Hey Writers and Readers!

I wanted to talk about the importance of writing communities and participating in contests and writing challenges. But first, I wanted to share my good news with you all:

My novel CALCULATED was one of the lucky winners of Pitchwars!!!! I am now a 2016 Pitchwars Mentee. I’m honored that I get to work with New York Times Bestselling YA Author Pintip Dunn, (The Darkest Lie, Forget Tomorrow, Remember Yesterday.)

As Pintip mentors me, I will sharpen my novel even more, sharpen my pitch and query, and then at the beginning of November display (show it off) to participating agents.

So, I’m back to tightening, tweaking, and revising CALCULATED again. I’m reminded of what that old proverb says…”…many advisors bring success.” I’m so thankful for this opportunity.

Now about the other stuff…I’ve talked before on the importance of finding a writing group and critique partners, and even beta readers, but I have never talked about putting yourself out there in various online Writing Communities and Contests. This summer I joined the Camp Nanowrimo July Challenge and made the effort to get into a writing “cabin.” There I met authors and writers who were in the same boat as I was – revising their 2nd, or 3rd, or 4th novel, querying, publishing, and also talking a lot about the upcoming contests, including Pitchwars (which is where I heard about it.)

Want to know an amazing fact? Three of the 10 girls I cabined with also won Pitchwars (Rachel Griffin, Talynn Ink Girl, and Tracy Gold.)  Christina June,  author of It started with Goodbye, was also in the same cabin!

Before Pitchwars I had never tried to enter a writing contest before but I can honestly say even IF I had lost, just participating in the process gave me so I would have been happy at that.

For example: I gained new writer friends, knowledge of the industry and the incredible opportunities going on all the time, met more incredible authors who are in the know and exerting their influence to help more writers, like Brenda Drake, creator of Pitchwars, and Rebecca Sky, a Watt Pad Prodigy, and joined an online community who was truly supportive, inspiring, and motivating.

My suggestion to you? Get involved, join twitter, learn about what’s going on, get in the know, get out there. Try! You just may win!

Nova, signing off from Asia

Hope you can stay with me on this journey!

 

Follow me on twitter and instagram @thespinningpen.