When I started writing seriously, I had a novel in mind. This was way before FundsforWriters. I spent two years working on that novel concept, after work, on weekends, and between hockey practices with my sons. But I was afraid of sending it to publishers and agents, for fear of rejection.

My mother, of all people, suggested I send it to Fern Michaels’ literary agent. Little did I know that my mother knew Fern Michaels . . . just didn’t realize she was as big an author as she was. Mom commenced to getting me invited to one of Fern/Mary’s renowned parties (she flew in a band from Louisiana) at which time Mom introduced me to this bestselling author as a fellow author.

Of course I was mortified, but I sucked it up and said I’d written a novel. Fern gave me an agent’s name and I submitted my novel. I was promptly rejected, probably with a nicer rejection letter than the average person got since I was considered at Fern’s request, but regardless, no means no.

That scared me away from submitting to literary agents for a long while. We are talking five years.

Ultimately, I rewrote that same story, but my fear of agents was still poignant. Instead, I submitted to contests. After all, those judges were faceless, I didn’t know them, and with submissions being considered blind, nobody would identify me unless I won or placed. I found it way less painful to submit under those conditions.

I wound up winning first place in one, third place in a couple, and honorable mention in a few. My pieces were published in a few places, and I put some money in my pocket, but the best result of that experience was that my confidence grew enough to enable me to submit to agents. At least when I wrote a query letter, I could show I was award-winning.

Later, after having acquired an agent, I interviewed her for a magazine piece. One of the questions I asked was “Do contests matter?” when you read a query. She replied with an emphatic yes.