Contest: Last Day to Enter
By Amy Groening
Our 12th Annual Free Publishing Contest wraps up at midnight tonight! We are just itching to find out what the judges have to say about this year’s batch of contest hopefuls—and we’re sure you are too! If you haven’t entered yet, get that manuscript in! You still have a few hours!
If this is—gasp!—the first you’re hearing of our contest and you don’t think you’ll have time to hammer out the 50,000 word dream manuscript that’s been growing in your head for the past 15 years within the next 15 hours, fear not, we run this contest every year. You can even contact us and ask to be included on our mailing list so that you’ll receive an announcement when the next contest opens.
And if you’ve been watching our contest with interest and don’t think you can wait another month and a half for that winners announcement…well, there’s no way around it. But here are a few distractions for you while you play the waiting game:
Keep Writing!
This may sound daunting after you’ve just finished birthing this manuscript, but don’t forget to keep those writing muscles flexed, whether you’re pumped to start on your next manuscript, or can only find the energy to scrawl out a few paragraphs every now and again. Our blog is always here if you need it! If you haven’t already, practice your skills with some of our writing prompts, play cliché bingo, and read posts from our guest authors—they might inspire you to keep going! Here are a few great past posts to check out:
5 Leaps of Faith for your Writing
It’s Darkest Before Things Get Worse
Straight from an Impressionable Heart
Keep Reading!
Whether you’re waiting with baited breath to see if your name is on our shortlist, or are an avid reader on standby to hear the name of our next great Canadian Christian writers, it’s worth dipping in to our pool of past winners. See what sort of company you’ll be in if you are among our finalists; discover your new favourite book, and get in some great summer reading while you’re at it! Here are a few books to try:
Non-Fiction
Bobbi Junior, The Reluctant Caregiver
Bonnie J. Brooks, Pierced in the Heart
Michael Mendler, Concerning God
Lisa Elliott, The Ben Ripple
Robert White, Chasing the Wind
Fiction
Erin E.M. Hatton, Across the Deep
Sharon Dow, Huldah: Prophetess
Holly C. Wyse, The Restoration of Emma Carmichael
Chrissy M. Dennis, The Lion Cubs
Sara Davison, The Watcher
Go on a Literary Adventure
You’ve probably been envisioning your published book standing proudly on bookstore shelves since the day you sent in your contest submission, but how much do you know about your local literary community? If you answered, “what literary community?” it’s time to get involved. Not only could you meet some fantastic new writers and find support and encouragement for your own writing, but it will give you an idea of what to expect, and how to prepare for, the next few steps in your publishing journey.
If you’ve never been to a book signing before, now is the time. Check with your local bookstores and find an upcoming signing. See that author up there with the stack of books by his or her side? That could be you some day! Track down writers’ groups, see if your library has a Writer in Residence, go to a conference or writer’s retreat, log on to Twitter or Facebook and track down some local authors. Getting a feel for what’s happening in your area, and how other authors approach the publishing process and how they are marketing themselves, can help prepare you for the day when you’ll signing copies at your own book launch.
Follow us!
Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and watch our blog, and you’ll be one of the first to see that long-awaited winners announcement—which will be posted here on July 31. Until then, have a wonderful, literary summer!
About this Contributor:
Amy Groening is a project manager at Word Alive Press. She is a passionate storyteller with experience in blogging, newspaper reportage, and creative writing. She holds an Honours degree in English Literature and is happy to be working in an industry where she can see other writers’ dreams come to life. She enjoys many creative pursuits, including sewing, sculpture and painting, and spends an embarrassingly large amount of time at home taking photos of her cat committing random acts of feline crime.