Tag Archives: writing contests

Writing Contests

7 Replies

Writing Contest imageTiming is everything. When it comes to writing contests this is particularly true. One of my goals is to keep entering writing contests, but it always seems my timing is off or my short catalog of work is lacking when it comes to contest rules.

It’s frustrating because entering contests gives a different insight into my work and can lead to better things in the future: the notice of editors and publishers, because they might want to see more work, or because a critique that I received during a contest helped flesh out and improve the writing.

I’ve entered two contests, since my writing journey began in 2008, the Lone Star Writing Competition and the RWA’s Golden Heart Awards contest. Recently, I found the Writer’s Digest Annual Writing Competition, which I really want to submit to, but the problem is I don’t have a piece that is 4000 words or less and the deadline to have something done is May 1st.

Pushing my frustration away, I ask myself, what can I do to be ready for contests matching my goal to become a published romance author? The answer is simple. Research. To prepare, I have to think ahead a year. First, I need to find contests that are appropriate for my goal. Second, I need to read the rules. Third, I need to plan a strategy for the upcoming “contest circuit” in the following year. Finding contests for completed work is ideal, but I also want to expand my project list. In considering contests, I don’t want to sacrifice works in progress, I want to add titles that relate and meet contest criteria.

Usually when browsing the internet for contests, it is spur of the moment, which doesn’t help. Without planning, I’m just going to be racing to try to catch elusive deadlines that are already too close to meet.

Therefore, looking into the future, here’s what is on my agenda:

  1. Find contests that coincide with my goals.
  2. Prepare a schedule of writing and editing to meet the rules for each competition, without compromising what I’m currently working on.
  3. Submit to at least three contests each year.
  4. Make entering contests a habit.

Here are some reasons why writing contests are important to me. As with any type of business, I have to meet deadlines and contests have deadlines. Plus, judges in most contests, rate and/or critique work. So, if I have something to improve on, and I didn’t place, I can dig back into the work. I can make it shine with the proper luster, and resubmit to another contest or go the agent/publisher angle.

As luck would have it, I recently came across a contest whose deadline was on April 30: The Maggie Awards. I met the rule requirements, so submitted my manuscript. There will be a critique. I hope that something will come of it. In the event that it doesn’t I will keep moving forward with my writing, enjoying each story as it unfolds watching my hero’s and heroine’s come to life on each page.

What writing contests have you entered in the past year? If you need some help, finding what is right for you, just Google “writing contests 2015” or below you can hit the links of some I found while doing my own investigating:

 

Write This Not That

6 Replies

Completing a 100,000 word manuscript is a daunting task. Craft elements can go rogue and crash a well-intended plot. Months, and yes, years pass in the process of writing and editing. Babies are born. Children graduate from school. And everyone grows older except for the fledgling characters in the story. For many, even writers disciplined enough to attend writers’ groups, workshops or conferences, the hurdle of a completed manuscript is too high, at least initially. If the goal is publication, then contests are an opportunity to build a writing resume.

Ah contests, I remember them well – working each entry until the last minute before the midnight deadline, correcting stupid (and stupider) mistakes and editing phrases or lines to finish with the right word count or page number. For the price of a contest entry fee, you get all this nail-biting and neurotic sort of fun.

Fortunately, contests also provide a test market for your work, a marking to market of your ability. In other words, how do I compare to a pool of equally aspiring writers? Sometimes, the winners, especially in literary magazines, are so amazing I’m tempted to abandon writing and begin any number of long neglected chores like taxes, continuing education or even cleaning. Other times, the winning entries bring a jaw dropping, head scratching, and audible “huh.” Writing is the quintessential Olympic ice dancing event as opposed to the timed or measured track and field sport.

You can slant the odds in your favor. Creative pursuits require sound project management grounded in probability. For example, is it possible that I might get my first-ever written manuscript published? Yes, but it’s not probable. Can I hone my skills and compete in contests with a possibility of publication? More probable. A combination of strategy, research, practice and numbers makes small wins lead to bigger wins.

Strategy begins with contest selection. Highly advertised contests receive more entries. If my odds of getting struck by lightning are higher than winning – all ego aside – I’m skipping the contest. Contests held by non-writing organizations draw a wider range of writing levels and are better for increasing the odds of placing at the top. Note – the uber literary MFA types are less likely to enter a short story contest sponsored by Ducks Unlimited. Competing against unpublished writers, defined differently by each contest, is another viable strategy. Additionally, research can enhance strategy. I read the publications hosting the contest or writing samples of the past winners. If the judge is announced, I research (i.e. internet literary stalk) the judge’s style, education, publications and demographic factors that might make an entry emotionally connect with him or her. Know the audience. My writing improves from the research alone (if I’m not driven to binge cleaning by the past years’ winners).

Compared to the first two steps, practice is the easy part of the process. This year, my practice area is short stories, and in the coming blog posts, I will share more about short stories, contests, and publications. Finally, the contest process depends on the law of averages – the numbers. The more contests a writer enters (assuming strategy, research and practice) determines the likelihood of success. With that in mind, here is my plan for the coming year, and perhaps, your plan also:

  1. Search for smaller, less publicized contests.
  2. Compile a contest spreadsheet sorted by deadline and word count lengths.
  3. Assess your current writing inventory available for contests.
  4. Look for opportunities to experiment with different lengths or genres.
  5. Identify specific contest deadlines within the next three months.
  6. Research the publication, contest winners, and judges.
  7. Write. Edit. Edit. Write.

Submit. Wait. Submit again.

A Possibility

Leave a reply

“It’s the possibility that keeps me going, not the guarantee.” — Nicholas Sparks

I’ve always enjoyed the written word and wrote short stories and poetry while in elementary school. In middle school, I wrote for the school paper. My goal was to write for the high school paper. Unfortunately, I became the high school advertising editor because I could easily approach businesses for advertising dollars. But I continued to write in private.

As an adult, I wrote about a theatrical group hoping that I could get an article published in the local paper. I was ecstatic when, not only was my article published but, I was offered a job as a feature journalist for the paper. I couldn’t leave my much better paying job, but it gave me ideas about the possibility of a future in writing.

I continued to write short fiction and memoirs and entered writing contests. Success with several of my memoirs being published in anthologies and a few short story contest winnings gave me encouragement. I’ve continued to write short fiction, but the possibility of completing a full length novel for publication is still there. As I work on my manuscript, I know that there is no guarantee of publication, but the possibility keeps me going.