Post Meltdown

[Jamie Livingston]

Okay so I've spent the last couple of weeks like a chocolate bar on the dashboard. And remember it's still summerr. I'd been stressing over not making the finals of the first manuscript contest I'd ever entered. I didn't final in the Chick Lit Writer's Stiletto contest. And I hadn't gotten my results back, so I figured I was was world's worst fiction writer. Non-fiction was never this hard (how soon we forget).

But the results came via email, last night. Averaging the two scoresheets I received together, I don't think I suck quite so bad.

Mechanics - max 10 pt. ----8 pt. Story - max 25 pt. ----19 pt. (one judge gave me all 5, and the other didn't like where I started my story)
Characterization - max 30 pt. ----24 pt.
Dialogue & Narrative - max 20 pt. ----18.5 pt.
Style & Pacing - max 30 pt. ----27 pt.
Synopsis - max. 15 pt. ---- 10.5 pt. (I admit my synopsis was lacking)

So, all together, not as bad as I'd expected. I was please. One judge gave excellent feedback, and sent notes with my MS. The other, couldn't be bothered.

Feeling better now. I feel that my worst area was my synopsis, but I've worked on it, and I'm pleased with the results. Amazing what happens when you immerse yourself in the plot line and have to write a synopsis.

Now I'm chillin'.