Hitting submit is hard. As a writer, I know this all too well. Sharing your work, work that feels as if it is a very part of your soul, can be daunting. I hate letting others read what I have written but I know this is a fear I must overcome. If I ever hope to be published and to impact others with my writing I have to be willing to share. I have to press submit. You might find yourself in a similar predicament as the deadline for RiPPLE approaches.
There’s a real vulnerability that comes with letting someone else read what you have written or look at what you have created. Those feelings might crop up just from sharing with friends, family or classmates. Then there are the times when an opportunity comes up where your work is judged. Where there are people deciding if your work is publishable or if it will win a competition. GULP.
If your goal is to be published or to be recognised for your work it’s a reality you will have to come to terms with and one you should learn to embrace. Competitions can be exciting, liberating and life-changing if you let them.
Let’s look at a worst case scenario for submitting a piece to an anthology competition such as RiPPLE. You submit and don’t get selected. That’s it. You keep going and keep submitting to other competitions because not being chosen is not a definitive stamp of disapproval. It doesn’t mean you aren’t a writer or aren’t an artist. It’s a one-off experience and you can learn from it to hopefully have better results next time.
Now, a best case scenario. Your submission is chosen, published and maybe there’s a prize depending on the competition you’ve entered. It’s a stepping stone in your career. It’s a confidence booster. It’s amazing. You will forget all about how terrifying it was to submit in the first place.
For accepted submissions to RiPPLE, you’ll be invited to the launch of the anthology and get to say you’ve been published.
Whether hitting submit ends up in a worst case or best case scenario, the real fear should be in not giving it a go. In not putting a bit of faith in what you love doing. And the benefit of submitting to RiPPLE? Well, it’s anonymous. So, what is there to lose?
We can’t wait to see what you submit.
The deadline is this Friday 13 December.
By Melissa Malec