Monday, October 8, 2012

My SYTYCW Top Ten…by Jennifer Faye

This is the Top Ten things I learned and experienced from my participation in Harlequin’s 2012 “So You Think You Can Write” Contest. Grab your cup of coffee or tea and pull up a seat.


  1. I’m not a scaredy cat after all…


Well, maybe just a little. J Remember my blog post from last week, where I dared myself to get out there and talk to new friends and old acquaintances? Well, I found that the more I put myself out there and pointed people in the direction of my entry, the easier it got. Now, don’t get me wrong, my insides still shivered and quaked. And for a moment, I envisioned them laughing themselves silly, but it didn’t stop me. I pushed onward. Besides, once they had the link and went off to read, it was totally out of my hands.
 

  1. Promo is akin to mindbender games
 

Seriously have you ever tried to take a novel and shrink it down to less then 140 characters. Oh my goodness. Let me tell you it’s like a puzzle. And don’t forget you need to leave room for the link and hashtag. And then you wonder if you can break grammar rules to make it fit. But then you worry because this is, after all, for a book promo. If people see you breaking grammar rules in the promo, won’t they begin to wonder about the quality of the book? LOL.
 

  1. I am not alone
 

As the voting for “So You Think You Can Write” got underway, social networks provided an avenue for some of the entrants to reach out to each other. Definitely lots of virtual hand holding going on this past week. It’s been quite a nerve-wracking, nail-biting journey. LOL. But made so much better by the support from the other wonderful entrants. Together we watched for any snippets of information concerning the wild card picks and those illustrious top 25 spots. Wish I could say I have a source inside the hallowed halls of Harlequin but I’m as much in the dark as the rest of you. J Is it Friday yet? Pleeease.
 

  1. I’ve gained a new form of procrastination
 

Twitter. Seriously I spend way too much time on it. But it’s fun and it's an immediate source of information. Plus, there are lots of new friends to make on there. But you know you’ve been on it too long when your forearms and fingers grow stiff and achy by lunchtime. You know it’s time to shut down and slowly back away from the computer. J
 

  1. Somebody’s watching me
 

No, not in the stalker way. <shakes head> But people are paying attention to what I put into cyberspace. There’s a difference between putting your best foot forward with promotion and bombarding people with “Vote for me” messages. I’m trying to walk that very fine line, not saying I’m always right on it. I may have hit the ‘send’ key a time or two more than necessary. But when promotion is done right, people notice. And I have gotten very kind messages from people I’ve never talked to before, letting me know that I’ve done a good job and they’ve noticed. I am so touched by these short messages. What more could I ask for?
 

  1. Editors are among us
 

It isn’t like writers have their space and editors have theirs. With the aid of modern technology, we all share the same cyberspace. So be careful what you say, you never know who might be listening. And sometimes when you do say the right thing, the editors highlight it.
 

  1. Generosity can come from the must unexpected places

I’ve been amazed by not only my wonderful friends but also the people I vaguely know whether from a writing group or via a friend or sparkly new people I’ve just met online. Out of the goodness of their hearts, they’ve helped promote me and my entry by tweeting about it, mentioning it in blogs, recommending it to their friends and even placing it in an online newpaper. Wow! I am in total awe of these wonderful people and touched by their generosity. In turn, their amazing kindness makes me want to pay it forward. *big squishy smile*

  1. Take a chance, it might pay off

Even though I’m not published, I’ve noticed how putting myself out there on the various social networks has numerous benefits. I’m thrilled about the friendly people I’ve met just saying ‘hello’ and wishing them a good day. Try it. You'll be amazed at the doors a friendly greeting can open.

  1. Sleep is overrated

Seriously I’ve learned to live on tea. Hot chai or cold black tea lemonade, it doesn’t matter. As long as it has caffeine, I’m good. That is the fuel this determined writer runs on. And don’t even get me started on the size of my gigantic mugs. LOL. Seriously when you stumble into bed with caffeine still coursing through your veins, new ideas for pitch lines percolating in your mind and counting off the hours until you can focus solely on whether the H/h should kiss on page 35 or 95 in your new WIP, how are you supposed to sleep?

P.S When this is over, I’m totally sleeping in. Hello pillow! J

10.  And last but not least: Winning isn’t everthing…
 

I haven’t the foggiest who will win this contest. There are far too many variables to even hazard a guess. Remember the editors get to pick the final three in the next round. Those trained eyes will see things that we, the writers, might miss. But no matter who is crowned the winner, I have no doubt that they’ll have a great story and I’m looking forward to reading it.
 

But for those of us who don’t get that special notification, we are still all winners in my book. We’ve taken a big step forward by entering the competition. Now we must keep going. Keep writing and submitting. Your day is coming… Hopefully mine is too. <fingers firmly crossed>
 
***
 

The contest is now closed to new entries. But it’s never too early to work on something for next year’s contest. Check out all of the valuable information from the editors and authors:

http://www.soyouthinkyoucanwrite.com/

Voting will continue once PER day through October 11th. It is open to the public, so anyone can vote.

Please take a moment and check out these amazing entries. If you find one that you are quite fond of, please vote. You can find all of the entries sorted by line here:

http://www.soyouthinkyoucanwrite.com/manuscripts/

And if you are curious about my entry “Her Cowboy Hero” you can check it out here:

http://www.soyouthinkyoucanwrite.com/manuscripts/her-cowboy-hero/

 

24 comments:

  1. Great post, Jennifer. :)
    One of my favorite parts of contests is the online community, particularly Twitter. You can share, chat, offer support, etc., instantly. Love it!
    Fabulous list. Thanks so much for sharing. I'm off to tweet the link. ;)

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    1. Hi, Tina. Thanks for stopping by. And I totally agree, the online community is tops. :-)

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  2. Great post, Jennifer!!
    The writer community out there is fantastic! Good luck!

