It's that time of year again

What time of year is that, you ask. Valentine's Day? Girl Scout cookie season? The month when the rest of the country gets pummeled by winter storms while Seattle floats along under its typical tepid fog and watery sunshine?

While I am excited about these things -- I have been known to roll by grocery stores, subtly searching for eight year-old girls selling Thin Mints; and I'll admit to occasional weather envy (where's our snow, huh?) -- I'm referring to something else that happens this time of year. The PNWA Literary Contest.

Two years ago I submitted a sample of my first novel to this contest. Last year I entered my second novel. This year I plan to send in my third (my current WIP). The PNWA contest and I are great friends. I can rattle off the entry rules without checking the website. Entering the contest now feels as natural as buying Samoas when February rolls along. It's just something I do.

Why? Is it because I win awards and feel reaffirmed as a writer? Well... not really. I have yet to be named a finalist, let alone a winner. As for reaffirming my writerly sensibilities... The first time I entered the contest I daydreamed about winning big and welcoming a deluge of offers from agents and editors. (Yeah. I know.) What really happened was this: I opened the much awaited envelope to find that my writing had received scores ranging from "meh" to "have you even read a book in this genre before?" I shoved those papers under my bed and didn't look at them again for a year.

How about my second time around? My writing fared better. A lot better.

But I think the most valuable thing about this contest -- about opening my writing up to criticism -- is that it brought me back to earth.

New writers often fall prey to a false sense of awesome. It's a common phenomenon and it looks something like this: gee whiz, who knew I was such a genius, look at me go, words words words, I'm writing and no one can stop me, JK Rowling and I will be best friends. And to these writers I say: Good for you for writing. That is the first step to being a writer. But the ego has to go.

Entering a contest is a great way to open your writing up to the critics. If you truly want to succeed at your craft you have to open your eyes to what you so badly don't want to see as you're typing away and daydreaming about the movie Warner Bros will soon be making of your book.

You have to see how bad you are. You have to realize that you are, in fact, a terrible writer. How else can you be expected to improve?

oh hey bestie

Writing is a lifelong craft. True, some writers start out light years ahead of others, due to talent or IQ or the breakfast cereal they eat or something. But look at it this way: if you start at rock bottom, you can look forward to improving WAY more over your lifetime than those other guys who start out amazing. So ha.

But really. The point I am trying to make is that as much as it hurts to hear criticism about your writing (and it does -- writing is very personal, so of course it hurts) it is a healthy, positive, and necessary element of becoming the best writer you can be.

Plus, entering contests is a way to see how your writing fares in the real world, and an awesome way to earn some actual writing credentials if/when you win something.

Go forth and find literary contests! Be open to criticism!

And go by some Girl Scout cookies for your Valentine. Or better yet for yourself, because you're more important. <3