The Contest Diva's Guide to the Ins and Outs and Ups and Downs
of Writing Contests
Dates: April 24 - 29, 2006
Instructor: Lois Winston
Course Description:
Carrie Bradshaw might know sex (and shoes), but Lois Winston
knows contests. Inside and out. Up and down. Sideways, even.
Drawing from her experiences as a multi-contest winner, judge,
and coordinator, she’ll cover the pros and cons of entering
contests, highlighting the advantages and disadvantages for
the beginning writer, the intermediate writer, and those writers
on the verge of publication. Lois will discuss the various
types of writing contests and how to determine which contests
are best to enter, based on the writer’s goals and expectations.
She will cover everything from the financial to the emotional.
From the need for a dynamic opening sentence to the chapter
ending hook. From scores and feedback (or lack of it) to staying
organized (a sample spreadsheet will be available for download.)
From contest complaints to contest etiquette. From volunteering
to judge as a way to advance your career to constructing a
voodoo doll of that clueless judge who kept you from finaling
(Is she kidding? You’ll have to sign up for the workshop
to find out.) There will be Q and A sessions throughout as
well as a chance to post and discuss opening and closing hooks.
LECTURE #1: LOVE MY BABY; BUY MY BABY
LECTURE #2: GRAB ‘EM IN THE BEGINNING; HOOK ‘EM
AT THE END
LECTURE #3: EENIE, MEENIE, MINEE, MOE
LECTURE #4: THE BIG ONES
LECTURE #5: SIPPING WHINE WHILE NIBBLING ON A PLATTER OF RANTS
LECTURE #6: WRAPPING UP
About the Instructor:
Lois Winston has experienced the contest triangle from all
three sides -- as an entrant, a judge, and a coordinator.
In the five years before she sold her first book, Talk Gertie
to Me (on sale April 4, 2006 from Dorchester Love Spell, ISBN:
0-505-52684-0), she finaled in three dozen RWA chapter contests
(winning 12 of them), RWA’s Golden Heart contest (three
times) and two publisher’s contests. She was a 2004 finalist
in St. Martin’s Press Malice Domestic contest and was
first runner-up in Dorchester Publishing’s American Title
competition.
As an active member of several chapters of Romance Writers
of America, Lois spent three years coordinated the Winning
Beginnings contest (now The Sheila) for Valley Forge Romance
Writers and for the past four years has served on the Daphne
du Maurier Awards committee for Kiss of Death, RWA’s
mystery/suspense chapter.
Lois contributed to the Judging Manual, a comprehensive teaching
tool and workshop developed by a group of RWA members. She
is certified to teach the judge training to others and has
presented the workshop to several RWA chapters. In addition,
Lois has judged close to 50 different writing contests over
the past several years.
In the summer of 2005, Lois accepted a position as an associate
at The Ashley Grayson Literary Agency where she acts as a
talent scout/first reader/critiquer.
Read more about Lois at www.loiswinston.com.
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