Back in...August?...I entered "The Opus," as it was originally called, into the Writer's Digest Self-Published Book Awards. I wondered how many entries they'd gotten, because they extended the deadline. I paid the fee, "gifted" the ebook, and went on with my life.
I got an email sometime in December saying I didn't win. Anything. Not even Honorable Mention. You know, the usual "although there were so many good entries..." Just like those "although there were so many good candidates for this job, yada yada."
Shrug. Oh well.
Then today I got the email with the actual judge's comments. And...it really doesn't suck. I never thought it did, anyway, but it was interesting to see someone else's critique.
Books are rated 1-5, with 5 being the highest, "outstanding". I figure it's based on a rubric. There are some direct quotes, so DANGER, Will Robinson, there's some language ahead. The percentage numbers are where those scenes are located in the electronic edition, which doesn't use actual page numbers.
Here's what I got:
Entry Title: Rockin' Heaven Down: Heavy Metal Love
Author: Laura Riddle
Writing as (if applicable): Laura McChristian
Entry Category: Contemporary Fiction
Structure, Organization, and Pacing: 4
Spelling, Punctuation, and Grammar: 4 (there were a gaffe or two in there I totally missed. I have since repaired them, and have updated the manuscript)
Production Quality and Cover Design: 3 (if Mary Ellen were still alive, I would have asked her to design my cover, but alas...I did the best I could on short notice, and for free. Or...$50, rather, to buy images from Shutterstock.)
Plot and Story Appeal: 4
Character Appeal and Development: 4 (what I lack in plot, I always make up for in characterization!)
Voice and Writing Style: 4
Judge’s Commentary*:
An intriguing title! Cool cover image, but the title color and arrangement seems a little meek. The synopsis is interesting but way too long. You’re trying to sneak a whole character description into a piece of dialogue (“The boy, fourteen…”) 1%. Maybe sneak a single feature in and fill others later? I love the humor and action at 12% (the laundry smuggling scene). “Terry’s fucking an invisible woman” – funny! 22%. Ooh! Never explain your jokes. “How appropriate” – 32% It was a pretty sexy scene until then. And hiding out in a church. A pretty funny scenario, 41%. I realize the sex and drugs is what we’re expecting, but could we have a little rock ‘n’ roll? These are musicians, after all – talk about their music, 48%. Your dialogues are very earthy, natural and snappy. Very enjoyable, 58%. A Canadian Humphrey Bogart. Excellent dream sequence, 67%. “I hated that I had to get sick to make that happen” – a profound thought, 77%. “Steve was sulled up like a toad” – I like that description, 84%. The hyperbole about his shifting emotions kinda messes up this scene at 91%, which otherwise is a good piece of conflict. “reveling in the dirty racket of our bodies coming together” – great line, 96%.
“Judge, 5th Annual Writer’s Digest Self-Published eBook Awards.
My response: Yes, synopsis is too long. I had other feedback on that, and the cover, that was positive, and I just left it.
Yes, the laundry smuggling scene at the Waldorf and hiding out in the church in Little Rock are two very popular episodes. You gotta have comedy.
About "talking about their music..." Well, that wasn't really my focus in this story, and you know what, when musicians aren't playing, they're not always talking about their music. They talk about other stuff. Sometimes you don't want to talk shop. So...okay.
I am proud of the dialogue. I should probably be a screenwriter. I used "sulled up like a toad" twice to describe two different characters. So I'm glad this reviewer liked it. I will most likely not use it again.
And last but not least, that last raucous "bodies coming together" thing. *wink wink nudge nudge*
I didn't win a grand prize, but I think I got pretty good ratings from the Mighty Writer's Digest.
My work certainly doesn't suck. LOL
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