A Nice Surprise But Aiming Higher

By Val
@valmnz (17099)
New Zealand
December 5, 2016 12:38pm CST
I quite enjoy receiving pleasant news when I've long since forgotten something. I learned the other day that I had been one of 22 long listed out of 92 entries in a short story writing competition I entered a few months ago. I'm quite pleased about that, as I haven't written much fiction in the last three years. However, there's room for improvement. Maybe I can get in the top 10 next year. Photo is of one of our nearby wind farm windmills.
16 people like this
18 responses
Felicia Kane
@DesirousDreamer (34783)
• Peoria, Arizona
5 Dec 16
That is so awesome! I am not a short story writer at all, but I enjoy them a lot! Great job!
2 people like this
Val
@valmnz (17099)
• New Zealand
5 Dec 16
Thank you. I was up against some experienced writers.
1 person likes this
Val
@valmnz (17099)
• New Zealand
5 Dec 16
@DesirousDreamer writing competitions here always attract strong competition. es, I am pretty pleased with how I did.
1 person likes this
Felicia Kane
@DesirousDreamer (34783)
• Peoria, Arizona
5 Dec 16
@valmnz You still did pretty well, perhaps practice a bit more until next time!
2 people like this
celticeagle
@celticeagle (158679)
• Boise, Idaho
6 Dec 16
Congratulations. I should send some of my writing out at some point. I write for a group of sites on line, or used to,and make quite a bit. I have quit them though because they changed their guidelines a lot and some closed that I enjoyed writing for.
1 person likes this
celticeagle
@celticeagle (158679)
• Boise, Idaho
6 Dec 16
@valmnz .....Yes, most want original material. Thank you for the reminder.
1 person likes this
Val
@valmnz (17099)
• New Zealand
6 Dec 16
Most writing competitions won't except material that has been online, so be careful what you use there.
1 person likes this
Val
@valmnz (17099)
• New Zealand
6 Dec 16
@celticeagle hopefully mot point this out in their conditions of entry.
1 person likes this
Belle Starr (Iz)
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
6 Dec 16
Congratulations on making it to the top 22, that is impressive. I am sure you will place even better next year.
1 person likes this
Belle Starr (Iz)
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
6 Dec 16
@valmnz It is wonderful that you can share that together. Other writing friends understand better what this kind of things means to a writer.
1 person likes this
Val
@valmnz (17099)
• New Zealand
6 Dec 16
And I've just learned another writing friend made the cut that far as well.
1 person likes this
Anna
@LadyDuck (457249)
• Switzerland
6 Dec 16
Congratulations, being in the top 22 of 92 is very good. Of course there is always room for improvement, but you should be proud of yourself.
1 person likes this
Val
@valmnz (17099)
• New Zealand
6 Dec 16
I am actually, thanks Anna. It's always a strong competition.
1 person likes this
Anna
@LadyDuck (457249)
• Switzerland
7 Dec 16
@valmnz I am sure it is, I imagine there were many very good writers in competition.
Jeff Moffitt
@moffittjc (118365)
• Gainesville, Florida
6 Dec 16
I think the day we stop trying to improve is the day we should call it quits and lay down in our grave! We should always be trying to improve each and every day of our lives!
1 person likes this
Val
@valmnz (17099)
• New Zealand
6 Dec 16
But at my age you have to wonder what fresh ideas I can come up with
1 person likes this
Jeff Moffitt
@moffittjc (118365)
• Gainesville, Florida
7 Dec 16
@valmnz It doesn't matter whether you come up with fresh ideas or not, it matters that you continually try! And it doesn't matter what age you are!
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (325265)
• Rockingham, Australia
6 Dec 16
Good for you. Writing competitions are a bit like that aren't they? And if you're in the 'long list' isn't it possible to move up or has the competition been judged now?
1 person likes this
Val
@valmnz (17099)
• New Zealand
6 Dec 16
No, the competition has been judged.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (325265)
• Rockingham, Australia
7 Dec 16
@valmnz Since I've been on BB and here I've pretty much stopped entering competitions. I really should start again. Too much lethargy and procrastination!! :)
suziecat7
@suziecat7 (3350)
• Asheville, North Carolina
5 Dec 16
Congratulations - that's awesome!
