Confirmation

I’d intended to share snippets of my novel in this post, but I realized I hadn’t spun enough new words since last time, so that will have to wait. I’ve been editing Adventure in England and just exploring ways I can take steps forward to be a more “successful” writer. By successful, I mean being better at my craft, sharing with more people, having a wider audience, and using my gift to the extent God would have me use it. This has been a year of growth -- not the quiet, unnoticeable kind -- but a growth spurt, and since I’m still in the midst of it I don’t know exactly how much I’ve grown or where I am in the process. And, like all growth spurts, it’s been painful at times. I question whether I really have something to say, and if people really want to hear it, and if they don’t, am I justified in spending so much time and energy on myself in writing? Like I said, painful questions that everyone who wants to do something in this world asks themselves. We all go through it, and yet we all feel so alone while going through it … but I digress. :-)

BUT … PRAISE GOD, He’s sent me a confirmation email. I checked my in-box this morning (for the second time … I may be getting addicted to doing that) and discovered this note from the address “welovebooks,” which belongs to Injoy, Inc., a great business whose mission is to “help authors publish their books.” They had a writing contest for unpublished novels recently in which I entered Six Cousins; it involved sending pertinent information, like a synopsis and other things that would go in a book proposal, and sending an excerpt. I didn’t expect to win, but, while, I was not selected as a finalist, this email informed me, “We have selected you as a semi-finalist.”

I was very happy. This means that I still have a chance to be added to the finalists’ list after I take the opportunity Injoy, Inc. provides to learn how to write a professional book proposal for my novel. They’ll select the best book proposal from the group of semi-finalists and then it will be down to them judging the finalists to pick the grand prize winner. (The grand prize is free publication.)

Now, I’m not sure how hard the contest was, nor how selective, nor how many semi-finalists there were; but I’m glad I entered as it boosts my confidence and, most of all, I’m looking forward to learning how to write a professional book proposal! Even if I don’t need it to self-publish Six Cousins, knowing how the process works will be invaluable for the future. Also, I anticipate learning what to use to promote Six Cousins on my own, because on my own I don’t know how to tell readers why they should read my book!

But God had a reason for me to enter this contest; He knows I need help and He is faithful to provide it. PRAISE GOD.

                                  
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Have you ever had any measure of success in a writing contest? Speaking of writing contests, I’m thinking of entering this short story contest on Katie Sabelko’s Whisperings of the Pen. It sounds delightful!