Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner!

I just wanted to take this moment to share our newest accomplishment here at the Sisterhood. We recently placed first -- for the second year in a row -- in the New Mexico Press Women's Awards. This isn't an award we take lightly because we are so grateful that the Press Women of New Mexico actually enjoyed our entries and felt we deserved a first place standing. Unfortunately, we did not go onto the national awards (it tends to get pretty pricey to enter if you want to compete on the national level), but hey, supposedly we have one of the best blogs in New Mexico, according to the New Mexico Press Women.

I wanted to share the judges comments, which I happened to find wonderfully encouraging:

❝Is it any surprise that a blog written by writers would win a blog writing award? The posts were entertaining and thought-provoking. Well-written, well-thought out posts leave readers clamoring for more.❞

To whomever was our judge, we wholeheartedly thank you for your lovely comments!

If you're interested in reading any of the award-winning posts we submitted for this year's contest then feel free:

• Fifty Shades of WTF? — written by Sister Stephanie
• The Story of a Navajo Code Talker: Interview with Nonfiction Author Judy Avila — written by Sister Mary Mary
• The Appeal of the Supernatural — written by Sister Lorena

Enjoy!

Since we're on the topic of writing contests, I also wanted to share a couple of other accomplishments with you, plus I want to get your thoughts -- check your pulse, in a sense -- when it comes to contests.

First, I wanted to share with our readers two other awards received by the sisters. Sister Lorena and I (Sister Mary Mary) both placed in the Soul-Making Keats Literary Awards earlier this year. I thought it was cool to be able to share a contest win with my fellow friend and writing companion! Back in March, I was also privileged and profoundly humbled to be asked back as a judge in a local youth fine arts literary contest. I judged all kinds of categories, from spoken word (which is a little like a poetry slam) to mini sagas and first chapters. I always enjoy reading other people's stories, especially young people, because it helps me see and understand what kind of work and ideas are influencing the young adult crowd.

When it comes to writing contests, I tend to be a bit biased since I would consider myself a bit of a contest addict. For a long time, contests felt more like something I was doing to pump up my own writing energy, but recently I've discovered that it pays to actually persevere and put yourself out there for these awards. Five years ago, if an agent or editor had asked me what my writing credentials were, including all contests, I would have stared blankly at him or her. Recently, I received that exact question. So, I sat down and methodically went through my list. I was incredibly shocked at what I'd accumulated over the years. Since my certificates tend to get filed away, I rarely look at the awards I've won, just creating a mental file of this one or that one when I feel the need to pull one out. But when I had to actually sift through my award's file, I kept coming across wins I hadn't thought about since I started this writing thing. And you know what? I discovered I had about a page and a half of writing credentials to list, some of those listed including the contests I've judged.

Moral to my story? It pays off to persist if you know what you're going after. Heck, you might even end up surprising yourself, much like I did!

Here's my question to you:  Are you actively pursuing a writing career through useful methods, such as contests? Or, are you being more passive than you probably should be, hoping the stars will align and everything will fall in your lap?

We've Won the NMPW Awards! (Oh, and a thing or two about bios.)

On behalf of each sister at the Sisterhood, Sister Lorena and I have accepted the annual New Mexico Press Women's first place award for best informational blog focusing on a specific topic (writing)!

We want to share this award with each and every one of our followers, readers, anonymous looky-loos, etc., because it's you who help make this blog a success. When we started Divine Secrets of the Writing Sisterhood two years ago, our goal was to write not only informational articles for our chosen audience, but to also engage in dialogue with other writers out there. Writing can be a lonely profession when left to oneself, but we at the Sisterhood believe that it doesn't have to be. I'm very proud of each and every one of my sisters and the fact that they have taken time out of their busy lives to contribute to the success of our blog! Thank you ladies for traveling the lonely road of publishing with me. At this point, I don't know if I could continue without you!
♥ Mary Mary

If you're interested in reading either of the two articles that Sister Lorena and I submitted for the contest, please feel free to click on the links below:

Interview with Western Author Melody Groves ~ by Mary Mary

To Err Is Human, To Learn Divine ~ by Lorena

♥   ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥

On to my thoughts about bios!

