Before the Bitching Begins

Got a question? Perhaps the answer is right here:

• My Fiction 84 entry was not picked for publication in this
week’s issue. This deeply upsets me. Should I send off a rambling,
somewhat insane letter bitching you out?

Oh, please, for the love of God, don’t do that. (Based on prior
experience, I know some of you will.)

The contest intro on Page 16 spells things out. The summary: Writing
contests are subjective and weird. I know that already. We all know that. So … chill. Please?

In the meantime, enjoy the entries we did pick for publication. Read
the top 31 both online and in print, and check out an extra 78
interesting entries exclusively at TucsonWeekly.com.

• My band, or my favorite band, is not a TAMMIES finalist
this year. This deeply upsets me. Should I send off a rambling,
somewhat insane letter bitching you out?

If it makes you feel better, sure. Otherwise, your time is better
spent on other endeavors … like getting the word out about your band
or your favorite band, so that next year, the band has a better chance
of becoming a finalist.

In any case, vote for your favorite finalists at TAMMIES.com (if you’re not among the 800 or
so folks who have already voted), and show up at the Rialto Theatre on
Sept. 3 to find out who the winners are.

And as always … thanks for reading!

This article appears in Jul 30 – Aug 5, 2009.