Entering contests offers writers an opportunity to gain experience and recognition. Winning prizes is another advantage. There are many such contests available and a quick internet search provides numerous options. Many of them require no entry fees. Entering a free monthly writing contest will cost a writer nothing but time.
The vast range of contests does mean that one has to sift through them to make a selection. Your particular genre and style will help you to narrow down your selection. It may also help to read previous winning entries to find out what sponsors are looking for. It may be better to start with contests offering smaller prizes if you are just starting out as a writer.
Many writers tend to skim over the rules and conditions when applying and this is not a good idea. You need to fully understand what is required from you as the writer to stand the best chance. You also need to understand what will happen to your work once it has been submitted and what kind of rights the sponsors have over it.
Before you submit your manuscript, you also need to follow the guidelines given. This may require you to set it out with double spacing and you may not be allowed to exceed a certain word count. If you do not follow these guidelines, there is every chance that your submission may be rejected before the judges have even read the content.
You may not regard producing an error free manuscript as being important. However, this does make an impression on the judges. A manuscript full of spelling and grammatical errors that could easily have been corrected does not create a good first impression. Edit, edit and edit again before submission to make sure that any avoidable errors do not detract from your excellent content.
Other important factors that help your submission to stand out are your creativity, originality and the way you use language. However, no matter how creative and original your content may be, you have to make sure you stick to the theme. A brilliant entry that completely digresses from the theme will obviously not be in the running.
There are many smaller contests with prizes like an annual subscription to a magazine if your submission is published. It is often best for new writers to start with something like this to gain some confidence. Some of these contests have really good prizes, including large amounts of money and there are many experienced writers who enter these. Remember that everyone has to start somewhere and even a T-shirt as a prize means that someone else appreciates your work.
Many contests do not require any entry fees at all. They offer a great opportunity for writers to develop their skills, receive some recognition and even to win prizes. It is a simple matter to submit your manuscript to the sponsors as this can usually be done via email. You can build up your confidence by allowing others to see your writing and move to the next level on your path to success as a writer.
The vast range of contests does mean that one has to sift through them to make a selection. Your particular genre and style will help you to narrow down your selection. It may also help to read previous winning entries to find out what sponsors are looking for. It may be better to start with contests offering smaller prizes if you are just starting out as a writer.
Many writers tend to skim over the rules and conditions when applying and this is not a good idea. You need to fully understand what is required from you as the writer to stand the best chance. You also need to understand what will happen to your work once it has been submitted and what kind of rights the sponsors have over it.
Before you submit your manuscript, you also need to follow the guidelines given. This may require you to set it out with double spacing and you may not be allowed to exceed a certain word count. If you do not follow these guidelines, there is every chance that your submission may be rejected before the judges have even read the content.
You may not regard producing an error free manuscript as being important. However, this does make an impression on the judges. A manuscript full of spelling and grammatical errors that could easily have been corrected does not create a good first impression. Edit, edit and edit again before submission to make sure that any avoidable errors do not detract from your excellent content.
Other important factors that help your submission to stand out are your creativity, originality and the way you use language. However, no matter how creative and original your content may be, you have to make sure you stick to the theme. A brilliant entry that completely digresses from the theme will obviously not be in the running.
There are many smaller contests with prizes like an annual subscription to a magazine if your submission is published. It is often best for new writers to start with something like this to gain some confidence. Some of these contests have really good prizes, including large amounts of money and there are many experienced writers who enter these. Remember that everyone has to start somewhere and even a T-shirt as a prize means that someone else appreciates your work.
Many contests do not require any entry fees at all. They offer a great opportunity for writers to develop their skills, receive some recognition and even to win prizes. It is a simple matter to submit your manuscript to the sponsors as this can usually be done via email. You can build up your confidence by allowing others to see your writing and move to the next level on your path to success as a writer.
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