Wednesday 29 September 2010

What to do when waiting to hear from a short story competition

  1. Check primary email. Every five minutes
  2. Check second email as well in case you gave out the wrong one
  3. Check old hotmail email you had when a student in case you had a memory black out on the competition form
  4. Check phone. Every ten minutes
  5. Check voice mail just in case phone has mysteriously malfunctioned
  6. Curse the skies
  7. Compulsively eat sweet things
  8. Stare into space looking tragic
  9. Lurk around WH Smith’s surreptitiously researching magazines that publish short stories as Plan B
  10. Write the next idea

While I am currently zinging through all stages 1 – 10, I seem to be lingering most on looking tragic. This could also be because I have caught the cold of doom that seems to be wafting around the office, and feel like I need to lie down on a bed of tissues.

So to cheer me up, what creative things are you doing? Working on the main novel – if so, what stage? Stuck on an edit? Researching the 18th century? Compulsively eating Dolly Mixtures (hey, that could be just me).

And for gorgeous inspiring autumn-ness, check out these pictures:



Picture credit: Denis Collette - gorgeous photography on Flickr.

35 comments:

Rebecca Alexander said...

Oh, this is so true! And when the deadline passes but you haven't heard anything... maybe they were late judging them? Maybe they all had flu and took an extra week or two? It isn't until the final results are published that you can move on. Lovely blog!

Carolyn V. said...

Ohhhh! I hope you get good news! I hate waiting.

I'm hoping to revise today. Like I feel like I always am. =)

Joanne said...

When I'm waiting, I'll often clean up my Word files, and get everything tidied up and ready to begin a new project. Best wishes, I hope you hear good news :)

Joanna St. James said...

hey you 4got to chk your sent box, what if you 4got to send it? lol I have been there and as impossible as this sounds i would suggest you distract yourself with another WIP.
August 11: sent chapter 1 for harlequins medical fast track and another completed MS to carina press
August 31: harlequin requested a partial and i decided to enter the new voices comp
September 27: did not make the cut for the NV
September 28: sent out the requested partial out to editor
September 29: just remembered I sent a manuscript to Carina Press.
see? it works try it and GOOD LUCK

Patti Struble said...

As I take the contest plunge, I think tearing out my hair in little rivulets may be up there somewhere. But, I am consoling myself with the WIP & method acting - the I don't care approach or the crazed Taxi driver one. It varies from day to day.
Best of luck, though.
Patti

Kelsey (Dominique) Ridge said...

Ooh, those pictures were lovely.
I hope you hear back soon, and that it's good news. Waiting's very frustrating.

Today, if I'm lucky, I'll start the climax of my WIP. Yay! I'm stoked. :)

Unknown said...

Loved the post, I've certainly 'been there, had the teeshirt', and especially loved the looking tragic bit!

Mise said...

Have you tried glacé cherries? If you eat a whole box (the small size) you'll feel as though you may not live for long, delicious though they are, so you'll be compelled to get all your creative thoughts down on paper. Exactly like dolly mix, but more so.

Natasha said...

Those are some beautiful pictures you have put together.

And all the best.

Kathy said...

I L-O-V-E that second picture. Look at the texture!

Good luck to you . . . maybe #11 needs to be go for a brisk long walk, or pet a puppy. ;)

Anne Gallagher said...

Okay, cheering you up, if this makes you feel any better...
I've been supposed to be working on finishing up the last 2 scenes in my WIP, getting my outline together for 2 short stories I have to write for publication, starting and finishing my synopsis to go with the query next week, and do revisions on said manuscript.

However, I am playing on the blog.

Happy Frog and I said...

I wish you all the best with the short story competition. Waiting is really horrible isn't it?!

I'm trying to find some time in between work and play to sit down and write something other than my blog, but it is proving very difficult! I think I will have to do it on Friday. It's good to sound decisive even it it doesn't always work out that way!

Fran Hill said...

You got it about right with the Dolly Mixtures. Waiting is horrid.

Terri Tiffany said...

I try not to think about it and move on to the next project--doing that now--editing!

Anonymous said...

Oh yes I know exactly what you feel like, I'm going through it now. Have been trying to take my mind off it my watching DVD's as the muse has left me for the moment, that and I have a lingering throat bug. Good luck.:0)

Julie Musil said...

