Golden Heart Judging!

Hooray--My Contest Entries Are Here!

For those who aren't aware, Romance Writers of America (RWA) puts on the biggest published (RITA) and unpublished (Golden Heart) competition in the romance writing world every year. The deadline to enter for the 2010 awards ceremony was November 16, 2009 with materials due on December 2. The finalists will be announced in March, and the winners at the RWA National Conference, which will be held in Nashville, Tennessee this year.

Members of RWA can sign up to judge the preliminary round of the competition, and for the first time ever and with some trepidation, I signed up this year to judge the Golden Heart entries.

I've been waiting anxiously for my packet to arrive. Waiting to see what category I'd been assigned to judge. (I had signed up for either paranormal or historical romance.)

And today, I got my packet! I feel like a kid opening a Christmas gift. How exciting--getting to read the work of other writers, who've submitted their very best efforts, hoping to get it in front of editors and agents, to get the wonderful publicity afforded by making the finals in the Golden Heart. Judging these entries is a large responsibility, and I feel honored to have the opportunity.

Have you ever judged a writing competition? How did you approach it? What were you looking for? How did the experience affect the way you approach your writing or the way you approach entering competitions?

Anyone up for Another BlogFest? I am!

Okay, so first there was the Kiss Blogfest. Then the No Kiss Blogfest.
I missed the first *sigh,* but made it for the second. I've gotta tell you--it was really fun! So fun, in fact, that my wonderful critique partners and me were mourning the loss of the great blogfest excitement.

When--wait for it--someone (who shall remain unnamed because I can't remember which of my amazingly insightful critique partners it was) had a wonderful thought. "What about a love at first sight blogfest?" she asked. Now, I don't like to brag (much, that is) but we know a fantastically amazing idea when we see one float scroll the screen. And so ((DRUMROLL....)) The Love At First Sight Blogfest was born.

Our Critique Group gets the credit for hosting, but Courtney has offered to to do all the actual work, (Thanks Courtney!) so if you're interested, visit her blog at http://courtneyreese86.blogspot.com/ and sign up to post your love at first sight scene. If you don't have a love at first sight scene, you can post the scene where your characters first realize they love each other. Ah, the love...

The blogfest will kick off on Valentine's day. Come on by and join the fun. You won't be sorry.

Merissa

2010--A year of firsts

The new year is upon us again, and like everyone else, I've been looking back at what I accomplished through 2009, and setting goals for 2010.

2009 has been a difficult year for most of us, but we've made it through. And now we get a fresh start with 2010. Our very own new year in which to accomplish great things, make collosal mistakes, and through it all, learn.

This new year I've set some goals to do several things I've never done before.
In 2010 I will for the first time, submit my manuscript to a few dream agents. And in all likelihood, get rejections back from said dream agents. Then I'll pick out a few more dream agent, and send my work to them. Eventually, I find someone who identifies with my writing, someone who is excited to represent me. (Probably not in 2010, but a girl can dream, right?)

In 2010 I'll also qualify for PRO status. That status comes with the sting of my very first rejection. It'll help take some of the sting away, I hope.

In 2010 I plan to write and polish two books within the space of a year. I'm excited to have made this a goal, because it means I must make writing take priority over some other things in my life. I've made the decision and now I am freed to do the work.

In 2010 I plan to pitch an agent at a regional conference. Given that I'm an attorney and used to speaking in court, you might think this would be an easy experience for me. I think it'll be difficult. Speaking for someone else is much easier than speaking on your own behalf. But I will do it, as best I can.

In 2010 I hope to attend the national RWA conference, and meet some of the wonderful people I've gotten to talk with on the loops.

I have a list of other things that aren't firsts, that I'd like to reintroduce as habits in my life, but I won't go into those. What I want to know is, what firsts do you envision for your 2010?