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| Kimberly Kincaid |
Entry Title, category, year
Were you the overall Winner that year?
The Moment of Impossible Movement, contemporary single-title, 2011
Were you the overall Winner that year?
Cross your fingers! Results will be announced July 1st
Website and/or Blog Links:
www.kimberlykincaid.com
www.kimberlykincaid.com
Facebook page: www.facebook.com/kimberly.kincaid1
I entered last year and scored in the bottom half of entrants. I'd been so certain that my manuscript was the best that it could be, so I was honestly quite upset over it. But then I went to Nationals and discovered online workshops, local chapters, and critique partners (aka, The Holy Grail of Writing, Re-writing, and Just Generally Getting It Right). Wow! I re-wrote my manuscript, did some moderate editing to another, and entered both. I thought for sure that first one had a chance, but it ended up being that second one that finalled. Which just goes to show, you never know!
Where were you and what were you doing when you got the GH call?
My two critique partners and I had all entered our manuscripts, and no two ways about it, we were all nervous! After spending a while online with them, watching the first few calls come in, we all decided to get some work done. My phone rang not long afterward, and of course, I shot through the ceiling. But then my husband came into our home office and said it was a job recruiter he'd spoken to earlier in the week, and to just let the machine get it. I was utterly dejected. When he came back into the office a minute later, looking really sheepish and telling me to go listen to the message from the RWA, I knew. I did a jump-up-and-flail maneuver that I'll never be able to recreate, and jumped into his arms. Bless his heart, he caught me and everything! And then I called Vicki Lewis Thompson back and she gave me the news officially. It was great!
How has being a GH Finalist/Winner affected you as a writer?
It's definitely made writing a bit more "real" for me. In September, I decided to take a year off from my job to see if I could make strides as a writer-- the deal was, if I got agented, finaled in the Golden Heart, or had requests from editors, I'd pursue writing as my career. If not, I'd go back to being a fitness professional and have writing as a hobby. So I definitely feel like this is my job now, and every time I sit down to write, I take it a bit more seriously. It also opens doors in such a way! I attended my first chapter event as a finalist, and everyone was so supportive and congratulatory. I got some great advice and made some wonderful connections. I'm loving every second!
9 comments:
Kimberly, I love your goals. Taking a year off to see what you can accomplish working full time and taking your writing more seriously has certainly paid off.
Thank you! I love sitting in my chair to write, but it's not always easy. Having it as my "job" makes it easier to set high goals, and then really reach for them. I'm also really fortunate to have an amazing support system-- my husband is one of the most patient men I know :) and it doesn't hurt that my kids think eating Cheerios for dinner (on occasion) is really cool.
Kimberly, I loved reading about your determination and your goal-setting. I'm wishing you good luck, too!
Thank you, Julie! I'm in the best company (wink-wink) this year!
I'm having fun reading everyone's GH stories. Your 'call'story made me laugh out loud!
Sounds like the Universe confirmed your writing career! Congratulations and good luck.
Good luck, crossing my fingers, and hope you win! Thanks for the great post Kimberly, I'll be looking for you on the GH list. :)
Love your story! Good luck!
Good luck! Even if you don't win, you've had an experience many of us have so far only dreamt about.
Thanks so much, ladies! Tam, you are very right-- the experience so far has been a dream come true for me. I'm thrilled to be a nominee.
I will add, for the record, that I entered in 2010 and didn't final. In fact, I didn't even come close. But it really motivated me to seek out a critique group, take online classes to strengthen my craft, and read as much as I could to learn how the pro's do it. So perseverance is a big key to success.
That, and chocolate :)
Hope to meet you all in NYC!
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