Contests, pitch events, and more…

We all have our FOMO moments when mentoring contests dates approach and we don’t know if our WIP is ready or polished enough. Then you add the stress and the anxiety of being rejected to the pile, it’s normal to want to protect your mental health.

But here’s the deal. If you’re in the right headspace you should do it, only for the community. You may hear that often but this is very true: Find Your People. Contests and pitches are a great opportunity to connect with other writers of your genre and age category and when you’ve found the right people, you are less alone.

Querying is hard. Going on sub is even harder. You may have a great support system, but if those friends or family members don’t understand how the industry works, you may better scream into the void. Finding your peers also means having someone who knows exactly what you’ve been through and who wants to help you achieve your publishing goals. A writer friend is someone who wants to champion you but also understands that in order to be published, you need to hone the craft and work hard.

There are a lot of opportunities and not being chosen or not having any likes can also be good if you met some friends or found new CPs along the way.