The BWB Blog Contest!
We all know how hard it is in this biz. To keep writing when you’re discouraged, dejected, demoralized, and all those other d-words that seem inevitable as you make your way along the dusty trail toward publication.
But when you’re down or, worse, when you feel like giving up, here's your saving grace: your BWB. That’s right, your best writer-buddy. They are there to cry when you cry, to celebrate when you celebrate, and occasionally, to talk you away from the edge of the cliff. Without my BWBs, I honestly don't know if I'd still be pursing this crazy dream of mine.
So, to celebrate BWB’s everywhere, a couple of my comrades—the lovely Kristen Lippert-Martin and Angelina Hansen—and I have put together this awesome blog contest for writers of YA and MG fiction.
How to Enter: In the comment section, tell us briefly (in 100 words or less) about your best writer-buddy and how she/he inspires and encourages you. If applicable, include a link to your blog as well as your BWB’s blog. Again, this is for YA/MG fiction writers only, but you can write in any genre: Contemporary, Historical, Paranormal, Not-paranormal, Somewhat Paranormal – anything.
To Qualify to Win: Be a blog follower of mine, Angelina’s or Kristen's, simple as that. You probably already are a follower anyway. ‘Cause you’re cool like that.
Winners: Each of us will choose a winner at random from the entries at our blogs. And, yes, that means that you have not one but three chances to win. Because you can go over to Kristen’s blog and follow her (if you don’t already) and then to Angelina’s blog (and follow her as well) and leave comments/entries there.
Prizes: The winners at mine and Kristen’s blog will receive a query critique from our fabulous agent, Molly Jaffa of Folio Literary Management (Did I not say you all would benefit from my bragging?!). The winner at Angelina’s blog will win a query critique from her agent, Kate Grimm with Don Congdon & Associates. And here’s the good part, not only will winners receive a query critique, your writer-buddy will receive a copy of Cheryl Klein’s new book Second Sight AND both the winner and her writer-buddy will get one of these super cheesy, BFF half-a-heart pendants. Awwww!
Deadline: Entries must be submitted by Friday, Sept. 30 at midnight. Then we will announce the three winners the following week: one on Monday, 10/3; one on Wednesday, 10/5 and the final winner on Friday, 10/7.
Let the fun begin!
26 comments:
Now I can sleep!
This is a pretty sweet contest to be sure. I don't even have a writer buddy. Besides myself. And I don't even know what I write. I just sorta write! BUT! I will be able to see all sorts of new blogs by writers! So in the end I win too :D
I feel left out. :(
Darn adult fiction.
You are too cute. And I love my BWB's. :)
Great contest. I write YA fiction. :) Yay! However, I don't have a BWB...yet. Boo:( I need to get on that. Also, I'm not yet to the query stage. Maybe next time!
My BWB would be my cousin, best friend, and blog partner Pam Harris. We have been writing together since we were pre-teens. We would have our Lisa Frank notebooks, write one chapter--then read it out loud once we were finished. We wrote entire novels this way and critiqued each other without even realizing we were critiquing :) Then, one day--we both woke up and realized we need to really focus on writing.
And Pam kicked us both into gear. We applied for an MFA together and got into the same program (we just finished this past August- woo hoo!!!) and then we signed up for writing conferences. This is where I REALLY, TRULY cherish my BWB. Pam had a discussion with an agent who told her: your writing seems more like young adult writing. Why don't you turn this story into a teen story?? Pam told me this, then said: "Hey, you usually write things in teenager's voices, too. We should BOTH write YA."
Fast Forward--three years later. Pam is repped by Sarah LaPolla from Curtis Brown Ltd from her FIRST YA novel ever. And me? Well, she encourages me to keep querying, keep trekking, and revise, revise, revise. She tells me there's an agent out there for me who will love my work because it's good. Best of all? She tells me to neve, ever, ever even THINK about giving up. And because of that, she is the BWB a girl could ever ask for.
Thanks for this contest. It's one of the best I've come across in a long time :D
Blog Link: http://seepamwrite.blogspot.com/ (This is the blog we share).
Awesome contest! :)I have awesome BWBs. Like the best! So, now I shall tweet about you and your cool bloggishness.
You've been warned.
You already know all about my BWBs. Especially since you're one of them! What a great contest!
Oooo, this is a great idea for a contest!
I met my BWB in Feb 2011, when I wanted to go to a conference and my mom (being a mother) called the coordinator and asked if teens attended. The coordinator hooked me and Kate up, and we started talking. And never stopped.
Then we met in June 2011 at that conference, and now in August, we started an editing service together. I usually just call her my business-partner-in-crime, but BWB works too. We're freakishly alike, were born 3 weeks apart, and write each other haikus like this:
I wrote a haiku
all about our awesomeness
but then it ended
Her blog is here: http://katecoursey.blogspot.com/
And mine is here:
http://tarynalbright.com
My writing buddy flies under the radar – no blog, or anything like
that. He’s not a professional writer, but he has three qualities that make him the best writing buddy ever. First, he is a super editor. He has an eye for seemingly small things that really disrupt
continuity (and also for places where adding something small will pull a story together). Second, he’s unfailingly honest. If he likes something, I know it’s good. And third, he’s incredibly supportive. He knows when to bring out the chocolate, and when to bring out the champagne!
