Is Writing a Luxury?

My life became increasingly complicated lately. In addition to a day job, work with WOW and some freelance writing, I've been juggling the health problems of two family members. So many doctor appointments! There didn't seem like there were enough hours in the day and something had to go. I chose my "luxury" of creative writing. I could rationalize taking time to write when it was an assignment but writing just to write? Writing just for me? I convinced myself that it was a selfish use of my time.

Fast forward to a work meeting when a co-worker complained about making a follow-up proposal to upper management on some equipment our department wanted. We work with figures in our department and as she said, "I have problems getting the idea across to him. I just can't string words together." Words are my thing! (I know, how did I end up in a job that requires me to deal with numbers for eight hours?) I spent my lunch hour doing a little research and scribbling out a funny speech that I hoped would help her convince the bosses upstairs to see our point of view on the issue.

The verdict is still out on the new equipment but the verdict is not out on the importance of writing to my life. I was so EXCITED after writing that little speech. It felt great to write something fun and different. It was if I had woken up after sleepwalking through the past few weeks. 

Writing is not a luxury. 

It was clear that writing - the kind that isn't attached to a paycheck but simply to the desire to say something - makes a huge difference in my life. It is not something I can give up unless I want my life to resemble a deflated balloon. I want a life that is a bouncy, helium filled balloon.

My life is still complicated and I may have to take a break from my longer works but I'm embracing shorter pieces to fit my schedule. They also give me the boost of having a finished piece, even if I'm the only one who will ever read it.

I even found a perfect writing challenge that I can even work on during my daily commute to work. Six words stories. Yes, a complete story in only six words. I stumbled across this micro-fiction niche thanks to the Sherwood Public Library and discovered there are several markets that specialize in it. If you want a new challenge check out the library's contest HERE.

Have life circumstances ever required you to take a break from writing?

Jodi M. Webb writes from her home in the Pennsylvania mountains. She's also a blog tour manager for WOW-Women on Writing. Follow her writing and reading life at Words by Webb. 

Read More »

2 comments flash fiction, Jodi M. Webb, writing contests, writing tips

Getting the Words on the Page

While attending a cookout a few weekends ago, a friend introduced me to one of her acquaintances. When this woman found out I was a writer, her eyes opened wide. 

“I would love to do that!” she said. “I have so many ideas . . .” 

We chatted for a few more minutes about what types of writing I do. She mentioned trying to join a local writing group she found years ago online. But when she got to the restaurant where they were all meeting, she said all the women there worked in the industry, either in a freelance capacity or working on staff at local news outlets. She said she felt intimidated because she hadn’t published anything and slunk away that evening, vowing never to return. She mentioned all the Post-It notes she has scattered around her house, thoughts that tumble out of her head and onto the tiny pieces of paper. 

But from what I gathered, this woman (who is several years older than me) hasn’t completed anything. She didn’t mention any essays, poems, or short stories. Just her ideas. 

We exchanged phone numbers so we could talk more about writing. But as I walked away, I thought to myself, “She has writing paralysis.” It made me sad, because I’ve seen it before. My own daughter has it. She loves writing for fun and journaling but when it comes time to produce and submit something creative, she hedges. As she describes it, “I get too much in my head about things.” 

I could tell from speaking to this woman at the barbeque she likely has the same thing. She has romanticized the idea of being a writer so much that she has talked herself out of doing the writing. I’ve been thinking about what advice I could give her. 

Take a writing workshop or online class. There are so many affordable options out there, including the ones here at WOW! While the idea of sharing our work can be intimidating, at the very least, it will require you to put pen to paper or fingers to the keyboard and complete an assignment. You’ll probably have to submit it to the instructor or others in your class. You will get to read examples of other people’s work and see what topics bode well in essay or short story format. When I helped WOW! instructor Ashley Harris out with a poetry webinar earlier this summer, I was so inspired I came away with five new poem drafts. I haven’t written poetry in years, and I’ve never published any, but seeing her presentation, which included submission markets, lit a fire underneath me. 

Enter a contest. Again, these have tangible deadlines that force you to write. The WOW! quarterly flash fiction contest only requires 750 words. Yes, it’s difficult to produce a compelling short story in so few words, but it’s also very achievable. If you purchase a critique to go along with your entry, you’ll get ideas on what worked and didn’t work in the story and receive encouragement to keep going along the way. Our monthly markets newsletter is also chock full of places to submit, complete with deadlines. I’m listening to an audiobook right now called The Book Club for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick. It takes place in the late 1960s, and one character, Margaret, decides she wants to enter an essay contest a national magazine is sponsoring. She has to go out and rent a typewriter just to achieve this goal—talk about a physical barrier to entering a contest! Thankfully, things are much easier on writers these days. The only barrier we have is ourselves. 

Participate in a writing or journaling challenge. Years ago, I read Julia Cameron’s book The Artist’s Way and got so much out of her daily morning pages exercises. If you’re struggling with what to write, begin a short journaling practice with your morning tea or coffee. Subscribe to a few Substack accounts like this one  and read other people’s work for inspiration. Jodi Webb wrote a great post with 15 writing challenges for writers of all types. You’ll be inspired in no time! 

I promise that if you’re suffering from the dreaded “writer’s paralysis,” you won’t be for long once you begin putting the words on the page.