1 person likes this
Val
@valmnz (17099)
• New Zealand
6 Dec 16
Thank you.
Always smiling
@allknowing (130067)
• India
5 Dec 16
This has served as an impetus for you to do better and I am sure you will.
1 person likes this
Always smiling
@allknowing (130067)
• India
6 Dec 16
@valmnz Just a bit of recognition is enough sometimes to bring out the best in us.
Val
@valmnz (17099)
• New Zealand
6 Dec 16
Thank you, I seem to have wandered away from the fiction writing path in the last three years,
1 person likes this
changjiangzhibin89
@changjiangzhibin89 (16517)
• China
6 Dec 16
Good news ! One of 22 long listed out of 92 entries is no mean feat! Congratulations!
1 person likes this
Val
@valmnz (17099)
• New Zealand
6 Dec 16
Thank you. I do feel proud of myself.
1 person likes this
Arthur Chappell
@arthurchappell (45002)
• Preston, England
6 Dec 16
well done for getting so far - your work was considered better than 72 other entries so that in itself is a great achievement
1 person likes this
Val
@valmnz (17099)
• New Zealand
6 Dec 16
Yes, I'm quite pleased about that. Thank you.
1 person likes this
AbbyGreenhill
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
5 Dec 16
There is always room for improvement for all of us in everything we do.
1 person likes this
Val
@valmnz (17099)
• New Zealand
5 Dec 16
Definitely and I'm always up for a challenge.
1 person likes this
AbbyGreenhill
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
5 Dec 16
@valmnz Then you will succeed!
1 person likes this
Valerie J. Routhieaux
@just4him (305417)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
5 Dec 16
That's good placement. I hope you will do much better next year. That would be great.
1 person likes this
Val
@valmnz (17099)
• New Zealand
6 Dec 16
Coming up with a good story is the challenging part one that has something new to impress the judges,
1 person likes this
Valerie J. Routhieaux
@just4him (305417)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
7 Dec 16
@valmnz I agree. I know every story I start I hope will be a good one. I hope you are able to impress those judges next year.
PLETHOS
@Plethos (13560)
• United States
5 Dec 16
thats a great start ! you should write again, maybe even post a paragraph on here for some feedback or as practice. good luck !
1 person likes this
Val
@valmnz (17099)
• New Zealand
6 Dec 16
You can't enter material that has been published online in writing competitions.
1 person likes this
PLETHOS
@Plethos (13560)
• United States
7 Dec 16
@valmnz - i see . . . well thats a bit of a bummer.
Laurel (L_B)
@Happy2BeMe (99399)
• Canada
5 Dec 16
Congratulations that is a great accomplishment. Best of luck on making the top 10 next year.
1 person likes this
Val
@valmnz (17099)
• New Zealand
6 Dec 16
Thank you. I'll probably start earlier before the competition next time!
1 person likes this
Laurel (L_B)
@Happy2BeMe (99399)
• Canada
6 Dec 16
@valmnz Well I wish you luck. You can do it!
1 person likes this
Jekca
@Jessicalynnt (50525)
• Centralia, Missouri
6 Dec 16
well grats, that's pretty good either way!
crazyhorseladycx
@crazyhorseladycx (39515)
• United States
6 Dec 16
congrats! we've always room fer improvement, but 22 aint a bad placin' :) big hugs!
Fiacre Banks
@xFiacre (12613)
• Ireland
5 Dec 16
@valmnz I still haven't got round to entering anything. Maybe some time. But congratulations to you.
1 person likes this
Val
@valmnz (17099)
• New Zealand
5 Dec 16
Thank you. The only way I get fiction written these days, or poetry, is to enter competitions. But we don't have many in New Zealand.
M.-L.
@MALUSE (69416)
• Germany
5 Dec 16
Are the people nearby in favour of the wind farm? In Germany, there are always heated discussions. People want clean electricity but not near their homes.
1 person likes this
Val
@valmnz (17099)
• New Zealand
5 Dec 16
Exactly the same here! There's divided opinion about them. They can be quite noisy for nearby residents on the life style blocks in the hills