Anyone entering any of the comps?

[Hobbiestwriter]

I've submitted for Bridport, now umming and ahhing at the Blue pencil agency one. Never submit to bath as the bombared me with emails every year about it, and the same sort of things seem to win every year there. Anyone else?

Feel so grumpy! I wanted to start querying.

Start querying anyway! It takes so long to hear back from anyone, you might as well. I'm getting so fed up. It's like unless you write for the market or are already famous, then no chance! And last time I self pubbed, I spent a fortune on social media ads and sold not many...feel like just giving up but I really believe in this novel..argh.

Have you gotten onto BookTok? I'm writing dark fantasy romance. Verging on grimdark. Considering self-publishing.

No, im on the other main ones though. Working on some new marketing for my previously self pubbed YA paranormal mystery! PM me and I'll send you my social media handle if you want!

How did you get on with Bridport? I got my rejection email today 😞 I don’t know why it stings when didn’t expect to get shortlisted

appreciate joining this discussion late but lovely to find a community of writers on Mumsnet! I’m trying to motivate myself to finish my novel by entering competitions.

I didn’t either - got the generic email today 😞

Thank you for your novel [title]. We read it eagerly and applaud your submission.
Unfortunately this time, your novel hasn’t made it onto our long list.

The feedback is probably written by AI…

It's depressing. But, I've moved on already. What else can you do?

Another one here who didn't make the Bridport LL. Didn't get longlisted for the Goldfinch novel award either. I now have 2 comps outstanding, but not holding out much hope.

@LydiaBennetsBonnet Totally agree about how impossible it feels these days, it's so disheartening, but impossible to stop when you really believe in yourself as a writer and in your novel.

I am waiting on the First Novel competition and Yeovil. Didn't bother with Bath or Cheshire, as I write Lit Fic so I know I have no chance with either of those. What about everyone else?

Was your rejection email the same as mine?

I’m going to submit to the Novelry first pages competition which closes 31/07 and Good Housekeeping which closes 31/08. My synopsis doesn’t do enough for me.

Later this year want to submit to Myslexia and next year the crime writers association as well.

I’m doing it for the motivation but I write crime/mystery predominantly so could just be going for the wrong competitions.

I didn't get Goldfinch or Bridport either. Got the same rejection email as you!

Still waiting for Cheshire and Bluepencil, but not got much hope.

i think I'm going to change my approach. Currently working on a draft, then I'm going to get a manuscript assessment and maybe do an edit your novel course, then maybe start querying. The comps don't seem to be working for me, so going to sack them off and save my money!

I would go straight to getting support with manuscript editing and querying. I’m starting to realise the emotional impact of competition isn’t worth it.

At the end of the day, with enough work and growth you stand a chance of finding the right agent and audience. I like writing cheesy mysteries that are fun and lighthearted but have a message - I need to finish, edit and find an agent that vibes that. Just looking for a bit of side income.

I think it’s awful Bridport tell everyone that they eagerly read and applaud the submission - what a load of bollocks for £25.

Yep i got the same template response from Bridport, I suspected but it stings more knowing it's a template!!
I've also entered Myslexia and The Novelry. Mine is lit fiction mystery with elements of romance and women's fiction so...not that saleable I guess but it's based on a real life local mystery gah!!
My previous novel is free on KU today and still I'm not shifting many! That was different, a YA paranormal mystery but still, nice to have found you all on here!

Just entered the Noverly one. Getting ready for querying.

I didn’t enter but lovely to find a writing community on here!

Same email from Bridport for me too 😕I agree re: the emotional impact of these competitions. I particularly hate the bit where they publish the opening pages of the winner and shortlist, and you read them thinking - why is this better than mine??!!!!!!

Just been reading old threads on the Cheshire Novel Prize. Sounds like the feedback can be harsh? Now I'm nervous!

Anyone done agent 121s? I had a positive experience in Feb and am wondering whether she was simply being nice eg started in a good place, would keep reading. Good time to be writing my genre and to bring out dystopian element a little but more to align with market. From the synopsis, she really liked the ending.

Doing another round of edits today. Thinking about self pub again.

Editing too. Thinking the same, too!

Threads is really good for the indie writing community. Ive been garnering quite a bit of engagement on there but you do have to post on loads of threads every day which is so time consuming! Editing my novel is making me remember how much I love it!

For those feeling despondent about not making longlists, this may or may not help. I have been a long list reader for one of the big writing comps four times. I've generally been fairly middle of the road in terms of what I've put through and what I haven't - every entry gets read by more than one reader - with several of my picks on the shortlists and one eventually placing. However, I did once fail to mark up the eventual winner to even go past the first stage. Every competition has multiple readers and your work may just not have appealed to the ones who saw it.

@InfiniteTeasThank you. That is reassuring

I’m just going to finish my first draft. Between work and parenting, I get half an hour a day if I’m lucky and word count is usually 50 to 150 if I’m lucky.

Feels like I’ll never get there.

You will. I think I'm entering my fifth year come August. Been editing for over 2. Could query now but still polishing. I started off a few hours a week. Now DD is older, I must write for 15 plus hours a week on top of working. I fill my lunches, evenings and weekends with it.

I have finished my final edits on the new novel. It is the best it will ever be, I can confidently say. I have fallen in love with it all over again. I am so happy and proud that I wrote it and that it exists in the world. We should all be proud of creating our works of art, writing a book is such an achievement. Onwards!!