I recently heard about a novel writing contest and when I first heard the details, I thought there was no way I could avoid it. I had to enter. The problem was (be it a good problem to have!) all of the novels I have written are committed to publishers. They're contracted. They can't be shared or entered into anything.
The contest didn't start for a week so I decided to think it over. After a few days, I figured oh well. I have three book contracts! And a children's book contract as well! Who needs a contest, right? I have lots of novel ideas that I want to eventually get out of my head and onto paper, but I have to be inspired to write them down. I have to have a basic background idea to get me going. Once I go, it's hard for me to stop, but I have to have that initial spark.
Over the weekend my family and I went to Adventureland. It's a smaller theme park with lots of fun rides. There are some larger rides, but there are also smaller kid-friendly things, which is where we spent most of our time. I used to visit this park at least once every summer when I was a kid and I remember such trips were what I looked forward to all summer long and what I remembered as the best part of my summer.
The contest didn't start for a week so I decided to think it over. After a few days, I figured oh well. I have three book contracts! And a children's book contract as well! Who needs a contest, right? I have lots of novel ideas that I want to eventually get out of my head and onto paper, but I have to be inspired to write them down. I have to have a basic background idea to get me going. Once I go, it's hard for me to stop, but I have to have that initial spark.
Over the weekend my family and I went to Adventureland. It's a smaller theme park with lots of fun rides. There are some larger rides, but there are also smaller kid-friendly things, which is where we spent most of our time. I used to visit this park at least once every summer when I was a kid and I remember such trips were what I looked forward to all summer long and what I remembered as the best part of my summer.
I hadn't been to Adventureland in several years, but when we were thinking of shorter little trips to take this summer, it automatically came to mind. I knew my older daughter would be at the perfect age to enjoy it and she was. She was just over the height requirement for most rides, even many of the really big ones! She rode and rode and rode! Even one ride that I felt bad for putting her on alone once I saw it going. It was a bit too large for a kid her age to be on alone! She said she didn't know if she liked it or not, but she didn't act like she had been scared. My little brave girl!
We had a blast and a half with my older daughter running from ride to ride and going again and again and again, despite one really rainy morning. Any my younger daughter had just as much fun stomping in puddles, collecting rocks, and wandering here there and everywhere along with occasional rides as well.
It was the drive home, though, that brings us back to the contest. I had an idea! One for a sweet little love story entitled "Love is a Roller Coaster." Gee, I wonder where that came from! :)
We had a blast and a half with my older daughter running from ride to ride and going again and again and again, despite one really rainy morning. Any my younger daughter had just as much fun stomping in puddles, collecting rocks, and wandering here there and everywhere along with occasional rides as well.
It was the drive home, though, that brings us back to the contest. I had an idea! One for a sweet little love story entitled "Love is a Roller Coaster." Gee, I wonder where that came from! :)
So last night I wrote the first page of the novel. Haha. That's all the contest calls for at first. If they like what they read, they ask for the first three chapters for stage two. We shall see if they want more. If they do, I'll write it! If not, I'll probably write it anyway, but maybe not right away. There are lots of irons in the fire right now!
When I decided NOT to enter the contest, I was rationalizing. But now I realize, when there are opportunities presenting themselves, I have to take them. I can't miss out. That doesn't mean I have any illusions that I'll win. But there's a reason I know about the contest. There's a reason "Love is a Roller Coaster" came to me. Perhaps it just needs me to write it! In some ways, it's hard because I have lots of other ideas that are just dying to be written. This is a brand new one. But at the same time, who am I to challenge inspiration?! :)
When I decided NOT to enter the contest, I was rationalizing. But now I realize, when there are opportunities presenting themselves, I have to take them. I can't miss out. That doesn't mean I have any illusions that I'll win. But there's a reason I know about the contest. There's a reason "Love is a Roller Coaster" came to me. Perhaps it just needs me to write it! In some ways, it's hard because I have lots of other ideas that are just dying to be written. This is a brand new one. But at the same time, who am I to challenge inspiration?! :)
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