Newfoundland and Labrador's local
writers read their love stories in a romance writing contest
My Online Journalism Blog
Melissa Wong
Published February 14, 2020 Updated February 19, 2020
There is nothing more beautiful than a
friendship built on romance.
"We are a local romance collective
if you will," Melanie Martin, Black Ink Romance's editor said. "We're
all friends that have been working together."
 |
| The three founders of a local romance
publisher, called Black Ink Romance, judged the submissions. Victoria Barbour, USA Today Best-selling author; Melanie Martin, best-selling author; and Debbie Robbins, internationally best-selling/award-winning author, worked with WANL to create the romantic writing contest. Melissa Wong/My Online Journalism Blog |
"The romance genre not unlike
science fiction or fantasy is very specific with its rules," Martin said.
"We decided to come together to help other writers."
Black Ink Romance also partnered with
the Writers' Alliance of Newfoundland and Labrador (WANL) to create "Let's
get it on paper: A romance writing contest".
WANL and Black Ink Romance, a local
romance publisher, held their second romantic writing contest on Feb. 12, 2020,
at 7 p.m. at the Boca Tapas Bar in downtown St. John's.
Learn more about how the romantic writing contest came to be in the video below.
"While I was a board member with
the Writers Alliance," Robbins said. "One of the things that really
struck me was that WANL was really working hard to expand its membership in
terms of other genre writers.
 |
| Boca Tapas Bar hosted the Let's Get it On Paper: A Romance Writing Contest February 12 two days before Valentine’s Day. The top five writers on a ballot read their short romantic stories for an audience. The top three authors received prizes. Melissa Wong/My Online Journalism Blog |
"They had conducted a horror event
the previous October at the Black Sheep," Robbins added. "I really
liked the format, so I talked to… the ladies at Black Ink and I suggested that
maybe we open ourselves up to a contest where… submissions are judged by us,
and then we choose the top ‘X’ number and then we put it out to an audience vote."
It gives the authors a chance to win
prizes and read their stories before an excited audience.
"When the people get here, it
really becomes a piece of performance, right?" Barbour said. "And I
think that's a really interesting thing to see how something that's designed
for the… written word… translates when you get out there in front of an
audience… (I discovered it) last year, (and) I found… (it) this year."
"I picked up on things in the
reading from the authors," Barbour added. "I didn't pick up myself
and I find that really striking… I think it's my favorite thing about this
event."
Meet the finalists
"Some of the writers are here to
read their own work, others have a reader appointed by proxy," Heather
Barrett, the host, said.
 |
| Wendy Rose, the reader for Jill Brown's
story; Linda Chafe; Heather Barrett, the event's host; A.J. Churchill; Ryan Belbin, the contest's winner; and Kelly Power, the reader for Connie Boland's story, enjoy their accomplishments. They read their stories and accepted their prizes. Melissa Wong/My Online Journalism Blog |
Ryan Belbin was the first prize winner.
He won a manuscript evaluation provided by Black Ink Romance, a consultation on
taxes and accounting for writers with Pauline Martin Gift Certificate from Ches'
Fish and Chips, and Cineplex movie tickets.
"Thank you so much, everybody, for
coming out. We know it's a really nasty night out there," Jen Winsor,
director of WANL, said referring to N.L.'s snowmageddon.
Despite the many snowstorms, almost all
the tables were full of people supporting the 2020 romantic writing contest.
"We really want to make this an
annual thing," Winsor said, and the crowd cheered.
Check this out on Chirbit
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