JAN: Well, it's officially over, the Jungle Red Writers' Write First Challenge.
But writers, it's never really over is it???
First of all, I want to thank everyone who participated. It was terrific for me to meet you all (via blog of course) and to realize how many of us needed a way to corral our Internet use. This was more fun than I could ever have imagined when I threw out the idea.
Truly, this challenge was one of the high points of the summer. Writing is just so incredibly emotional, and this challenge energized me on a level that went beyond page count. Writing first was somehow symbolic. It reminded me that no matter how I sometimes try to avoid it, I am not happy unless I am a writer first.
But enough about me. Now it's time to talk about you.
I can only hope it was as valuable for you as it was for me. If it was, we are all winners. But here are winners chosen at random from the comments pages: First, second and third prize winners.
Winners:
First: Annoxford
Second: Lora96
Third: Lynn (of the alpha smart)
Here are the winners chosen by category. This was really tough because so many people said so many inspired, insightful and helpful things.
Fourth: Most insightful: Pat Marinelli - for her line posted over my computer: I control the Internet, it doesn't control me.
Fifth: Most inspired: JM Reinbold - who managed to stay with the Writers' Challenge while dealing with family illness and hospital visits.
Sixth: Most helpful: James Montgomery Jackson - for how to strike a deal with Internet research while staying true to the challenge.
And a special new category I just added:
Honesty in cheating: Colleen Collins - who admitted to a FULL HOUR of prewriting Twitter (slapping wrists), but the part I loved, likened it to gorging on chocolates.
Winners must contact me at jan@janbrogan.com with email and snailmail address. First place winner gets to choose which book he/she wants. After that, I issue them according to what's left.
If I don't hear from you by Friday: I pick new winners.
Prizes (listed alphabetically, so egalitarian, don't you think?)
Royal Blood (Rhys Bowen)
Teaser (Jan Brogan)
Writing and Selling Your Mystery Novel (Hallie Ephron)
Dead Head (Rosemary Harris),
Asking for Murder (Roberta Isleib)
Air Time, (Hank Phillippi Ryan)
To make you smile, whether you get a book or not, I'm leaving you with this gift:
A really funny bit about dating writers. Hysterical. And true: http://tinyurl.com/2aw49qb
And thanks again for making my summer!!!
