header: Illustration of Veronica Bartles on the left and a ghost at a typewriter on the right against a blue background with text that says "Veronica Bartles' #EgoClub Rules for Online Pitch Contests" Rule #1: ALL Positive Posts from Judges are About You! Is one of the judges gushing about the most amazing manuscript they’ve ever seen? It was yours. Did one mention that they literally laughed out loud at the last entry they read? Obviously yours. They said they’re reading the best paranormal romance ever written, and you submitted a historical thriller? Still yours!! Every positive post that comes from one of the judges is a secretly-coded love letter written just for you. Because You Are Awesome.

header: Illustration of Veronica Bartles on the left and a ghost at a typewriter on the right against a blue background with text that says "Veronica Bartles' #EgoClub Rules for Online Pitch Contests" Rule #2: ALL “Negative” Posts from Judges are About SOMEONE ELSE! Second-guessing your entry at this point doesn’t help anyone. Yes, the judges will post helpful hints and tips as they read through the entries. These are valuable tips, but now is not the time to worry about that. They are NEVER about you (for now)! File these helpful tips away for later. Save screenshots of the posts that feel like they could be about you to a folder you’ll look at later, but don’t dwell on them. Right now, remember: They’re talking about someone else.

header: Illustration of Veronica Bartles on the left and a ghost at a typewriter on the right against a blue background with text that says "Veronica Bartles' #EgoClub Rules for Online Pitch Contests" Rule #3: AFTER the Contest, Take Another Look at your Manuscript(s)! The #EgoClub is a fabulous place to visit, but you won’t grow if you live here always. No matter how you did in this contest, take time to re-evaluate. SOME of the posts were about you after all (even if they really weren’t). That tip about recommended word count ranges might fix the manuscript you abandoned last year. The hints about character motivation might bring focus to your WiP that got a little off track. Apply the advice that fits your current project. File the rest away for later. It’s bound to come in handy on your next ms—or the one after that!

header: Illustration of Veronica Bartles on the left and a ghost at a typewriter on the right against a blue background with text that says "Veronica Bartles' #EgoClub Rules for Online Pitch Contests" Rule #4: Revisit the #EgoClub when You Feel Discouraged! Everyone needs a boost from time to time, including you. Find the encouraging posts that really spoke to you, and save them for future reference, alongside those you saved for rule #3. You WILL have down days, when you doubt your voice (everyone does, and that’s okay). When those days appear, come back to the #EgoClub and Remember that YOU ARE AWESOME! …and if you have trouble remembering this, just ask Veronica Bartles. She’ll tell you!

Back when #PitMad was a thing, I wrote my official #EgoClub rules for online pitch contests, and I used to jump into the chat with my intentional obliviousness (& encourage it in others) every time a pitch party rolled around. #KidLitChat Here are the rules, in case anyone needs them!!

It's amazing how many secret, coded love letters to me there are in the #PBParty feed! Obviously, my entry is getting lots of love from all the judges. ;) -- The perks of playing by #EgoClub rules

It's seriously the BEST way to read judges' comments! Claim ALL the positive energy! Reject ALL the thoughts that you didn't quite hit the mark!! Because OBVIOUSLY you rock! And why not get your hopes up? Up is the best place for hopes! #PBParty #EgoClub

Cartoon depiction of Veronica Bartles with an open book on one hand, stepping up onto a pile of her books, TWELVE STEPS and THE PRINCESS AND THE FROGS, presenting the title: Veronica Bartles' #EgoClub Rules for Online Pitch Contests. An illustrated ghost in a beanie and sunglasses is typing a manuscript on the left side of the title. Rule #1: ALL Positive Posts from Judges are About You! Is one of the judges gushing about the most amazing manuscript they’ve ever seen? It was yours. Did one mention that they literally laughed out loud at the last entry they read? Obviously yours. They said they’re reading the best paranormal romance ever written, and you submitted a historical thriller? Still yours!! Every positive post that comes from one of the judges is a secretly-coded love letter written just for you. Because You Are Awesome.

Cartoon depiction of Veronica Bartles with an open book on one hand, stepping up onto a pile of her books, TWELVE STEPS and THE PRINCESS AND THE FROGS, presenting the title: Veronica Bartles' #EgoClub Rules for Online Pitch Contests. An illustrated ghost in a beanie and sunglasses is typing a manuscript on the left side of the title. Rule #2: ALL “Negative” Posts from Judges are About SOMEONE ELSE! Second-guessing your entry at this point doesn’t help anyone. Yes, the judges will post helpful hints and tips as they read through the entries. These are valuable tips, but now is not the time to worry about that. They are NEVER about you (for now)! File these helpful tips away for later. Save screenshots of the posts that feel like they could be about you to a folder you’ll look at later, but don’t dwell on them. Right now, remember: They’re talking about someone else.

Cartoon depiction of Veronica Bartles with an open book on one hand, stepping up onto a pile of her books, TWELVE STEPS and THE PRINCESS AND THE FROGS, presenting the title: Veronica Bartles' #EgoClub Rules for Online Pitch Contests. An illustrated ghost in a beanie and sunglasses is typing a manuscript on the left side of the title. Rule #3: AFTER the Contest, Take Another Look at your Manuscript(s)! The #EgoClub is a fabulous place to visit, but you won’t grow if you live here always. No matter how you did in this contest, take time to re-evaluate. SOME of the posts were about you after all (even if they really weren’t). That tip about recommended word count ranges might fix the manuscript you abandoned last year. The hints about character motivation might bring focus to your WiP that got a little off track. Apply the advice that fits your current project. File the rest away for later. It’s bound to come in handy on your next ms—or the one after that!

Cartoon depiction of Veronica Bartles with an open book on one hand, stepping up onto a pile of her books, TWELVE STEPS and THE PRINCESS AND THE FROGS, presenting the title: Veronica Bartles' #EgoClub Rules for Online Pitch Contests. An illustrated ghost in a beanie and sunglasses is typing a manuscript on the left side of the title. Rule #4: Revisit the #EgoClub when You Feel Discouraged! Everyone needs a boost from time to time, including you. Find the encouraging posts that really spoke to you, and save them for future reference, alongside those you saved for rule #3. You WILL have down days, when you doubt your voice (everyone does, and that’s okay). When those days appear, come back to the #EgoClub and Remember that YOU ARE AWESOME. And if you have trouble remembering this, just ask Veronica Bartles. She’ll tell you!

Looks like it's time to dust off my #EgoClub rules for Online Pitch Contests!! I established these rules back in the olden days of #KidLit Twitter (in the time of #PitchWars & #PitMad). Updated slightly for Bluesky, but the rules still apply. #EgoClub is the best way to read #PBParty judges' posts!!