WRiTE CLUB is back!
If you haven't noticed, DL Hammons has been working overtime to get this year's WRiTE CLUB up and running and wonderful, and he's currently accepting submissions. As Mark will be one of the judges in the final round, I am prohibiting myself from entering (you may think this has something to do with honesty, but it's actually to avoid ruffling our domestic bliss when he chooses another entry over mine). But YOU should all enter. I think I learned more last year last year from losing than Mark did from winning--and, to help you along, I'll share some of what I learned here:
1) In a 500 word entry (keep in mind that this will be even more than many agents and editors may see of your work at first), you have very little time to catch your readers' attention. Do it right away.
2) Action, as such, does very little to catch attention. Interesting, unexpected, or mysterious action might. But the fact is that if we don't know who your character is, we couldn't care less if he's running out of a barn with his trousers aflame.
3) Character and voice does EVERYTHING to catch attention.
4) Mystery/intrigue is good. Confusion is bad. (If you can, have someone read over your entry to see if you've caught the balance, because it's hard to determine on your own.)
5) Beautiful writing is good. Purple prose, not so much. Interesting writing (a.k.a. Voice) is best.
6) Play with your readers' emotions. But, for goodness' sake, don't let us know you're doing it. Nothing annoyed me more as a reader than feeling like I was being manipulated. Emotion must come from an authentic reaction to a believable situation--or don't bother trying.
7) Try new things! One of my favorite entries last year was one told, very well, in second person. But...please...if the new things don't work, don't share them. There were one or two other entries that...um... Well, they were probably really interesting ideas.
8) Just enter, and don't worry too much. I had to literally force Mark to send in a submission last year, because he was sure no one would like it. Ahem. Send in your work, friends.
9) Also, vote for the other entries! It's a great opportunity to hone your critiquing skills--and this year Mr. Hammons is offering a $75 Amazon gift card to one randomly chosen voter!
If you missed it up at the top, here's the link again:
http://dlcruisingaltitude.blogspot.com/2013/06/write-club-2013-submissions-open_3.html
1) In a 500 word entry (keep in mind that this will be even more than many agents and editors may see of your work at first), you have very little time to catch your readers' attention. Do it right away.
2) Action, as such, does very little to catch attention. Interesting, unexpected, or mysterious action might. But the fact is that if we don't know who your character is, we couldn't care less if he's running out of a barn with his trousers aflame.
3) Character and voice does EVERYTHING to catch attention.
4) Mystery/intrigue is good. Confusion is bad. (If you can, have someone read over your entry to see if you've caught the balance, because it's hard to determine on your own.)
5) Beautiful writing is good. Purple prose, not so much. Interesting writing (a.k.a. Voice) is best.
6) Play with your readers' emotions. But, for goodness' sake, don't let us know you're doing it. Nothing annoyed me more as a reader than feeling like I was being manipulated. Emotion must come from an authentic reaction to a believable situation--or don't bother trying.
7) Try new things! One of my favorite entries last year was one told, very well, in second person. But...please...if the new things don't work, don't share them. There were one or two other entries that...um... Well, they were probably really interesting ideas.
8) Just enter, and don't worry too much. I had to literally force Mark to send in a submission last year, because he was sure no one would like it. Ahem. Send in your work, friends.
9) Also, vote for the other entries! It's a great opportunity to hone your critiquing skills--and this year Mr. Hammons is offering a $75 Amazon gift card to one randomly chosen voter!
If you missed it up at the top, here's the link again:
http://dlcruisingaltitude.blogspot.com/2013/06/write-club-2013-submissions-open_3.html
We sure do learn a lot from writing AND critiquing, don't we? Alas, it is a big time commitment. I don't know how you both managed to do it last year, but what a great way to grow. This is one of the reasons I love shorts ...
ReplyDeletesounds good to me! :D
ReplyDeleteI have not heard of Write Club. I'm off to click on the link now. . .
ReplyDeleteI'd never heard of this either. But since I seem to be having a reckless week, I entered. I should get offline now before I do something else. :)
ReplyDelete(Thank you rounds are always welcome, of course. Local country clubs are offering trivia
ReplyDeletefun for as little as forty dollars per couple.
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