Life After #PitchWars

The mentors have spoken and the mentees have been chosen. It was exciting, informative, and somewhat grey hair inducing! It was totally worth it.

This was my first attempt at PitchWars. I didn’t get a mentor, but I gained so much more than what I thought would be offered during this contest. I assumed I’d have the opportunity to work with an established author, let him/her dissect my manuscript, pointing out all the no-nos my first novel surely contains. Instead, I received encouragement, writer friends, and irreplaceable advice. It was so much more than a simple contest.

My first reaction when seeing The List was that of disappointment. I won’t lie and say it didn’t hurt—because it did. Am over it now? Yep. Will I survive? Duh. Will I keep writing, editing, and searching for my perfect agent? Bet your pretty pants I will! And the rest of you will too. I sincerely hope you will because more than writing I love reading. Keep going, get that book published and let me get lost in your words!

I’ve compiled some of my favorite tweets over the last few days of PitchWars. You’ll find them below—mixture of mentors and mentees, giving, sharing, teasing, and having a damn good time!

Last, but not least, I’ll leave you with a quote. The movie was on earlier. Yeah, yeah, I could’ve found an author to quote or some witty tidbit about surviving what feels like the aspiring author's apocalypse. I didn’t. Read it. Enjoy it.

Can I get a Hallelujah!

Amy Reichert ‏@aereichert

I've been getting the best thank you notes from #PitchWars. You people have the right attitudes-and that's why you'll succeed! ((hugs))

 

Kimberly A. Hill ‏@Arborwriter

I now realize I've been relying on my query to say what needs to be said in the first page. Thank you #pitchwars It's all coming together!

 

Gail Nall ‏@gailecn

I signed up to be a mentor b/c I wanted to read everything you sent me. Thank YOU for choosing me! 3/3 #pitchwars

 

Natasha Raulerson ‏@ThirtyNerdy

I'm crazy proud of all people who submitted! It's a step in the right direction! Don't be sad. Take what you've learned, use it #PitchWars

 

Melissa Menten ‏@MelissaMenten  

@brooksbenjamin Thanks for your #pitchwars feedback. I can't imagine reading all the entries, but then to make a helpful comment? Awesome!

 

Kelly Siskind ‏@KellySiskind

@WriteAsRain_ If you wake up with a bag over your head DON'T PANIC. I have decided to kidnap you so we can hang out. #PitchWars

 

Dan Koboldt ‏@DanKoboldt

OMG, on the #PitchWars hangout, @brendadrake is juggling a huge glass of wine and what appears to be a ferret

 

Rae (Huffaker) Chang ‏@RaeAChang

#PitchWars tweeps, I'll be joining you for #pitmad in a week & @Dannie_Morin and I will have a place for you to get help with your pitch

 

Dan Malossi ‏@Danmalossi

#pitchwars Even though I missed out this time around, the four mentors have given such amazing feedback. So worth it. Thanks @brendadrake!

 

Susan Crispell ‏@SBCrispell  

A HUGE thank you to @brendadrake for being amazing and running #PitchWars and to all the mentors for being so generous with your time!

 

Nikki Roberti ‏@Nikki_Roberti

Thank you for organizing #PitchWars @brendadrake! Best part has been making new author friends