By Deborah Owen
I'll never forget my first contest. It was the Writer's Digest contest. I was very naďve at the time, not understanding that there would be thousands upon thousands of entries. I had grossly underestimated what I was up against. But truth be known, if I had seen a contest advertised that would only accept 100 fiction entries, I would still have felt I had no chance of winning. So, entering the Writer's Digest contest was an act of futility – a dash for the pot at the end of the rainbow – a quest for the Irish shamrock. The only reason I took the chance was because I knew I had a unique story about visiting a brothel, and I had developed a cool angle, so I invested $15 for my entry.
Months later, I received a letter congratulating me for taking Honorable Mention. And there before me was the most beautiful, memorable, framable, coveted certificate, confirming that I had beaten out 16,000 other entries to capture that spot. I couldn't believe it. MY story was better than thousands and thousands of other stories! I sat dumbfounded, staring at the Certificate of Honorable Mention, which had suddenly taken on new dimensions of highlighted achievements.
I learned a lot that day. I learned that it's worth investing a few bucks to take a chance, and that taking chances leads to new and exciting adventures. I learned that no matter how the deck is stacked, I still have a chance of coming out on top. I learned that I would have never had that wonderful moment in my life if I hadn't thrown caution to the wind and taken the silly plunge. And I have since learned that investing in myself increases my faith in my own writing abilities. Entering that one contest gave me the courage to enter others. And from that contest, I also learned how to find unique angles that light up a story.
When you realize you have a unique story, or a unique angle to a common story, save that story for a contest. Don't waste it on a magazine submission.
If you haven't been entering contests, you're missing a lot of fun. There are multiplied dozens of writer's groups on the net, and most if not all of them have writing contests. Or you can search the word "writing contests" and come up with zillions of contests to enter. Always search out these three things: reading fee, entry fee, deadline.
There are few things that will give you the confidence that winning a contest will. Dig out the best story you have, swap in a few edits, and see for yourself what entering contests will do for you.
Be aware that most contests have reading fees and entry fees. They can run up to a total of $50 each, but are usually in the area of $20 - $35 total. This is how the organization funds it prizes. You're worth it. Go ahead. Take a chance. Jump into adventure.
Deborah Owen is the CEO & Founder of the fully mentored Creative Writing Institute. Deborah and her husband of 48 years live in an RV and travel when they have opportunity. Her main goal is to educate students in the art of writing. Check out her site at: http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com
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