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This week: Staying Positive Edited by: spidey   More Newsletters By This Editor 
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1. About this Newsletter 2. A Word from our Sponsor 3. Letter from the Editor 4. Editor's Picks 5. A Word from Writing.Com 6. Ask & Answer 7. Removal instructions
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Welcome to the Contests & Activities Newsletter. I'm spidey  , and I'm your Editor this week!
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Staying Positive
Let me recap the last year of my life for you: In the Fall, I lost my Mom suddenly. Just last month, I lost my mother-in-law to cancer. Just last week, someone stole my bank card number and spent over $1,000 of my money (which I may or may not get back, and will take up to 90 days to be resolved).
Sometimes it just seems like life keeps kicking you when you're down, you know?
But I try to stop and look at it from a different perspective. After losing two very important people in my life, losing some money doesn't seem like the end of the world. Money isn't as important as many of the other things I have in my life. I'm fortunate to have an understanding landlord and was able to defer some bills to a later time. It could have been a lot worse!
Often something bad is a blessing in disguise. For years, I struggled to find a job. I was turned down left and right, finally got what seemed like a good job. It turned out to be a pretty bad environment, though, not a good fit at all. I was "let go" after just a few weeks, and though that felt horrible at the time, it led me to my current job where I'm very happy.
It's hard to tell where life is going to lead you, but for all the bad things that might happen, there is always good if you look for it. And you never know what blessings might be just over the horizon!
So, to quote one of my favorite sci-fi movies and one of my favorite songs:
Never Give Up! Never Surrender!
If you didn't win a contest you really thought you might win, or if you get yet another rejection letter (or your first), just keep on trying!
Always keep on writing!
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Contests:
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Contests run by Writing.Com members:
Activities:
| | The Poet's Place [E] #1937699 Poets can discuss, review, request reviews, etc. of their unique form of writing. by Dave  |
Know of some gems that deserve exposure? Submit them in the feedback form or submission form at the end of this Newsletter, and I'll put them in my next one!
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My last newsletter, ("Contests & Activities Newsletter (July 10, 2013)" ), discussed spicing up your contest entry.
You asked about reasons for entering contests. My main reason is to force me to write something new. I love the community here and have my finger in so many pies that I can easily go months without doing any actual 'writing' (you know what I mean). So I enter contests just to force myself to create a new poem or short story, to force myself to write. That's my #1 reason for entering contests. 
~ Elle 
Great response! I know what you mean! 
Sometimes the prompt interests me. Normally I don't keep track of winning or loosing, but I might put down an MB I got for it. ~ BIG BAD WOLF is Merry 
That's a great idea!
Yes, I keep track of my wins. I haven't won anything so I've been picky about the contests I enter. At this point if the prompt moves me I write. The last contest I entered I was disappointed. I read the winners and wondered why my story was passed over. More than anything I had renewed faith in Wdc because I had wonderful reviews. That in itself made up for a "win" It was an awsome story and I put the picture prompt in on the page. I submit to you. This is a great story. ~ Quick-Quill 
That's great that you can turn it into something positive! Keep on trying! 
Here's the link to your story: ""The Rest of the Story"" [E]
I am a newbie (signed up in March), and i have to say the couple wins I have received have been amazing to the ego. But, I am glad you wrote about winning isn't everything because my favorite piece has not won a thing! :) ~ PandaPaws Licensed VetTech 
I know how you feel! Most of my favorite pieces are not favorites of my readers! 
I enter contests to get scenes done and to write. Deadlines are a huge help in getting me to finish something because if I have a lot of time, chances are I won't do much. But if I can find a contest to use as motivation, I can get something done. I don't, however, keep track of wins. I've considered it in the past but never implemented a system of updating items to showcase such. ~ Dawn Embers 
I love how motivating contests can be!
Great article on keeping track of where you entered your pieces. I need to do that with mine. Sometimes I forget where I've entered what! haha... Anyway, thanks for featuring The Poet's Place and some other great activities that I didn't know about! ~ Marci Missing Everyone 
No problem! 
Questions to think about:
Share an experience where you stayed positive! Do you have any tips for looking on the bright side? |
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