For The Right Reason #MFRWauthor

Contests are wonderful things, especially when you win. 🙂 Entering a writing contest can be beneficial if you’re doing it for the right reason.

 

Striving to win the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow is admirable, but shouldn’t be your only motivation. Does the contest offer feedback on entries?Is the contest held by a reputable company? Are you seeking fame and fortune or just the experience?

 

A few years ago, while I was working on my graduate degree, we were tasked with finding writing contests. Some of the major networks offered internships as a prize and a chance to write for a new show or join an existing one. How cool would that be to write for one ‘Blacklist’ or ‘MacGyver?’ Better yet to create your own show and have it in a prime time slot for the summer? But on the downside of something that huge and momentous, would be leaving family and friends for something unknown. I know writing scripts and screenplays isn’t the same as writing a romance novel, but the contests are still very similar.

 

Some require a small entry fee, a polished manuscript, and a lot of mail stalking. I’ve entered contests and have judged contests and have marveled  at the skill of some of the entries. When I judged a contest some time ago, I was humbled at the talent of the authors. One of the hardest things I ever did was turn a wonderful story away because of glaring grammatical errors. I am not a grammar snob, but when simple typographical errors and such pull me from a story, it’s bad.

 

I have yet to win or even place in a writing contest. Truthfully, I’ve been so out of touch with fellow writers, publishers, and the like  that I couldn’t even tell you what’s hot or not in the industry.

 

What I can tell you is to do your research before you enter a contest. If the prize seems too good to be true, it probably is and for the love of writing, submit your very best work and that means more than the computer’s spellcheck.