  Contests & Activities
This week: Writer's Block Edited by: Annette  
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There was a day, last week or a decade ago, that you typed "writing" into your search engine. You wanted to show off some of your poems, short stories, or maybe even get feedback for a whole novel. You found Writing.com.
On this site, you found all that you searched for: Portfolio space, helpful reviewers, encouraging groups, style and grammar lessons from peers. Nothing prepared you for the amazing bounty of: Contests & Activities! |
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Writer's Block
What to do when creativity has left?
That dreaded moment when the white page or white screen looks back at you and smirks.  Most writers have experienced it. For some, it only takes a few minutes and then the words flow. For some, it takes longer.
One way to break out of writer's block is to go back and read some of your own works. See what captured your imagination last time. You can read a published book by one of the many classical authors. Or, you can run a search right here on Writing.Com to see what others are up to. If reading doesn't get your creative juices flowing, force yourself to write.
Find a contest right here on Writing.Com and write for it. Of course, you don't have to go completely against your own likes. If you loathe horror, it's going to be hard for you to write a scary story. On the other hand, maybe there is something truly terrifying inside of you that you haven't discovered yet. Pick a contest, any contest and see if you can get at least a thumbs-up by the host.
Over 15 days, I took part in Legerdemain  's 15 in 15 contest. The idea is to write 15 days in a row for only 15 minutes at a time. Each day, contestants have to write for a new image prompt. On some days, I found it very hard to come up with a story, but I forced myself to write. Some of those pieces are completely pathetic, but it's okay. Even in those rubbish pieces is a part of me. Whatever I saw in the picture is reflected in my story about it.
I don't suggest you write a crummy story simply to have one. For the majority of contests, you'll want to give it all you got and try for one of the prizes. The fact that you chose a contest and wrote for it leads to the new creation of a story or poem by you. That in and of itself is a way to be a winner. Once you started writing, writer's block lost and you won. :-d
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In response to my newsletter "Stay Flexible"
Yera ~Twelve!~  wrote: I really appreciated this week's article, Giselle! It takes a few rounds to iron out all of the little kinks and glitches of a contest --flexibility is a definite must 
Yes, it is. I've found that out throughout time. Thanks for commenting.
~ Aqua ~  wrote: Thank you for featuring my auction in your newsletter!
Thanks and take care and have a great day!
You're welcome. It was my pleasure. I hope it was a success.
jdenningberg wrote: I like fact there are so many types of contests on WDC. Don't be afraid to enter. No you may not win or place but you'll usually get at least a decent review and find out why you didn't place. You can learn so much from that! So polish 'em up and enter something!
Yes, entering contests is one of the best ways to improve your writing. As long as you don't forget that each person reading your entry has their own likes and dislikes, so what one contest host may not like might be right up the alley of another.
BIG BAD WOLF is hopping  wrote: Sometimes one has to change the rules- got an entry once that was way older than my contest- a few years older than my account actually- but I still gave it an r/r. Sort of had to add a few rules as a result.
Well, you have to know if you'll only accept newly written stories or if you want to give older writings a chance too. If you don't have a rule for it, then each entry deserves same chances.
glo-stick wrote: Great article. It got me thinking about how I could make my own contest better. 
That's great!
platinumbwords wrote: I think it's important that you show writers that they shouldn't be afraid to ask or give their opinion on something by e-mailing the contest's host. It doesn't hurt to give a new point of view, and all that can happen is the host says no!
"Never ask a host to read in a genre they didn't ask for." Many works include aspects of several genres... I think I might argue if you at least include the genre(s) that the host requests, if extra genres are also there, it's okay. An exception would be including GC or XGC erotica content or super-violent action or fighting scenes in a contest meant to have entries with ratings no higher than 13 or 18+.
That's exactly what I meant to say. I should have been more explicit. When I ask for romance, I'll be okay with action, sci-fi, historic, or other cross genres. I wouldn't expect to read a horror story or a full-on erotica story. Although the lines between erotica and romance are blurred at times. |
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Contests & Activities: June 27, 2012 Issue [#5122]
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