This week: Sometimes You Win; Sometimes You Lose Edited by: Kit  
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What's your greatest writing achievement so far? What are you aiming for next?
You won't always have the success that you hope for, but that doesn't mean you should give up.
This week's Drama Newsletter is all about trying - and then trying some more.
Kit |
This past weekend was the final race of the Formula 1 season. It ended on a somewhat tense note – there were three drivers still in contention for the championship title. I personally favoured Oscar Piastri, but he’d had a bit of a slump after the summer break. My sister supported four-time championship winner Max Verstappen. In the end, Lando Norris became the world champion, with a two-point margin. It’s his first world championship title, which is actually kind of nice, and well done to him.
You win some, you lose some. You’ve probably discovered that yourself, if you’ve entered writing competitions here on Writing.Com, or elsewhere. There’s some tough competition out there. There are amazing writers on this site. When you lose, it’s frustrating, sure, but I’ve learned a lot from checking out how others tackled a contest prompt and that has made me learn, and grow, and eventually it was my turn to win. Others might then have checked out my work – it’s a nice idea that I may have helped them on their journey as a writer.
You don’t need to be a world-class athlete to inspire others. Everyone has something that they’re good at. That goes for life in general, and for our skills as a writer. You may be excellent at poetry forms at which others struggle. I’m hopeless at acrostics and pantoums, for example, but pretty good at the Nata Uta form. Some excel at free verse, whilst others struggle to find a catchy rhythm. I can’t write a western to save my life, but I’m decent at horror and stories for kids. You never know what you’ll enjoy, and have a talent for, unless you try, try, and try again. Don’t limit yourself – just give it a go. I’ve won awards for poems about sock-nicking grannies, and adventurous fish. When inspiration strikes there’s no reason to hold back. And if it doesn’t work? That’s just more experience.
If you do participate in off-site competitions, please make sure it’s legit, especially when they ask for an entry fee. Will you retain the rights to your work? Is it a legitimate contest or just a way to make money? Way back before I joined Writing.Com I entered a competition and felt so thrilled when I received the news that my work was to be published in an anthology. Of course, I was then expected to purchase that anthology so that I could see myself in print. I later discovered that that’s how they operated – they basically published every poem no matter how good or bad, in the hopes that people would buy copies of the anthology, and preferably copies for friends and family, too. It’s like those ‘publishing houses’ that tell you you’re awesome, but then you have to pay for editing, art, promotional materials and so on. It’s just self-publishing wrapped in the illusion of having actually been chosen. Not that there’s anything wrong with self-publishing – as long as that’s what you’ve chosen to do, rather than having been deceived into doing.
The key to submitting your work, be it for publication or into competitions, is to not get discouraged. Even the most famous writers have been rejected many times. Stephen King’s Carrie was rejected by 30 publishers – he’d actually thrown it in the bin; thankfully, his wife pulled it back out. The first Chicken Soup for the Soul was rejected 144 times! Imagine if they’d given up after the 100th attempt. You just never know.
You win some, you lose some. Not every idea works out. Looking at my portfolio here on Writing.Com, there are a pleasing amount of successes, but some real stinkers, too. I keep some of them to remind myself how far I’ve come, and how far I hope yet to go. Who knows what the future will bring? Try, and try again…
I wish you many wins,
Kit
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Wishing you a week filled with inspiration,
The Drama Newsletter Team
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Drama: December 10, 2025 Issue [#13489]
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