Writing Contests: What I Learned

WRITING CONTESTS: WHAT I LEARNED

I mentioned in my recent newsletter that I just added two pages under the ABOUT tab in the menu on my website. They are: AWARDS and MEMBERSHIPS.

Under MEMBERSHIPS I added two groups: 1. ACFW (the American Christian Fiction Writers) an association I joined last year; and 2. WWI (Word Weavers International) a writers’ group I joined this month.

ACFW: To learn more about this organization, click here: About - ACFW

WWI: To learn more about Word Weavers, click here: About | Word Weavers International, Inc. (word-weavers.com)

Under AWARDS I highlighted my submission to the ACFW Genesis Contest. My entry did not win an award, but I was named a semi-finalist in May of this year. To find out more about this annual contest, click here: Genesis Contest - ACFW

To read more about my almost-award-winning entry entitled “Children of the African Bush” go to the PROJECTS page in the top menu of this website and scroll down to Current Book Project.

I did learn a lot from the experience of entering a writing contest, and that is the topic of this blog post.

WHAT I LEARNED FROM MY FIRST WRITING CONTEST

MOTIVATION: This was my first time entering a writing contest. I learned that it is a good motivator to finish my work in progress. I started this book three years ago. It kept growing and changing, but never quite ended. One of the contest guidelines states that your manuscript must be unpublished, but it has to be finished. What a motivator to complete my WIP (work in progress.) I still have several other WIP's, but it is a good feeling to have one off the list, and call it done.

PATIENCE: A contest entry (at least in this experience with the Genesis Contest) must be submitted between January 1 and March 31. The semi-finalists in each category are notified in May. Waiting a couple months to hear is not horrible, right? (But I must admit it was gratifying to get the phone call and hear that my entry was chosen as one of the seven semi-finalists in its category!) Then, the next day, a notification email explained that the three finalists in each category will be announced on Friday night of the conference (in September!) with the winner being announced Saturday evening. Now we add another four or five months to the waiting! I thought finishing my book was hard, then I discovered that waiting for the result was even harder!

CONTENTMENT: When I think about it, I don’t really need this recognition. Can’t I be content in just writing a good book and leave it at that? It is nice to see my work rise to the top of a large pile. It is thrilling to think I may win. But if the book represents my vision and passion finally getting into print, in the form I envisioned, I am happy. Why, then, did I enter?

OPPORTUNITIES: While I was writing the book, I was also checking into publishing options. The subject of Traditional Publishing versus Self-Publishing was the first research project I began studying. I looked at the websites of several Publishing Houses and discovered, under SUBMISSION GUIDELINES, that most will not accept unsolicited or un-agented manuscripts. That means I will need to meet an editor or find my own literary agent. Do you know what it takes to pitch yourself and your work to an acquisition editor or a literary agent? Self-promotion does not come easy for me. When I heard about writing contests, the idea came to me that if one of my books got recognition, it would help with the querying process. Opportunities for Traditional Publishing, with a real agent, would open for me. Not that I am against Self-Publishing. I am not. And I may go that route. We will see. I will keep you informed….

MANUSCRIPT EVALUATION: The best part, by far, of the whole writing contest experience was the input from the judges. The judges are all fellow authors, or agents, or editors. I received detailed comments on the pages I submitted, with notes on twenty different categories (from the opening hook, to character motivations, to use of appropriate vocabulary and grammar.) Encouraging notes were also added to show me when I was on the right track. The benefits of this part of the contest surprised me. I had already done several re-writes, with my own edits and those of my advance reading team. Now I received many additional good tips and suggestions to consider for another round of re-writing.

So, do I recommend you enter a writing contest? You bet I do! It will motivate you to polish and finish your work in progress. You will have to exercise patience with the judging and awarding process. You will hopefully become content with the finished product, even if you don’t receive recognition. Perhaps doors of opportunity will open for you in the publishing world. Finally, and best of all, you will receive valuable input from others in the writing and publishing field to help you with yet another re-write!