Comments on: A contest? Might as well. http://onefinemess.rhinopanda.net/2010/03/04/a-contest-might-as-well/ The blog formerly known as Onefinemess. Thu, 09 Sep 2010 15:57:32 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: onefinemess http://onefinemess.rhinopanda.net/2010/03/04/a-contest-might-as-well/#comment-3716 onefinemess Wed, 07 Apr 2010 17:30:26 +0000 http://onefinemess.rhinopanda.net/?p=1753#comment-3716 I'd forgotten about this, then found a draft of the submission email in one of my email accounts. Evidently they haven't picked a winner yet? Correction, yes they have it just wasn't announced on that blog? http://workflowwriting.com/21528/contest-winners-announced-urban-fantasy-and-paranormal-romance.php I notice that all the winners were women. I wonder what the ratio of men to women entrants once? The genre definitely seems to be dominated by women currently - which is also why I don't read much of it. Too much focus on the romance and relationship angles for me in every book I have picked up to check out (by a female writer in this genre) so far. I'm going to try my best to drag the genre farther from Romance style plotting and closer to Fantasy style... we'll see how that goes. I’d forgotten about this, then found a draft of the submission email in one of my email accounts. Evidently they haven’t picked a winner yet? Correction, yes they have it just wasn’t announced on that blog?

http://workflowwriting.com/21528/contest-winners-announced-urban-fantasy-and-paranormal-romance.php

I notice that all the winners were women. I wonder what the ratio of men to women entrants once? The genre definitely seems to be dominated by women currently – which is also why I don’t read much of it. Too much focus on the romance and relationship angles for me in every book I have picked up to check out (by a female writer in this genre) so far.

I’m going to try my best to drag the genre farther from Romance style plotting and closer to Fantasy style… we’ll see how that goes.

]]> By: mary http://onefinemess.rhinopanda.net/2010/03/04/a-contest-might-as-well/#comment-3578 mary Mon, 15 Mar 2010 17:19:09 +0000 http://onefinemess.rhinopanda.net/?p=1753#comment-3578 Yeah, weird on the male thing, huh? I found that funny. Yeah, weird on the male thing, huh? I found that funny.

]]> By: Onefinemess » contest entry sent off http://onefinemess.rhinopanda.net/2010/03/04/a-contest-might-as-well/#comment-3564 Onefinemess » contest entry sent off Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:35:08 +0000 http://onefinemess.rhinopanda.net/?p=1753#comment-3564 [...] A contest? Might as well. [...] [...] A contest? Might as well. [...]

]]> By: onefinemess http://onefinemess.rhinopanda.net/2010/03/04/a-contest-might-as-well/#comment-3548 onefinemess Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:13:18 +0000 http://onefinemess.rhinopanda.net/?p=1753#comment-3548 I figure the words thing is just a great equalizer. You can weed out the weak stuff fast enough and there's probably enough there for some decent rankings amongst the stronger. Also, some of us don't have access to editor friends or have money to spend on the freelance ones :P Hmm. I haven't been to pubrants in months, I always forget about it but people eventually wind up linking to her. I used to read it back when I first started writing, as I was going through <a href="http://misssnark.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">Miss Snark's</a> blog. I'll check it out. Interesting that they want "male" writers. What are we, meat for you to look at ! ;) I figure the words thing is just a great equalizer. You can weed out the weak stuff fast enough and there’s probably enough there for some decent rankings amongst the stronger.

Also, some of us don’t have access to editor friends or have money to spend on the freelance ones :P

Hmm. I haven’t been to pubrants in months, I always forget about it but people eventually wind up linking to her. I used to read it back when I first started writing, as I was going through Miss Snark’s blog. I’ll check it out. Interesting that they want “male” writers. What are we, meat for you to look at ! ;)

