In my last column, I tried to convey the good outcomes you can receive when you enter your writing in contests. I used some of my own experiences and the benefits of entering – even if you don’t win.
This time I’d like to give you a little more practical information to help you know what the process will look like; nothing earth shattering, just tips that might save you some time and money. I will also give you a web site that can help you find the right contests for you. (NOTE: Remember, I am speaking from a strictly fiction view point. I believe there are blog site contests and non-fiction contests as well, but I personally don’t have any experience in those areas.)
In my humble opinion, there are four distinct elements to be aware of when considering whether to enter a contest:
- TIMING – This aspect is pretty simple. If you’ve written a book in 2015, you will be entering contests in 2016, even if your book came out in January 2015. The entry dates range from January through April for the most part, so that will be key in looking for the contests you might be eligible to enter.
- LOGISTICS –
- Eligibility – 99.9% of the contests out there are for either published or unpublished works. They would very rarely be mingled, so be sure to determine first whether your work is eligible. Obviously, if you are unpublished, you may not be hampered by a date requirement as addressed above, just be sure and read the eligibility requirements closely.
- Category and Word Counts – When I introduced myself to you in my first column, I explained to you that I write Christian historical romances set in the Regency genre. I can promise you there is no such category in any contest I’ve ever been a part of. That description is way too specific. And you need to know that the majority of rules allow you to enter your book in one category. So in my example, I must choose to describe it as “Inspirational” or “Historical Romance” or “Regency Fiction” – only one! And there are many more categories to choose from: Young Adult, Contemporary Fiction, Paranormal, Romantic Suspense, Erotica, and Novella, just to name a few. And each contest may have any combination of the categories available to you. So you must think long and hard about the strongest element of your story and the category that will give you the best chance of winning. Just an afterthought, I can let that decision keep me up nights and/or second guessing myself to death. Be smarter, submit your work, then give it to God!
- Costs – The entry fees for most contests are really pretty reasonable. Usually, if you are a member of the host organization (i.e. ACFW – American Christian Fiction Writers), you enter at a lower dollar figure than if you are not. The entry cost can be as low as $20-$25 for a member or $30-$35 for a non-member. It varies, of course, but that is the average.
The additional cost is in the submission of your entry. An unpublished contest normally asks for a full synopsis and the first 25 pages of your manuscript. Usually, they ask for you to submit it electronically and that, of course, would cost nothing. But it is possible they will want a hard copy and that results in postage costs to you, whether you send it regular mail or certified decides the amount.
For published author contests, most entries are 3-5 actual books mailed to the contest administrator. As most authors know, the too few “author copies” the publisher sends can seem like gold to be hoarded. Once they are gone, you may even have to buy more copies of your own book! Depending on the number of author copies given you, you may not have the luxury to enter every contest you would like, so you may choose a little more thoughtfully. Perhaps you would skip a Suspense contest because the romance element outweighs the suspense. (NOTE: Because I like entering contests, my agent and I worked with my publisher on my contract to include a higher number of author copies.) But if you do not need to buy any more copies of your book, the only other cost for you is the postage.
- JUDGING – You need to know right up front that sometimes the judges’ comments vary so
greatly you will wonder if they all read the same book! While that is a drastic statement (sort
of), judging, by its very nature is subjective, so don’t fret, it is all part of the contest
experience. The important thing is what you take away from the judges’ comments,
suggestions and criticisms, not the score itself. The judging can be invaluable to you, not
only in the work you submitted, but in everything you write in the future…if you take them
in the way the judges want you to. If you don’t believe a judge has your best interest at heart
and disregard them, you miss out on a fount of wisdom (by those who know) on which to
build a little more with each contest you enter.
- REWARDS – Rewards! Once you start entering contests, many coordinators may ask you to be a judge down the road. This is as valuable as the comments to your work. You will see excellence in writing and you will see, perhaps, some sloppy writing. Either way, you can weigh that against things you have done or not done and learn the difference. Judging is also a serious matter to the author and you can provide insights of your own to help out another.
Finally, there is always the possibility of being a winner! You will notice I used the word
“rewards” and not “prizes” because most give out framed certificates. And you know what?
a framed certificate exclaiming you as the winner looks just as great hanging on the wall
over your desk as a trophy or award. Then you also have the right in your new author
bio and the wonderful feeling each time you sign your name to add “Award Winning
Author.” Forever! It doesn’t get any better than that!
I hope this has been helpful to those of you who have avoided contests like the plague or those of you who have wondered about their worth. I will end with the most valuable information I can give you, how and where do I find out when contests open up. This Yahoo web page will alert you to upcoming contests. If you are not a member of Yahoo, you may have to “join” or “sign-up” to be a member, but it should be worth your while if you want to hear about some of the contests you might be interested in. (NOTE: – When you see the different contest names, I google them and get sent directly to the site that is administering the contest for the most detailed information.) Once you are signed in as a member of that Yahoo group, you should get email updates when someone posts a contest to that site. Go to:
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/contestalert/conversations/message
In fact, this contest for unpublished authors is active right now:
https://sfarwa.net/contests.htm
So there’s no excuse NOT to enter at least one! Let me know below your thoughts and/or experiences and should you have questions, feel free to ask.
