Competing and Competition

Hello my loyal readers. Happy Halloween to one and all. I hope everyone has a good time tonight trick or treating as well as a safe night. Be sure to look both ways before crossing the streets, get your candy checked in case of tampering, and brush your teeth before you go to bed after gorging on your treats. 

As a bit of news, I want to let everyone know that I have decided to enter a writing contest on Writers Digest. In four thousand words or less, a short story in any of the genres of Love/Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Mystery/Thriller, Horror/Suspense, and Young Adult. Personally, I always enjoy a challenge so I picked a genre that was not yet in my repertoire and I went with Love and Romance.

It's a singular challenge to write an entire story in four thousand words, or so I think. You want to tell the whole story and still make it embellished with some sensational hook to draw in the reader. I finished the rough copy and as soon as I am finished with this blog I am going to begin the task of revising it. 

As a child and even as an adult, I don't seek to compete against others. Mainly because it doesn't matter to me to do better at something than anyone else. The only competition I typically seek is against myself. How good am I compared to how I used to be? Do I jump higher, write better, run faster, or lift more than I used to? My only competition is against myself and I am happy to try and beat my old records. 

However, when it comes to writing I think I might need to step up my game a little more. My books haven't sold in awhile and it's still a month away before my collected works will be coming out. I'm still getting that project revised and put in order. I need to occasionally "shake it up" with something new, and writing a love story seemed like a good way to get out of my comfort zone and into something new. 

My submission is due on November the 7th. Not much time and so much to do. So be safe and well on your Halloween night. And if you're looking for something good to read, visit my books section and see if there's anything you want to buy for yourself or someone special in your life. 

​Happy Halloween.