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I've just been told I came joint 4th in the Mail competition, so yes the results are out. Can anyone who has been a winner tell me what the lunch thing is like, only it is sounding a bit scary at the moment!
Thanks! totally amazed, as you can imagine... Question is, will mentioning this small success in query letters cut any ice with the agents I am sending my novel out to ?! and do they even read the query letters or is straight to the first page then in the bin, or just in the bin.....
congratulations and yes - mention it!
Believe me, as an editor, I take more notice of the covering letter than the MS,. as if that entertains and is well written, I am more likely to read on. If it doesn't, the MS is likely to be put to one side and not picked up again.
Well done, Deidre! Was this the whole novel or a partial?
You're on your own I fear, nobody else on the winners' list - but we'll be with you in spirit!
Yes, Jay, apparently it will be covered in tomorrow's paper. I think if I remember rightly they only print the winning entry these days. Thanks everyone for your comments - you sound such a lovely lot - I only joined yesterday. Looking forward to more 'chats'.
Assuming the query letter is for the same novel the 150 words came from the yes, do mention it. Any success or publicity connected to the novel is worth mentioning.
Been away for 2 weeks so I have missed the MOS.
They always print the winning entry, so only when that happens will we all know if we have failed! I hope I didn't miss it, but am banking on it being in this weekend or next??
It says in the paper I was 6th but on the phone she said I was joint 4th and the confirmation letter I received also says joint 4th. Not that I care either way! Do have a go at this comp everyone. I have entered it about six times over the years but never in this world imagined I would get placed as they get so many entries, so it just goes to show, it can happen!
No it doesn't say Dudess. Expect the organiser would tell us though. It's page 10 of the Review supplement. Did you say you're a winner too? THE winner?!
I'm not a comp person, don't think I've ever entered one in my entire writing career (apart from the highly rated, critically acclaimed OWC of course.) I judged one, though, on Wiltshire Radio, when I did a series of talks on short story writing. They had loads of entries but only 1 was worth considering, the on I chose as the winner, it was based locally with all that implies and it worked. Someone called in afterwards to say they knew the exact place the guy had written about. That makes local radio really work.
Just read the winning entry in the paper - very well written. Congrats to winners.
Next comp word is SET. 50-150 word opening to a novel, closing date 29 October.
Deirdre, you ask about the winners lunch. I was the winner years and years ago (1993 competition!) and in those days we all met at the newspaper office, had photos done and only then did they tell us which of the 6 of us had won and hand us our prize book tokens! Photos and all 6 entries got published in the paper a week later. Done differently now!
They took us by taxi to lunch in a small London restaurant, all very posh, with the judges and a few agents/publsishers present. I used my Arvon course prize for a week on a short story course in Devon. Three years later I came 2nd and the whole prizes/lunch set-up was still the same, but with different judges. Over the two occasions, I met Fay Weldon, John Mortimer, Sue Townsend and James Herbert. And they were all very nice! As a result of my win, two agents approached me, one took me on, and I finished the novel- but I never did manage to sell the book!
Viv, congrats on your wins. Twice, that's fantastic! Must have been disappointing not to sell the book in the end but that's the reality isn't it. I'm not holding out any big hopes but it's nice to dream.......
brilliant, fancy that! Officially, two TBers in the top 5! Wow! Dudess, are you going to finish the novel now? Or is it finished and you just took the first bit for the competition?
Any chance of anyone scanning the page and emailing it to me? I've tried two supermarkets for the newspaper - both sold out and I'd love to read the winner.
From where I am sitting, upstairs in the house, on the window sill, wrapped in the curtains for warmth, I can look down on to the swimming pool.
I can see Rosy there, on the floor of the pool, the pale winter light illuminating her bright red hair. I can see Patrick sitting on the edge of the pool, his legs dangling down as he watches her.