Waiting is so tough, but I just move on to the next thing. This keeps my mind active and I soon forget that I'm waiting.

I'm nearing the final act of my second novel.

My fingers are crossed for you!

Old Kitty said...

Awwww I am sending you tons and tons and tons of good luck hugs over the ether!! I have everything crossed for your story!! I wish you all the very best with it!! Good luck, good luck, good luck!!!
:-)

And thank you for these beautiful autumnal pics. I really feel as if I should start hibernating! LOL! Take care and all the best, fingers and all limbs crossed! x

Anonymous said...

I'm waiting on a contest, too. It's so hard!!! In the meantime I try to push it out of my mind and work on something else or read someone else's super interesting novel:)

Maria Zannini said...

Ref: Curse the skies

Darn it. That's what I was forgetting.

***

I hope you start to feel better soon.

Gigi Thibodeau said...

I tend to get stuck on number 7, although I'm pretty good at looking tragic, too! :)

Unknown said...

Best of luck with the contest! Love those photos. We don't get vibrant fall colors like that here in San Francisco.

Rachna Chhabria said...

Hope you get some good news soon. The wait is killing. We all are with you.:)
Right now, I am rewriting my WIP.

http://rachnachhabria.blogspot.com/2010/09/unleashing-our-creativity.html

SF said...

Oh I haate waiting. It's such an anti-climax, after you've done all your editing and redrafting and perfecting, and you send your story off and then...nothing. Just waiting.

Best of luck with it! I think today I'll be editing random chapters of my novel.

Linda said...

Hi Jayne

I've entered lots of competitions and rarely got placed so the best thing to do I have found is to concentrate on the next project and try not to think about it too much - easier said than done I know. I've been away from blogland for a while busy working on my novel. I've reached 120000 and am still nowhere near the end so I've decided to give in a break for a while and prepare for the NaNoWriMo in November.

Linda

Private said...

I'm in the same boat as you! waiting to hear back from a magazine about a short story. they said it could take 3 weeks. 3 weeks! I'll go mad!

Rose said...

he he! always having a plan B makes plan less stressful.

I just feel overwhelmed with things to do at the moment and am not therefore doing many of them at all...

beautiful pics I agree!

Stina said...

You've just reminded me why I'm not looking forward to querying.

I'm getting ready to start my new wip while my other one is out with the new beta readers. :)

Good luck on the contest! :D

Janet O'Kane said...

Gorgeous pics! Hope the news, when you get it, is good. In the meantime, cuddle those lovely cats.
I’m currently:
• Up to chapter 6 of the second draft of my novel
• Writing a guest blog for a local gym
• Reviewing a couple of books for my blog
• Drafting a piece for submission to The Oldie about the time I sold underpants to Roger Moore in Harrods
• Trying to get my local library interested in taking part in National Crime Writing Week 2011

Maggie May said...

Love the pictures!
Sounds torture waiting for your contact!
What creative thing am I doing???????
I walk when I am in that situation..... eat chocolate.... cuddle my rabbit! Blogging helps!
Maggie X

Nuts in May

i'm no miss said...

I loove autumn colors!

The good news is coming your way! good luck:)

TerryLynnJohnson said...

WOW! New here and looking around. Love your voice! I have a good feeling about this competition! (sorry to contribute to the obsessive email checks. Just saying, I like the way to write stuff)
also, that is a gorgeous fall photo right there!
Currently, I'm also waiting and checking emails. I don't think it ever stops.

Hermana Maw said...

Hi! I love your blog! And I do all ten of those things when I'm waiting to hear from someone about a submission. Waiting is torture. Good luck!

Falls leaves are a passion of mine. I gather some every fall to give me color through the long, drab winter. Those picture were a gift. Thanks.

Lisa Potts said...

Oh, waiting is the worst! Hope you hear something soon. Feel better.

The fall pictures are wonderful. I hope the drought we've had here doesn't ruin the leaves this year.

Deniz Bevan said...

Those are some gorgeous photos! I haven't sent a query or a short story out in a while so I'm rather relaxed... just writing and researching, with that I'm-not-yet-at-the-editing-stage glow :-)

Georgiana Daniels said...

Hilarious! I do so adore looking tragic while waiting for news on my submissions. SOOO glad I am not alone :D