Got a form letter from Daw today. Yup, a form letter. A rejection for Curse of the Black Swan. With all that I’ve been reading, I’ve now realized, more than anything, that it’s simply a crap shoot (but not the fantastic odds like Las Vegas where EVERYONE goes home a winner).
Basically, you’ve got to know someone, to get that foot in the door, and when you do — strike. I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately. That I can minimize the reasons for them giving me the heave-ho, but that’s about all I can do. I can start trying to build credentials (but when magazines are holding onto my stories for FIVE MONTHS) it’s hard to even do that.
Sadly, there comes a point when it’s all about luck.
Think of Hollywood, where it’s even tougher to break in. Think of your favourite popular show. All the actors are suddenly considered bankable when before, they too were struggling. Why? Because they’re on a hit show and have themselves, become a brand. Sylar as Spock. The actors from Lost (all had been bit part-ers, but now are quickly becoming stars). I see actors from Heroes showing up in movies now.
Are they any funnier, cuter, better actors than 1000 other actors who are just looking for their break? Nope. And I guess that’s what’s both uplifting, and depressing. Depressing because what if the break never comes? Uplifting at the same time, because I just have to wait/create my own break.
Then again, I could be a hockey player where you get 1-3 chances TOPS to break in. Then you’re done. That would be a tough life.
Crappy news, sorry.
However, as I drove home today and was listening to CBC Radio, they were talking about the Canadian Literary Awards contest they run every year. Its that time of year again. And even last year when I heard them talking about them, I meant to ask if you’d ever entered in them?
http://www.radio-canada.ca/prixlitteraires/
I took at a look at those awards. Generally, it looks like a good contest. Unfortunately, I’m ruled out immediately as the limit is 2500 words (I don’t think I could write anything that short).
Contests and publications in Canada are mostly literary…which means they don’t want people like me involved. I like to have, well, a plot, and stuff.
Well shows you just how good of a reader I am I didn’t get that far.
Well, try this. Write a short piece about absolutely nothing, and you’ll probably be a shoe in!