Renee Roberson is an award-winning writer and host and creator of the true crime podcast, Missing in the Carolinas.

Read More »

1 comment Renee Roberson, writing advice, writing contests, writing productivity

Interview with Returning Author - Tracy Adrian Runner Up in the WOW! Q4 2024 Creative Nonfiction Essay Contest

Congratulations to Tracy Adrian from Nevada for her award-winning story, "Random Shit That Comes Up in Therapy" and to all of the other contestants and winners of the WOW! Women on Writing Quarter 4 2024 Essay Contest!

Today, I'm excited to interview Tracy about her award-winning essay but... I have to be honest, this is not our first time! If you'd like to read our first interview together - you'll find it by clicking here. 

Interview by Crystal J. Casavant-Otto

WOW: Welcome, Traci! Thank you for being here with me (again) today - I'm sure our WOW! readers are excited as I am to learn more about you and Random Shit That Comes Up in Therapy! Readers - if you haven't already, pop over and read Random Shit That Comes Up in Therapy and then return here for this fun interview! Don't rush - we will wait! And of course - here's a little more about Tracy:

Tracy's Bio:

Tracy discovered her passion for writing late in life. 

Her youth was busily spent moving from house to dysfunctional house in the type of environments where she honed valuable survival skills such as denial, dissociation, people pleasing and daddy issues. These skills eventually blossomed into rebellion and self-destructive tendencies, and at fifteen she attended the prestigious Red Wing Juvenile Correctional School for Boys, (the only girl in an experimental program). 

Tracy went on to many of Minnesota’s finest shelters and detention centers as a teen. She followed up with years of disastrous life choices and shockingly poor romantic judgments.

Today, she marvels at the strange road behind her, which somehow led to overwhelming gratitude and a sweet, sweet life she wouldn’t trade for anything in the world. 

Tracy is a wife, mom, Realtor, and private pilot. She adores WOW’s CNF contest and tries to enter every quarter. Her essay “Chains” appeared as a finalist in WOW’s summer 2023 issue.

Now that everyone has had a chance to read your fabulous submission - let's get down to it, shall we?

Thank you Tracy for submitting - it's been a while, so fill me in girl! What have you been up to, what's next, tell me all the things! It's holiday time again to - so Happy Holidays! I have so much to ask.

Tracy: Happy Holidays! I am so excited to be talking with you again, Crystal! 

Sometime after we spoke last year, I decided to fully commit to writing a memoir. A terrifying aspiration to send out into the universe. What if I can't finish it? What if it totally sucks? What if my ex reads it and hires someone to murder me? Typical concerns I'm sure every memoirist struggles with. But I'd been writing it in fragments for years anyway, so I finally admitted it out loud. Once I made the declaration, it was magically easier to allow myself the indulgence of spending time and resources on it. I applied for residencies, sent essays to publications I thought might be a fit, attended writers retreats and conferences. The book became a joyful priority.

WOW:  That's wonderful news that the declaration inspired change! I'm so glad you made your book a priority. What inspires you to submit your work for our contests? What advice do you have for other writers when it comes to writing, submitting, etc.?

Tracy:   I love the WOW contest because it gives me something to strive for. It's a thrill every quarter to obsessively check my email and see if I made it to the second round, and if I'm so fortunate, opening the email announcing the finalists is like Christmas morning. 

 Also, the feedback is invaluable to see what works and what doesn't. I have so many blind spots in my writing and a thoughtful critique from a neutral third party sheds welcomed light on these blind spots. In contrast, that same critique from my husband (another writer), might elicit, let's just say, the teensiest bit of irritation. So the WOW contest can benefit marriages as well as writing. 

 Decades ago, when I was a newborn real estate agent, building a business from nothing involved a lot of rejection. To this day, I hear eighty percent don't make it through their second year. A seasoned and extremely wealthy Realtor in my city offered this advice, "If I told you today you would be rejected on your first fifty listing appointments but thereafter you would begin signing clients, how quickly would you get those first fifty out of the way?" I began knocking out appointments that week, and her words
have always stuck with me. 

 So last year I made myself a binder titled, "First Fifty Rejections." It contains submissions to magazines, writers residencies, even WOW essays, and their counterpart responses. Each one is numbered and I'm getting close to the magical fifty mark. This binder fills me with hope because I know I'm learning with each baby step and can see my efforts in a tangible way. I know I can't finish the memoir unless I become a better writer. At the same time, if I wait until I'm a better writer, my book will never happen.

WOW:  Aww, we love you too, and do we get together to burn the binder once you're published or how does this work? (That wasn't really a question - more of an idea.) On a more serious note, I remember from last time that we are both completely different animals without our daily coffee routine. What's your go to right now? 

Tracy:  It arrives on the Starbucks counter in a big chilly cup with a lid that allows turtle-friendly straw-less consumption and the first taste every day is sublime. I'm barely a human prior to that first sip, which is why I could never live in the wilderness.

WOW:  That's my kinda love language right there! I must confess though, it's entirely too cold in Wisconsin right now and I gravitate away from the ice cold beverages and stick with the warmth of a hot latte'.  Let's talk about something I can also relate to - in your bio you mention shockingly poor romantic judgments...girl...same. So, what does current day Tracy want to say to youthful Tracy? What advice would your modern day self give to your younger self when it comes to life, love, reading, writing, etc.

