Meth: a Ticking Timebomb Gone Viral

Why We Write

I have only entered two writing comps in the two years I have been a member here at WdC, and it's unlikely that I will again. And although 0 from 2 may appear like sour grapes, I don't want to acknowledge that it may very well be the case.

I get that for every competition winner, there will be many other entries that don't win. And the consolation prizes on both occasions were that I did learn a lot about myself and how to deal with the disappointment of losing. Another bonus was I did get two items that I am very proud of, and that is something no judge can ever take away.

I have a confession to make...I am competitive and I don't like to lose (which upon reflection, has both positive and negative effects). Because of this competitive streak, on both occasions, I put my heart and soul into the work I presented to the judge/judges. One "Knock Knock...Who's There"  entry was awarded second place, and choosing to ignore, purely for ego's sake, that there were only two entries in that particular category, is a story I am sticking to. In the second competition, I entered "Worlds Apart...A Love Never-Ending" . The piece was, according to the judges, too short, and didn't meet the parameters of what they believed a short story should be (even though the word count was within the terms set for entry)...never mind.

I believe in every word I produce...be that a static item on my port or here as a blog post. I take my time and give a lot of thought, not just for my own ego, but to try and entertain and bring something to the reader that they can then take away, and hopefully, will change them in some small way. There are times when I wonder if it is worth it, then later, after I put those thoughts aside (and my dummy back where it belongs), is when I see that the real benefits from my efforts are not just for others, but also very much for me.

I didn't graduate from high school, and learning to write on a level that is acceptable to me, has been a real challenge. I still have a lot to learn; about grammar, sentence structure and all of the other things that go into producing a good read...things that a lot of people just know. I'm proud of how far I have come, and the moment I felt the most pride was when I was made a preferred author...an achievement I never even considered, let alone in under two years.

We all have dreams to do with our art, and as writers, the reality is those dreams are unlikely to ever come to fruition. But, winning competitions or getting that book deal isn't WHY we write. Those things, if achieved, are the cream, and even though we may never receive recognition for our work from a wider audience than we have now, we still get to eat cake.

We write because that's what we do, and that should be enough. But the fact is, an artist's desire for more will always be there just under the surface.