I want to throw open the window and shout down that she shouldn't be out there. It is too cold. She is the light of Patrick's life, of all our lives, but he never thinks of practical things like keeping warm. We both continue to watch her as she dances wildly and beautifully, using the floor of the long drained pool as her stage.
Blimey, if I'd have known something so mundane would win I wouldn't have bothered. I was rather expecting an excellent piece. Was I expecting a bit too much? I have very high standards, so I kind of assume the same of competitions. Is it now the trend to accept pieces that 'tell' too much rather than show?
Fay Weldon said '...so tantalising and so appetite-whetting for the novels to come...'
It was ok but cant see why Fay Weldon was so excited about it.
Agree with Red.
==========
This was mine
The light beam had transfixed her every night since her son had disappeared. It was as if the beam was searching for him.
The lighthouse beam rotated every thirteen seconds, passionless, and had matter of fact-ly punctuated her existence for twenty years since she came to the bay and she had seldom noticed it, but now watched every night as if called to account by the probing light which seemed to be searching her soul for guilt.
She wanted him to forgive her. Forgiveness for her had always been a licence to repeat a selfish sin but Peter, she felt, needed to forgive her for his own sake.
On that primary colour day when the rocks had been warm to the touch he had held her like a lover as he knew she needed him to and kissed her , got into his boat, and had just rowed away.
Comments
Any success in such a big competition is worth mentioning.
Believe me, as an editor, I take more notice of the covering letter than the MS,. as if that entertains and is well written, I am more likely to read on. If it doesn't, the MS is likely to be put to one side and not picked up again.
You're on your own I fear, nobody else on the winners' list - but we'll be with you in spirit!
Assuming the query letter is for the same novel the 150 words came from the yes, do mention it. Any success or publicity connected to the novel is worth mentioning.
They always print the winning entry, so only when that happens will we all know if we have failed! I hope I didn't miss it, but am banking on it being in this weekend or next??
Next comp word is SET. 50-150 word opening to a novel, closing date 29 October.
They took us by taxi to lunch in a small London restaurant, all very posh, with the judges and a few agents/publsishers present. I used my Arvon course prize for a week on a short story course in Devon. Three years later I came 2nd and the whole prizes/lunch set-up was still the same, but with different judges. Over the two occasions, I met Fay Weldon, John Mortimer, Sue Townsend and James Herbert. And they were all very nice! As a result of my win, two agents approached me, one took me on, and I finished the novel- but I never did manage to sell the book!
Feel so chuffed I'm going to have a biscuit with my cup of tea!
And congrats Dudess - well done both of you.
From where I am sitting, upstairs in the house, on the window sill, wrapped in the curtains for warmth, I can look down on to the swimming pool.
I can see Rosy there, on the floor of the pool, the pale winter light illuminating her bright red hair. I can see Patrick sitting on the edge of the pool, his legs dangling down as he watches her.
I want to throw open the window and shout down that she shouldn't be out there. It is too cold. She is the light of Patrick's life, of all our lives, but he never thinks of practical things like keeping warm. We both continue to watch her as she dances wildly and beautifully, using the floor of the long drained pool as her stage.
Anyway, congrats to Dudess and Deirdre!
well done Dudess as well as Deidre, enjoy your day out!
It was ok but cant see why Fay Weldon was so excited about it.
Agree with Red.
==========
This was mine
The light beam had transfixed her every night since her son had disappeared. It was as if the beam was searching for him.
The lighthouse beam rotated every thirteen seconds, passionless, and had matter of fact-ly punctuated her existence for twenty years since she came to the bay and she had seldom noticed it, but now watched every night as if called to account by the probing light which seemed to be searching her soul for guilt.
She wanted him to forgive her. Forgiveness for her had always been a licence to repeat a selfish sin but Peter, she felt, needed to forgive her for his own sake.
On that primary colour day when the rocks had been warm to the touch he had held her like a lover as he knew she needed him to and kissed her , got into his boat, and had just rowed away.
I suppose we have to think about the kind of novels Fay Weldon writes to understand her MO.