To Enter or Not to Enter - That is the Question

Sorry ladies and gents, my internet has been down all weekend and I've just had an opportunity to post. But, better late than never, right?

Okay - we told you it's a celebration week here at The Writers Alley, but I don't want to leave you without a bit of knowledge too.
So...
Why do people enter writing contests?
Well, I can only speak for myself, but here are a few of the reasons I've entered seven contests in the past 14 months.

1. CHEAP (a few were really inexpensive and caught my eye)
2. to LEARN (how can I improve my writing?)
3. to WIN (who doesn't want that, right? Come on, be honest)
4. to CATCH the eye of a Publisher - ('nough said)

I entered my first contest when I attended the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference last May (2009). I'd just finished the Journeyman course through Christian Writers Guild, polished my WIP to the best of my ability, and wanted to get some valuable feedback. Truly. I NEVER imagined winning the overall Award of Excellence in Christian Literature. In fact, I didn't even stay for the awards banquet because I had to get home to take care of my kids. AAHHHH!

With that encouragement, I entered my second contest - The Golden Rose, an RWA contest. I placed third.

Wow, I was smokin' now, right? Publication couldn't be far away now, RIGHT? NOT - the next three contests ended in no finals, only LOTS of intense comments on how my writing needed to improve. (though in the Linda Howard, my scoring placed me in fourth) ;-) I gleaned important info from those judges and with fear and trepidation I entered...

THE GENESIS

Oh my, with the great reputation of the Genesis, I knew I'd benefit from whatever the judges had to say, but the REAL, honest, totally human reason I entered was...to WIN.
There, I wrote it for all the world to see.
I wanted to have my name announced at ACFW, possibly go before some editors, you know? "Livin' the dream, baby" :-)

But my dream, and the contest judges' comments, didn't quite agree. They gave thorough feedback in mnay cases, and even though I was disappointed, I ended up learning a lot about how I could improve the story I'd thought was nearly perfect. Sigh.

It was a very good thing that I didn't receive the Genesis scores back until AFTER I'd entered the TARA (Tampa Area Romance Authors) contest. If I'd read those judges' reactions to my manuscript before the TARA, I wouldn't have 'wasted' my money (or the judges' time) on another contest until my novel was in better shape.

But I entered the TARA for one reason. Only one. An editor from Barbour was the finalist judge. I LOVE Barbour's books. I READ Barbour's books. Mary Connealy, Janice Thompson, Kaye Dacus, Marylu Tyndall...
Why not try it? (#4 reason on my list)

So here I am, celebrating with you guys. Only a few weeks ago, I got a call that I'd finaled in the TARA. Revisions, plus a synopsis were submitted, and now the waiting begins. Will the Barbour editor read my work and think "Wow, this lady is an editor's dream!"?
Probably not :-)

But HER input will be a great list to add to the many others.

So I'm celebrating. Waiting for the end of September when word comes back about my placement, but right now I'm just tickled to final.

Contests are subjective, you know. If you enter them for more than the 'winning' reason, you'll glean so much more from the process.

And who knows?
Suprises might be in store for you too.

So, have you guys entered contests? Why did you enter them, or what has kept you from entering them?

Btw, THIS JUST IN - Sherrinda is the guest of honor on Kaye Dacus blog today. There's another thing worth celebrating, so stop on by to tell her 'hidee'. :-)