tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29864506.post6963813423076498347..comments2023-11-03T05:49:10.841-04:00Comments on Storytelling Rules: On ContestsMaureen McGowanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00494408580378817045noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29864506.post-3004524694239845312008-02-21T17:17:00.000-05:002008-02-21T17:17:00.000-05:00interesting to hear things from the 'other side' *...interesting to hear things from the 'other side' *g*<BR/><BR/>i had a twilight kind of moment this year when one contest judge gave me, i think, 70 out of 130 points, and another gave me 130 out of 130. they had to bring in a tie-breaker - who scored more or less in the middle of the two. it was quite surreal.<BR/><BR/>maureen - i am willing to do first-round judging for golden opp, if you need more such people.M.https://www.blogger.com/profile/07498466631016466048noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29864506.post-65981186399054369262008-02-21T13:09:00.000-05:002008-02-21T13:09:00.000-05:00Our contest really is great, Annette. And we have ...Our contest really is great, Annette. <BR/><BR/>And we have training for the first round judges now. (Didn't back in 2003.)<BR/><BR/>But with contests, there always is an element of luck involved too. <BR/><BR/>I hope you enter and do very well. We do have FABULOUS final round judges.Maureen McGowanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00494408580378817045noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29864506.post-66847684511942214062008-02-21T13:06:00.000-05:002008-02-21T13:06:00.000-05:00LOL Even after all that, I'm still planning to ent...LOL Even after all that, I'm still planning to enter your chapter's contest. The final judges are so good I'm taking my chances, hoping things work in my favour. But if not, I plan to keep plugging away. Timing and luck are one thing, but so is persistence. :-)<BR/><BR/>Overall, joining my critique group has been the best thing for me in terms of feedback. And judging contests really opens your eyes as well.Annette Gallanthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17139138912473286143noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29864506.post-34000446068073373192008-02-21T08:42:00.000-05:002008-02-21T08:42:00.000-05:00Oh, absolutely, Maureen. I have to agree with the...Oh, absolutely, Maureen. I have to agree with the suggestions before I make changes but more often than not, my gut is saying the same thing. I know something isn't working...<BR/><BR/>Sinead, definitely a critique group is an option. I use contests for feedback as I don't wish to allocate time to analyzing other people's work (that makes me sound like a selfish bastard, doesn't it?).<BR/><BR/>That's the same reason I pay for a pre-editor. It really depends on what you wish to allocate - time or money.Kimber Chinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13658012405712901099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29864506.post-88050688085554717062008-02-21T01:06:00.000-05:002008-02-21T01:06:00.000-05:00And Sinead. Yes. A strong critique group takes awa...And Sinead. Yes. A strong critique group takes away the need to use contests for critiques. (See my rant last week about the ABNA contestants who seem to think the contest was a critique group. A critique group in public??? Crazy.)Maureen McGowanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00494408580378817045noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29864506.post-74163957534572670632008-02-21T01:04:00.000-05:002008-02-21T01:04:00.000-05:00Kimber, I know other people who use contests that ...Kimber, I know other people who use contests that way, too. Of course, one person's b**ch is another's interesting character... so I'd just be cautious not to put too much weight in one opinion. But you know this. I'm preachin' to the choir.Maureen McGowanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00494408580378817045noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29864506.post-75448711192026095232008-02-20T21:27:00.000-05:002008-02-20T21:27:00.000-05:00I think I've missed some important contests, but t...I think I've missed some important contests, but they are so hit and miss for me. <BR/>And I have a great critique group, so the critique's from them aren't as important to me.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29864506.post-12372068783713879532008-02-20T14:21:00.000-05:002008-02-20T14:21:00.000-05:00Okay.LOLBrace yourself for my strange use of conte...Okay.<BR/><BR/>LOL<BR/><BR/>Brace yourself for my strange use of contests (you've heard this before, Maureen, so you might want to take a nap or something). <BR/><BR/>I use contests to test concepts, motivation, characters, etc. That's it. I submit the first draft of everything (scary, I know) and my sketched out first run of the synopsis. <BR/><BR/>I send this mess to contests where I'm guaranteed to get feedback. Then I brace for the harshness. I believe I received mid 30's (out of a 100) in my last entry.<BR/><BR/>But those 30's are priceless. <BR/><BR/>In one, I heard that the financial quest novel didn't have a big enough "treasure." Awesome. Turns out the treasure I settled on did wonderful things for the storyline. <BR/><BR/>In another, I heard that my heroine was too much of a b**ch. I switched the story around so a softer moment came first. <BR/><BR/>I'm very happy that our contest is open to published yet not quite PAN authors. I thought this fast track on feedback was closed to me.Kimber Chinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13658012405712901099noreply@blogger.com