Increase Your Chances Of Winning Writing Contests

Winning writing contests can provide several advantages to writers. For starters it's a great way to get your name in print and in front of potential readers. It can also provide professional credits for your writing portfolio, and prize rewards to augment your income.

Just participating can get new writers into a writing regiment, grow confidence, and provide practice, practice, practice.

Whatever your reason for entering a writing contest just be realistic about your expectations. The odds of winning are not terrific, but there are certainly plenty of things you can do to improve those odds, and stack them in your favor...

  • Start with flair! Introduce a complicating situation, an unsolved problem - make the reader want to know how your story or article is going to turn out. If the first page, and more specifically, the first paragraph, doesn't make the judges want to read more, you are in trouble. Judges will generally weed out losing entries by discarding those where the first page does not compel them to read on.

  • Your story should be unique. A well written entry with originality will stand out. Find an original angle or unusual twist, create offbeat characters, or use an unusual setting. The judges are looking for something new, not the same old storylines - so give them a reason to notice your work.

  • Make your characters believable. Whether fictional or non-fictional, your characters should be authentic. Their dialogue should be relevant and move the story along. They should talk as you and I, not stilted or awkward, but natural.and convincingly.

  • Your entry should have a beginning, middle and end - with a clear central theme that is followed throughout the story or article. You should be able to define your theme in one sentence. ie: "My story/article is about..."

  • Deliver a positive ending. That doesn't mean it has to be happy and upbeat, but it should be openly and plainly expressed and have a positive meaning to it.

  • Before submitting your entry proofread (or have someone else do this for you). Check for errors in spelling, grammar, sentence construction, and story structure. Neatness is also of the utmost importance. Your entry should identify you as professional and capable, whether you have been published before or not.

  • Enter your story or article as soon as possible - well before the closing deadline. Many judges read entries as they come in and early submissions will certainly have them more engaged than they will be after they have already read hundreds of submissions.

  • Follow the rules! Read submission guidelines carefully and make sure your entry complies in every way. If your entry breaks the rules set forth by the contest it will not be looked at further, so don't put yourself in that position. Read carefully and submit according to the guidelines - or you lose before that great story is even read!

  • Increase the odds! If the guidelines state that more than one entry is acceptable, by all means increase your odds of attracting a judges eye and enter as many times as allowed.

    A good short story or article can simply be entertaining or it can affect or stir the reader, perhaps change perceptions or provide understanding. Contest judges are looking for stories that involve the reader - make them think, laugh or even cry.

    Copyright ? 2005

    Diane Thomas is the editor of ebook crossroads.com specializing in resources for writers, publishers and promoters of eBooks and Audio Books. She publishes a monthly ezine, the eBook Crossroads Insider, offering articles, tips, contests, free downloads and much more!

    Subscribe to the ebook crossroads.com.

    shuttle from O'Hare Brocton .. Lockport Chicago limo O’Hare
    In The News:

