Red Pens and New Competitions

A very productive morning with the Red Pen Posse, a sub group of The Writers @ Lovedean. It's great to get some general advice and feedback at a writers group. But most writers know how expensive good editing is. So The Red Pens make copies of their work put them in a pile on the table and then we mark every mistake we can find. It doesn't sound exciting sitting in silence for a couple of hours but it's a really valuable experience. Unfortunately one of our best editors puts flash fiction into the pile so I always feel she is getting a raw deal.

We talked briefly about writing competitions. I must admit I try to find the ones that are free to enter but every so often I take a punt. Entrance fees can add up. But I have worked out that I have spent £28 on competitions over the last twenty six months. I don't regret it really. Strangely enough it is usually competitions that I'm not confident about winning. Rather a treat for myself when I have done a piece of writing which I had to research or was particularly challenging like the Weald Down Historical fiction. It was the first time I'd written in that genre and I'd done a lot of research. I like doing the charity ones to like Fantastic Books. I was proud of my effort. But it is true that the money has to come from somewhere and it is hard to justify a hobby, even a hobby were you dream of making it big.

I went out for a power walk with the dog this morning and I can honestly say that it didn't improve my mood one bit. It was good to be around people in the library but I've felt pretty rotten all day.

I stuffed some envelopes for the business and changed the mistakes I made on my stories this afternoon while the man came round to not fix our boiler again. Am I the only person in the world who hates having to stay in for a workman or a delivery and then can't relax when they are in the house?

I didn't manage to cut grass, finish the ironing or write anything new. It didn't make me feel rested not doing those things, just more guilty really.

A new opportunity as come to my attention:

'Call for Halloween 2012 Anthology Submissions

This year, we’re e-publishing a Halloween Anthology of Horror.

We’re looking for around twenty full, original and previously unpublished stories of terror, each around 4000 words in length.

If you think your story has what it takes, submit it to us at submissions@crookedcatpublishing.com with the words, HALLOWEEN ANTHOLOGY, in the subject line. Stories should be generally suitable for a broad adult audience. Scary, but not too graphic.

Author and Publisher royalties will go completely to charity and, if accepted, your story will be published, as a part of the Anthology, across Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and the iTunes BookStore from October 2012.

We can only accept submissions up until midnight PST on Tuesday 31st July 2012. All authors will be contacted throughout August and September.

Good luck,

The Crooked Cat'