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    1. Hi! So glad you liked the post. I'm still so new to this blogging thing that it really makes me nervous.

      And thank you. I appreciate the good wishes. :-)

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  3. Great post, Jen!!! You definitely deserve the sleep you have coming your way! :-) Best of luck!!

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    1. Thanks Victoria for all of the help. :-)

      And I am so looking forward to that early night and lazy morning in bed. I love my pillow. LOL.

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    2. P.S. Happy Thanksgiving!!! Thanks for taking time out of your holiday to check out my post. :-)

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  4. Great post Jen! So funny! Caffeine has been my best friend too :) And agree with everything you've said. Hopefully we catch the eye of some editors and we all gain from the experience! I know I have. The writing community has been amazingly giving in their support. Good luck!

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    1. Am delighted you liked the post. I was really worried if it was any good or not. I'm still a newbie at blogging. :-)

      As for the caffeine, as I write this I am drinking a glass of Mello Yello Zero and a big mug of English Breakfast tea. The problem w/ trying to drink caffeine two-fisted is you have to type w/ your toes. Ugh! LOL.

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  5. Wonderful post, Jen! So you're discovering the wonders of caffeine? I don't think I'd be a writer without it. I'm about to indulge right now!

    I'm so glad you took this risk, and I am crossing my fingers that your time is coming very soon. Thanks for another insightful post. xx

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    1. Thanks Natalie! Glad you enjoyed the post.

      I used to run on caffeine when I was still at the day job and pulling down serious O/T. And here I thought those days were over. LOL.

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  6. Great Post Jen. Once again you amaze me seeing the big picture and simplify it, kind of like writing a blog for 120K book. You've got guts and I'm so proud of you for taking that next step forward. Keep up the good work -the world out there is nothing to be afraid of. Your a great person and writer and I look forward to seeing: (1) your work in print, (2) your name blasting across headlines and most importantly (3) the two of us staying in touch.

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    1. Oh Virginia, you are the best!!! Thanks so much for the vote of confidence. Really appreciate it. Especially after I scrolled down to the comments and on the way found a typo on my post. Ugh!!!

      And don't worry, we'll definitely stay in touch. :-)

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  7. I have totally enjoyed meeting the other writers on Twitter and have to say I too spend wayyy to much time on there!

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    1. Thanks for dropping by and chatting. :-)

      Twitter is awesome, fun and informative. But you're right, I spend way too much time on it. LOL.

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  8. You are so right, in my world, caffeine is a food group! I have a giant monkey mug I love!

    This whole process has been good for me. I have read many of the entries, not near all, I work and go to school as well as write. I have never written a romance piece before so this was a good stretch for me. I am way out of my comfort zone and it is fun. If you actually need anything else to read check out my blog http://callawayjeri.blogspot.com/2012/10/the-dream.html The link is to a story that would never fit a romance contest. There are a couple other shorts there as well. it might recharge your battery for more of the fun stuff.

    I have attempted to Tweet, not so good at it. But hello to all the other writers this has been a wonderful experience you all are a great group of people.

    http://www.soyouthinkyoucanwrite.com/manuscripts/curveball/ That is my entry, not even close to the average romance entry, but a real fun, interesting story follows the first chapter. Ta ta.

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    1. Hi! Thanks so much for stopping by to chat. :-)

      Glad to know I'm not the only out of her comfort zone but it's good for us. And you'll get the hang of Twitter soon enough. Then you'll be like the rest of us who spend too much time on it. LOL.

      I checked out your entry. I really enjoyed it. It's such a fun story. Good luck!!!

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    2. Thank you. Twitter is an art form and my brush seems not to work on the canvas!

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  9. Be careful with Twitter. I got hacked on there, and it was a nightmare. My computer had to go to the Pro-Shop for the first time in years.

    Good luck on your contest, Jennifer. By the way I'm following you on Blogger.

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    1. Sandy, thanks for so much stopping by. So sorry to hear you had such a bad experience w/ a hacker.

      Thanks for the good wishes and glad to have you following. :-)

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  10. Many words of wisdom tweeted here, Jennifer. I've got to get to grips with Twitter - I tried 'joining the conversation', but my words seem to disappear into the ether. Never mind as a Twitter fledgling I just have to learn to fly.... Warm regards Carrie Brady

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    1. Hi, Carrie. Glad you liked the post. :-)

      Give Twitter some time, I'm sure you'll get the hang of it. It'll most likely grow on you.

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  11. These are all great points, Jen, for those in all phases of their writing careers. As for Twitter, I do find it terribly addictive which is why for sometimes weeks at a time (like now) I simply turn it off to focus on my writing without distractions. But social media is important and it is an invaluable tool. When done right, promotion and networking can lead to great things - I can tell that this experience is really resulting in a positive outcome for you and that's great. Best of luck in the competition. Your entry is great:-)

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    1. Hi, Olivia! Thanks for stopping by. Glad you liked the post. That's another thing I've gotten out of this SYTYCW experience, less stress over writing a blog post. Although I'm still a newbie and struggle to come up with thoughtful/entertaining ideas.

      Thanks for the kind words and good wishes. We're almost at the end of the line. Friday they'll announce the list of finalists and I have sooo many favorites. Can't wait! :-)

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