Yes, I entered a contest. Yes, I entered all three of my manuscripts. Nope. I didn’t scrape by with one single final. It was a low point in my writing journey.
So what good came of it?
Oh, lots!
I got nine score sheets back. Nine sets of objective feedback. Jam-packed with all kinds of suggestions, encouragement, and constructive criticism. As High as the Heavens and Through the Storm received pretty good scores. Beneath a Velvet Sky received really good scores. Two super high ones that had me floating on cloud nine, and one not-so-great one that had me scowling at my computer.
Here’s what I realized. That not-so-great score? Once I got over myself, I found that it contained phenomenal feedback. Stuff I could apply right away. Stuff that helped me learn, that pushed me past my comfort zone, that forced me to dig deep inside my writing reservoir. After making the changes, I ended up with a final product I was eager to bring to the writing conference.
What else did the contest do for me?
It put me in contact with a woman I deeply admire and respect. A published, talented author who offered to mentor me because she saw potential. Over the summer, before the conference, she looked at the first few chapter of Beneath a Velvet Sky and tore them apart (in a completely awesome way). She pushed me, told me I could do better, challenged me to up the tension between my hero and heroine. So I did. And Beneath a Velvet Sky continued to evolve.
Entering contests, getting objective feedback, risking “failure”, I can’t recommend it enough. My stories wouldn’t be what they are right now if I hadn’t entered that contest.
So strongly consider entering this year. And if you don’t final, don’t get too discouraged. Finaling isn’t everything.
Questions to Ponder: Have you ever entered a writing contest? How did it work out for you?
I've entered just three contests and finaled in two, but none offered a critique so there wasn't much to be learned from the experience. The value for me was in steeling myself to enter at all.
I've submitted some 40 plus contest entries since I began writing, and I'm sooo grateful for the feedback from my judges. Those generous writers and authors have taught me a great deal. One judge gave me an awesome suggestion for improving the ending of my current manuscript, and if I sell this story, a portion of the credit will go to her.
I've also been blessed with requests from final round judges, for which I'm ever so thankful.
Haven't entered one yet, but your insight is appealing. Maybe soon, maybe no… still thinking… 🙂
i'm tagging you on my blog tomorrow. mainly just to be mean, since i know you don't have anything else to do. 🙂 but you better be posting some answers anyway. i did mine at work. (hopefully that won't get back to my boss.) 🙂
Katie…I just moved to Iowa…I had to come visit your blog when I read your profile. 🙂
It sounds like you really benefitted from this contest. I am actually sitting here with a form to enter a poetry contest. I was about to google it, when I saw your name on a post I subscrbed to. I think if you get feedback contests are great. I hate to be left hanging without any feedback…Congrats on all of your feedback. (What doesn't make us run to the bedroom, bury our faces into a soft pillow, and weep uncontrollably will make us stronger writers….right?)
I haven't entered a contest yet, but it is one of my goals this year. So we'll see . . .
Perfect post … wonderful advice. Just what a needed today!
I entered a contest this summer, the local state-run contest. I didn't win. Didn't even get an honorable mention. Was totally bummed. A few weeks later I landed an agent. I guess contests are subject to the judges personal preference.
Yes, I've entered contests. I, too, like the feedback, but some is better than others. I think writers should take only the advice that makes sense and that they agree with.
I've seen you in the comments section of many of the blogs I read, so I had to check out your blog. I'm so glad I did! There are a lot of familiar faces over here. Looks like I've been missing out on all the fun! 🙂
You know I have, and I have to agree, those low scores along with comments really are gold mines!
The year I began writing (in 2005), I entered a short story contest and never heard back (so didn't final, semifinal or honorable mention.)
Did I add that this contest had a quazillion award winners?
Sigh. Shortly later I landed my first contract and agent and was bumped up into the pubbed category.
My sweet publisher entered me in the Christy Awards and Foreword Magazines Book of the Year.
I was thrilled to final in the general fiction category of Foreward Magazine's Book of the Year. What was cool was friends Tosca Lee and Melanie Dobson also finaled, with Melanie winning and Tosca as second.
That was a cool e-mail.
Sigh. Overall, I'm not much of a contest person and don't even like judging. It's someone's BABY!!!!
I've entered one contest (a small one) and plan on entering another soon. I find I'm scared to talk about it much, but I have no idea why.
I've really enjoyed reading about your journey.
I have yet to enter a contest but I do think it would be a great experience. The mentoring sounds so awesome, good luck with your writing!
I entered on last month for the first 250 words. Results won't come out till February. But I still thought it was fun.
I may have to look into contests a bit further once I've finished my current WIP
I have entered contests before. The feedback is always great. Mine were smaller, so I don't think I got quite the response you did. But still.
The worst thing about contests/agents/publishing? The subjectivity.
Love how that author mentored you. Can't wait to see you published and mentoring others! :O)
Yikes, Jordan, that sounds like no fun at all! You do bring up a good point. Any sort of feedback is very subjective and sometimes even contradictory. Just goes to show how subjective this industry is. How subjective reading is. I've been very fortunate to have judges who really took the time to give me some great, applicable feedback.
Susan – hmmmm, I know the Genesis contest has several different categories. Would futuristic fall into the speculative category? I'm pretty sure Genesis has that category. could be wrong though.
Katie, I entered a contest, didn't win and did not receive feedback. There were too many entries for that. I want to enter a contest where I might have a chance to receive criticism or input.
