Hello,
I have taken on board advice and entered my ghost story into 3 different competitions now. I can't stand the waiting around for results and the sinking feeling I get when I receive the results and realise I've neither won nor been shortlisted etc. I understand that writers have to put up with rejection but it really makes one want to give up altogether.
I've submitted my story to editors and I've always received great feedback, one of which gave me such hope and made me feel like I was actually good at writing.
I'm just wondering what more I can do with my short story. Do I keep entering competitions or is there anyway I could try and get published?
Any ideas... Thanks in advance.
Thank you everyone for taking the time to answer. It has made me feel a lot better in myself and I'm glad I shared my thoughts with you all.
I am going to accept from the outset that the enjoyment I receive from writing, a new ability for me, is enough. If I ever get published or win prizes, then that's a bonus. I don't want to stress or worry about it.
I hope you do succeed, but that you also take pleasure from writing - something you can continue do while you wait for 'that phone call'?
Richard
If you've written one good story, you will surely write more.
Be careful about submitting the same story to multiple competitions. Some won't accept entries on that basis. Check the small print.
Write more stories, enter more competitions. The more you do, the more you increase your chances of success.