It Began With An Email

Why does everything have to be so difficult?

It all began with an email I received 2 days ago from, Jack Goodman. In the subject read: Jack Goodman would like you to visit Winning Writers.com

It was sent: refsvr@referralblast.com. Sure it was. Everyone has a snoop dog watching everything you do and buy. I bought Jack Goodman's book on Amazon.com. That's all it took for some bot to take my information regarding that purchase and in 2 weeks I received the email that opened up yet another difficult situation. At least it's been difficult since yesterday!

I checked out Winning Writers and found that jack Goodman had written a poem that was critiqued. I read his poem and the critique and then joined Winning Writers to begin receiving their newsletter where Jack's poem was selected for the Feb. 2011 issue. So I thought, it must be a good thing if Jack joined, so I joined. This site is all about contests. I am signed up for their newsletter. I looked at the contests with no entry fees, and there are 150 available. The first was simple for me...a 5-7-5 poetry contest...Haiku yet not exactly. All contests were run by FanStory.com. So I composed the following immediately because there was only 1 day to post it. I thought about what image I wanted to create and thought of Rufus Wainwright in his Lulu outfit as I had received his book a few days ago, "A Day In the Life of Rufus Wainwright." All photos and little text. So this is what I came up with for my contest entry.

Touching piano keys

he creates instant alchemy

turning sound into gold.

Well, I posted that only to find there were so many other things I had to do...like setting up a page on Twitter or on a Ning Network! Choosing background and text colors, which I did, but the process wasn't easy, as to promote it I had to gain possession of "certificates!" I also had to name the poem, choose a photo, which I tried to do but I had to be a more advanced subscriber to do that! (and that cost $$$) This was the end for me. When I am made to jump through hoops to enter a simple contest, forget it! I was told that I had not posted anything, so I signed off and decided this was not for me!

This morning I had 4 emails from Fan Story, one telling me I had received feedback for my contest poem which I titled, "Rufus Becomes Merlin." I clicked on the link that was supposed to take me to the feedback, which I was anxious to read, but it took me to my profile and looked everywhere for "comments" but missed it, so I was frustrated to say the least! After going back and starting over, I found feedback by 2 members and my poem was listed as "excellent!" :) How nice that was. I thanked the 2 people for their feedback. I finally found my poem! It's only going to be posted for 2 more days and I'd better hurry and buy "certificates" so I can collect 30 reviews or it will not be considered for the contest. Wonderful. To receive points/cents? I either have to write reviews on others' work, or purchase outright! Aha!! There it is. That's how they make money....jerks. Nothing is simple...everyone is out for money...no one does anything except for the almighty dollar, and I am soooo tired of it.

Although I filled out a bit of information on my profile, I don't think I'll go back to Fan Story, and probably not back to Winning Writers because it's all going to be the same. If I want to write and share, I will do so on my blogs and web sites and through my art studio. If I want to have something published, I'll do what everyone else is doing and self-publish, period. It's way too late to promote myself by making a name, which is what people spend ten+ years doing. So, I have come back down to Earth and am content sharing my writings and my paintings via my blogs, web sites, and studio as I am doing now and have been doing for several years. There's too much competition and the economy is bad. Share what I have to offer in the way that is comfortable for me, and "come what may."