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- It is very important to keep in mind when you are entering a piece of writing into a writing contest. Even if you are using one complete sentence, it should have a period at the end of each sentence.
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What should I do if I win a writing contest?
- Follow Guidelines.
- Submit in The Right category.
- Keep The Writing Tight.
- Proofread. and Then Proofread A Different way.
- Follow Industry-Standard Genre Conventions.
- Do Not Address The Judge. Ever.
Competitions focus on different genres, so those entering a fiction contest need to adhere to specific guidelines. Bending the rules by submitting over the word count, outside the genre, or without the accepted file type will ensure your piece does not even get read by a judge.
For a fiction entry, make sure the submission includes an appropriate title, a strong opening, a narrative arc, and a true conclusion. “To be continued” endings—or ones that imply there is more to the story than what has been submitted—mark the entry as an excerpt of something longer. That will not win a short story competition, no matter how stron...
All the hallmarks of fiction writing need to be on display, but there’s no need to extend a story to the word count maximum if the plot can be written more concisely. If a contest cap is 4,000 words, stories at any length can win. So even a 1,000-word or 2,500-word story can be a strong contender, so long as the story is complete.
You may have read your story a dozen times, but consider a new technique, like printing out the draft, reading it aloud, or having someone else read it. A new approach can help you see elusive errors, like missing quotation marks at the end of a line or the spelling of a character as both “Derek” and “Derik.” You may also discover an error in commo...
Genre contests reward entries that meet industry expectations. In fiction writing, for instance, spoken dialogue should be enclosed quotation marks; interior dialogue should be italicized. An ellipsis is used for character speech that trails off while an em dash shows speech interrupted. No underlining should be used for emphasis. When expectations...
Telling a friend what inspired your writing is fine, but adding this to a contest entry is not. It may seem like a good idea to include a personal note, but don’t do it. Direct address of a judge within an entry file—whether in an attempt to be clever or to curry favor—blurs lines of professionalism. Simply let the writing speak for itself. Writers...
- Choose a contest. If you don’t already have a specific contest in mind, you’ll need to find a list of writing contests that are currently accepting submissions.
- Read and follow guidelines. Once you’ve chosen the contest(s) you’d like to enter, make sure you follow the guidelines to a tee. Make sure you’re clear on
- Find beta readers. If you really want helpful feedback on your work, you should look beyond your close friends and family. Their opinions could be really helpful and constructive—but you’ll want to seek input from people who can remain objective, and who ideally know a thing or two about writing (if not how to create it, then how to spot it).
- Proofread. Always proofread your work before submitting it, even after your beta readers have reviewed it. (While implementing their suggested changes, you may have inserted a few typos!)
Dec 26, 2017 · Before you submit to any writing contest, you need to do your research. Otherwise, you might just be throwing money away, not to mention wasting your precious writing time. To make sure that doesn’t happen, let’s explore the things you should consider before entering a writing contest.
- Are the sponsors on the up-and-up? Look for contests sponsored by nonprofit literary groups, established publications, reputable publishing houses, colleges, and universities.
- Have you read the rules carefully? Make sure the contest rules state the following: deadlines, eligibility, format, fees, prizes, circumstances in which prizes will or won't be awarded, judging, and what rights, if any, you're granting.
- Is the entry fee reasonable? Most contests charge fees, usually ranging from $5 to $25. For one thing, it's time-consuming to administer a contest, but sponsors may also want to make a profit.
- Who's doing the judging? Judges should be published writers, past contest winners, editors at publishing houses, or representatives from known literary organizations.
Aug 23, 2024 · Should you enter a book writing contest? Winning a contest can catch the attention of agents and publishers for your unpublished book or attract readers to your self-published book. Most contests, such as the Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards, ask for several hard copies of your book.
Be Fresh, Innovate, Stand Out. To sum up: enter early for competitions, enter in the middle of the period, stick in a late, fresh story, enter a few. You will increase your chances and help out the organization running the competition.
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