So, cut to: Guide to Literary Agents blog.
I’m entering the 30th Free “Dear Lucky Agent” Contest [URL is also below].
Requirements: A first page of an unpublished middle grade fiction manuscript.
I pulled up a favorite piece and fully expected the first 300 words to need a mere light polishing.
Uhhhh, no. Major delusion.
Pen in hand, I started reading and winced at bloated phrasing, forced metaphors, and unnecessary details. Ugly, very ugly.
Luckily, I tightened things up and let it rest for a day.
Good thing.
Once again, the piece needed more clarification and a shifting of the sequence.
My conclusion: I’ve either improved the piece or I’ve locked into version two of my delusion.
Either way, I’m submitting it today.
Will it win? Shrug.
But did I win?
Absolutely. I picked up a heartless reminder to revise and revise some more. And, by putting my work in the hands of those who judge for a living, I’ve–at least for today–thumbed my nose at resistance.
Here’s the contest URL: http://tinyurl.com/jb6max3 Come join me.
Word Inventions 