Entering writing contests is not my favorite thing to do. That doesn’t keep me from looking at them.
There are lots of these contests. Many have nice prizes. I know writers who do enter them and get to put “Award Winning” on their book.
Reasons For Contests
There seems to be lots of different reasons for writing contests. Publishers use them as a way to find books they might like to publish. These usually want a complete manuscript.
Writer sites are expensive to operate. They can hold contests as a way to raise funds.
Writer’s Digest magazine holds numerous contests. They seem to both promote writers and raise interest in subscribing to the magazine. Attending their writers’ conference is one of the big prizes.
Tempting Prizes
My writing budget always seems to be slim. That makes cash prizes very tempting.
Attending a conference isn’t possible for me. I self publish and, although being traditionally published is tempting, don’t really expect to go that route.
Choosing Contests
Entering writing contests can be a way for me to support a writing group. That is the main reason I do enter a contest.
My only two at this time are NaNo (National Novel Writing Month) and Arts Rolla. The first is mostly a way to write my way through a draft and isn’t a formal contest. There are supporting sponsors who offer prizes for those who meet their goals.
The latter is a local fine arts group. When I was part of a local writer’s group, now disbanded, I met many of the people involved with the group. It is an important local group.
Now I’m considering another contest. It’s put on as a money raiser for an online group. I’m new to the group and want to become more a part of it.
Facing Reality
Entering writing contests is not something I do expecting to win. When Arts Rolla awarded the first chapter of The Carduan Chronicles second place, I was shocked.
This new contest is for the first page of an unpublished novel. I have three to choose from. I would like to help support this group Great Gutsy Novelists. Are any of them good enough?