Contest scores

I got back my scores from the Where The Magic Begins Contest on Bound For Duty. Now, before I begin, I'd like to point out that this book has done really well in 2 contests, finalling in the Finally A Bride and taking 2nd in the Put Your Heart In A Book Contest (the full was requested). Out of the 3 judges, 2 of my scores were really bad (58%, 69%). By contrast, the other score was 93%. This is not a complaint. I'm not whining here. I really appreciate the comments I received. I simply bring it up to demonstrate that not everyone will like your book or judge it fairly. The stronger your voice, the more you'll run across this problem.

Although I'd decided not to enter the Golden Heart this year, I felt my competitive side begin to itch after Bound By Duty's second final. A Golden Heart final and win has been a dream of mine since I joined RWA in 1992, but I've grown so cynical about my chances. It's such a crap shoot. All it takes is for one person to hate something about your writing, give you a 2 (or in my case a 7), and completely blow your chances. After the WTMB results, I have completely lost the inclination to enter this story in the GH. There will be a few twingy regrets come the end of March when I think, what if...but, in my opinion, if you're targeting Harlequin/Silhouette, the Golden Heart isn't a golden ticket to publication.

So, for those of you that keep getting low scores and high ones and feeling completely frustrated by who's opinion to believe, chin up, keep at it. Look at the comments, see if any of them improve the manuscript or are just people not getting your story at all. If you final, look at what the editors are saying. Those are the people that buy your book. Getting past the first round of judges might force you to compromise some of your voice, but the editors are the people you need to please in the end.

Today's goal: Get to work on my FAB edits
Yesterday's accomplishment: Got through all the comments on Duty
What I'm grateful for: That not everyone thinks the way I do.
Quote: “I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody.” -Bill Cosby (1937 - )