a good rejection

[eimarra]

Well, technically, I haven't gotten the rejection yet. But . . .

For the past few years, I have said, "Oh, I have to enter a novella in the Science-Fiction at the UPC contest." Hard SF novella, prize money of 6,000 Euros, what's not to love?

This year, I actually managed to send off an entry. After the fact, maripat gave me a critique on it, and I blushed to realize how raw a work I had sent off into the world.

Today, I wandered over to the contest Website to see whether the results had been posted. To my delight, they have. Yup, that's me on the short list. Right after Kristine Kathryn Rusch. *faints* Maybe the novella wasn't that horrible, after all.

Yes, I intend to enter again next year. Yes, next year, I'll get the novella critted before I submit it.

But right now, I'm basking in the glow of doing that well. This was the best result I thought realistically possible, and I am well pleased.

Comments

[temporus.livejournal.com]

Sometimes raw isn't too shabby. A writing buddy in my crit group accidentally sent out his first draft of a story instead of the cleaned up and critiqued version. They bought the story.

In any case, congrats!

[eimarra]

I've sold one story that hadn't been critiqued, but my other sales have all had crits & edits. I *hope* I don't revise the life out of a story, but it can be hard to tell.

Thank you.

[eimarra]

*blush* Thank you! And thank you again for the crit.

I'm still thinking about how to address the points you commented on, so it's not ready to go out again just yet.

[therinth.livejournal.com]

Wow, that is awesome! (I've never known anyone who entered that before, and I never seem to have it together to enter it myself.)

[eimarra]

Thank you!

Of course, since it's an annual contest, you could write the novella any time and just send it off when you think about it near to the next deadline.

[l-clausewitz.livejournal.com]

Ooo. A good "rejection" indeed.

[eimarra]

Well, I'm getting neither pay nor publication, so it's a rejection. :-)