Entered another contest

So, I've come a long way from the last time I entered a contest a few months back. If you remember, entering contests is the best way to gain credits and awards you can list when trying to find a publisher or agent for your book. Sense I have never published anything, nor do I have any applicable education, I need the help.

Contests also give you a chance to get your writing style and publication out in front of people in the industry. Almost all contests final rounds are judged by an editor from a publishing house and an agent in the field you are writing. Each contest is further broken down by genra. So the editor and agent that would judge my submission; should I make it to the final round, would be in the paranormal publishing business. Sweet hu?

Even if you don't make the finals, there is still the feedback forms. Each first round judge will comment within your document; what they like, didn't like, is missing, needs work on, etc. Usually, there are three first round judges and they are published members of the local organization hosting the contest. I've been told to keep track of nice things these published authors say about the chapter to use as further enticement when promoting my book.

I think I have a pretty good chance of making the finals this time. I've undergone another major understanding in the need to cut back on backstory and how to reduce so many words that weaken sentences and paragraphs. Also, this time I have a prepared synopsis to submit. The synopsis is not judged, but it can help the judges determine your ability to complete the project and let them see how you are building up to it. My last contest, all of my first round judges said I probably would have scored higher if I'd submitted a synopsis; I still averaged out around 69 out of a possible 100. Which pleased the shit out of me, considering how much work I ended up doing on that chapter later on.

I'm going over to my Wolf Cub blog and post up my submission as entered; synopsis, prologue, and Chapter 1. If you are interested, you can check it out. I think there is a link on the sidebar under Where I Spend My Time. And yeah, I expect there are still things wrong with it. At this point, nearly a year after writing the first chapter, I'm thinking there will always be something wrong with it. LOL

The finalist of each category will not be notified until October 30, non-finalist will receive their scores and documented files back in November, and the winner of each category will be notified on December 20th (which coincidentally is Becky's birthday). So I won't know anything for a while, but you can be sure I'll post regardless of how I do.