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Cathy C. Hallhttps://cathychall.wordpress.com/I write, write, write. Then I rewrite, rewrite, rewrite. THEN I submit all those polished-up words out into the world and sell 'em. It's a plan that's worked pretty well.

Good News, Bad News in the South

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So what’s the good news, you ask?

Snow! Wheeee! Wonderful, whimsical, wintery snow! Isn’t it grand to sit inside, all cozy and warm, with a hot cuppa. Ideas seem to percolate along too, and so the keyboard was buzzing all weekend with my latest story for the Highlights Fiction contest. You can check out the website here to get all the details. Don’t wait too long. Contest entries must be postmarked by January 31st.

It’s too bad I haven’t finished my first assignment with the Children’s lit course I’m taking. That could have been mighty helpful. But I have read some of the materials and I did pick up one little pointer. Wouldn’t it be funny if I won that contest now that I’ve spent all that money? Well, maybe not funny “ha-ha.”

And now you ask, “Hey, Cathy C. Hall, what’s the bad news?”

Snow. Frozen toes, frozen nose, stuck in the bleepin’ house on a holiday, snow. How’s a girl ever gonna get on the Road to Publication when she’s snowed in? And can’t think straight ’cause she’s so brrrrrr cold.

A little bit of snow goes a long way in the South. Even a dog knows that. (Sally went down the steps, but she absolutely would not go back up!)

Finding Something Friday…A Tax Deduction

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This week, I found out that a contest entry fee could be counted as an expense, and thus used as a deduction at tax time.

That got me thinking (which admittedly is dangerous territory for my kind, so wish me luck!). What’s the difference between submitting to a contest and submitting to anything else?

Consider the contest process: a. submit story, essay, or poem b. wait around for x number of weeks c. receive compensation if entry wins; receive nothing if entry loses.

Now consider the typical submission process: a. submit story, essay, poem or book to market b. wait around for xxx number of weeks c. receive compensation if submission is accepted; receive nothing (except perhaps one of those “thanks, but no thanks” emails or letters) if submission is rejected.

It’s competition any way you look at it. Except that one could argue that there is an entry fee with some contests. But I could say that all the blood, sweat, and tears that went into creating that lovely market submission could just as easily be called an entry fee. Unfortunately, you can’t deduct a writer’s bodily fluids.

But if I can deduct a contest fee, I think it’s high time I added a few more. What have I got to lose (other than the contest)?