Self Doubt Squashed by a Writing Contest...

First off. Can we please talk about the fact that tomorrow is JUNE 1st.

JUNE.

Spring and summer fly by wwaaaaayyyyy too quickly for my liking if I'm honest.

Source: Google Images

Moving on...

Right now I'm editing my book. Edits are due first week of July and we're not talking little edits, either. Like plot hole fixing, a little plot shifting, a little bit of a character change type of editing. This is normal...and I knew it would happen. But it can be a bit of a kick in the pants and you wonder if it's all worth it.

I've been on one hell of an emotional roller coaster

"Oh my God, why did they pick my manuscript if it's this bad?"

"But I really like that chapter...I don't want to cut it..."

"If I do this, I'll have to change this and people really liked that part."

"Ohhh...I like where this is going..."

"Yeah. This is complete shit. No one is going to buy this."

Self doubt is so much fun.

Until my friend Tracy kicked me in the butt with this bit of advice through e-mail.

"Of course you doubt yourself. Anyone good at their art does. Cut it out."

My editors and the folks at BookFish books have been awesome. They're pushing me out of my comfort zone and I know it's going to be great.

But the self doubt? I just have to own that it's normal.

But then this happened:

Ummmm. SAY WHAT?!?

The Young Adult Chapter of the Romance Writers of America (YARWA) has an annual contest called the Rosemary Award for authors, regardless of publishing status, are welcome to enter. They had a category for New Adult and a writer friend encouraged me to apply.

So I did.

Back in MARCH.

Needless to say it was outta sight, outta mind and I totally forgot about it until I got the e-mail this weekend announcing I was a finalist. When I saw the list of the other finalists, I knew of them through Twitter and I cannot even begin to tell you how humbling it is to not only be a finalist, but to be a finalist with these incredible women.

Being announced as a finalist was seriously the boost I needed. Reading the judges feedback was awesome and encouraging and one of them said, "I don't know who this is but I want to!" They all said my story started in the right spot, the pacing was excellent, the writing was great, they loved it and it couldn't have come at a better time.