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Competition win

Pete GPete G
edited February 2010 in - Writing Tales
Just found out that I have won a New Zealand magazine's monthly short story competition, my first ever. It will be in thier March issue and I get a free copy of the magazine. I was suprised as it was only after I had emailed my story that I realised that they wanted a maximum word count of 800, and my story was 1800. The day before I had had another rejection from a publisher about my idea for a novel so was feeling a bit down until the news arrived. So onwards and upwards. Didn't Charles Dickens start off writing for magazines?

Comments

  • KangarooKangaroo
    Congratulations Pete!
  • NefertariNefertari
    Well done Pete.
  • RosalieRosalie
    That's great news!
  • LeeHLeeH
    Congrats Pete!
  • kadokado
    Well done!
  • VericaVerica
    Well done, Peter!
  • littlewandalittlewanda
    Fantastic news, Peter. Well done!
  • megrosemegrose
    Congratulations, Peter - well done.
  • CarolCarol
    Well done Pete G.
  • WordyWordy
    Congratulations Pete
  • flyingtartflyingtart
    Well done, Pete!
  • LizLiz
    Good heavens... well done Peter.

    Hope the people who killed themselves trying to stay in the word limit don't ever find out!!
  • VivViv
    Amazing to be allowed to win if you were so far out of the word count rules. Well done anyway.
  • Baggy BooksBaggy Books
    [quote=Liz!]Hope the people who killed themselves trying to stay in the word limit don't ever find out!! [/quote]

    I think they may when the see the winning entry!

    Well done!
  • niddyniddy
    well done, great news
  • DwightDwight
    Congrats, Pete. Yes, Charles Dickens DID write for magazines and he did a whole lot more besides. I was reading about him recently and he was an extremely active man in public life apart from doing all his writing. Something of a Renaissance Man.
  • HisanoXelaxHisanoXelax
    Well done Pete
  • Pete GPete G
    Thanks for all the friendly comments. I always like reading that someone has had a success, no matter how small. Incidentally as well as being too long my story went against modern convention. Originally short stories invariably had a twist or suprise at the end. A lot of writing sites now say that is old hat, but I disagree. My story throughout tried to get the reader sympathetic to its main character, but my last sentence showed her to be an evil bitch. Do others agree the old twist-in-the-tail ending was better?
  • Baggy BooksBaggy Books
    As a reader, I often feel cheated if there isn't a twist. But it depends on the story. Some fiction can just be a journey and still be time well spent.
  • Stan2Stan2
    Great news Pete. Yes, Chas D did start writing for a magazine. In fact, several of his books were originally written as magazine instalements.
  • cekaceka
    Well done, Pete. Maybe they made a mistake and really wanted 1800 as a maximum! I like twists in the endings too, but some magazines just plain don't and won't have them.
    Charles Dickens wasn't very nice to his wife in latter years ...
  • doradora
    Twist at the end, depends on how much of a twist it is. Sometimes twisty ends are fun if you haven't seen it coming but once it does you realise that is has been heading right for you, all the time. :)

    Well done on your win.
  • robin1robin1
    Congratulations Pete. Well done
  • Jay MandalJay Mandal
    Well done!
  • ClaudiaClaudia
    Well done, Pete. Just goes to show that accidentally breaking competition rules can work if the story is outstanding!

    As for twist endings - I'd say all types of endings are valid provided they give a feeling of satisfaction to the reader. I don't think 'twists' should be specifically included or excluded - provided they come as a surprise; it all depends on the flavour of the story.
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