flexing season

So you want to flex your literary muscles? No need to examine motives (believe it or not, there are those who agonize whether joining competitions and winning them "sullies" their names and puts into question the "purity" of their writing), just write some good stuff and be aware that two competitions are now open for subs, the 2005 Don Carlos Palanca Awards for Literature and the 2005 NCCA Writers Prize.

I say go and compete. Part of the writer's mentality should be that of an athlete. We need to strive, to race, to stumble or triumph - to run, run, run, leaving the paralyzing fear of failure behind. Leave the rarified atmosphere of your personal ivory towers for a while and get sweaty.

I posted the Palanca rules and entry forms a couple of months ago (so visit my archives and hopefully you find them). For the NCCA, Angelo has a complete post about it.