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Courtesy Pixabay |
Paid a
visit to WDC (writing.com) today and entered my second writing
contest for the year. I do it partly for the prizes and partly just
to push myself as a writer. I've done well in most of them and have
actually won a few. That doesn't make me an expert on any winning
formula. Sometimes I'm as baffled by the results as anyone. I have
learned a few things, though.
Who the
judges are can make a world of difference. No matter how good your
writing skills are, if a judge does not like your writing style or
genre you're doomed.
My
daughter has run into that once and honestly I think I had more
trouble getting over the results than she did. She got a note from
one of the judges telling her that they detested fantasy. There were
no genre restrictions on the contest but it was very obviously the
reason she didn't place. I read her entry and was intimidated out of
putting in an entry myself. I also read the other entries including
the eventual winners. They weren't that good. If this happens to you,
don't let it bug you. It happens and rarely can you do anything about
it.
The
fact is everyone has different tastes. I've entered a comedy writing
contest and got honourable mention. One of the winning entries was
slapsticky. Some people like that and some find it stoopid. What the
judges like matters. Don't let it discourage you. If your stuff is
good, keep writing, your audience will eventually find you.
The
other thing I learned to improve your chance of winning is to submit
just a few days before the deadline. This especially helps when
writing comedy pieces. My theory is that if you give the judges too
long to think about it, they become less enamoured with your work
with time. Don't give the entry time to get stale in the eyes of the
judges or something fresher will finish ahead of you.
Entering
contests is good for your writing just don't be too competitive about
it. That can lead to unjustified discouragement when you should have
won but didn't, being intimidated by the competition by reading what
you're up against and then not bothering to try, or getting angry
with the process because you feel slighted. If you want to be a
better writer don't ignore entering contests, there's more to gain
than the prizes.
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