Kate Baggott's Blog: Cornfields of the Sea - Posts Tagged "writing-contests"
What People Like to Read
In December 2012 I won the America's Next Author Competition with a story called Finnegan & Grandfather Cheng.
In 2009, another Finnegan story called Finnegan at the Pioneer Graveyard, won the Dylan Days Creative Writing Contest.
A smart writer might conclude from these events that readers like 17 year-old Finnegan and the other characters I've been writing this series of stories about. A smart writer might write more Finnegan stories, or at least edit the stories she has on file and give readers what they actually like.
I am obviously not a smart writer. I have a streak of contrariness that insists readers should just like whatever I feel like writing...even if I haven't made those characters especially likable.
Luckily, I am not just a writer. I'm a mother whose kids have not taken to reading like ducks take to water. I'm also a teacher/instructor/lecturer whose students have always faced different kinds of challenges than I have personally. Fortunately, my kids have forced me to read books like the Captain Underpants Series and to learn how to deal with reading resistance.
Fortunately, I've taught people who don't speak English and been forced to learn to simplify my overwrought vocabulary.
Fortunately, I'm always broke due to the time I've dedicated to parenting, teaching, being contrary and writing instead of just making money.
My life choices mean I have to seek out opportunities that combine my four life interests. One opportunity I found recently is the Story Share Contest, The contest was designed to create materials for beginning readers. By beginning readers, the contest sponsors mean teen and adult readers who are confronting literacy issues to become better readers. As a parent and as an educator, that is something I have to support.
It actually inspired me to adapt another Finnegan story for the occasion. If I've done it properly,Finnegan, His Old Man and Uncle Reeve should appeal to beginning readers and Finnegan's other fans alike.
And, if not, I'll just go back to being contrary.
In 2009, another Finnegan story called Finnegan at the Pioneer Graveyard, won the Dylan Days Creative Writing Contest.
A smart writer might conclude from these events that readers like 17 year-old Finnegan and the other characters I've been writing this series of stories about. A smart writer might write more Finnegan stories, or at least edit the stories she has on file and give readers what they actually like.
I am obviously not a smart writer. I have a streak of contrariness that insists readers should just like whatever I feel like writing...even if I haven't made those characters especially likable.
Luckily, I am not just a writer. I'm a mother whose kids have not taken to reading like ducks take to water. I'm also a teacher/instructor/lecturer whose students have always faced different kinds of challenges than I have personally. Fortunately, my kids have forced me to read books like the Captain Underpants Series and to learn how to deal with reading resistance.
Fortunately, I've taught people who don't speak English and been forced to learn to simplify my overwrought vocabulary.
Fortunately, I'm always broke due to the time I've dedicated to parenting, teaching, being contrary and writing instead of just making money.
My life choices mean I have to seek out opportunities that combine my four life interests. One opportunity I found recently is the Story Share Contest, The contest was designed to create materials for beginning readers. By beginning readers, the contest sponsors mean teen and adult readers who are confronting literacy issues to become better readers. As a parent and as an educator, that is something I have to support.
It actually inspired me to adapt another Finnegan story for the occasion. If I've done it properly,Finnegan, His Old Man and Uncle Reeve should appeal to beginning readers and Finnegan's other fans alike.
And, if not, I'll just go back to being contrary.
Cornfields of the Sea
When I was in high school, I was lucky enough to be part of a writing workshop with author Barbara Greenwood. Every member of the workshop was to write a short story for a group anthology. I thought w
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