Submission Deadlines When Life is Lived Online

Yesterday we closed the submissions window on the first annual 'Hear Me Out' New American Monologue Competition. And while I felt thrilled and humbled by the number of entries we received from writers in 43 U.S. States, Canada, Europe, South America and as far away as New Zealand, I have to admit I found it heartbreaking having to refuse what amounted to an avalanche of last-minute requests for special exceptions to our strict Noon deadline. 

First, I feel it important to explain our rationale for refusing to accept post-deadline submissions. I'm here to testify to the fact that for every one person who may send a request for special treatment after having run up against the submission gates swinging shut, there are always at least a dozen reticent folks who feel the same frustration and disappointment yet accept the result as simply an unfortunate fact of life, something to use as a lesson and hopefully avoid in the future. For those of us accustomed to taking "no" for an answer swiftly and and as quietly as possible, the idea that only those few who are quick to complain about spotty internet, incomplete social media posts, or competing life challenges would be let in feels cruel and unfair.

The only way to make a deadline meaningful is to stick to it, no matter how painful it may be.

And this brings me to my main point.

We are now more than ever dependent on technology to complete so many of life's tasks. And as we are coming to discover, technology is never as dependable as those who sell it to us would have us believe.

So in an increasingly online world, it becomes even more essential that we plan for the unpredictable, have a back-up plan and a back-up to our back-up and never put our hopes and dreams in the hands of Google, Facebook, Verizon, Comcast and the like. 

Speaking of deadlines. Let's all do ourselves a favor with the one thing this season that should matter to us even more than submission deadlines. Let's be sure to request our mail-in ballots as early as possible and return them weeks--not days--in advance. 

Too much depends on it for us to do anything less.

Join us for the 'Me & My Masks' New American Monologue Fest this Labor Day at which the 12 competition finalists' pieces will premiere on Zoom. Tickets are $5 and go toward the $5,000 in cash prizes being awarded directly to the winning writers.

And to be sure you don't miss next year's deadline, I invite you to join my Inner Circle List.