Tracy:  In a way, that’s the crux of my memoir, so here’s the truth. If I could go back in time, I would tell Young-me a million things, but most importantly to stop giving her power away to others. She was desperate for a life she thought had to be granted her from an outside entity, never realizing she had the ruby damn slippers on the whole time. I would tell her that even when she believed she was powerless, her actions had ripple effects, and that two of those ripples would hurt others and become a burden of shame she would carry the rest of her life. Then I would tell her that the only person who could ultimately release her from that shame would be herself. 

 Sadly, young-me was never a big advice-taker, so even if I had a time machine to get to her, she would probably take a long drag off her cigarette, a swig of Bud Light, and tell me where to shove my wise counsel. And here we would still be.

WOW:  Awesome advice! Now I'm even more excited to read your memoir - and in the meantime I'll just be over here in my dysfunction. Thanks for taking the time to chat with me! 

Tracy: These questions were fun to answer. Overall, I’m a lot less self-conscious than the first time around. I keep saying this, but I am SO GRATEFUL for all of you at WOW, and I wish you the happiest holidays and thank you so much for what you do.

 

WOW: Thank YOU Tracy - I know we will get together again soon and I'm eagerly awaiting the opportunity! 

Hugs! 

*

Interviewed by Crystal J. Casavant-Otto who just keeps on keeping on and can be found blogging and sharing on social media hashtag #raisingkidsandcattle #shelovesgodandsheridesgoodhorses #thankfulgratefulblessed 

 Check out the latest Contests: 

www.wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php

Read More »

1 comment author interview, creative non fiction, nonfiction, tracy adrian, writing contests

Interview with Jennifer Thomas, 2nd Place Winner in the WOW! Spring 2024 Flash Fiction Contest

 

Jennifer Thomas grew up in the wilds of Miami, Florida. She loved to watch the pelicans soar, so ugly they were beautiful. Seeing them die off from the effects of DDT in the 1970s made her a lifelong environmentalist. As a teenager she read vast amounts of science fiction, especially early feminist sci fi, which inspired her to imagine how the world could be different. For the past 40-ish years she has lived on the North Shore of Massachusetts, making a living as a machinist, science writer, and teacher (though not all at once). Recently she began writing flash fiction, delighting in how the Muse cavorts inside word count constraints. To Jennifer’s surprise, her stories have been accepted by several publications, including Flash Fiction Magazine, 365tomorrows, and now Women on Writing. You can find some of her work at www.jenniferthomas.net. 

 ----------Interview by Renee Roberson 

WOW: Welcome, Jennifer, and congratulations! What was the inspiration behind writing this particular story, "Who Will Kill the Spiders?" 

Jennifer: One Sunday I went to a bridal shower, where I gave the bride-to-be a cast iron pan. I went home to where my own cast iron pan—originally my late husband’s—was languishing on the stove. The story came to me as I pondered my motivation for giving the bride the pan, and for neglecting my own. I workshopped the story in a critique group, where many of the participants, it turned out, also had some kind of attachment to a cast iron pan. With their help my story improved, but I still felt it was a bit schmaltzy and flat. Out of the blue came the idea of weaving in the “guessing game” as a narrative thread, and I also changed the ending to be a bit more ambiguous. I was happier with the story and sent it off to WOW! 

WOW: I have to say I love that last line! Judge Emily Williamson noted how impressed she was that the top three stories in this contest used something familiar and concrete to "build a world both past and present, and to dive into the things unseen." Can you think of any other concrete items (like the cast iron pan) in your own personal life that would make a great anchor for another story? 

Jennifer: Hmmm, I’m looking through my running list of story ideas and not one revolves around a concrete, familiar object. So I’m taking a mental inventory of familiar objects in my house—there are none I’d regret seeing vanish before my eyes. Well, there’s one exception: a collection of a few thousand family photographs ensconced in plastic cases in a closet upstairs. You know, the photos you got when you took the film canister to Walgreens and drove back a few days later to pick up the envelope of prints and negatives. As you perused those photos, remembrance flowed from your hands to your gut—that goofy kindergarten graduation, the annual Thanksgiving debauchery, those corsaged almost-grown kids endearing their way to the prom. You could winnow the photos, digitize them, store them in a folder in the cloud—to join the (literally) 14 trillion other digital photos in existence in 2024. But should you? I think there’s a story there. Also upstairs, in a drawer, are five or six pairs of pantyhose. I am 100 percent sure I will never put on pantyhose again. I think there’s a story there too. 

WOW: I think you may be right, both about the photo prints and the pantyhose! Your bio says you have always enjoyed reading science fiction and this influence shows up in much of your published work. How have your recent stories been inspired by modern-day events taking place in our world? 

Jennifer: I still remember the thrill I had as a teenager getting monthly selections in the mail from the Science Fiction Book Club. What attracted me to those books was not rocket ships and outer space; it was how the authors reimagined the human condition. In Ursula LeGuin’s 1969 "The Left Hand of Darkness," for instance, inhabitants of the planet Gethen are “ambisexual”—moving between male and female—with far-reaching effects on their society. Quite the thought experiment, at the time! A lot of today’s speculative and science fiction pulls in a dystopian direction, understandably given our wobbly democracy, the creep of anti-human technology, and the spiraling climate crisis. Some of my published stories depict not-too-farfetched struggles in a not-too-distant future, extrapolating from what’s happening under off-the-hook capitalism. But I’ve also tried to write stories with optimistic, if not happy, endings, however improbable. 

