Contests – should you bother?
I decided to write about contests because I just finished judging 15 partials for my RWA chapter. I’ve judged for the past five years and enjoy judging because I learn from the exercise. The thing that I don’t like is – I keep seeing the same mistakes over and over. For some reason people think that because they went to school and learned the basics of English, they can write a novel. My favorite analogy is: I can cut up meat, but would never set myself up as a surgeon. You need training! Take a class! Couldn’t hurt – might help.
So, what are some of the mistakes? Passive writing. “After he left the house, he walked down the street.” No – “He left the house and walked down the street.” Poor example, I know – but I hope you get the drift. Please do a search for “as” also very passive. AND my least favorite word, just. It’s an adverb and usually not needed. Most new writers also take TOOO long to get into the story, they’re too wordy. You don’t have to tell us the entire back-story on the first few pages – leave that information and integrate it later.
My second most dreaded mistake is attribution. Hemingway never used anything but said and asked, and he did pretty well for himself. So why do I still see, “I hate you,” he growled. People can’t growl, giggle, gasp, laugh or hiss (my favorite) words. People say words. Or better yet – try to make plain who’s speaking without attribution.
Okay, here’s my biggy. Most if not all contests have a copy of the score sheet for you to see before entering. So why, then, don’t writers read them? I had a couple of entries this year that were near perfect and could have been ready for publication but….the hero and heroine didn’t meet until too late or not at all! In our romance contest, they have to meet early. That is very apparent if you read the score sheet.
I may continue this thread on Thursday because it’s important for writers of every genre. Do I know everything? Far from it – that’s why after 25 years of being a writer, I still take classes too.
Right now my head is filled with the vision of MY car! I saw it yesterday but some man was driving it and wouldn’t give it to me! How rude! It was a brand new, purple Lamborghini! Sigh – I want that car!
