A B N A Vets Forum Didn't make the semi finals - ..

I'm too self-critical so I try not to upset myself. LOL

I was one of the unfortunate also.  But, the best thing to do is file this contest with the other rejection slips and keep plodding forward, on to other things!

I was really happy with my novel before I entered the competition and I am still really happy with it despite not making the cut. I had spent a LOT of time revising it and now I have no intention of changing anything unless a publisher with a contract makes a suggestion. I think you have to know when to leave your ms alone and go onto something else.

I have sent off the query letter to the agent I want and am a quarter of the way through a new novel.

The competition has been good in that it has introduced me to a lot of similar minded writers whose feedback will be valuable with the developement of this new novel.

Gayna

Gayna, I heare you on the MS revisions.  I actually got to the point a while ago that you are at, where I didn't want to change a thing unless a publisher requested it.  Even after that, I've found myself making major revisions, but for style issues, not necessarily so much for content.

Anyway, its surprising to me how many times you have to revise even after you think "this is the last time".  Then again, this was my first novel, and it wasn't originally meant to be a  novel when I started writing it.  It's bound to have issues here and there, especially in the earlier chapters.

I think if you are not careful you can spend your whole life rewriting (and not always for the better).

I have reached the stage with this ms that I am happy to send it out and get on writing a new ms. If after a few years I have not sold it and the reviewers say "It stinks!" then I will rewrite but I am not going to do it just because a couple of overworked reviewers (who may or may not have even looked at it) didn't think it was good enough to win a competition.

 

Gayna

Didn't make it, don't know why, don't care. Gonna peddle it to a more deserving market. LOL

Few days before I received the "Thanks, but no thanks" email from Amazon, a publisher who already read three chapters of my book (the same book that I submitted to the Amazon contest), had asked me to send him the entire manuscript for a final review. 

Knowing that the manuscript is still being professionally evaluated softened the disappointment and at the same time keeps me sitting on the edge of my seat just as if I was still in the competition.

I lost interest in the Amazon competition and moved on. What I can't understand is how come two professional publishers showed sufficient interest in the book to consider it for publication, yet none of the Amazon reviewers thought that it was good enough to progress to the next level?

Oh well, I enjoyed it while it lasted and made many e-friends so I'm glad I entered. Good luck to all of you who made it to the next level. I

Doron-
Chances are the Amazon reviewers who read your exerpt didn't like your genre, so they were more critical.

Here's my take on also not making the top 1,000. 

I'm glad I'm out.  I pouted for a day or two, and then was over it.  And I actually had an epiphany this past weekend with my manuscript.  You can read about that in my Amazon blog, but I basically edited my entire manuscript, added 3,000 words, changed the title, and was emailing it off to a publisher late Sunday night upon completion.  Got an immediate response that they were willing to read it and give it some time, and that they'd be in touch in about 3 weeks.

That's much better than having to sit another two months begging people to review my ABNA exerpt.  Speaking of that, has Amazon already given up?  Why is there almost zilch promotion on the home page??

I'll admit.  I've read a few exerpts that were good, and I've read a few that I have no idea how they made the cut (none of those are members here, by the way).  Unfortunately, my own manuscript is backed into a corner and only fits a certain market.  Gay literary fiction.  But that's okay....believe it or not, it's a huge market.  Gay men (and women) like to read!  LOL  So, that's it.  I've moved on.

While waiting for a reply from this publisher, I'm editing another manuscript which I finished in December.  So, not much time for very much exerpt reading, but I do plan to hit a few more before the next deadline.

Good luck to all who did make it though!

Recklesseyes,   Congratulations!  Hope you don't mind me butting in on your reply to Doron, but I think that is so great you got a response after a little more refinement - sounds really gratifying. 

I was pretty sure I wouldn't get in, there's many reasons, e.g. the piece needed the plot junctures highlighted alot more and I was never happy with pages 2-5 or so (the most important part). Threw it all into some semblance of a draft in the 7 days I had from the time I learned I was picked off the waitlist.  So your story is really encouraging - thanks for mentioning it.  I hope to gussy up my novel too when I have spare time.

I have to agree that there is some writing that is puzzlingly poor in the mix, but so much of it is very good.  I tried to be honest in low reviews, was misunderstood, and got criticized online; so now I avoid names I've seen before and just wade through General Fiction, read the Publisher Weekly reviews, check to see if the summary rating is in line with the PW review, then look to see how many customers have reviewed it.   Basically I try to find and review ones that are the lost gems, which PW noticed but for one reason or another have not gotten attention.  I found "Cicada" that way and thought it was pretty good, especially since it takes on important social issues. 

Good luck!

Great advice Reckless and congrats.  I too pouted for a few days, was so bummed.  Once I started reading some of the excerpts, I realized that I was better off without ABNA.  So, I wrote up a synopsis for my book, and emailed it to an agent.  I've decided that this is the route I'll take for the next few months. 

 

If I don't get representation, then I'll start sending off to publishing houses.  I refuse to give up, and think that my chances are good.  I have begun revising the sequel to my ABNA entry, and am excited about the writing process again.  I learn a lot as reviews come in, which only helps me become a better writer in the long run. 

 

Good luck to everyone.  Make sure to post all of your ups and downs.  This is a great place to be, where we can lean on one another, and celebrate the successes that are sure to come.

I have come to a long, and thoughtful conclusion.

I'm glad I didn't make it to the next round.  Doesn't seem very insightful, does it?

However, because I did not make it, I was able to post my work here, and because of the reviews I've had so far, I feel like my book has become worlds better.

So thank you, Amazon, for turning me down, and thank you to everyone who has helped me as I revise my book.

Mel aka SNK

In the trenches - in good company!