I’ve heard it before – “enter a writing contest” they say. “It will help you hone your skills” they say.

I even believe it. And I have paid entry fees before, and set intentions to submit the greatest short story ever told. No pressure though, right? Yeah, except for the part where I would write a paragraph, decide I hated it, start in on a different story, toss it straight into the recycle bin, toy with an idea for a third, and then go dust my ferns and scrap the whole idea. I’ve sacrificed more than one contest entry fee that way.

But this time I made a commitment and … actually committed. I just submitted my short story “Good Medicine” to a writing contest.

Is it the greatest short story ever told?

NOPE!

But it is finished, workshopped, revised, workshopped again, revised again – and finished!