story entry: Tides of Fortune
placement: Summer 2023 Choice Pick
1 What is the title of your story? and what inspired the title?
Tides of Fortune
2 What is your story about?
Grieving Kelvin attempts to rescue a puppy at his sister's wedding. But his grandmother left him a magical gift before she died.
3 Is the summer prompt contest, the first contest you entered?
No, I've been nominated for a national poetry and a fiction award under another pen name.
4 What was your reaction to discovering you were one of the winners?
Giddy and I danced. Because I love this contest. I also found out that two of my novels made it to round three of the Ambys on the same day. And a couple of days ago, I found out that my mystery novel (Muses, Mishaps, and Murder!) took second place in the Sunset Moon Awards. It's magical, and it feels like a dream.
5 What is your favorite summer activity?
Sleeping in if I can.
6 do you have any future plans with the story you entered? (standalone novel/series)
My plans for Tides of Fortune are to add a touch more description and turn it into a short story collection. I want to play with some flash fiction ideas.
7 What's a good piece of advice to give someone, who desires to enter a contest?
If you want to enter a contest, remember you will lose some and win others. I've learned by submitting.
Not every judge will like a writer's writing, and no good book will receive only five-star reviews. Even if a writer wins, the judge might make suggestions for improvement. It's also personal taste, so if a writer loses that doesn't mean their writing is terrible. Some of my books rated a lot higher depending on who judged it. However, I learned I needed to improve my blurb for my fantasy romance, Conform or Suffer. Every judge had the same complaint that my blurb was too short.
8 What is your favorite summer memory? (optional to answer)
My favorite summer memories are going on vacation with my husband and girls. It doesn't matter what we do.
9 What is the most important piece of a story?
The cover |quality of the story| type of story
The most important part of the story is a finished story. You can have a great cover or blurb, but it doesn't matter if all you have is the first three chapters. Readers want writers who care enough to finish.
10 How does being a part of the Wattpad community help you as writer?
I struggled with self-image due to being neurodivergent. There is a constant fear that my writing isn't good enough. And no matter how much a story is edited, I will always find a typo. Sometimes typos slip through, even when my fiction is edited professionally. But the friends I found here have boosted me. @WendyyWolfe has been magical in her support. She has helped me so much.
11 What genre of story attracts you as a reader?
As a reader, I don't read mature fiction. I love poetry and serialized short stories. Some of the most amazing reads on Wattpad have less than ten chapters. While I don't really read mature fiction, the genres I like to read are eclectic. I read dystopian, fantasy, cozy mystery, sci-fi, comedy, paranormal, spiritual, and more.
12 What's a good piece of writing advice, that you've learned?
I use text-to-speech and grammar checkers to help with editing. But remember, grammar checkers can be wrong, so double-check. I avoid italics even though they are technically grammatically correct. After doing research and talking with dyslexic readers, I decided I would no longer use them because they can be hard to read.
13 Do you believe contest and interview platforms help you as a writer?
Yes, I have learned so much from contests. It boosted my confidence even when judges found things they wished I changed.
Even when I lose, I have met new friends or ended up on reading lists. Don't worry if you lose.
14 Since joining Wattpad, do you believe you've become a better writer?
I think I am a more confident writer, and I feel Wattpad has helped me grow in my creative journey.
15 What is a must have item for you to enjoy the summer?
Water and sunblock are must-have summer items.
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