WOW: You've also worked as a science writer. What are some of the topics that you've covered in this occupation? 

Jennifer: The topics have run the gamut, from worker safety to drinking water quality to marine pollution to climate change. It’s been gratifying to contribute to the (albeit Sisyphean) task of addressing these issues. Through this profession I learned to value clarity of message and economy of words, and to put myself in the reader’s shoes. I also had to make sure that every sentence I wrote was factual. Now, writing fiction, I get to make stuff up! My typical process is to think of a situation, put a character in it, and see what happens. 

WOW: Yes, writing fiction can be so liberating! Do you have any advice for writers who are just beginning to explore the craft of writing flash fiction? 

Jennifer: As a beginning fiction writer myself, I’ll offer a few things that helped me get started. First, get feedback on your work. I joined an online author’s group where folks are remarkably generous and supportive. When you get feedback, send away the gremlin of defensiveness; look for the kernel of truth and revise. I’ve never received feedback that didn’t make a story better. Second, take the leap and send your work to publications you like. What do you have to lose? Rejections mean nothing at all about you or your talents, and you might get valuable feedback. Also, use a service to keep track of your submissions; that will save you headaches down the road. Third, find ways to keep it all in perspective. I have a semi-regular meditation practice that helps me when I’m stuck. It’s amazing what shows up when I turn off the thought stream—a new story element (that guessing game!), an unexpected plot twist, greater equanimity about my writing and about life. It doesn’t have to be meditation—whatever gets you out of your head can open space for what you need.

WOW: All practical and helpful pieces of advice! Thanks again for sharing your thoughts with us on the craft of writing today, Jennifer.

Read More »

Leave a Comment 2nd place winner, Jennifer Thomas, Renee Roberson, WOW! Spring 2024 Flash Fiction Contest, writing advice, writing contests

INTERVIEW WITH BETSEY FIELD: SUMMER 2022 FLASH FICTION CONTEST RUNNER UP

 

Betsey’s Bio:

Elizabeth (Betsey) Field has had a rewarding career as a speech/language pathologist and autism consultant for over forty years. She is the author of Building Communication and Independence for Children Across the Autism Spectrum: Strategies to Address Minimal Language, Echolalia, and Independence (2021, Jessica Kingsley Publishers, London). She does conference and webinar presentations on autism topics and is working on a creative nonfiction book about a child with autism and OCD.

If you haven't done so already, check out Betsey's story "Echolalia" and then return here for a chat with the author. 

WOW: What was the inspiration for Echolalia?  

Betsey: I wanted to share a bit of these characters’ challenges, hopes, and triumphs with others on the same path and with those unfamiliar with echolalia. In my career as a speech language pathologist, I’ve known many autistic children who communicate like Jeremy and their very concerned mothers. Having used in therapy the same intervention that I describe in the story, I knew from experience what the outcome could be.

WOW:  I have to admit that I've observed echolalia but didn't even know it had a  name.  This story is concise but packed with information.  What advice do you have for writers who may be new to flash and having trouble limiting their word count?

Betsey: Remember that there are different lengths of flash fiction and if one contest’s word quota doesn’t work, another might. I first submitted a 100-word version of “Echolalia” to a contest, and it got no recognition. Shifting to the 750-word option and using the very helpful critiques from WOW! Women on Writing was more successful. And a 300-word version was short-listed in Ireland’s Fish Publishing flash fiction contest. Before submitting, I received feedback from my local writing group, which helped with copy editing and clarifying what’s essential and what could be cut. Readers are a tremendous help, and your own editing should consider whether each word and sentence moves the story forward.

WOW:  You write about a situation in which many parents feel despair.  Yet you end your story on a note of hope.  Can you explain how to do this while maintaining realism in your story situation?

Betsey: I have no magic formula for this, but I’m glad you saw it that way. This story was only a small step away from non-fiction. Many parents do feel despair when learning of their child’s autism diagnosis, and Jody’s life was further impacted by the loss of her husband, but autistic children do make progress, parent involvement is crucial, and there is good reason for hope.

WOW: What else are you currently working on?  

Betsey: I am writing a second book, this one a work of creative nonfiction, about my adventures with an autistic child/teen with obsessive compulsive disorder and an extreme aversion to authority. Now an adult, he is collaborating with me on several chapters. The title will probably be “Meet Me Where I Am: Navigating the Intersection of Autism and OCD.”  I’m proud to say that the first chapter of this book, “Speech and the Postmaster,” earned an honorable mention in this year’s WOW! Women on Writing fourth quarter creative nonfiction essay contest.

WOW:  How exciting to be working with this particular co-author!  What advice do you have for writers who are new to the craft in 2023?  

Betsey: Whether you are writing as a hobby or starting a career, just do it. I have been writing progress and consultation reports all my life, but only published my first book (“Building Communication and Independence for Children Across the Autism Spectrum: Strategies to Address Minimal Language, Echolalia and Behavior”) in 2021. Now, I find that I am thinking about the next project before I finish the one I’m working on. I also recommend contests like those at WOW! Women on Writing that offer the option of critiques as a way to learn and improve.