    Experts say hackers who used to focus on Windows operating systems are increasingly targeting Apple IDs as part of a new phishing campaign.
    Unitree, a Chinese robotics company that developed a backflipping robot, has now introduced a humanoid robot capable of doing a side flip.
    Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
    According to the FBI, cybercriminals are sending extortion letters, threatening to release victims' sensitive information unless a ransom is paid.
    FireSat is a satellite project designed to detect and track wildfires early, aiming to detect a fire that's the size of a classroom within 20 minutes.
    Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reports that researchers have uncovered a Chrome vulnerability used in a cyber espionage campaign.
    Preserving voicemails securely on Android: Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals easy methods to keep memories alive forever.
    This phishing kit bypasses 2FA via session hijacking and real-time credential theft. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson offers four ways to stay safe from Astaroth phishing attacks.
    Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson discusses Joby Aviation and Virgin Atlantic planning to launch 200-mph U.K. air taxis linking airports and cities.
    Fake Apple virus warnings, security alerts and messages are tactics used to prompt you to call a number or click on a malicious link. The CyberGuy explains how to protect your devices.
    The combination of artificial intelligence and neuroscience allows a paralyzed man to manipulate a robotic arm by using his brain to imagine movements.
    With the help of artificial intelligence, sophisticated fraud techniques emerging today are virtually undetectable to the untrained eye.
    Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents
    If you need to free up space on your Mac, consider deleting duplicate photos in your image library. Apple makes it easy to do, and the CyberGuy explains the process.
    Microsoft is discontinuing Skype in May after 22 years of service. Kurt the CyberGuy addresses other options for internet-based phone and video service.
    Tron 1, a Chinese company's two-legged robot, is versatile and can walk, roll and pivot, even on rough terrain. Tron 1 stands 33 inches tall and weighs 44 pounds.
    Hackers are tricking people into installing password-stealing malware by making them press keyboard shortcuts under the pretense of proving they're not bots.
    Saving the voices of loved ones can be a comforting way to keep alive memories. Kurt "the CyberGuy" Knutsson explains how to preserve voicemail messages.
    Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
    The FBI warns that some free online document converters load malware onto people's computers, making their private information vulnerable to attack.
    Toyota's compact electric FT-Me is designed to tackle challenges of city living while offering an accessible and eco-friendly transportation solution.
    Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says 23andMe's bankruptcy raises data privacy fears: Opt out, download and delete data now.
    UBTech and Zeekr unite with AI robot swarms to make car manufacturing faster and smarter. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson explains how the process works.
    Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says Apple's Passwords app had a three-month phishing flaw from iOS 18 to 18.2 patch.
    Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson discusses how this super-small electric mini-truck takes a big step toward production.
  • A Writers Tools

    William Faulkner, the great Mississippi writer, said, "The tools I... Read More

    8 Advantages to Writing a Book as an Entrepreneur

    As an aspiring or an established entrepreneur, you are an... Read More

    The Struggle

    Sometime one must coax the words out.Each day is a... Read More

    Masquerading As Novel ~ Can Author?s Work Convey Important Perceptions?

    While novels do not usually attempt to convey concepts about... Read More

    Suspense Novels Made Easy

    Suspense novels are probably the easiest novels to write. Suspense... Read More

    How to Write a Short Story

    Everybody knows writing a story is not easy. Like the... Read More

    Are You a Freelance Writer? - Then You Need a Website

    As a freelance writer, it is important to present yourself... Read More

    Writing Good Dialogue.

    There's nothing that kills a scene like hackneyed dialogue. Just... Read More

    How Long is a Chapter?

    How long should your chapters be?I can't resist... I have... Read More

    Five Tips to Find More Time for Your Writing Life

    When I asked new ezine subscribers, "What is your Number... Read More

    How to Have an Effective Writing Group

    The works you've written are numerous, ranging from short stories... Read More

    Make Your Readers Cry

    You know, I really hate it when someone catches me... Read More

    How To Stay Fit While Writing

    Day after day, writers tend to sit for hours writing... Read More

    Understanding Editorial Guidelines

    Editorial guidelines, also known as writer's guidelines, are the rules... Read More

    The Unwritten World Of The Reality Of Letterwriting

    You may wonder why I have chosen this title of... Read More

    Nobody Likes A Rambler

    We all know people who ramble. They include every boring... Read More

    Four Act Stories and Beyond

    There are various forms of structure, including frameworks, work processes... Read More

    Writing Styles for Fiction: Which Voice to Use

    I recently set up a website to promote a new... Read More

    Going On A Word Diet

    There are three ways to write a first draft. One... Read More

    Apostrophe Usage Made Simple

    According to one of my previous articles, whenever a Southerner... Read More

    Extreme Research: 10 Snappy Rules For Success

    So you want to learn to research well, and not... Read More

    Hunting for Markets Over the Holidays

    Chances are, you'll be busy over the next several weeks.... Read More

    New Year Resolutions for Writers - The Best Kind to Make and How to Keep Them

    On the first day of a bright and shiny new... Read More

    Mission Possible: Get Published with Goals, Guidance, and Persistance

    You send me an e-mail. You tell me you've written... Read More

    The Daily Rite

    If you want to be a writer, then you must... Read More

    Chicago charter limousine service Hickory Hills ..