Oooh! I Got a Mention!

Yeah, I know, this might not sound like big news to many of you, but it said something to me. Among the many blogs I track, several are related to writing and include a few literary agents.

One agent in particular, Janet Reid aka The Query Shark, often posts mini writing contests whereby the challenge is to write a story in 100 words or less, and including in the story five unrelated words that she provides in the contest post. (Ms. Reid represents several authors you may have heard of, like Sean Farrell "Numb", and Robin Becker "Brains, A Zombie Memoir", to name a few.)

I've considered trying my hand at it, but backed away after reading the cleverness of previous commenters, all of whom I assumed had to be professional writers. ("I'm not worthy...") Professional writers know all the writing rules. I didn't want to be laughed at for making a blatantly amateur error.

I know... self-doubt, limiting beliefs!!!

This last time, I looked at the words:
viola
sword
jimmy
smoking
frame

and a vision came to mind. I jotted it down, made a couple of minor tweaks, then submitted it before I could change my mind or let fear and self-consciousness creep in. What the hell, I thought, I'll take a shot. It's not War & Peace, but it is a concise little story in about 85 words.

If this were a Lifetime Movie, the entry would have blown the agent's mind so thoroughly that I'd be talking about my five-book deal. LOL! No...

But here in the real world, when I read her post today announcing the winners—no, I didn't win—but I was absolutely giddy and floored to see my entry called out and noticed for "fun wordplay"!!! Far more than I expected.

To me, this is a small but vital affirmation that there is something "there" (despite Mercury Retrograde messing up the ability to communicate clearly). I don't even care that mine wasn't the winning entry. Now I understand the Academy Awards, and that it truly IS an honor to be nominated—because it means someone saw something worthy in your work.

::bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce:: <--doing the giddy happydance

Labels: writing

posted by Jeanne @ 4:19 PM