I am very honored that my MG entry into the Smartwriters.com W.I.N. contest, Yamabushi and the Seven Gods of Happiness, took an honorable mention. Many thank-yous to Cynthia Leitich Smith, who judged the MG segment.
I am also more than a little befuddled. Yamabushi was a last-minute thing. I wrote a first chapter and an outline only to cement an idea, and I would consider it by far the weakest entry I made. I thought my YAs were much stronger (as well as completed).
Let this be a lesson to me: I have to understand what made Yamabushi more appealing that the YAs. Was it the story? The hook? Or the synopsis? Am I so close to my own work that I don’t know which story is better or more likely to sell?
Either way, I am still thrilled to be mentioned among this group of excellent writers. I’ve been wondering which novel idea to pursue as my next project. Now I know.
August 1st, 2006 at 10:52 am
Congratulations on the Honorable Mention!!! That’s wonderful news. And even better, the award gives you an idea of how readers are responding to your work (and where to go from here).
August 1st, 2006 at 11:00 am
You’re absolutely right: It’s terrific to get this kind of feedback. I’ve always wanted to to hand a stack of first chapters and synopses to an editor and say, “which one grabs you.”
August 1st, 2006 at 11:22 am
Well, bawk-bawk-ba-GAWK! Congrats on the Honorable Mention!!
August 1st, 2006 at 11:45 am
Congratulations!!! It should be interesting to see your comparision of what won and what didn’t. I hope you learns things that help you hone your manuscripts.
August 1st, 2006 at 12:03 pm
Congratulations! Yes, the mystery of writing and what we think is our best work and what others think! Even when I get critiques, there will be parts that I think are “iffy” and perhaps need to go, and then the critiquer will say that is the part they loved, whereas the parts *I* think are brilliant ; )are the ones that are red-lined! Yep, mystery!
Hurray, on your terrific recognition!
August 1st, 2006 at 12:27 pm
Congratulations! I’m very happy for you!
August 1st, 2006 at 1:13 pm
Thanks!!
August 1st, 2006 at 1:16 pm
Thanky much, cowpoke.
August 1st, 2006 at 1:17 pm
Thanks!!
August 1st, 2006 at 1:41 pm
I would do the comparison publicly if I weren’t so, erm, chicken.
August 1st, 2006 at 6:55 pm
congratulations to you thunderchickin!!!!!!!!!!!!!
August 2nd, 2006 at 6:09 am
Congratulations thunderchikin! (btw, have I ever told you what a great name you have?!)
B
August 2nd, 2006 at 6:27 am
CONGRATULATIONS!
August 2nd, 2006 at 7:58 am
You would be the first. Thanks!
August 2nd, 2006 at 3:55 pm
Congrats!!!! I too sometimes get baffled by how people respond to different work????
August 5th, 2006 at 7:53 pm
Excellent!
Maybe you are just improving as you go and as the last thing you wrote, this piece incorporated all the little lessons you’ve picked up along the way with your other work.
August 7th, 2006 at 6:40 pm
Nah, I’m not improving. Blind pig syndrome.