Most authors these days can call themselves entrepreneurs. There's a lot that goes into the business of writing besides storytelling. If you're looking to make writing a regular thing, especially when it comes to building and maintaining your writin...
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How am I supposed to win an award when I'm just learning the trade?
It's never too soon or too late to submit your work to writing contests. Stretching your skills and taking on writing challenges makes you a better writer and proves to agents that you're taking things seriously. A contest win can get you through times of self-doubt as a writer and gives you exposure. Even if you're just starting your writing journey and only have a few completed pieces, you can still be competitive in the contest arena. And some prizes are substantial.
Where do I find these writing contests?
Writing contests are more common than you might think and span all genres and categories. Some publications charge a fee to participate, but you can find a ton of legitimate free writing contests online. Even if you don't win the grand prize, there are honorable mentions. Big or small, the fact that you have submitted a piece of writing to a contest and been mentioned can boost your credibility with agents and publishers. As an added bonus, you can use that mention as a writing credit (see our previous chapter on Writing Credits). At the end of this chapter, we share some resources for finding legit writing contests.
I'm a blogger / vlogger. Can I enter contests for that?
Absolutely! If you have a strong following on a social media platform where you showcase your excellence and reputation in the blogging and vlogging industry, there are a number of awards that can get you recognized. Here are a few notable ones:
🏆 The Streamy Awards: Honoring excellence in online video and the creators behind it in over forty-five awards categories. Nominees and winners of this annual event include individuals and organizations with global audiences making some of the most innovative and well-watched programming in the world.
🏆 The Shorty Awards: Honoring the best of social media and digital by recognizing the influencers, creators, brands and organizations on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and more. Winners are chosen through a combination of votes from the public and scores given by the Real Time Academy (rtacademy.org), which is composed of leaders in technology, journalism, business and culture.
🏆 The Webby Awards: The leading international award honoring excellence on the internet. Winners are selected for recognition based on "overall experience," as well as excellence in the following areas: Websites and Mobile Sites, Video, Advertising, Media & PR, Apps and Software, Social, Podcasts, Games, Virtual & Remote
Beware of scammers!
Of course, there are scammy contests. So choose with care and look for these warning signs:
⚠ High entry fees. Anything over $30 is probably not legit.
⚠ A bunch of testimonials by unknown writers. If a contest is legit, they'll say something like Last year's winner is now represented by So and So Literary Agency. A legit contest will show you the book cover and crow about sales.
⚠ Iffy contest sponsors. Not only are you wasting your money, you could damage your reputation by associating your name with a shady outfit.
⚠ Asking for rights. A legit contest never asks for exclusive, long term rights unless they're giving you a whole lot of money for those rights. And even so, think long and hard about what you're giving up and if it's worth it to you.
⚠ Unknown judges and judging criteria. It should be clear what criteria is being used for judging: originality, characters, pacing, plotting, setting, etc. Often there will be high profile judges.
⚠ Contests advertised via unsolicited emails or social media spam. Always Google an organization before entering their contest. Use keywords like 'scam' and 'complaints'.
👇🏽 Victoria Strauss's Writer Beware 👇🏽
sfwa.org/other-resources/for-authors/writer-beware/ has been keeping writers safe from bogus agents, publishers and scammy contests for over a decade. If you haven't heard of a contest, always check them out with Victoria.
Media Mentions and Reviews
What's the secret to landing press coverage? Doing something that will get the media's attention. Have you already written a book or won an award of some merit? This is the perfect opportunity to contact your local newspaper (and your hometown newspaper if you've relocated) and brag about it. Develop and share your journey about how you came to achieve your goal. People love compelling personal accounts, especially if they know you're from their hometown.
Media mentions can also come in the form of online accolades. If you've done something noteworthy, like won an award or your published book is mentioned on a blog or website, share it on your social media platforms. If you're searching for agent representation and wish to share your media mentions, make sure you can back them up by keeping some kind of proof.
The same goes for book reviews. When you publish, be sure to encourage your readers to share their experience with your story. Then share some of those positive reviews on your social media platforms. One or two positive reviews can go a long way to building your reputation as a writer.
And then there's Wattpad 🧡
Don't forget that you can always find a contest happening on Wattpad; like @TheWattys, @TheAmbys, and the @OpenNovellaContest. Additionally, Wattpad's ambassador-run profile @JustWriteIt hosts writing challenges on a continual basis, giving writers a chance at having their stories considered for Wattpad's writer programs, like Creators and Originals.
👇🏽 Those resources we promised 👇🏽
For a more indepth search, try these phrases 'Free writing contests' or 'Book awards you should know about' or visit this site: https://insights.bookbub.com/book-awards/
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Up next is our chapter on Memberships, Mentorships & Critique Groups
