novel and without professional (but free help as I have no money) I’m done. Finite. Zai jian!