Great contest. My MWB is Peggy at Will Write for Cookies: She keeps me (Jessie Humphries at the B-Word Blog) going and going, through it all.
My writer buddy, Carol, is my chief critique partner at the moment. Even though we think alike, we pick up different aspects in each others writing which is really helpful. I enjoy critiquing her work and she recently picked up an agent. Woo hoo.
My Blog
Carol's Blog
All of your stories are SO GREAT! I'm loving reading them. Keep them comin'! :)
My BWB is fascinating, well versed in literature, science, history, and more. I'm encouraging her to start a blog cuz her posts will be as fascinating as she is. Because she's humble, no one would guess she's a retired OBGYN, has a law degree, and more. The education hasn't stifled her creativity. Her MG adventure WIPs are even better than her first novel, published by Scholastic before she started med school. I've had the time of my life co-authoring two MG novels with her, plus learned more than any writers workshop could teach me.
My link: http://lynnkelleyrandomactsofwriting.blogspot.com/
Oh is there a Somewhat Paranormal genre? Good to know. My BWB is Patti Nielson at pattinielson.blogspot.com. We started the blogging world at the same time...back when we were one of the few people commenting no each other's blogs. She was the first person I ever sent pages, too, and she knows my writing better than anybody.
See my typos? If Patti were here she would edit them for me.
My BWB is my mother. She doesn't have a blog. She lives in a different state, but as I am writing, she is the one that keeps me motivated. I send her pages to review and she give me her honest opinion. She is the person who showed me how much a person can really enjoy a good book. She will laugh out loud and cry while reading, so I am always hoping to hear she had such a reaction when reading my WIP!
http://bethanylopez.weebly.com/blog.html
Yes, you already know my BWBs as well. Great contest. I will promote it on my blog. :)
Well, I'm erica, so obviously my best writer buddy is christy. I "met" her at the online Write On Con last summer. I MET her at a local writer's conference in April that we decided to attend together. Man, I love that girl. She responds to my 100 angsty emails every night. She loves what I write. She's mad at me when I don't write.
You guys should be jealous. And no, I won't introduce you. I need her. ;)
erica
Okay, I feel really silly, but my BWB is my mother (I saw another in here, so I don't feel so bad). She has read more books than anyone I know. We were once in a used book store together and she walked down the Sci/Fi Fantasy aisle with a frown. Then she saw a book and picked it up and read the back cover. Then she sighed and put it back. I asked her "What's wrong?" and she said, "Oh, I just thought I'd found one I hadn't read yet."
Yeah, I know, my Mom, right? No, she's not that "Oh honey, this is so great" mom. My mom is full of criticism, and a large vocabulary. My sister no longer gives my mom anything to read because she's a tough critic. But even though she's tough, she loves getting new manuscripts and is even willing to read the same one over and over.
What a great contest!
Mine is similar to Marquita's: my BWB is my cousin, godmother to my son, and blog partner, Kelsey Sandy. She's a fabulous writing cheerleader, critiquer, and beta-reader because she actually has a MFA from Purdue (SO proud of her!).
Our love of writing started when we were just kids and would stay up late telling each other made-up stories featuring our favorite actors. Kelsey was the first to write a novel in high school and encouraged me to do the same.
Our blog is relativelyunread.blogspot.com
Really guys, I am seriously loving these entries. Aren't we such a cozy, awesome community? *group hug*
Also, to those who have their Mom as a BWB, that TOTALLY counts! I count on and love my Mom's input and advice. She's fabulous. :)
MY BWB is a fellow writer and it's no holds barred between us. Lots of love and lots of 'seriously, WTF were you thinking?!' but it's all good times. We're not sensitive and nothing we say will offend the other. It's good to have that really honest opinion. :)
I echo everyone else who has said that this is a terrific contest! Thanks to Renee, Kristen, and Angelina—and, of course, Molly and Kate—for making it happen.
I am lucky enough to have four BWBs—the fellow members of my writers’ group. We started up nine years ago now (!!) and still meet monthly to eat a pot-luck dinner, consume copious amounts of wine, and, of course, critique each other's writing. We celebrate our successes together, support each other through the trying times, and most importantly, keep each other writing. Without them badgering me for the next installment, I’m sure that my longer projects would never have gotten finished. My first book will definitely be dedicated to them!
Hands down, my BWB is my significant other. Why? Because he's the only one that I can tell ALL the bad stuff to.
My boyfriend wants my dream to come true, he's enabling me physically to do so, and he believes it will happen (at least that's what he tells me :D).
He's also very private, so he has no blog. Mine is: http://sophiathewriter.blogspot.com/
Awesome this post good job
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