AKRWA Blog by Lynn Lovegreen:
As some of you know, my daughter Katy Lovegreen is Miss Alaska 2011. As I’ve been enjoying watching her wave in parades and getting ready for the Miss America competition, I’ve noticed that there are some things that writing and pageants have in common:
1. You’re judged by experts as you compete for a spot. In writing, you’re trying to get an agent or editor to choose you for their client or author list. In pageants, you're trying to impress the judges so they choose you for the title.
2. There’s a lot of prep behind the scenes. In writing, there are hours of writing, editing, working on your website or blog or other marketing. In pageants, there are hours writing your essay and other entry paperwork, practicing for your talent and interview, working out at the gym, and fundraising for the pageant’s national community service partner, the Children’s Miracle Network.
3. You meet lots of great people. In writing, I am always impressed with how generous writers are with advice and encouragement. In pageants, most of the girls and volunteers are very helpful, whether it’s loaning you a pair of high heels or teaching you how to walk in them.
4. People have stereotypes. For writers, people think we’re all Barbara Cartland (or pick your “typical” contemporary author). For pageant participants, people think they’re all Barbie dolls or bubble heads. Actually we’re all individuals with our own personalities and motivations. (Did you know that most of the Miss America participants are interested primarily in the scholarships?)
5. It’s satisfying when you win. It’s heartwarming when readers tell you that your book is important to them. It’s rewarding when you see the kids at the children’s hospital and know that you made their day.
If you’d like to learn more about my Katy and the Miss Alaska Scholarship Foundation, go to missalaskapageant.com or to see how to donate to the Children's Miracle Network, check out https://www.missamericaforkids.org/m.aspx?i=1232899E0375FF55A.
9 comments:
Very intelligent points! I never thought of the comparisons before. Thanks for sharing, and congratulations to Katy!
Thanks Tam, I had fun thinking of it with that angle. I am a very proud Mama. :-)
I'm late getting to this, but it was a great post! It just proves that no matter what people who are not informed about your chosen sport/career/activity/pageant think, they are probably wrong. I especially identified with the misconceptions point -- how many people think you just point a horse at a fence at it jumps it? How many people think a race car driver has it easy? How many people think romance writers aren't "real writers"? Wonderful post, Cheryl. Hugs, luck and love to Katy!
Thanks, I'll pass on your hugs to Katy. Like anything else, I suppose, each pursuit has its own routines and challenges.
I agree with Liz, people don't know the work that goes into something until they walk in those shoes, or a good writer or filmmaker illuminates it for them.
Carm
Good point, Carm. A good writer or screenwriter/filmmaker can show us worlds we didn't know existed.
Lynn, what wonderful comparisons. Great post and best of luck to Katy.
So true - a chosen profession requires dedication to succeed, and is always much more complicated than its stereotype suggests.
Katy is both beautiful and smart. We are so proud to have her represent Alaska!
Thanks for this great blog!
---Julie :o)
Thanks, DeNise and Julie. I think Katy will represent us well.
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