Blitzing the Competition
This article first appeared in Romance Writers of Australia’s
official journal, HEARTS TALK, in 2005
Whether you’re playing to win or fishing for feedback, the contest arena can be your manuscript’s ticket to an editor’s desk. With the quality of entries in RWA contests so high, how can you make your entry stand out in a playing field that includes writers who are at or close to publishing standard? Here are some tips for getting the most out of contests that may also help those submitting to an editor or agent.
Is this the right competition for my manuscript?
When I joined RWA several years ago, I entered the First Kiss Contest. I didn’t make it past Round One, setting a precedent that I only broke last year. From the comments I received, I can modestly say my ms wasn’t badly written. Rather, the entry just didn’t contain much of a smooch. It was in the wrong comp.
Another pitfall is submitting an entry that doesn’t meet the targeted publisher’s guidelines. For HM&B authors, if the category wants fireworks between an alpha hero and a sassy heroine, make sure your story’s stars epitomise those qualities. Don’t submit a sweet romance if the line demands steamy, “anything goes” scenes. Readers expect a certain type of story and may be disappointed if they’re let down. And that can translate to the loss of points.
Have I followed the rules?
Every year, great stories are disqualified or marked down because of a broken rule. It’s an awful feeling, especially considering how much hard work goes into the ms. But you can guard against this by using the contest conditions as a checklist.
Have you presented your entry in the accepted format? Does your ms exceed the required page count? Does your name only appear on the title page and not in the manuscript’s header? Are there enough copies of your ms for the judging process? Did you mail the entry early enough to meet the deadline?
Readability and formatting are considered in contest criteria, and serious errors in either category erode your chances of becoming a finalist or winner. It might knock your book out in Round One, even if you received a high score overall.
Dotting the I’s and crossing the T’s
Correct punctuation, spelling and grammar can score a few points with the judges. They don’t want to read a sentence three times over because it hasn’t been punctuated or structured correctly. A misplaced comma has the power to change the meaning of a sentence. Incorrect tenses could send a judge’s blood pressure soaring. Homophone slips may be unintentionally humerus, er, I mean humorous. All of these things can take reader out of your story, no matter how brilliant it is. Do the best you can to keep your audience focused on the characters, not the typos.
No-one is immune to making spelling mistakes. Swallow your pride and turn that spellchecker on. And even then, don’t trust Microsoft completely. Consult a good dictionary and thesaurus as well. Don’t forget grammar guides. A great new book called ‘The Gremlins of Grammar’ by Toni Boyle and K.D. Sullivan (McGraw Hill, ISBN 0-07-145668-6) is an excellent, easy-to-read resource, particularly if you’re targeting the U.S. market.
Other common black spots include non-existent paragraphing, too-small margins and indents. All of these are easy to conquer with a bit of patience.
Telling a good story
Now that you’ve got the ‘mechanics’ of writing covered, cast a critical eye over the story. Identify awkward phrasing. Check facts. Is there a pleasing rhythm to the writing? Has point of view changed in the middle of a paragraph? Do you tend to skim-read over certain passages? Does the pace drag? Are your characters standing around, just waiting for something amazing to happen? Are they going through the motions of everyday life (getting dressed; making an unremarkable breakfast or coffee; driving to work, where nothing happens, and then driving back home, where nothing happens)?
Make every scene advance the story to keep the reader interested in what’s going to happen next.
Synopsis schnopsis
Ask a roomful of writers and most of them will agree writing a synopsis is one of the hardest jobs. It’s worse than childbirth, I hear. Even in competitions where a synopsis is required but not judged, you need to show you can write a cohesive summary of your novel. Come up with an effective synopsis and you just might have the judges salivating to read the rest of your entry.
Filtering feedback
Helpful feedback from an unbiased, anonymous reader can give a troubled manuscript a new direction and maybe push it further in another comp. But what if the feedback isn’t, well, helpful?
No-one likes bad feedback, even if it’s good for us. Bad feedback may comprise a low score without explanation or any suggestions on how to do better next time. It might hurt your feelings. Bad feedback could also be criticism you weren’t expecting, however gentle or constructive. If all the judges mentioned the same problematic aspect, then it’s time to address it.
You may believe in your heart of hearts that the judges are wrong. They might not ‘get’ the book or your style. In that case, stick with what you know to be true. It may take you far. You know your story better than anyone. Accept feedback graciously, and do with it what you will.
