Monday 27 September 2010

Congratulations and a Guide to Shooting Crows

Firstly a huge CONGRATULATIONS to the New Voices finalists and warm wishes as you write your second chapters.

But for the rest of us who are feeling inevitably a bit disappointed I'm pleased to announce it is now Open Season on Crows. So come and pick your weapon and ammunition of choice to shoot the crows of doubt now circling in menacing fashion.

If any of the following statements are applicable to you (and not all of them are applicable to me, I hasten to add) please select the appropriate weapon and take aim:

(1) I have had work requested from an Editor, therefore I am not crap.

(2) I have requested work still outstanding, waiting to be sent in to an Editor, therefore I am not crap. (and I promise myself to get on and get ready to submit)

(3) I have had really positive comments in a revision letter/face to face feedback at an Editor pitch, therefore I am not crap.

(4) I have previously placed in a competition, therefore I am not crap.

(5) I have received positive comments from readers who liked my competition entry, so they can't have thought I was crap.

(6) Failure to place in a competition does not mean I will not get published (invoke the names of Maisey, Tina et al at this point) so it does not mean that I am crap.

(7) The more I keep writing and learning craft and subbing and the harder I work at it the closer I will get to achieving my dream and I refuse to give up on it.

Take that pesky crows now I've only got one thing left to say:

PULL!

17 comments:

Liz said...

I have to admit I was surprised at the top ten. Some I agreed with, others not so much. And I was floored that a few entries didn't make the cut, because I was sure they were shoo-ins!

Just goes to show that taste is subjective, and just because a person or a handful of people may not think you're the stuff doesn't mean someone else won't think you're fabulous. And those people are the only ones who matter, anyway.

Rachael Johns said...

Fab-Fab-Fabulous POST!!! I think we all needed to hear those brilliant affirmations. I'm stoked for the Top Ten but obviously a little bit jealous and a little bit disappointed too.

Still... I'm not sitting idle. I'm working on my synopsis tonight and plan to sub my partial this week.

Hope your lovely naked hero gets his day soon too.
xox
Rach!

Scarlet Wilson said...

well done lorraine for shooting those pesky crows and remember i thought In Too Deep was fab!

Caroline said...

Great post - I'm off to get my 12 bore shotgun....and blast those crows to smitherines - Caroline x

Kat said...

Thanks Lorraine, am going to fetch my shotgun right now and shoot crows with you.
x

Unknown said...

Lorraine, I thought In Too Deep was spectacular! (Pow - I hope a crow just dropped) I seriously, seriously loved it!! (blam - hopefully another one went claws up)I don't know you and I have nothing to gain here, other than supporting a fellow author whose work I want to buy in a store one day.

As a matter of fact, I happen to adore every one of Heidi Rice's top picks. And I suspect she knows what she's talking about, too.

So, in honor of all the wonderful entries that didn't get picked but oh-so deserve recognition, I am putting on Queen't Another One Bites the Dust as I try to help shoot those pesky birds out of the sky!!

Amy

Lorraine said...

Hi Elizabeth, well there were a lot of good entries, there's a lot of talent out there!

Rach - the best of luck with the partial, is it your comp entry ? Loved it btw :-) I'm hoping Hal might get his day but we'll have to see...

Thanks Susan :-)

Caroline and Jo P, happy hunting! One, two, three And PULL...

Lorraine said...

Thanks Amy! We definitely need each other to help shoot crows from time to time. Don't you find it's always easier to shoot someone else's crows than your own?!

Unknown said...

Lorraine, absolutely. I think a person's aim is much more accurate from a distance. It's that perspective thing again.

Jackie Ashenden said...

Can I borrow your gun? I've got a whole flock of crows sitting on my front step and they won't go away! Sigh...
Great post m'dear.

Jo Dixon said...

Brilliant post Lorraine! I'm sitting at the computer determined to get straight back into it... and I'm feeling, well, like crap! Your crow-splatting weapons are just what I need... even if I can only claim one or two in my arsenal, I'm hoping they'll have enough fire power to knock those blasted crows of doom from here to eternity.

And I'm with Elizabeth, a couple of the top ten are suprising... not because the writing is flawed, just that they're a little outside the M&B box... maybe when they called this New Voices, they also meant Fresh Direction.

Goes to show, we have to write what we love, because it just might be what they want.

Tara Pammi said...

Fabulous post, Lorraine.

Shoo.. stupid crows..

Angie Peters said...

LOL, Lorraine - love your post! Got any spare ammunition for me? Those darn crows just won't go away.

Commiserations to those of us that didn't make the top ten - we've got to keep writing and sub the traditional route. To be honest, I'm relieved the first round's over and can finally get on with my writing.

Lacey Devlin said...

Haha! Great post Lorraine! I'm loving the use of therefore and crap in the same sentence.

Joanne Coles said...

I have some apples left in the fridge my gran picked off her tree for me to make pies/crumbles.

Am using them in my slingshot to fling at the pesky crows circling as I prepare to get back into WIP.

Your post is just what all we non finalists needed. Thanks!

Lorraine said...

Well with a posse like this the crows don't stand a chance.

Jackie - I'll happily shoot them for you, you're already working with an editor for a very good reason :-)

Jo D - it's great to see you here, I really loved your comp chapter and am sure we'll be hearing your voice again soon. (Btw you can take the 'Heidi said nice stuff about me' gun, I find it works very well on crows!)

Sri - I really hope you don't listen to the crows because I'm dying for chapters 2 & 3!

Angie - there's plenty of spare ammunition, I expect if you look in the comment section of your chapter you might find some more. ;-)

Hi Lacey - thanks, I think... ;-)

Jo C - that would be a terrible waste of apples. Go for the proper ammo, the crows have asked for it this time...

Tina said...

Love your post. I really needed this. Mine weren't crows... they were buzzards! They're dead now... loving the irony of that statement.
Thanks again for making my day! :)