 

WOW:  Thank you so much for sharing your writing process as well as your encouraging words.  I'm sure I'm not alone in saying that I will be looking out for more of your work.

Read More »

Leave a Comment Betsey Field, Flash Fiction Contest, Runner up, Summer 2022 Flash Fiction Contest, writing contests

Interview with Myna Chang: First Place Winner of Summer 2019 Flash Fiction Contest

Myna Chang grew up in the Oklahoma panhandle, surrounded by vivid reminders of the ecological disaster known as the Dust Bowl. Her grandparents filled her head with frightening and exciting tales of their adventures during that harrowing time, and now she explores those remembrances in her writing. She also enjoys stories about robots, dinosaurs, and kung fu. Her work has been featured in Writers Resist, Twist In Time, Enchanted Conversation, Daily Science Fiction, Copperfield Review, Dead Housekeeping, and others. Myna’s story “Good Deal” won an honorable mention in the WOW Fall 2018 Flash Fiction Contest. Myna lives with her family in Potomac, Maryland. Read more at mynachang.com or find her on Twitter @MynaChang.

interview by Marcia Peterson

WOW: Congratulations on your first place win in our Summer 2019 Flash Fiction competition! Can you tell us what encouraged the idea behind your story, “Air So Thick?” It sounds like it may have been inspired by the place you grew up and conversations with your grandparents.

Myna: “Air So Thick” is one of several stories inspired by my childhood growing up in the Oklahoma panhandle, where I learned to hate the wind. Gusts up to 60 mph were a daily occurrence, whipping grit into my eyes and mouth, and scouring the skin on my legs when I was foolish enough to wear shorts on a bad day.

As bad as I thought I had it, my grandparents suffered so much more. Colorful terms were invented to describe their place and time — the Dirty 30s, Tornado Alley, the Dust Bowl. Their childhood years were scarred by environmental disaster and economic ruin, but they survived and came away with some amazing tales.

Their adventures have stuck with me, and I keep coming back to the topic. I’m especially fascinated by the massive Black Sunday storm, which reportedly was hundreds of miles wide and thousands of feet high, and blacked out the sun for three full days.

Many of my stories feature young people overcoming the challenges of this hostile environment, just as my grandmothers and grandfathers did.

WOW: What do you enjoy about flash fiction writing versus the other kinds of writing that you do?

Myna: I love the condensed form. My favorite length, both to read and write, is around 500 words -- long enough to have strong character voice and a dynamic setting, but not long enough for meandering. Every word has to count. It’s like assembling a puzzle.

WOW: You mentioned that you enjoy stories about robots, dinosaurs, and kung fu. Where did this interest come from, do you think? Any favorite stories to recommend?

Myna: My uncle (the greatest uncle in the history of the universe) provided a steady supply of scifi and fantasy fiction while I was growing up. He handed me The Hobbit when I was 9 and said, “Please be quiet and read this!” My mom and step-dad introduced me to martial arts and monster movies. I never stopped loving speculative fiction, and I still seek stories of wonder in my everyday life.

As far as recommendations? Too many to list! It feels like heaven to be a speculative fiction lover now. Any length and type of story you want is available with only a few moments’ search. It’s no longer unusual to find a badass female protagonist who does whatever-the-heck she wants while saving the world. Also, dinosaurs are just cool.

WOW: We’d love to know more about your writing routines. Could you tell us when and where you usually write? Do you have favorite tools or habits that get you going?

Myna: I do some sort of writing-related activity every day, usually before the rest of my household wakes up. I require lots of coffee. But even with unlimited caffeine, I often struggle to create a complete story without an external motivator. Prompted contests and workshops have proven to be the best tools to keep me going. I love the excitement and sense of possibility when I wake up to a unique set of prompts, then I spend my afternoon panicking and hating whatever I’m trying to write, but by evening I’m usually filled with satisfaction as I play with the final word choices and hit the submit button. My husband and son call this “binge writing.” I’m lucky to have such a supportive family -- they bring me sandwiches and cheer me on.

“Air so Thick” originated in a workshop. The prompt was to write a map-based flash, and we were given several thought-provoking examples to get us started. Approaching this story from the perspective of a landscape map is something I wouldn’t have considered before taking the workshop, and the other participants provided fantastic feedback on my first draft.

WOW: Thanks so much for chatting with us today, Myna! Before you go, do you have any tips for our readers who may be thinking about entering writing contests?

Myna: I love contests! There are so many different contests to choose from. I think it’s important to do some research before entering one. Is the contest managed by a legitimate group or publication? How is it judged? Will they provide feedback on your entry? Will they give you prompts, or do they have a specific theme? If winning entries from the past are available, read them to get a flavor for the tenor and quality of writing the contest judges appreciate.

Once you’ve settled on the perfect contest, find someone to review your story before you submit. Beta readers are essential, so take the time to find someone trustworthy and honest. And be ready to return the favor! There are several top-notch writers’ groups online, so even if you don’t have access to a beta reader in your everyday life, you can find great candidates via social media and reputable organizations such as WOW!.


****

For more information about our quarterly Flash Fiction and Creative Nonfiction Essay contests, visit our contest page here.

