Make the last half of 2021 the year to take the writing leap by entering writing contests. Writing contests can boost your self-esteem, and work toward crushing imposter syndrome. You receive rewards whether you win, or not. Let’s explore.
Contests Are Fun
Contests can be fun. It’s true. Some contests offer feedback, some don’t, but either way it puts a jolt of excitement in your writing world. Contest organizers want you to submit. It exciting for them to look at other people’s writing and help push your work forward. Organizers offer contests because they want to see writers gain confidence and help you to succeed in your writing endeavors. They lay out the welcome mat to come in. Furthermore, contests are not as intimidating as submitting to magazines and journals.
Teach You to Submit
That’s right! As a writer, if you want to be published you must submit. Submitting to contests allow you to stretch your submission muscles in order to prepare you to send your work in to other more lofty publications. It will also prepare you for the query submission for representation, or publication. Contests aren’t nearly as scary as querying a lit agent. So, if you enter contests frequently you’re learning a great skill in the process. It also gets you used to the dreaded “no” email. You won’t win every contests, but you may rank, or even make the top ten. All of this helps you acclimated to the submission process.
Give Courage
I’ve known many writers that lack the courage to submit, including me! It’s seems too risky to submit. It takes courage to receive criticism, judgment, or a rejection of your hard work. However, it’s necessary. All writers will experience rejection is some form, or another. In order to gain self-esteem around your writing, submitting is crucial. We all tend to struggle with putting ourselves out there. If you do it over, and over, each time you are braver, stronger, and ready to dive in again. You begin to have faith and hope in your own writing. You BELIEVE in YOU!
Resources
There are numerous recourses out there for you to find legitimate contests. Some contests are free, and others do offer a small fee upon entry for reading fees and prizes. The money does need to come from somewhere. You may not win the first one you enter, but chances are, the more you submit the likely you are to take home a prizes, and/or publication. Here is a list of a few resources to help you find contests that fit your genre.
- Writers Digest – offers a number of contests each year in poetry, annual writing competitions, self published book awards, and a short story competition.
- Poets & Writers – keeps an in depth listing of all kinds of writing contests, grants, and awards.
- Winning Writers – hosts a number of writing contests: Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest; Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest; North Street Book Prize for self-published books; Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest (no fee)
At Indie It Press we will inform you of other contests, and submission in our Indie Artist Hub. It is free to be a member of our Artist Hub. Join us today!
Napkin Microfiction Contest with Indie It Press
We are currently offering a Napkin Microfiction contest that closes on April 30th. The fee is $15.00 for a reading fee and prizes, but with it you will also receive a micro-course in our DASHBOARD on how Margaret Atwood, HP. Lovecraft, Paulo Coelho, and David Foster Wallace all wrote well crafted micro-stories. We will look at their microfiction during this course and hopefully you can replicate their prose success in your Napkin Microfiction Writing Contest submission.
- 1st place $300.00
- 2nd place $200.00
- 3rd place $100.00
- 2 runners up $50 each
- 5 honorable mentions $20 each
- All Winners – microfiction piece published on Indie It Press
- Top 5 winners – interviewed for a special feature on Indie It Press