What to do when you have lost another Vocal contest...

Have you heard about the lonesome loser?

He’s a loser, but he still keeps on tryin’…

- The Little River Band

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So how did you do in that last contest, folks?

Well, I did not make the list, and I know that many of you who also tried your best have also not made it (only two winners and ten runners up do not make up all of the Vocal contributors). I have over 200 pieces up on the page and no wins. And I am still tapping and scribbling as much as I can, not just for this page, but for at least three others (one is my own personal blog).

So, why do I do it?

Well, at this point, I could not give up if I wanted to. I am writing this in the middle of prepping for another deadline on the same date. And my notes are getting thicker and deeper with ideas that will not go away. As well, I have also the wise words of Joan Didion in my head:

Do not whine….

Do not complain.

Work harder.

Spend more time alone.

A writer that had a very detailed and precise work routine is always an inspiration (Joyce Carol Oates and Haruki Murakami are also owed a debt). But there is also Winston Churchill’s famous line (easy to accept from a man who was trying to lead a nation through a terrible conflict):

If you're going through hell, keep going.

Indeed… It can feel like your own personal hell when you realize that you have put in all that effort, done all of that writing and rewriting, and still, the prizes have eluded your digital grasp.

So, what is one to do?

Forgive my arrogance, but I have, once again, come up with a list of ideas that might help you out with your own personal hell. So, here it goes:

1) Don’t look at the list of winners on the day of the announcement. Yes, it is very tempting to look and see who has received the money and the digital reminder that they have made the list. You do not need to do this. If you had won, you would know. Don’t add to your pain!

2) Don’t look at your wallet or stats pages. Yes, as I said, you would know if you had won if you made the list. This will also affect your wallet and your statistics. We all want to be read and loved, but that is not the best indicator of your talents as a writer. Don’t let this add to your pain, either!

3) Congratulate the top two winners…and maybe one or two others. I have been quoted in an article on my generosity in losing a contest by another writer. And if you are a sore loser, your soreness will fester and grow and eat you alive. Some people have talents that you simply have not developed yet. Give them a shout-out and thank them for the competition. You cannot become a better writer if you don’t see who else is running the same race.

4) Realize that you are in the majority. There are so many people on this page who have not won awards or even made it as a runner up (ahem). Many of them have more stories than you; some even have less. You are all in the same race, as I said. And you owe it to yourself to remember that.

5) Realize that your success here is no guarantee that you will continue to be read. Yes, it is great to have the prize and the reminder on the page that you have won, but not everyone is going to like your work. Also, winning often puts a target on your back, and you will have to continue having success in order to avoid the doubts that may develop in your own head. A lot of talent never gets noticed; a lot of bad writing soon becomes forgotten.

6) Get back to work! You know that you have to do this. Why are you bothering with this piece?

7) Finally…wait for the results of the next contest. Hey, you are only human.

Thank you for reading!

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You can find more poems, stories, and articles by Kendall Defoe on my Vocal profile. I complain, argue, provoke and create...just like everybody else.

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