Read More »

1 comment first place winner, flash fiction, Marcia Peterson, Myna Chang, Summer 2019 Flash Fiction, writer inspiration, writing contests, writing routine

How To Win Contests (Or At Least an Honorable Mention)

I sometimes get the opportunity to critique manuscripts for contests; I might be asked to give feedback on essays or short fiction or novel excerpts or even picture book manuscripts. It’s not always easy to find the best manuscript, but there are two basic flaws that’ll quickly kick your work out of the competition:

Same Old, Same Old

I don’t care whether you’re writing an essay or a picture book, you’ve got to bring something unique. But that doesn’t mean you have to write about something that’s never been done. You just have to find a way of making the same old, same old different.

Take, for example, something as simple as fingers and toes. There have been a gazillion picture books written about ‘em because—big surprise—little kids and the adults who read to kids are downright smitten with fingers and toes.

So you want to write about these darling digits because it’s a proven seller and also just because you love the idea of fingers and toes. How can you make your book different from all the gazillion of books already out there? Start with making sure you know what’s already been written and then let your imagination go wild! Don’t worry about being “wrong” so much as just letting your creativity run rampant. That’s where the golden best-sellers are born.

Because here’s the bottom line (which is always about money, isn’t it?): there’s a strong correlation between uniqueness and marketability. So when an agent tells you that it only takes a first page, or maybe even a first paragraph, to know if they’re interested, it’s because of the uniqueness/marketability factor. The same old, same old will get a pass every time. Bring something unique to make your manuscript stand out and you’re halfway to the prize. (And as an added bonus, you’ll probably have found your hook.)

But Is It A Story?

Do you have a friend who loves to tell stories but at the end of one of these “stories” you find yourself asking, “Is that it?”

Oh, dear. Some people just don’t know how to tell a story. But good storytellers do; they know the way story works. They start at the beginning, with a character who’s got trouble. So much trouble! You can’t help wondering, “So then what happened?” The storyteller continues, building tension, until you’re on the edge of your seat. And finally, the story comes to a gratifyingly good end and you’re all like, “Wow!” Or maybe you laugh or cry or sigh. The point is, a good story always has the reader asking, “So then what happened?” Until the story finally comes to an emotionally satisfying conclusion.

You can play around with all the elements, whatever your form. Maybe your protagonist is a force of nature, maybe you have four different points-of-view, maybe you time travel, going back and forth in settings from one century to the other. But through it all, you have to have a good story. Without a story, you’ve just got observations. And possibly an agent who says, “Is that it?”

So before you spend days, months, or years of your life fixing a wonky rhyme or making a character more engaging, make sure your manuscript is worth it. Give it something unique and make sure you have a story. And then sit back and start winning contests (or at least an Honorable Mention)!

~ Cathy C. Hall

Read More »

6 comments Cathy C. Hall, elements of story, hook your readers, marketability, plot, writing contests

Friday Speak Out!: Dear Diary

by Sharon Gerger

I write humour, or for you Americans, the quicker to the punch line version, humor. I also create funny, nay, hilarious greeting cards.

These last few months have not been particularly splendid for me. I'm not going to get into the whys, suffice to say, it’s just life tossing crap at me the way it tosses crap at everyone at some point.
I used to always have at least twelve stories or essays out looking for a home with either writing contests, or magazines, or online publications, at all times. I did that for more than a year and got a few yeses and a lot of nos. The yeses were so spirit and morale-boosting.

Then the aforementioned crap started flying and I stopped writing, the thing I love to do most in the world. Sorry adult sons, I don't actually enjoy cooking Sunday dinner for you.

Last month was particularly challenging, I was exhausted all the time. One evening, before I fell asleep in front of the TV, I got out my journal which I had not touched in months and just wrote. It started as a whining session, then devolved into a pity party then evolved into a list of things I missed. Things i used to do that made me happy. At the top of that list is writing. I also missed getting some recognition, confirmation that I was on the right track. I kept on writing in my journal and then remembered that the WOW website (if you are reading this, you are here now) always has a writing contest on the go. I polished a previously written story and entered the contest; it made me feel hopeful and kind of awesome.

I also sent some of my greeting cards to friends who were having a tougher time than I was and they all told me they were funny. It was the kind ego stroking I needed. Yes, I know friends nice-lie but I'm okay with that.

WOW had advised us that the first round of judging would likely be complete by the end of the first week in July. At that point, they would email the finalists to let them know they were moving on to the next round. I didn't get an email. I was disappointed but continued to work on an essay I want to enter in their essay contest.

And then a couple of days later, I got an email from the WOW contest folks announcing I was a finalist. I am thrilled. So thrilled, you'd think I'd been told I'd won first place. Essays have always been easier for me to place, but short stories, much as I love writing them, have not been an area of success for me.

I sit here now, waiting for the next level of judges to recognize my comedic genius and offer me gobs of cash for my book, so I don’t have to beg for coins fund my broccoli habit while I write full-time.