Perhaps you're one of those aspiring writers out there who doesn't believe in entering contests. I mean, why should you have to pay money to have your work read, right? Well, I hear ya, but you have to keep one thing in mind if you're looking for credibility in the publishing world —

What are you going to put in your bio?

I had just this question pop up for me last week. An agent requested my work with synopsis and the dreaded BIO! What could I actually say about myself that related to writing? Just like a resumé asks you to list all your up-to-date work history, a bio needs to include your writing and publishing history (and not a thing should be mentioned about the number of cats or dogs you live with). Sounds simple, right?

Well, not really.

Unless you're publishing articles, novels, stories, books, etc. on a regular basis, then you need to start somewhere. But where to begin? Contests, my friends! I've written about the usefulness of literary contests in the past and I continue to feel that they are not only great in getting your work read by those in the industry, but they can also open doors to other writing-related things as well. Five years ago, when I started writing my first novel, I didn't have one piece of writing cred to my name. Period. Now, this is what I list in my bio:

• The five awards I've won and the names of each since they are scattered across the country.
• The contests I've judged. FYI -- If I hadn't have won in a couple of those contests then I never would have been picked as a judge for the other ones.
• My association and membership with the state's writing group.
• The conferences I've attended.
• My educational background, which in the writing world is very important.
• The fact that I am actively writing another novel and give a hint as to what I'm writing.
• And now, I can add the award-winning Sisterhood blog!

I don't believe an aspiring author should write alone in a padded cell, devoid of all noise and the insight of others. If we did, we'd never get published, and I don't know about you, but that is my ultimate goal as a writer!

I encourage you, if you've never stepped into the contest waters, then do so. Try it out, see if you've got what it takes to win!

If you feel like sharing, I'd love to hear any great contest stories in the comments below (or any tips on bios that you might have)!

I'll Be the Judge (but You Could Be, Too!)

Put you're writing to the test.
Are you doing what you
need to do in order to
win that contest?

Over the past two years, I've been privileged enough to have helped judge both national and local literary contests. Literary contests are an undertaking that I believe every writer should experience on both sides of the fence. In a previous post, I shared my know-how when it comes to entering literary contests in "To Enter or not to Enter:  The Pros and Cons of Literary Contests." If you haven't read that post, then I encourage you to do so. Today's article will deal with the other side of that monster -- judging a literary contest.

Since we are currently in the throes of contest season, I thought this article would be beneficial to those of you out there who might be considering entering a contest. Whether you're a newbie at having your work judged, or you're a seasoned pro who has been at this for years, I believe there are a few suggestions that we could all find useful. As a judge, I've seen quite an array of manuscripts that range from well written, well plotted storylines, to aimless ramblings with little to no direction thrown on the page. So let's have a little guidance, shall we? What are those judges really looking for? What are the pitfalls that many writers tend to fall into? And how can you, my anxious writing friend, avoid a dreadful critique -- one that probably cost you a pretty penny to obtain. Here's what you can expect:

