CONFERENCES & CONTESTS - ORA 2014 Writing Competition Now OPEN!

ORA's annual Weta Nichol Contest is now open for submissions!

Weta Nichols Writing Contest
Ozark Romance Authors

Entries accepted April 8-July 15.

FINAL ROUND JUDGES: To be announced

GUIDELINES:
Submit the first chapter (up to 2,500 words) of your unpublished novel to win prizes and a chance to be read by one of the agents or editors serving as our final judges.

Contest is open to both published and unpublished authors, but the piece submitted must be:
- unpublished (traditional, self-pub, or e-pub)
- not under contract to be published.

Categories in which entries may be judged are:
- Historical
- Contemporary
- Paranormal/Sci-Fi
- Young Adult/Middle Grade
Entries are open genre and not required to contain romantic tones. Membership
in Ozarks Romance Authors is not required in order to enter.

There will be three prizes awarded in each category:
1st place: $75 and a 1-Year ORA Membership
2nd place: $50
3rd place: $25

Please read all guidelines carefully at
http://ozarks-romance-authors.com/annual-contest/2014-weta-nichols-writing-contest/

If you have questions about the rules,
please email us (with WETA QUESTION in the subject line) at
OzarksRomanceAuthors (at) gmail (dot) com

CURRENT PROJECT- Yes! The Fiction Flows

With all of my attention focused on the music industry and freelance of late, I have struggled with writing fiction. The characters are still talking to me but I just tell them to sit and wait their turn. They listened... for awhile.

With the deadline for the Arkansas Writers Contest drawing near ( entries have to be postmarked by April 18th), I opened up the floor for character discussion. I've revisited a couple of early pieces as well as dove into research for three new groups of folks.

One of those folks is the legendary Hank Aaron. I am sure I am in the minority (as opposed to the minors) when I say I don't enjoy baseball. I never have. So imagine my surprise yesterday when as I researched historical events over the past seven decades, Hank Aaron's name came up multiple times. By the time the afternoon was through I had learned more about the Home Run King than I ever thought I wanted to know. The poem I thought I was going to write morphed into something totally different. By the way, I'm writing this when I should be working on that poem.

The 'write what you know' thing comes into play once more because I now know enough about this baseball legend to write something with my own voice. Will this piece be a home run? I'd like to think it will at least place. But even if I do not, at least I learned something new on this journey.

Speaking of new... that fish bowl thing I talked about last week? The algae is clearing in the tank. I'll let you know when the water is free of gunk and let you see for yourself.

Creative Blessings!

MY HEAD IS A FISH BOWL- Too Many Fish

If only my brain held only one idea. One thing to focus on. Instead, my head feels more like this:

As a writer, I am always plagued with an abundance of what to write about.  I find stories in multiple sub-genres of romance. My favorite is paranormal or time-travel. There's something about putting a contemporary girl in close proximity with a ethereal hero that creates a sizzle like no other. While I love these stories, I also write sweet contemporary with other premises in a variety of settings. 

While settings are important, I feel for any artist to establish themselves, they need to find their niche. That one spot in the pocket of coral where they can snuggle in, do their thing and watch the rest of the world go by. This applies to any art form. Just as there are sub-genres of romance, you will find them in tangible art and the music industry. And it is only when an artist finds their niche, do they begin to blossom - to come into their own. 

With my background in the music industry, I'm discovering that is where I am most comfortable when writing a story. My passion for the trials and tribulations of what someone in that field goes through on a daily basis to live their dream is something I get. They say 'write what you know'. 

In the mean time, Somewhere Down the Line still does not have a release date and that troubles me. So add that water nyph to my fishbowl brain and my head truly hurts with what to do about the situation. I think I'm closer to an answer. Check back next week to see if more fish have been added or if I'm beginning to see my way through the junk.