* * *

Sharon Gerger is a writer! Her creative non-fiction writing has appeared in Woman's World magazine, The Globe and Mail, the award-winning anthology, Laugh Out Loud and numerous on-line publications. She has made a few long lists for short story competitions only to have her hopes dashed when compared to brilliant writers, but she will not be attending any self-pity parties, she'll just try again. 
TWITTER: @sharongerger1
treefartscardsngifts.etsy.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Would you like to participate in Friday "Speak Out!"? Email your short posts (under 500 words) about women and writing to: marcia[at]wow-womenonwriting[dot]com for consideration. We look forward to hearing from you!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Read More »

2 comments Friday Speak Out, Sharon Gerger, WOW! Women on Writing, writing contests, writing humor

Interview with Evelyn Krieger, Q1 2018 Creative Nonfiction Runner Up

Evelyn Krieger is a writer and educational consultant in the Boston area. Her fiction and essays have appeared in Hippocampus, Lilith, Gemini, Family Circle, Sunlight Press, Grown & Flown, Writer’s Digest, Teachers & Writers, Learning, and other publications. Her essay, “Losing My Words”, won 2nd place in the 2018 Memoir Magazine Recovery Essay Contest. Evelyn’s debut middle-grade novel, One Is Not A Lonely Number, was named a 2011 Sydney Taylor Honor Book from the Association of Jewish Libraries, and is a PJ OurWay Library selection. Evelyn has received professional grants from Wells Fargo Bank, Business Week, and Newton Public Schools. Her writing has been supported by a residency at the Vermont Studio Center for the Arts and TENT Children’s Literature Retreat. When she’s not wordsmithing, Evelyn loves dancing, listening to music, and spending time with her growing family. Visit her at EvelynKrieger.net.

interview by Marcia Peterson

WOW: Congratulations on your top ten win in our 2018 Q1 Creative Nonfiction essay competition! What prompted you to enter the contest?

Evelyn: Thank you. I’m honored to have made the Top Ten. I’ve been entering writing competitions since I was in my teens. Entering contests is a way to stay motivated. Having imposed deadlines keeps me sharp and forces me to revise and polish my work. I’m fortunate to have had several wins amongst the slew of rejections. I’ve been a fan of the WOW! website and blog for quite a while. I won an Honorable Mention in the WOW! 2016 Fiction contest. I like the transparency of the judging process and the support given to entrants. I had just completed writing "The Geometry of Grief" when I saw the call for the WOW! 2018 Q1 contest.

WOW: Your entry, “The Geometry of Grief” is creatively done and builds up to an elegant and powerful conclusion. What inspired you to write this essay?

Evelyn: I had been thinking a lot about the nature of grief after my sister-in-law passed away four years ago leaving behind her husband of 25 years and three children of similar ages to my own. A year after this terrible loss, my father was badly burned in a fire. For me, the shock, painful ending, lack of goodbye, and many other factors too complicated to go into, brought on a debilitating grief. Through therapy, the support of friends and family, time, and eventually writing, I began to recover and heal. I have published three other essays and a few blog posts related to loss and trauma. Writing can help contain the explosive emotions and fragmented images of grief. I like this quote from Bessel Van Der Kolk, M.D., “While trauma keeps us dumbfounded, the path out of it is paved with words, carefully assembled, piece by piece, until the whole story can be revealed.”

I’ve noticed how the experience of grief is both universal and individual. The nature of the grief—it’s intensity and duration—is tied to the relationship with your loved one, the circumstances of death, and your own psychology. When trying to describe what grief feels like, one is often left to metaphor. For me, grief is an ever-shifting shape with sharp edges. Now, three years later, the edges have smoothed, no longer tearing at my inside. I’ve been able to move away from the fixation the horrific ending to all the love that came before. While grief's shadow remains, I try hard to keep facing the light. That was the inspiration for the “Geometry of Grief”. I want others to know that there is a way out.

WOW: As an educational consultant and busy mom, how do you find time to write? What works best for you?

Evelyn: During the busy days of parenthood, I wrote my first YA novel on Sunday mornings at Starbucks, during my daughter’s dance lessons, during summer vacations, and whenever I found a stretch of time. You have to tweak your writing schedule year to year. The key to making this work, no matter what stage of child-rearing you are in, is having a consistent schedule. In order to write my first teacher’s nonfiction book, I had to I’d hire a babysitter. With my youngest child now off to college, I am no longer as busy as I was when all three were at home. My part-time consulting work involves academic tutoring, test prep, college coaching, and homeschool consulting. This consumes a great deal of energy. I love my work, but some days working in a bookstore looks a lot more appealing. I try to keep mornings free for writing. After putting my writing career second (or third) for so long, I’ve now switched gears. This has brought more satisfaction, productivity, and success. Here are two quotes that keep me motivated: “If not now, when?” and “A year from now, you’ll regret not having started."

WOW: Are you working on any writing projects right now? What’s next for you?

Evelyn: I’ve always juggled several writing projects at once. I write short stories, essays, articles, memoir, novels, and a monthly blog on the creative life. I’m currently working on a middle-grade novel, Summer of the Blue Streak, set in 1968. I’m trying to stay focused on finishing the first draft, but I do have a few essays brewing which I turn to when I’m feeling stuck on the novel. I also have a “back burner” project—an adult novel--that I’m excited about. Writing that story will be my reward for finishing the children’s novel.

WOW: Thanks so much for chatting with us today, Evelyn! Before you go, do you have any tips for our readers who may be thinking about entering writing contests?