1. Follow the Rules ~ As a judge, nothing chaps my hide more than receiving an entry where the author thinks he/she is above the rules. I've seen manuscripts with teeny-tiny margins, excessively long synopses (a seven-page synopsis does not make for a happy judge), manuscripts that go well over the page number count for submission, funky fonts, etc. You name it, it's out there being turned in as "quality" work. I've actually deducted points when an author doesn't follow the rules. If he can't do it for a contest, what makes him think he can get away with thumbing his nose when it comes to submitting to an agent? Stick to the contest rules, plain and simple.
2. Synopsis ~ The. Bane. Of. Any. Writers. Existence! Yes, the synopsis is incredibly hard to write, but that doesn't mean the author should gloss over the whole plot and write a happy ending on the last line. First, know your genre and make sure you write the synopsis geared towards your target audience. Jump right into the plot of the story, make it flow, hit the best highlights, and give away the ending. Don't make your story one big mystery to figure out (that is, unless it's in the mystery category and then revelation is up for debate). As the judge, I need to know if the plot is even working, or perhaps it's not original enough, or perhaps it's not even plausible. And one last bit of advice with your synopsis (and some of you out there might argue with me on this one) -- Don't start with the words "My story is about . . . " or something similar. Your synopsis has to read like its own story. Leave all the introductory wording for your query letter.
3. Grammar and Mechanics ~ It always surprises me when I get an entry full of glaring grammar, formatting, punctuation, and verb tense mistakes. In my opinion, this is the one element where a writer can easily make the manuscript look professional. Get a useful, to the point, grammar guide, like Grammar for Dummies and have it next to you as you polish those 20-30 manuscript pages. You'll be glad you did.
4. Plot Structure and Pacing ~ After perusing countless manuscripts, the one bit of advice that I think any author should know when it comes to plot and storyline is originality. So, your main characters have "painful pasts" they are running from. Or perhaps one character inevitably ends up falling in love with another. Or they all end up in happy land in the end. But why? Why do these painful pasts mark your characters and how do these pasts affect them? What series of events causes them to meet and fall in love? I only ask that you not put them in happy land in the end unless there has been some fantastic crisis or obstacle they have overcome and we, the readers, really need that happy ending. As to pacing, don't bog down your first few pages with backstory. Most entries I judge generally lose me within the first few pages because the author is too busy explaining the grandfather or the mother-in-law's history. Start with some sort of crisis and keep the action moving from then on out.
5. Characters and Dialogue ~ Your characters so desperately want to be loved by the reader! What makes your main character pop off the page and sets him/her apart from all the others? Make sure your MC has a great, compelling backstory, but please, don't dump that backstory into the first ten pages. Give each one of them some sort of specific trait or characteristic, but don't make it clichéd. Even the minor characters. Avoid creating every secretary to look cheap with big boobs and blonde hair or every cop seem crooked. Give them variety. Same goes for the dialogue. Not only do your characters want to be loved, but they also want to be heard (but not sound ridiculous when they open their mouths to speak). Each one is unique, so really think about the dialogue and how your main character would speak. Does she have an accent? Is she educated? Does she use a certain dialogue line that is hers and hers alone? Make it believable, and please, please use dialogue tags properly. And remember, your dialogue must move the story along in a meaningful way. Avoid writing random conversations -- make them have a point in the story.
6. Point of View ~ You wouldn't think this would be a tricky element to work with, but I have to admit (and I've been guilty of this at times as well) that many new writers run right off the tracks with POV. Don't head hop, which basically means you are in and out of every characters head without even letting the reader know. Distinguish when you plan to change POV (usually with the three asterisks [***] the universal way to separate POV and scenes, or by simply starting a new chapter). When in one character's head, make sure she isn't noticing things about herself unless there is a mirror right in front of her (ex: "she had reddened eyes" or "a sinister smile crept onto his face"). How do they know if their eyes or red or if their smile is perceived as sinister? Keep POV where it needs to be.

You might be wondering what I mean by saying you could be a judge, too. I recently had someone ask me how an unpublished writer is allowed to judge contests. Simple -- win or place in the contest. Most contests are surprisingly very selective in who they choose as judges. I'm a preliminary reader (meaning I don't judge the final round, except in one contest I did) and my job is to weed out the manuscripts that need work and I pass the ones that work on the page onto the final judge (usually a published author or an agent or editor). It can be both a humbling and aggravating experience. Here are three ways to get on the judging side:

• Ask around at just about any local writing venue you might know. You'd be surprised at how many local writing contests are out there. 
• Contact your contest chair at your local writer's group. 
• Place or win in an annual contest that is usually scouting the winners for preliminary round judges.

My advice is to enter contests (But please, only the ones that work for your genre. Don't force a square peg into a round hole!) and, if at all possible, taste the judging side of writing for yourself as well. You will most certainly be able to relate to others out there who are struggling through the process as much as you are.

How about for you? Have you ever sat on the judging side of the fence? If so, what was your experience like?


★ Hop on over to The Random Book Review and take a look at my read for this week!

To Enter or Not to Enter: The Pros and Cons of Literary Contests

High levels of frustration
got you down?

When I first started writing I had no idea what I was doing, just as many of you out there probably felt the first time you sat down to put a great idea on the page. I wrote the first draft of my first novel and believed I had written my soul and there was nothing else I wanted to do with my creation.

It's not that I didn't believe I'd written something great/earth-shattering/the next amazing breakout novel, it's just that I needed to write my book in order for a part of me to heal. Once I was done, I had no great ambitions.

