I entered a story competition, and I quite liked my story until I had a dream where I got a very detailed rejection letter telling me all that was wrong with the story. I actually wished I'd got the letter prior to submission, as I would have 'fixed' it. Clearly my brain knows what a good story is when it's in subconscious mode. Talk about an inner critic!
The winners were announced and the person who came first, also came second. So they wrote two stories way better than mine. Even though I already knew my story was no good, thanks to the dream, for some reason it seemed more of a blow to the ego that the same person could rustle up two award winning stories on demand while I struggled with one...Wonder what my subsconscious will say about that?!
Linking with #Littlethingsthursday #OpenSlather #MummyMondays
It should have been limited to one win per person! Somehow it doesn't sound fair for the one person to win twice!
ReplyDeleteIngrid
http://www.fabulousandfunlife.blogspot.com.au
That doesn't seem fair that one person gets two prizes. Boo! I don't think it was that your story wasn't good as the other person's, it just didn't tickle the judges' fancy as much as the other person's did. It's just horses for courses! As for that dream, we're all our harshest critics!
ReplyDeleteNo, in this case my story wasn't that good. I thought it was, but it was in an area I've never written a story in before, so I was unsure what they wanted. The dream, however, literally pulled it apart in great detail, paragraph by paragraph so I could see what I needed to change...so I'd gone right off the story well before the competition even closed. It's like that line that went out about Joan Didion's new book - that her shopping lists are more interesting than most people's books...some people just are that step above. I'm ok with that, the world is full of many sussessful also-rans...
DeleteThat doesn't sound fair to me. Switzerland is on my bucket list!
ReplyDeleteIt's fair. If I wrote two really good stories, I'd hate to miss out because one story already won...I'm okay with that. But the idea that someone can just throw together two winning stories at the snap of a deadline is a little defeating...;)
ReplyDeleteOh you poor thing! I would be disappointed and deflated about that too.
ReplyDeleteOh man, that seems a bit rough! Are you sure that writer isn't besties with the judge? 😂
ReplyDeleteI don't think that it is right that the same person wins first AND second. I can only guess then that it might be consolation that anyone else like yourself can think 'hey, that is a bit unfair'. I know your next story will be brilliant!! You already are!
ReplyDeleteI don't think it's unfair, I think it implies something about their talent and my talent...that is the blow to the ego! But it's something to strive for!
DeleteDude, that really sucks. Especially the subconscious bit (like seriously, could it not have informed you beforehand?!).
ReplyDeleteHaven't been to Switzerland but would LOVE to!!!
#teamIBOT
All part of writing or putting art out there ~ rejection is something no one likes ~ but there is a place for that story of yours ~ ^_^
ReplyDeleteA ShutterBug Explores ~ aka (A Creative Harbor)
For sure - the idea is solid but the execution was a little clumsy and cliched. I will scrub it up and reissue elsewhere
DeleteI am sure your stories were amazing!
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry that your story got rejected. I have no idea what to say besides that. This is exactly why I don't enter photo contests--I know my photos are really good, but it just depends on the mood of the judge(s) and they seem to look for different things than what I think make a good photo.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry you didn't win, but well done for putting yourself out there! On the plus side, now you've had the dream you can edit your story and try again!
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry you didn't win. But it doesn't mean they weren't awesome. Maybe you were up against a future Hemmingway?
ReplyDelete