Evelyn: Yes! I was just thinking about writing a blog post on this topic. Here goes:

1. Don’t send any work that feels “iffy." Revise and polish your story/essay/poem until it shines. Then find a trusty reader to give you feedback before submitting, if possible. Still, even after entering, you may later see how to make your submission better. This happens to me a lot. In fact, I’ve already added a paragraph to my WOW winning essay.

2. Thoroughly research the contest sponsor to understand the type of writing it seeks. Look carefully at the judging criteria. Read past winning entries, if available. How does your work stack up?

3. Consider your competition. Maybe start with smaller, less well-known contests or local ones.

4. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t win or place (although I know this is hard). Be proud of your efforts. You’re growing a body of work. Keep revising your manuscripts and submitting them elsewhere. I’ve resubmitted a non-winning story (with revisions) to the same contest in a different year and won a prize.

****

For more information about our quarterly Flash Fiction and Creative Nonfiction Essay contests, visit our contest page here.

Read More »

3 comments Contestant interview, Essay contest winner, Evelyn Krieger, finding time to write, grief, Q1 2018 Creative Nonfiction Contest, writing and parenting, writing contests, writing tips

Interview with Linda Petrucelli, 1st Place Winner in Fall 2018 Flash Fiction Contest

For most of her adult life, Linda Petrucelli has lived on islands—Taiwan, Manhattan and Hawaii. Her article, “Listening for the Tao in Eight Tones,” a personal essay about learning how to speak Taiwanese, appeared in the book, Language Crossings: Negotiating the Self in a Multicultural World. A feminist theologian and ordained minister, Linda holds theological degrees from Yale Divinity School and Chicago Theological Seminary; she believes the best fiction is revelatory. Her writer’s mantra is—Bad Choices Make The Best Stories. Linda writes from her home on the Kohala Coast in Hawi, Hawaii. She posts her flash fiction at jackrabbitfiction.com.

interview by Marcia Peterson

WOW: Congratulations on your first place win in our Fall 2018 Flash Fiction competition! What inspired you to enter the contest?

Linda: Thank you, Marcia. This is a thrilling moment in my life. When I started writing fiction, I needed feedback. I’d email my tiny stories to family and friends, wait to hear from them, and then wonder about their polite responses. As a minister, when I deliver a homily I’ve written, I know immediately whether it’s any good or not by the comments after the service at the door and whether I noticed anyone snoozing in the pews. I began entering the WOW! Contests for the critiques. I wanted to hear how an impartial reader experienced my words. The critiques I received often validated my own intuitive sense of what was wrong or right about a story (so helpful!) and provided a friendly voice encouraging me to keep writing. Entering WOW! Contests was one of the first steps I took to widen my circle of readers. I am so grateful there are quarterly contests…and critiques.

WOW: Can you tell us what encouraged the idea behind your story, “Figure Eight on the Waves?”

Linda: I was at a garage sale one Saturday. An elderly lady was clearing out her house so she could move in with her daughter. At one of the tables, I discovered a carefully folded swath of old Japanese cloth and fell in love with it. I’ve been to indigo-dye workshops in Japan before and recognized the artistry in the fabric. The woman sold it to me for a dollar. As I rode home that morning, I held the material in my hands and it seemed lightning struck. Soon afterwards, I began to craft a little tale of all the people who had benefited from its generous and utilitarian beauty. Also—I recently retired from serving a rural, Japanese-American congregation founded in the late 1800’s to serve migrant plantation workers. My octogenarian Japanese-American parishioners also inspired this story, especially the women, whose fierce frugality taught me to never waste a thing.

WOW:: We’d love to know more about your writing routines. Could you tell us when and where you usually write? Do you have favorite tools or habits that get you going?

Linda: Almost every day around 4 am, I go from my bed, to the coffeemaker and then to my desk where I automatic write on a computer for about 20 minutes. This loosens me up, and often I discover ideas for stories when I reread my entries. I do most of my writing on a laptop. If I feel myself losing steam, I’ll do 10-minute freewrites sitting in different places in my house. When I start a story though, I begin with pen and paper so I can be as messy and unfettered as possible. After I’ve written for a while, I’ll take a short break and then see what I wrote, circling the words and phrases that create a little zing inside me. Then I take those little gems I’ve mined, type them into a new doc and go from there—freewriting and looking for the little zings each time I get stuck, dissatisfied, or can’t see my way forward.

WOW: You mentioned that your writer’s mantra is, “Bad choices make the best stories.” Where did that idea come from? It seems like it would be a good guide for fiction writing!

Linda: Last year I happened to be in the Honolulu airport waiting for a return flight to the Big Island and a young man (very hip-looking) walked past me. He was wearing a T-shirt with the slogan, Bad choices make the best stories, and I laughed out loud. Then and there I claimed it as my mantra. And yes, it’s true about fiction that only “trouble” is interesting.

WOW: Thanks so much for chatting with us today, Linda! Before you go, do you have any tips for our readers who may be thinking about entering writing contests?

Linda: Contests are good things. With their deadlines and promise of reward, contests offer strong motivation to complete pieces, go public, and become part of a community of other aspiring writers. Enter as many as possible!

****

For more information about our quarterly Flash Fiction and Creative Nonfiction Essay contests, visit our contest page here.

Read More »

2 comments Contestant interview, Fall 2018 Flash Fiction Contest, flash fiction, flash fiction winner, Linda Petrucelli, Marcia Peterson, writer tips, writing contests, writing routine