Entering into your first writing competition is a nerve wracking experience, you’re putting your soul out there for judgement and unfortunately I am one of those fragile types, not those f-you types. The payoff though, wow. Receiving an email to say your work has been shortlisted as a finalist was quite possibly the happiest and daunting moment of my life as an aspiring writer. Someone, somewhere had read my work…and they actually liked it.
Besides giving birth to my children, this is one of the few moments in my life I have literally cried from happiness. My stomach in knots, the feeling of wanting to jump and scream in simultaneous battle with the urge to throw up. I imagine it is how my body would react should I discover I had won the lottery. I imagine it is how I would react should someone ever call to say they actually want to publish my work, although I may actually throw up at that point.
Out of the four aspiring finalists in my YA category, I didn’t win. I came a sweet, sweet second though, and got to shake hands with the category judge, Harper Collins editor, Lisa Berryman. In person. Face to face with someone who liked my work. I even got my first writing cheque for $30.00! #winning.
I felt a massive step had been taken that day as a wanna-be writer. A seemingly small step to some, but nevertheless in my mind (and heart) it was a reassuringly giant one. I had written something, and someone, somewhere had read it. And they liked it.
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