After the GOLDEN HEART and RITA Calls

I know that yesterday was a tough day for a lot of writers. You knew the day was coming and every time the phone would ring, there was a hope that "this would be the call" - the one saying you were a finalist for either the Golden Heart or the RITA. But, for many, that call didn't come. It sucks! I totally agree with you.

But, I want you to think of a few things today.

First of all, this is not the end of the world. Making it to the finals is a tough and subjective road to travel. The criteria for high scores in both of the competitions is simply whether or not the reader liked the manuscript or not. This is something that I have been fighting for a long time as an agent. I would personally like to see a stronger criteria. But that is not the point for today's discussion. The point is, making it to the finals does not mean your career is over. It might simply mean that you got stuck with the judges of the world that didn't have a clue what to look for. Who cares!

In the end, the only people that need to love your work are the agents, the editors and, if you are published, your readers.

Secondly, you should applaud yourself for entering. There are a lot of writers out there that simply don't have the guts to put their writing out there for someone to "judge". You took the chance and this is a sign of a winner.

Finally, in the end, there are many editors and agents that really don't obsess over the Golden Heart wins (this one in particular). Why? Because we know that in many ways, a win doesn't necessarily mean the writing is incredible, it simply means it is the best of what was entered, or, a manuscript that bypassed all of those judges I talked about in my first point.

Don't let this get you down. Keep writing. Remember why you started writing in the first place. That should be thing moving you and not making it to the finals or winning the Golden Heart or RITA.

I personally want to applaud all of  you who entered. WAY TO GO!!!!

Now, on to some more information.

ATTENTION GOLDEN HEART FINALISTS:
If you wish to submit to Greyhaus, send me the first three chapters of your manuscript, and a 3-5 page synopsis. In the Subject Line write: REQUESTED MATERIAL - GOLDEN HEART and the TITLE.

ATTENTION RITA FINALISTS:
If you wish to submit (especially those of you in the Series Category w/o an agent) send me a query. In the Subject Line write: REQUESTED MATERIAL - RITA

ATTENTION RWA:
I am again offering my assistance to work with making some revisions to the Golden Heart and RITA competition. I would love to offer to develop a criteria that might be more than simply, "do I like it". The offer still stands!

Scott