When it comes to contests, I have found myself on both ends--eager writer entering the contest as well as judge responsible
for choosing the winners. (And those who don't win.) I know what it's like to have a solid entry, to read the guidelines and
confidently believe that my entry is perfect for the contest, only to not win, or even place. While my bio boasts of all my
successes, what you won't see are all of the disappointments, discouraging words, and rude rejection letters. Believe me,
I have plenty!
As part of a panel of writers, I once taught a class for our writers' organization on "Eight Simple Rules for Submitting
Your Work" and used an illustration I thought might get the attention of the audience. I held up several of the
anthologies I had been published in and briefly mentioned them. Then I took out a large manila envelope stuffed
with slips of paper and proceeded to dump the slips into a large shoebox. "These are all the rejection slips
it took to get there," I told them.
My point in all of that was not to discourage anyone. Rather, what I wanted to do was let the other writers know
that it is possible to get published, but the road to publication is paved with rejection slips.
When it comes to contests, or editors reading queries or manuscripts, the circumstances are always the same--a
flawed human being is evaluating what you have worked so hard to produce. And that flawed human being has likes
and dislikes. One poem sings, another sounds off. One inspires her, another she can't interpret the lyrical code the
poet used to convey the message.
In all sincerity, this was the hardest poetry contest I have ever judged. I had a large pile of "yes" poems, and the
"maybe" pile was comprised of two thirds of the entries! Even most of the poems I rejected had something worthwhile
about them.
If I didn't choose your poem, that does not mean it lacks merit. I am only one judge. By all means, please do
continue to enter contests! The last thing I want to do is discourage other writers.
Be
persistent and keep writing!
