What Have Writing Competitions Got Going For Them?

Whether you enjoy writing short stories, flash fiction or poetry, there always seem to be plenty of competitions to enter. The only snag is that they usually charge a fee; so if you enter too many it can become expensive and you may end up asking yourself why you should bother. After all, isn’t entering a competition a bit of a gamble?

Yes, it is but as a writer there are definite benefits to be gained from a prestigious competition win. Here are some that well-known author and writing tutor, Simon Whaley, suggested in a recent article:

•First, a win validates you as a writer, giving you much-needed confidence, letting others see your talent… and it looks great on your writer’s CV!

•It also helps you to develop discipline. You’re working to a deadline, a word count and sometimes even a set theme.

•Finally, it makes you create a new piece of work – or at the very least take a fresh look at an existing story to recycle and improve it.

And we haven’t even mentioned the prize money or whatever other prizes are up for grabs…

So next time you’re looking through a writing magazine or browsing the internet and see a writing competition that you fancy, why not give it a go? But do always check that it’s well-established and reputable or you will be just throwing your money, time and effort away.