Shortlisted! Forever the bridesmaid?
One of my short stories was shortlisted in the inaugural Apollo Bay Word Fest short story competition. Yay for shortlistings!
To be shortlisted in any writing competition is always a buzz but this one, in particular, has a real hold on my heart. I‘ve holidayed in the beachside town of Apollo Bay, Victoria since I was a child. Every year at Easter, my dad’s side of the family meets there and stays for four days. All the cousins frolic in the freezing water and beg for ice creams as though it’s summer. This tradition has continued into adulthood with the next generation following in our insane cold-water footsteps. With my dad now gone, this tradition seems even more important to continue.
Writing competitions are important for writers for so many reasons.
For me, the deadline helps me focus on polishing my work and entering my stories, instead of procrastinating and fretting about sending my words into the world.
It also means my work is being READ by people in the industry and that is so important because I never know what opportunities lie beyond.
I've been writing for close to 15 years. Over that time, I've written short stories, feature articles, web content, and to-do lists for my husband and children (those are largely ignored). I've had four children's books published and my novel manuscript has been recognised in a national competition (I'm still patiently waiting for the 2-book + movie deal). Despite all of this, I wonder on almost a daily basis: am I good enough? Is my writing where it needs to be to grab hold of that dream to be a career author?
Rejection is the best friend of any writer. If we can't be mates with rejection then we at least need to make peace with it because there's no way to get to where we need to be without first passing through the gatekeeper named failure. Irrespective of how thick our skin is, continual rejections take their toll, which is why supporting emerging artists, in whatever form, is imperative to keep the joy of creativity alive.
Being shortlisted is special because it validates me as a writer. We wordsmiths are prone to harsh self-criticism. Entering competitions is one way to overcome the insecurity of sending our souls (via words) out into the world!
I am forever grateful to The Arts and to organisations that offer these competitions. To give unpublished writers a chance for their stories to be read is a true gift.
I was also thrilled to have one of my short stories shortlisted again, this time in the Stuart Hadow Short Story Prize 2020. For some strange reason, I entered under my maiden name. Maybe my husband was annoying me that day or maybe I was hoping my dad might be looking on from somewhere in the middle of the sky.
As mentioned in my last blog post, competitions are a fabulous way to keep yourself writing to deadlines and pushing the boundaries of your comfort zone.
I am always excited when one of my stories gains recognition from someone in the industry and although it’d be nice to win once in a while I never underestimate the value of a listing. Be it a short- or long-listing, sometimes it can be the very thing that keeps you writing. So although I caught the bouquet in this comp (congratulations to fellow RMIT student, Patrick Boxall for a fabulous story deserving of the winning gong!), it buoyed my spirits. It also made me put on some nice clothes and makeup for the Zoom presentation. In Melbourne lockdown we get excited about such things now!
So, be brave. Enter a writing competition. You never know where it may lead!
KOx
