Done, I tell you.
Done.
Done-diddly-done-done.
Done.
I'm new to this writing lark. This is the first year of my (rather advanced) life that I've earned my living as a writer. I mean, as a serious writer. Yes, this is the first year of my life that I've Become Someone who gets up in the morning and walks ALL THE WAY along the landing to go to work. I KNOW.
I've had success and I couldn't be more proud of myself for the way things have turned out this year. The way I've engineered things to turn out. I'm well chuffed. I am, finally, A Writer. I earn my living through writing words. It's everything I wanted it to be. It's everything I dreamed it would be, ever since I was five.
Mind you, in my dreams there were always meetings in that London with an agent or a publisher. The meetings would be lunch, always lunch and always held in a high-class bistro or cafe, and the agent or the publisher would pay for a slap-up meal, at least four courses, with wine and pudding and cheese. And people at the other tables would look at me, enviously, admiring my pudding and my cheese and my shoes and my style. And people's heads would turn and I would hear them whisper 'It's her... the writer'.
But apart from the lack of lunches, it's turned out like I always dreamed it would.
And so I thought I'd start entering some of my work into writing competitions to see if I could win a prize. I've entered a few, perhaps 15 or so this year but have entered my final one, now. I am entering no more. And no, I haven't won. Not a thing.
I've been highly commended once and have been long-listed twice. But that's it.
So why have I given up submitting to the competitions? Why don't I keep trying to win something?
Because writing isn't a sport.
Because entering the competitions are (usually) expensive, averaging around £10 per entry.
Because writing isn't a sport.
Because even though you pay to enter the competitions you don't often hear back from the organiser as to whether you've been chucked in the bin or read with a smile.
Because writing isn't a sport.
Because writing isn't a sport.
Because writing isn't a sport.
Mind you, if I'd won something by now, I'd probably not be writing this blog post. I'd be entering another competition.
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