Writing Contests: Part Two

Well, who could resist the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Contest, anyway? $50,000—or at least $15,000 and a trip to Seattle, which is a lovely city, with fine coffee. So, I entered The Wandering Duke. The Second Round 400 were announced on February 13. My book wasn’t one of them. Which is fine by me. I’m ready to bring The Wandering Duke out through CreateSpace as soon as I paint the cover painting. It’s suddenly begun selling on Amazon, and just got its first review! If the point of the contest is to promote CreateSpace, it’s not aimed at authors already comfortable using the platform. My emotional devastation lasted maybe five seconds. But I did click on one of the discussions, and saw a really disturbing post from a writer ready to give up because her book wasn’t chosen. She was ready to give up, give in, felt worthless because she would never find a publisher, or an agent, or be a writer.

Within an hour, there were probably 25 posts telling her not to give up. I added mine, with the detail that being published is no guarantee once sales drop off, and an agent may love your work but still be unable to sell it. I told her to take her own good hand and publish herself—Kindle and CreateSpace need cost you nothing, except for proofs and copies. But what she really needs is a writer’s support group.

Ours came together when I stopped teaching writers workshops and the students wanted to stay together for mutual support. It was years before I hooked up with them again, but the experience has been invaluable. We meet once a month in a book store. We share—experiences, tips, heartaches, technical expertise. The group pointed me toward e-publishing, indie-publishing, setting up a website and doing a blog. Members have written books together, done promotions, book fairs, signings. A traditional photographer became a digital cover designer, and is now working internationally. We’ve gone from support to cross-fertilization!

We have no dues, no officers, no name to put on t-shirts, and no rules except to support one another. Guys, I would not be where I am without you, and I wish every writer out there in this lonely world had such a group to belong to!