OK so New Voices has finished and I no longer have the need to feverishly check the website and/or my inbox. Let's have a quick roundup of the story so far.
I reached the second round of revisions on my first submission at the beginning of this year. It was eventually rejected as lacking the emotional depth required (although I read during NV that the on the editors' list of things never to do is have an Elvis impersonator in your MS, and I not only had one in that MS, I actually introduced him during that second revision stage *cringes*). Anyway enough of that!
I currently have a revised partial awaiting feedback with M&B, sent beginning of September but recently out of mind due to the excitement of New Voices. My feeling now is that I want to ask for it back, revise it again and resubmit it! I learned so much during New Voices from my brilliant mentor, Liz Fielding, (about emotion, structure, streamlining my writing to name just a few things) that I no longer feel that partial is the best I could do.
I also have Honeymoon With A Stranger (HWAS), my entry in this year's New Voices, which has consumed me for the last month or so as I worked on it with Liz's help. It didn't win but the feedback I received has been a delight. People liked my story and the way I write and it has been the most amazing confidence boost. Yes, winning the comp would have been a dream, but to be perfectly honest I feel like a winner anyway. I've learned more from Liz in a few weeks than I've gleaned in a year's reading of how-to books and internet sites.
M&B have told me they'll be in touch shortly regarding HWAS, and this is the story I plan to work on for now. I feel so invested in it after the intensity of the competition that I want to take advantage of that. So the next stage is to develop the story fully (I'd only written the first chapter and when I unexpectedly went through to the Final 21 the only plan I had was 'she blags a job at the hotel and they fall in love'). Once I have a proper plan I can crack back on with writing it.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Charlotte
ReplyDeleteWhich was your story for the M&B contest? I haven't been into the site for a while.
Thank you for your expression of sympathy. Although I'm sad, I can't wish Paddy back. She was suffering so much and for the last few weeks every time she moved another bone broke. Horrid.
I'm not looking forward to the next few days but at least the weather in Brisbane has to be better than the cloudy and cold we're having here in the Bay of Plenty.
Congrats, Charlotte! I'm so excited for you and I'm glad you feel like a winner because you darn well are.
ReplyDeleteI hope that we'll be hearing about you signing that magic contract in the next few months. You certainly deserve one.
Happy writing!
Hi Charlotte
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to say I loved your NV entry and congrats on making the Top 4. Good luck with the rest of it!
Lucy
Good luck with Honeymoon With A Stranger, Charlotte - I really want to see this in print and find out what happens!
ReplyDeleteHi Alexandra! It's slow work at the mo. I'm in awe of your NaNoWriMo progress, determined to try and target myself to do the same!
ReplyDelete