OMG I can't do this!! (warning, pointless rant)

DamaNegra · May 18, 2006

I can't, I just can't. The guidelines are there, waiting for me to open the file and start preparing my submission package. I can't do this!! I just can't!! I'll never win this contest, what's the point? Let's face it, my novel sucks. I wrote it in less than two weeks and it's only been through the first draft, slightly edited to make it a little bit more salvageable.

Why do I even want to waste postage and further effort into this? Why? Why should I get my hopes up just to be disappointed when the contest results come back? What if I never get published?

I can't do this.

Cat Scratch · May 18, 2006

You can do this. We have all felt this way. Keep trying.

Tilly · May 18, 2006

Deep breath.

Those are all the thought I had and emotions I felt before posting my first submission.

You can do it

.

Sharon Mock · May 18, 2006

DamaNegra said:
Why do I even want to waste postage and further effort into this? Why? Why should I get my hopes up just to be disappointed when the contest results come back?

Because that's what writers do. Might as well get used to it now. It's the editor's job to shovel out the slush and the writers' job to fill it back up again.

Trust me, as bad as rejection feels, it's better than knowing you let an opportunity pass.

William Haskins · May 18, 2006

obviously, the answer is not to do it.

DamaNegra · May 18, 2006

William Haskins said:
obviously, the answer is not to do it.

Now I'm going to do it just to do the contrary of what you said

Yeshanu · May 18, 2006

Good one, William. Obviously you know the finer points of raising teenagers...

William Haskins · May 18, 2006

i'm more than just a pretty face.

ChaosTitan · May 18, 2006

DamaNegra said:
I wrote it in less than two weeks and it's only been through the first draft, slightly edited to make it a little bit more salvageable.

Do you see the important part of this statement?

::waits::

No?

I wrote it in less than two weeks

Dama, that's an amazing accomplishment by itself. It takes most people months, if not years, to write a complete novel. The hardest part for me is putting my butt in the chair and actually writing the thing. I can't imagine what you went through to finish it.

Which means you keep doing the exact opposite of whatever Haskins tells you to do, and you'll be fine.

aadams73 · May 18, 2006

Dama, if you don't enter it, you will never win. Gotta be in it to win it, kiddo

SC Harrison · May 18, 2006

DamaNegra said:
I can't, I just can't. The guidelines are there, waiting for me to open the file and start preparing my submission package. I can't do this!! I just can't!! I'll never win this contest, what's the point? Let's face it, my novel sucks. I wrote it in less than two weeks and it's only been through the first draft, slightly edited to make it a little bit more salvageable.

Why do I even want to waste postage and further effort into this? Why? Why should I get my hopes up just to be disappointed when the contest results come back? What if I never get published?

I can't do this.

Hey, Dama. I read your passage and I have to say that I am impressed. I became sympathetic to your MC almost immediately, and could easily picture what was happening. If you have time to tweak the first few pages some more, go ahead and do so. If not, then stop worrying and get it submitted, okay? If you don't, I will come down there and embarass you at school.

SpookyWriter · May 18, 2006

Hey Dama!

I arrived late to the pity party, sorry but I must work to keep my stomach full. Not to mention the ten people I support.

My thoughts. Throw it out there, but get your hopes up? Don't. Just submit as thought it were a term paper in school. Opps...bad analogy. Think of the novel as an experiment. This is your first attempt, so it most likely will fail unless (which we already know) are a talented writer.

Growing up is tough enough without the added pressures of trying to become a novelist.

If you happen in the top 25 then you've won a major victory, for your age. I can't think that you wouldn't benefit from this experience no matter how it turns out.

Remember, very few people are successful their first attempt. So don't discourage and shoot the works!

Best of writing, and luck to ya!

DamaNegra · May 18, 2006

Thanks guys

I'll start putting everything together as soon as I get an e-mail back from the contest organizers clarifying a few doubts I had about the submission shape and everything, but I will undoubtedly send it out.

Thank you all for your support!! And keep your fingers crossed!!

(although I've never, ever won a contest in my entire life. The other day I was playing a game, had a 93% probabilities of winning and I still lost. Soooo....)

badducky · May 18, 2006

How can you punish the people who brought all this misery and stress in your life if you don't force them to read one more submission?

SpookyWriter · May 18, 2006

Dama,

A game of chance isn't the same, nearly, as a writing competition. I think you have talent. But taking the raw talent and making it sparkle is all up to you.

Write, re-write, re-write, and continue doing so until your work is polished and ready to go.

Life isn't going to hand you a victory just because.... The opportunities you make for yourself will be hard earned and worth it.

Bye,

me

FlyByNight · May 18, 2006

Just Goshin'.

Good luck in the contest.

A. Hamilton · May 18, 2006

i think you're amazing Dama..good luck with this.

Lady Cat · May 18, 2006

I agree with all of those who said send it in. The fact that you wrote the novel in two weeks is an incredible achievement all on it's own, especially while you were going to school at the same time.

Good luck!

DamaNegra · May 18, 2006

Well, I just heard back from my only beta reader. She pointed out some very important flaws in my characterization which I had picked up before but my subconscious decided not to bother with it.

So now I'm facing the biggest dilemma in my writing career.

1) I can stay up all night today and finish the corrections. I won't get her (very appreciated) overview on the rest of the novel, since she only got time to read the first three chapters. So, I have to work on the entire novel based on the first three chapters. Not to mention the terrible consecuences this is going to have on my health and already-weakened sanity.

2) I can send her the rest of the MS, pray that she manages to read it by Saturday night (even though Saturday night is her graduation, and on Friday she'll probably go out with her boyfriend), so I can work on it all Sunday (but half of Sunday will be spent on the road home since I'm going to her city to attend her grad). I'll probably won't sleep on Sunday either.

With option #1, I'll mail this thing out tomorrow, whereas with option 2 I'll mail it out on Monday. Now, the deadline is the 30th. If my MS is not there by the 30th, I'm toast. And yes, I'm kind of obsessive about this so I have to mail it either tomorrow or on Monday. Tuesday may be too late.

What to do? What to do? I'm panicking right now, but now that the novel's completed, I bought a new printer specifically to print it out and I've bought a 500-page pack, plus the envelopes, there's no turning back. OMG, OMG, I'm in such a panicky state. I can't believe I though I'd pull this off.

Susie · May 18, 2006

Roses are red,
Violets are too.
You'll do great,
Whatever you do!!!

Go Dama, Go! :Hug2:

aruna · May 18, 2006

DamaNegra said:
With option #1, I'll mail this thing out tomorrow, whereas with option 2 I'll mail it out on Monday. Now, the deadline is the 30th. If my MS is not there by the 30th, I'm toast. And yes, I'm kind of obsessive about this so I have to mail it either tomorrow or on Monday. Tuesday may be too late.

.

Where do you have to mail it to, Dama? It seems you are leaving a lot of time for delivery. Can't you take off a few more days, and send it by express delivery, or something?

Good luck, by the way, and well done; you have al the qualities of a great writer.

dpaterso · May 19, 2006

Two weeks! Holy insomnia, Batman. Just asking, what size is the novel? And, do you have extra fingers on each hand?

-Derek
My Web Page - naked women, bestial sex, and whopping big lies.
Stop reading this and get some writing done instead.

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