WRiTE Club! Play-offs!


A few months ago now, I blogged about participating in DL Hammons' WRiTE Club writing contest. I've been following the entries all along (except a couple sad weeks where sickness or lack of electricity prevented me) and it's been epic. :)

A few things I learned:

1) Taste is taste. It's actually been really encouraging to see the variety of responses to the various pieces. There were entries I loved that other people found confusing or boring, and pieces I disliked that other people adored. Seeing all of this from the perspective of an outsider (for the most part) helped me realize how subjective this business of writing can be. The next time an editor or agent doesn't love my work, I'm not going to freak out and assume that everyone, everywhere is going to hate it. One opinion is just one opinion.

2) CRITIQUE PARTNERS ARE AWESOME! Because the contest is anonymous, I had to submit something previously unread. Thus un-critiqued. And...it didn't make it through the first round. I received many very helpful comments/critiques, amounting to: This is really good writing, but too confusing when we can only see 500 words. Honestly, the comments were so kind that I couldn't be offended, but I did have a few moments of wishing my crit partners had been able to read it first and tell me that. Luckily they're there for each and every submission I ever send to an agent or editor.

3) The first few sentences of a piece are paramount. After reading so many entries, I'm starting to understand why agents and editors don't need a full manuscript to make a decision. You really can tell in a few sentences or paragraphs whether or not the writer is someone you trust to lead you through the story.

The contest began with a lot of voter enthusiasm, but sadly that has petered out--I suppose a lot of the writers who were outvoted stopped following the bouts. As one of those writers, I get the disappointment. But I have learned so much from reading the rest of the entries as well as the voter responses. I'm reading amazing writing--these people could go on to be the next Neil Gaimans of the world...and I'll get to say I "read them when..." (Of course, they're anonymous at the moment, but if they make it to the final or reveal their identities later, THEN I can say it. :)

Anyone can vote, as long as you sign up on the Linky List here. But even if you don't vote, I highly recommend checking out DL's blog and reading the entries! We're into Round 3 of the play-offs now, and the competition is really heating up...

Comments

  1. When my piece was eliminated in the second round, I was disappointed and--for just a moment--I considered abandoning the voting. So I get it if others did that. However, I agree with you that reading others' submissions and the comments on them is such a learning experience.

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    1. Aw, I know how you feel, but congrats on making it to Round 2!

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  2. Healthy competition -- that's what it's all about. It does make one better, no? I'm so glad you have the opportunity to participate. Though how you find the time to do it, given all the many other things you do, is beyond me. Brava.

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    1. Oh, I figured out bilocation last wekk. ;) (I wish!)

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  3. It is so amazing to see how we all react to one piece - some will love it, some will not. I guess that's why there's such a wide variety of books for all of our tastes!

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    1. Yes, exactly! And I'm so grateful to many writers who I know faced criticism and rejection many times, because they produced books I love.

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  4. I knew I recognized your name from somewhere, Faith. Not only MMGM, but Write Club! I've been voting almost since the beginning (I was away with no internet access when it started)and I agree that I've learned SO MUCH from Write Club. This is my first year participating. And isn't it odd how much you love a piece that other people don't vote for?

    It's a shame the comments dropped off after that preliminary round. What bothers me is more than 190 people signed up for it, but only about 30 of us vote now. And even before the comments dropped off, they didn't get much more than 70 or 80 votes. But DL says there are 300 page views, so people are reading, just not voting!

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    1. It's nice to have a MG lover at Write Club with me--it seems like most of the entries are adult-focused.
      I understand that it's hard to keep up with every entry, and life forced me to miss a few, too. But I'm glad I came along for the ride!

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  5. Those are really great things to get out of WRiTE Club - wonderful points and absolutely true! And great minds think alike: I just plugged the contest on my blog today too.

    It's impossible to write something that everyone will like -- Heck, even though I really like his work, I know some people who turn up their noses at Neil Gaiman. But it's still interesting to see the variety of opinions in the voting on WRiTE Club. I know my opinions are no more valid than anyone else's but I at least try to give the writers feedback on what my thoughts are.

    And I also don't get why the voting's dropped off but I'm going to vote on every bout right up to the end, to support both Don and all the writers who've contributed.

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    1. I have enjoyed reading your feedback on the bouts, Chris--I try to give some helpful critiques as well, though sometimes all I have time for is a quick vote. I know that when my entry came up, I was so grateful to those who gave feedback--it definitely softened the blow to have a firm idea of where the piece failed and what I needed to do to fix it.
      If you're still in the competition, best of luck!

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  6. You are so right about the value of reading the other entries, whether or not you are still in the competition. I think I've learned as much or more in my critique group by critiquing others' work as I have by them critiquing mine. I can see something that isn't working, and to tell a crit partner about it, I have to figure out WHY it isn't working. If it's in my own work I can just pretend I didn't see it. :-)

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  7. You know, I had every good intention of following this contest and I'm so sorry I missed your entry, Faith. :( But I love what you learned from participating. I have loved getting online critiques in the past and I really miss those contest days. We'll see, maybe I'll be able to enter again soon, depending on how things pan out with my ms. :) It's so invaluable to get a wide variety of critiques, especially on those first pages.

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  8. It sounds like it's been a learning experience. This is the second post in a row that I've read about the awesomeness of Write Club. :o)

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  9. The business of writing is very subjective which is also very encouraging!

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  10. oh, man! I love WRiTE CLUB so much! I participated in the first one last spring, but I haven't been able to be over there as much this time. I know it's doing amazingly well! If you're in the final rounds, GOOD LUCK!!! :o) <3

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