Good News!!

I am feeling so motivated with my writing lately, more motivated than I have been in a few years! 

I have done a lot of writing in my life, but I haven't known what to do with most of it.  Then I had a thought a couple days ago that there must be writing contests I can enter...and (of course) THERE ARE!

I found this awesome article.

31 Legit Free Writing Contests

Writing contests are nothing new and it probably seems pretty obvious, but I didn't realize I have been disregarding them all together because of an experience I had as a teenager.  In the article I linked to above, the author mentions a poetry contest they entered with the National Library of Poetry as a young writer.  They were so happy and proud when they found out their poem had been accepted into the book that was being published (that they would have to buy) and that they could also pay to have the poem put on a shiny plaque.

It turned out to be a scam and mostly every poem submitted was put into the book in order to get all of the poets to pay them money for the book and plaques.  I had completely forgotten, but I had entered that same contest with the same results when I was in high school!  As a teen, I was crushed when I found out it was a scam.  That was when I learned I should never have to pay to have my work published and so I think I subconsciously ignored any and all contests after that.

I don't mind giving away my writing for free if someone genuinely wants to read it, but when people try to make money off of authors and artists who are already struggling, that is where I draw the line.

Through the above article I found this website Inkitt that publishes novels online for free.  The more attention novels get on their site they may eventually assign them to a team of people who will work to publish and promote the novels to a larger audience.

Mine was approved to be on their site this morning, so if you haven't had a chance to purchase my very first book, The Awful Truth of Loving, but wanted to read it, you can now read it for free here!!  I think you may have to make a profile to read the books on the site, but that's it.

Thank you you guys so much for all of your support with my writing and art and comedy and everything.  It truly means the world to me :)