Need Motivation Enter a Writing Contest

Need Motivation Enter a Writing Contest The most assiduous writer comes face to face with writers block occasionally. The hand tires of embellishing the 59th promotional copy for Kirks Paving and Tiling Solutions Ltd, the soul wearies of deconstructing the 16th time Joe Hero battles sundry demons. Creative juices dry up, creative muses leave the building, inspiration imitates a certain 1985 DeLorean and vanishes in a puff of smoke, leaving behind only the dusty smoldering ashes of a burned-out freelancer or novelist. So you seek a jump-start. Because you are a writer, and write you must. Disregard everything vague youve ever heard about writing competitions. Oh, tts just a lottery . . . mumble . . . Â  mumble . . . What? Dont let the fear of scams and swindlers hold you back. Not all contests are created the same. As long as youve done your homework Here are seven solid reasons why participating in a writing contest could be the smartest move you make for your freelance career this year: 1. That winning feeling . . . is such a confidence booster! The high you get when your work is acknowledged to be better than others is a kick like no other. Drugs couldnt do it justice. Its like orgasming on words. Reluctant to approach that high-profile agent with your debut manuscript? To hell with hesitation! Drunk on your contest success, you can achieve anything. 2. The tangible benefits . . . include cold hard cash, certificates, trophies and merchandise. That fresh brew definitely smells and tastes better in your new winners coffee mug. 3. The reverberations . . . can range from a hooked agent and a baited publisher, to a public reading, a slew of interested offers of representation, an invitation to a residency, a place on a coveted workshop or course program, an interview on the local radio show, and ultimately a shiny new book on the shelf with your name on it. The effects of winning a contest can be far-reaching and long-lasting. That writers conference youve been requested to attend as a finalist? Guess who will be first in line to pitch their new book to a host of agents and publishers also in attendance? You, thats who. 4. The street cred . . . establishes your bonafides irrevocably. Call it platform or portfolio, you earn the title of serious writer. You increase readership, build relationships, gain prestige. A glowing testimonial from an impressed editor can add stars to your limelight. An eager advertiser keen to give you his dollars can raise your game to a whole new business stratosphere. More exposure equals more sales. 5. The practical advantages . . . are not far behind. Submitting exclusively to a contest at a time allows you to rest a piece, and review it with fresh eyes later and make improvements. Working under a tight deadline, to a strict word limit, can hone your self-editing skills to a fine razor-edge, allowing you to cull words and cauterize verbiage at a moments notice. Â  All that practice makes perfect. Save on hiring editing services much? 6. The feedback . . . from judges can be invaluable. You can revise a short story all the way into a novel. A well-analyzed critique from a respected and experienced doyen of the literary industry is worth its weight in entry fees. 7. The motivation . . . obligingly returns. Ideas come flocking back in droves when youre presented with a theme, prompt or topical challenge. Writers block, begone! So the next time you feel like putting up an Out of Order sign on your minds doorstep and fleeing the whole sorry scene, stop writing. Start competing instead.

Learn More About Edgar Allan Poes The Raven

Learn More About Edgar Allan Poe's 'The Raven' Edgar Allan Poes The Raven is the most famous of Poes poems, notable for its melodic and dramatic qualities. The meter of the poem is mostly trochaic octameter, with eight stressed-unstressed two-syllable feet per lines. Combined with an end rhyme scheme and the frequent use of internal rhyme, the the refrain of nothing more and nevermore give the poem a musical lilt when read aloud. Poe also emphasizes the O sound in words such as Lenore and nevermore to underline the melancholy and lonely sound of the poem and to establish the overall atmosphere. Story Summary The Raven follows an unnamed narrator on a dreary night in December who sits reading forgotten lore by a dying fire   as a way to forget the death of his beloved Lenore. Suddenly, he hears someone (or something) knocking at the door.   He calls out, apologizing to the visitor he imagines must be outside. Then he opens the door and finds†¦nothing. This freaks him out a little, and he reassures himself that it is just the wind against the window. So he goes and opens the window, and in flies (you guessed it) a raven. The Raven settles in on a statue above the door, and for some reason, our speakers first instinct is to talk to it. He asks for its name, just like you usually do with strange birds that fly into your house, right? Amazingly enough, though, the Raven answers back, with a single word: Nevermore.   Understandably surprised, the man asks more questions. The birds vocabulary turns out to be pretty limited, though; all it says is Nevermore. Our narrator catches on to this rather slowly and asks more and more questions, which get more painful and personal. The Raven, though, doesnt change his story, and the poor speaker starts to lose his sanity. Study Guide Questions for The Raven The Raven is one of Edgar Allan Poes most memorable works. Here are a few questions for study and discussion. What is important about the title of the poem, The Raven? Why does he use the title?What are the conflicts in The Raven? What types of conflict (physical, moral, intellectual, or emotional) do you read?How does Edgar Allan Poe reveal character in The Raven?What are some themes? Symbols? How do they relate to the overall flow or meaning of the poem?Does the poem end the way you expected? How? Why?What is the central/primary purpose of the poem? Is the purpose important or meaningful?How does the work relate to Poes other works of supernatural and horror literature? Would you read it at Halloween?How essential is the setting? Could the poem have taken place in another place or time? Do you get enough of a sense of where and when the poem takes place?What is the significance of the raven in mythology and literature?How is madness or insanity explored in the poem?Would you recommend this poem to a friend?