Recommended reading/surfing
‘Macquarie Writer’s Friend – A Guide to Grammar and Usage’, general editor JRL Bernard, The Macquarie Library, 1999. ISBN 1-876429-09-7.
eHarlequin's The Write Stuff - a forum with loads of resources to help you structure your writing.
official journal, HEARTS TALK, in 2005
Whether you’re playing to win or fishing for feedback, the contest arena can be your manuscript’s ticket to an editor’s desk. With the quality of entries in RWA contests so high, how can you make your entry stand out in a playing field that includes writers who are at or close to publishing standard? Here are some tips for getting the most out of contests that may also help those submitting to an editor or agent.
Is this the right competition for my manuscript?
When I joined RWA several years ago, I entered the First Kiss Contest. I didn’t make it past Round One, setting a precedent that I only broke last year. From the comments I received, I can modestly say my ms wasn’t badly written. Rather, the entry just didn’t contain much of a smooch. It was in the wrong comp.
Another pitfall is submitting an entry that doesn’t meet the targeted publisher’s guidelines. For HM&B authors, if the category wants fireworks between an alpha hero and a sassy heroine, make sure your story’s stars epitomise those qualities. Don’t submit a sweet romance if the line demands steamy, “anything goes” scenes. Readers expect a certain type of story and may be disappointed if they’re let down. And that can translate to the loss of points.
Have I followed the rules?
Every year, great stories are disqualified or marked down because of a broken rule. It’s an awful feeling, especially considering how much hard work goes into the ms. But you can guard against this by using the contest conditions as a checklist.
Have you presented your entry in the accepted format? Does your ms exceed the required page count? Does your name only appear on the title page and not in the manuscript’s header? Are there enough copies of your ms for the judging process? Did you mail the entry early enough to meet the deadline?
Readability and formatting are considered in contest criteria, and serious errors in either category erode your chances of becoming a finalist or winner. It might knock your book out in Round One, even if you received a high score overall.
Dotting the I’s and crossing the T’s
Correct punctuation, spelling and grammar can score a few points with the judges. They don’t want to read a sentence three times over because it hasn’t been punctuated or structured correctly. A misplaced comma has the power to change the meaning of a sentence. Incorrect tenses could send a judge’s blood pressure soaring. Homophone slips may be unintentionally humerus, er, I mean humorous. All of these things can take reader out of your story, no matter how brilliant it is. Do the best you can to keep your audience focused on the characters, not the typos.
No-one is immune to making spelling mistakes. Swallow your pride and turn that spellchecker on. And even then, don’t trust Microsoft completely. Consult a good dictionary and thesaurus as well. Don’t forget grammar guides. A great new book called ‘The Gremlins of Grammar’ by Toni Boyle and K.D. Sullivan (McGraw Hill, ISBN 0-07-145668-6) is an excellent, easy-to-read resource, particularly if you’re targeting the U.S. market.
Other common black spots include non-existent paragraphing, too-small margins and indents. All of these are easy to conquer with a bit of patience.
Telling a good story
Now that you’ve got the ‘mechanics’ of writing covered, cast a critical eye over the story. Identify awkward phrasing. Check facts. Is there a pleasing rhythm to the writing? Has point of view changed in the middle of a paragraph? Do you tend to skim-read over certain passages? Does the pace drag? Are your characters standing around, just waiting for something amazing to happen? Are they going through the motions of everyday life (getting dressed; making an unremarkable breakfast or coffee; driving to work, where nothing happens, and then driving back home, where nothing happens)?
Make every scene advance the story to keep the reader interested in what’s going to happen next.
Synopsis schnopsis
Ask a roomful of writers and most of them will agree writing a synopsis is one of the hardest jobs. It’s worse than childbirth, I hear. Even in competitions where a synopsis is required but not judged, you need to show you can write a cohesive summary of your novel. Come up with an effective synopsis and you just might have the judges salivating to read the rest of your entry.
Filtering feedback
Helpful feedback from an unbiased, anonymous reader can give a troubled manuscript a new direction and maybe push it further in another comp. But what if the feedback isn’t, well, helpful?
No-one likes bad feedback, even if it’s good for us. Bad feedback may comprise a low score without explanation or any suggestions on how to do better next time. It might hurt your feelings. Bad feedback could also be criticism you weren’t expecting, however gentle or constructive. If all the judges mentioned the same problematic aspect, then it’s time to address it.
You may believe in your heart of hearts that the judges are wrong. They might not ‘get’ the book or your style. In that case, stick with what you know to be true. It may take you far. You know your story better than anyone. Accept feedback graciously, and do with it what you will.
Recommended reading/surfing
‘Macquarie Writer’s Friend – A Guide to Grammar and Usage’, general editor JRL Bernard, The Macquarie Library, 1999. ISBN 1-876429-09-7.
eHarlequin's The Write Stuff - a forum with loads of resources to help you structure your writing.