Flash forward a year later. (Oh, the difference a year makes!)

I pulled out my novel and really considered what to do with it. Publish it, of course! Until I read all the publishers' websites and realized that they didn't take anything unsolicited. Period. What next, I thought. One publisher's website suggested Writer's Market, so I headed out and picked up the three-inch thick tome of wisdom and thought I'd struck gold. Did any other writers know about this holy grail full of agents, publishers, and contest info? No, I must be the only one. Right? So, I read it. One article focused on contests and how the author of the article had found his way in the writing world by navigating this route. Thus, I started on my long journey of entering literary contests.

Now, if you read my bio, you'll see that I've won some awards for my writing. Out of those I've won or placed in, I don't think I can begin to tell you how much money sifted through my hands because of all the others I entered but earned squat. Contests can really help your writing (I'd say career, but just give me a minute on that one) but there is also a very dark side to those enticing cash prizes and supposed claims to fame. A side that no article, agent, publisher, or even contest chair warns the participants about. But I will!

The Pros of literary contests include the following:

1) Your work is finally our there for others to read. This, in a nutshell, is what we all want.
2) If you win or place, it is the most fantastic feeling in the world, as if yes, you've finally arrived.
3) If a contest includes a critique, this is incredibly helpful to any writer, mainly because these are people    who don't know you (meaning not your mother, sister, aunt, good friends, etc.) who have anonymously read your work and agree that it is either praiseworthy or crap that needs a lot of revising.
4) If the contest allows for the readers to read their work in front of God and everyone at the conference, jump at the chance. It allows for you to see the affect your writing has on others (When I did a reading of one of mine, I had people coming up to me really wanting to know what happened next, and I only read the Prologue!)
5) Of course, the money, if there is a great cash prize (otherwise it can be a bit disheartening to receive a check that's hardly worth the paper it's printed on, or just a nice pat on the back for placing).

The Cons of literary contests include the following:

1) The amount of money you'll find yourself shelling out (My cheapest contest was $5 and my most expensive was $100. Quite a range, if you ask me). We all want to be told that our work is great, but be careful!
2) Unprofessional/unqualified critiquers/judges. (I found myself overly irate with the last contest I entered. The critiquer was clearly unqualified to be critiquing my category -- It had nothing to do with my writing, but instead all of my research that they "picked apart". This person really had no idea what he/she was talking about -- so I sent a letter to the contest chair. In the end, it seems it's always the writer's fault. I was picked to critique in the same contest, and believe me, having been published was not a requirement. You just needed to know how to put a coherent sentence together.)
3) Conferences connected to contest banquets and results. (I'll probably post later on down the line about my aversion to conferences, but when they try to fleece the winners/finalists of all their winnings by attaching a conference to the contest results that really chaps my hide. We are writers. We have no money.)
4) Little to no honesty concerning entrants. (What I mean here, is that most contests don't have a cap on the number of entries they receive. Depending on the contest, that could either be good or bad. Major literary contests need a cap, otherwise you're competing amongst a few hundred other entrants per category. For small, local, or largely unknown contests it's not much of a problem. I would actually direct most writers along these routes because so few people enter. Do beware of contests that seem sketchy or the cash prize is so big that it makes you wonder. More often than not it's a scam.)
5) The fact that you sent off a crappy manuscript when it's too late to do anything about it. (Most contests specifically state that if you made corrections after mailing out your entry, then you'll have to pretty much send out a new entry with another check and everything. Here, it's the author's fault. Read through your work, make the corrections, and make sure it's the best thing you're capable of writing before slapping a stamp on that envelope. Otherwise, you are most definitely wasting your money.)

Enter a literary
contest and
see what happens!

My hope is that, in some small way at least, I gave you some direction on whether literary contests are a good option for you or not (I still tend to be a sucker for entering them ☺). For me, they have brought little fame and no agents/editors ringing my phone off the hook. In my experience with querying and pitching, I don't even really think agents care too much about contests and whether you've won them or not (at least that's the impression I get when I'm met with their glazed-over expressions). But shouldn't that say something about my work, that it's not only received all this great feedback and accolades from anonymous sources, but that it's also generated so much interest among my peers that they feel compelled to ask how the story continues? I guess not. In the literary world, unpublished is still unpublished.