How Writing Competitions Made Me a Better Writer

How Writing Competitions Made Me a Better Writer.

Advice for All Writers: Enter Writing Competitions.

Image Generated by LexicaFor the longest time, I was a closeted writer. We've all been there. Don't feel ashamed.

We've all nursed our purple prose as though they were tiny defenceless hatchlings. We've all refused to kill our darlings.

Fast forward a decade and it's easy to forget how scary it was submitting those first few pieces.

It's easy to forget how rejection letters take the wind right out of you, like a boot to the gut. Yes, I said letters. I submitted my first pieces via post: paper clips, envelopes, stamps, saliva and all.

But then, one day, you receive the unforgettable first acceptance letter.

The thrill that a publisher values your work. That they think it's good enough to share with their audience. There is a jolt of inspiration. You find yourself champing at the bit to put words to paper.

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1) Forget the Money

Forget Winning. Think Deadline.

Writing isn't about winning, it's about finishing.

Do you find it hard to decide when the piece is finished? Could you tweak forever?

This is the beauty of the deadline.

Write with a deadline in mind. Hit send or submit. And then (most importantly) forget about the piece. Eject it from your mind. Free up the space and energy to work on another idea.

Take a break from that project, you owe it to yourself.

It's possible the piece won't win. Most likely, it won't even get a mention.

But think of it this way: you now have a completed piece of writing. Down the track, you revisit the writing with fresh eyes. You notice a few possible edits, revise a few phrases. You have a polished, glittering story.

Now you need to find a home for this baby. You know what it's about. Where it fits. Get online. Research submission guidelines and submit, submit, submit,

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2) How I Approach Writing Competitions

By 2013, I'd given up on sending my work out and entering writing competitions. I feared rejection. I was suspicion of scams and unaffordable entry-fees. I dreaded word-counts.

Then one day, my professor sat me down and told me to enter a piece in an upcoming competiton. So I did.

That piece didn't win. But it was published in the Writing to the Edge anthology.

I was a baby writer. I cannot exaggerate the encouragement and confidence this recognition gave me.

All this happened while I was on exchange at the Univeristy of Massachusetts. With newfound confidence, I entered two poems in the Class of 1940 Poetry Competition.

I won.

I was ecstatic.

This lead to three performance gigs. As well as a publication in the UMass undergraduate literary journal, Jabberwocky. And enabled me to conquer my glossophobia (aversion to public speaking).

Like a bee to honey, I began researching contests. Jotting down deadlines, word counts, themes, entry fees and prize money.

By the end of 2014, I had won six writing competitions, earning close to $6000 in prize money.

While I always appreciated the cash rewards. For me, they were not the most valuable aspect of winning competitions.

Generally speaking, wining a contest (or being commended/shortlisted) results in publication. Either in a magazine or an anthology.

Often, there are award nights. Writers' festivals. Launch parties. Literary events. And a myriad of networking opportunities. Never underestimate the potential of these events.

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3) Writing Competitions Lead To Other Opportunities

Remember my first publication? The contest I didn't win?

The editor of Sydney-based, Rochford Street Review, was also published in that anthology. He approached me with the prospect to become a regular reviewer.

I jumped at the opportunity to review poetry books for five bucks a pop. Around six months later, that same editor, offered to publish my first poetry chapbook.

In 2014, my story won the Young Australian Questions Writing Prize. The award was presented at the Melbourne Writers Festival.

I joined the Future Voices Panel at the Melbourne Writers Festival. And I became a judge of the 2015 and 2016 Young Australian Questions Writing Prize.

In 2017, I entered the Australian Book Review Elizabeth Jolley Short Story Prize. The story was shortlisted and highly commended. This led to radio interviews and invitations to speak on panels at writers festivals.

I promise, this happens: your piece is unsuccessful in the competition you've entered. However, it resonated with one judge. That judge happens to be an editor of another publication. They reach out to you and offer you a publication opportunity.

You didn't win but you won, right?

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4) What To Avoid

When it comes to writing competitions, do your research!

Be aware of high entry fees.

Do background searches of the publication. Judges. Sponsors. Read past winners. Read the creative work of judges.

Assess the situation. Ask yourself: is my piece suitable for this?

If past winners are chivalric-romantic sonnets, but you've written a non-binary BDSM free-verse poem. Be honest with yourself. This is not where your piece belongs. Save the time, money, effort and tears. Look elsewhere to submit your piece.

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5) Submission Guidelines

As for contests that don't accept multiple submissions. Well, my advice: ignore this completely.

Months can pass before the results of a contest are announced.

Life's too short.

It's unlikely that your piece is going to simultaneously win two prizes.

On the single occasion that I had a story – entered in two contests – announced as a winner. I simply withdrew my piece from the second competition.

On that point. Be organised! Keep records when submitting your work. Record what, when, and where you submit. Record rejections and acceptances.

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Conclusion

Your writing will be rejected. It's inevitable.

Remember: 2015 Man Booker winner, Marlon James, had his debut novel, John Crow's Devil, rejected seventy-eight times before it was published in 2005.

I'll say it again: entering contests isn't about winning.

The brilliant thing about contests is that they force us to plan ahead. They force us to write to deadlines. To pay attention to word counts. To overcome the fear of rejection. To rewrite and rewrite again, and they leave us with finished, polished, tight writing.

What's more, writing to themed competitions will take your creativity to new places. I guarantee you'll produce unexpected and pleasing results.

My advice? Go for it!

Write to deadlines, word counts, themes, and get your work out there!

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Stevi-Lee Alver is an Australian writer and tattoo artist. She lives in the middle of Brazil with her wife. She loves bush walks and waterfalls but misses the ocean.