The end result was 8300 words, 900 of which was the synopsis. So in six days, invented a novel, written 7200 words of it, then wrote the synopsis (inventing like crazy as I’d not got much further than the initial three chapters) and made the deadline by about 32 minutes. You might get different blog posts now, you lucky lot. Edit: I never got a receipt for handing an entry in, so I have no idea if the branch of Waterstones that had my entry did anything with it. They could have binned it. If it was any good, which is unlikely, they could have taken the entire concept and pimped it as there own. Who knows. It is all slightly concerning. In the end only two people, other than myself and my wife, got to read the completed three chapters. They enjoyed it, perhaps they were clinically insane though.
WOW writing competition update 4
July 31st, 2005 · 7 Comments
Category: CreationRobot · Writing
7 responses so far ↓
1 CyberScribe // Dec 10, 2005 at 5:20 PM
It’d be interesting to know if the plot or the characters change much as you don’t have to aim it at that audience.
2 Jackdaw // Dec 9, 2005 at 9:24 AM
Good luck to her. I’m revisiting what I wrote and rewriting it to something I’d normally do — now that I no longer have to aim it at a specific audience.
3 CyberScribe // Dec 9, 2005 at 1:29 AM
It looks like Sarah Wray won that and a book deal. Better luck next time. :-)
4 desert deb // Oct 8, 2005 at 12:37 PM
like the rest of you, submitted and wondered if it got read….not much enthusiasm from my local branch. Bit off really that they don’t let you know either way! will of course be pursuing other options as the book is finished! does anyone have any experience of good agents? seems a bit of a minefield and have gathered its not worth even approaching a publisher direct.
5 m.william.anderson // Oct 1, 2005 at 4:42 PM
Hi there. I had a similar response, though slightly more encouraging, response from my Waterstones. I handed my entry in, and the guy behind the desk, though very, very happy to accept it didn’t know much about the competition and then, as will yours, failed to give me a receipt… so, like you, I have no idea if they binned, pocketed, shredded or used the manuscript once the loo paper had run out in the staff restroom.
But hush, I shouldn’t be so cynical since (and this is the real reason for my email response, is that I then thought I would try my luck with the chapters with three agents – AP Watt, PFD, and Christopher Little who represent JK Rowling, and within two and half days I had an email response from Christopher Little requesting the full manuscript once finsihed… then a week later the same response from AP Watt (though to bring me down to Earth, PFD didn’t feel “in tune” with my writing which is fair enough).
This, by the way, is the first thing I have written novel-wise.
And also in contrast, I got nowhere in the competition as it is now Saturday 1 October and I’ve heard nothing, since the shortlist notofocation date was yesterday.
So, I guess I would say that like you I wrote my submission in 15 days, and it got interest – from bona fide sources such as agents, rather than a venture by a reputable publisher and bookseller to make money out of some would-be authors dreams.
Keep going… it is worth it in the end. Of course, I wonder who the thirteen shortlisted luckies were… I hope you were one of them!
6 Jackdaw // Aug 2, 2005 at 3:13 PM
List? I didn’t get to see a list – they must have had some interest though as they took it from me without looking at me like I was lurching and shouting braiiiiins.
7 Steve // Aug 2, 2005 at 12:25 PM
Interested to read about this. I was feeling all disconcerted with handing it over to someone who could quite possibly have placed it into the bin the minute my back was turned as well.
Good luck with it. I think I may have over-cooked my chapters somewhat (6000 words a piece) gulp! and my synopsis was only 100 words.
Oh well.. Not being a writer by trade or through hobby before this I guess it’s all experience right?
And just out of interest, how many people where on your list where you submitted it? (I was the eighth at my branch).
Good luck with it!
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