]]> By: mary http://onefinemess.rhinopanda.net/2010/03/04/a-contest-might-as-well/#comment-3546 mary Mon, 08 Mar 2010 23:36:59 +0000 http://onefinemess.rhinopanda.net/?p=1753#comment-3546 Nope, not done yet. But thanks :-). I've been thinking on this contest more and more (not in regards to my work, but in regards to whether, IF I was ready would I do it? If that makes one iota of sense...) And I've come up with, "No, I wouldn't." Mainly due to this: "The first 150-200 words of your unpublished, book-length work of urban fantasy or paranormal romance (adult or YA - both accepted)." 150-200 words??? I have a super hard time thinking they'll be able to judge the worthiness of any full-length story based upon that little tad of info. Able to judge writing quality--yes (to a limited degree). But that's not even short short story length! It's too trimmed down in my opinion and therefore not a worth it contest. Just my two cents. Though the prize would probably be helpful. However, a good editor could offer the same (as many good editors either freelance for, or have worked for/as publishing agents). On a side note, I don't know if your novel would fit into their parameters or not, but this agency just had a recent lull (rare for them) and is actively seeking new clients, especially male writers. http://pubrants.blogspot.com/ Nope, not done yet. But thanks :-). I’ve been thinking on this contest more and more (not in regards to my work, but in regards to whether, IF I was ready would I do it? If that makes one iota of sense…) And I’ve come up with, “No, I wouldn’t.” Mainly due to this:

“The first 150-200 words of your unpublished, book-length work of urban fantasy or paranormal romance (adult or YA – both accepted).”

150-200 words??? I have a super hard time thinking they’ll be able to judge the worthiness of any full-length story based upon that little tad of info. Able to judge writing quality–yes (to a limited degree). But that’s not even short short story length! It’s too trimmed down in my opinion and therefore not a worth it contest. Just my two cents. Though the prize would probably be helpful. However, a good editor could offer the same (as many good editors either freelance for, or have worked for/as publishing agents).

On a side note, I don’t know if your novel would fit into their parameters or not, but this agency just had a recent lull (rare for them) and is actively seeking new clients, especially male writers.
http://pubrants.blogspot.com/

]]> By: onefinemess http://onefinemess.rhinopanda.net/2010/03/04/a-contest-might-as-well/#comment-3527 onefinemess Fri, 05 Mar 2010 07:01:06 +0000 http://onefinemess.rhinopanda.net/?p=1753#comment-3527 It's only irrational if no one understands it. Otherwise it's just otherrational! It’s only irrational if no one understands it. Otherwise it’s just otherrational!

]]> By: Bethany Morrow http://onefinemess.rhinopanda.net/2010/03/04/a-contest-might-as-well/#comment-3526 Bethany Morrow Fri, 05 Mar 2010 05:03:10 +0000 http://onefinemess.rhinopanda.net/?p=1753#comment-3526 Well, my 5yo just lost his first tooth. So yes. But that's neither here nor there... it's somewhere in the stables. (You see that? You see how talking to you makes me say weird and irrational things?!) Well, my 5yo just lost his first tooth. So yes. But that’s neither here nor there… it’s somewhere in the stables. (You see that? You see how talking to you makes me say weird and irrational things?!)

]]> By: onefinemess http://onefinemess.rhinopanda.net/2010/03/04/a-contest-might-as-well/#comment-3523 onefinemess Thu, 04 Mar 2010 23:25:39 +0000 http://onefinemess.rhinopanda.net/?p=1753#comment-3523 Indeed. Vociferously! Indeed. Vociferously!

]]> By: onefinemess http://onefinemess.rhinopanda.net/2010/03/04/a-contest-might-as-well/#comment-3522 onefinemess Thu, 04 Mar 2010 23:24:42 +0000 http://onefinemess.rhinopanda.net/?p=1753#comment-3522 Is yours done? IIRC it was in a similar vein, I was thinking this might be useful info for you as well. Is yours done? IIRC it was in a similar vein, I was thinking this might be useful info for you as well.

]]> By: onefinemess http://onefinemess.rhinopanda.net/2010/03/04/a-contest-might-as-well/#comment-3521 onefinemess Thu, 04 Mar 2010 23:24:09 +0000 http://onefinemess.rhinopanda.net/?p=1753#comment-3521 Oh god, are you dying?! Oh god, are you dying?!

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