I'll have to google MG and YA contests, huh? Thank you Katie. I appreciate you sharing this with us. 🙂
I notice there are many contests for romance writers, but not many for other genres. Where do you find contests for futuristic fiction? I'm not a Sci-Fi writer, so I don't mean the alien/vampire/space cadet scenarios.
Any ideas?
I've entered three contests from my local RWA. I haven't done great (well, one time I got great scores (9+/10), but there were only two finalists per category).
I've gotten, frankly, terrible, unhelpful advice. Very few of the judges went through my MS to make comments (I think two or three total, each on a different contest). The most extensive in-text comments I received turned the entire MS green with "helpful" advice such as marking every instance of "as" with "Simultaneity" (which we can't do because Dwight Swain said so, even for things as small as smiling as we do something else), and "show us the sigh" (on "Sighing, she…." Did you really want the intracostal muscles, or are you on crack?).
My scores and feedback have been all over the map and even directly contradicted one another. My favorites have been the judges who gave minimal advice on the score sheet and indicated they had more explicit help in the entry–and didn't return the entry to me or the contest. Thank you. Thank you very much.
I think the big lesson for me should be: this chapter of RWA doesn't have good contests (and they're not the target market).
I entered the Genesis and Faith, Hope, and Love contests last year and much to my delight, earned a second place finish in the short contemporary category for FHL. Besides the tremendous amount of insight, correction, and skin-toughening from the judges' comments, the very best thing that came from the contest entries was a connection with about a dozen other contest winners and finalists and an invitation to co-author a new blog with them at Inkwell Inspirations.
You never know what good might come from entering!
I've entered/applied for a dozen contests and grants. Won one. All were worth it: the deadline, having to write about my writing, final polishes.
The contest I won (first place for a novel excerpt at a local writing conference) lead to a publication in a literary magazine. Both looked great on my query and (I think) lead to more agent requests and eventual representation.
There's nothing to lose!
Good question! I've entered two contests. In one, I placed, which was good for my confidence. In another, I didn't. The lesson I learned from that contest was even more valuable, however. I found that some contests have very strict rubrics that rely on a formula. It's important to realize that if you don't write to a certain formula, especially in romance genres, you may not do well in some contests.
I haven't entered a contest, but I can see how it would help. Good feedback definitely helps.
I'm definitely considering entering the ACFW contest for next year. It'll be my first with actually judging and scoring and everything but I can definitely see the benefits regardless of whether or not I final. Good, constructive feedback can really help us grow as writers.
Oh, man, I entered a flurry of contests about five years ago, all with the same ms, all at the same time.
I polished up my acceptance speeches and made room on my shelves for my influx of writing trophies.
Then, I got my scores back. Oh, man! They reeked! LOL!
But I learned so much from that experience. I took a year off from contests and learned how to write better. When I did enter another contest, I finaled but didn't win. Another year of writing and learning, and another writing contest, this one with even cooler results.
But I learned more from that first year of not winning than I did when I finaled or won.
Wow! That's great. I'd love a pubbed author to take me under his/her wing. You're very lucky.
Lynnette Labelle
http://lynnettelabelle.blogspot.com
A writing mentor is sort of the last piece I'm looking for in my puzzle. I have several spiritual mentors, but a writing mentor…I pray that is something God is working on.
Great insights about why contests are worth the time/effort.
~ Wendy
I've just entered one so far and haven't gotten any results back yet. It's interesting to hear your experience of the same manuscript getting such opposite responses. It's amazing how subjective this whole business can be.
I've never been at the right place at the right time (with a finished ms) to enter a contest. But I see it's worth! That level of feedback would be phenomenal.
I have, but not with my books. Wait, I take that back. I entered the NovelMatters one and didn't place. With other stuff, it turned out pretty well. Some placed and others didn't–about half and half. I'm curious to see what happens with the story I have now…. time for the Genesis contest, perhaps?
I'm thankful for the people who tell my my ms is wonderful. And even though it hurts in a good way, I'm thankful for the people who tear it apart!
none for me .. yet.
I have entered, um, 3 contests? Didn't final in any, but… I'm like you. I learned a ton, I made some hugely important changes, and my writing is MUCH better for it!
I had a 2 good scores one cruddy score experience with Genesis… and it WAS frustrating, especially because there was little value in the comments from the low score judge. But actually, the really high scores had some pretty good suggestions, I made them, and I think my book is MUCH better now because of them!
The BEST contest I entered was the Zondervan one last year. WOW! To have 3 editors from a major publishing house review 2 chapters of my work was HUGE for me, and completely transformed my writing.
I'll probably enter the Genesis again next year, and I entered the Golden Heart this year, so crossing my fingers and praying for a final this time. Ya never know!
My VERY first contest, I got this one judge who absolutley tore me apart. But I ended up e-mailing her to thank her anyway and she responded back! With more comments! But I then realized she was truly trying to help me and I took her advice. Then the next contest I ended up finaling.
Great thoughts on the benefits of contests, Katie! And that's awesome you were able to find your mentor that way!
I haven't entered any, but I plan to this year. Like you, I think the feedback would be so beneficial. Is your mentor one of the judges who read your work?
Failures are some of our greatest successes. I am glad, because I fail spectacularly all the time 🙂
It is noce to hear that books and writers evolve. I am loving hearing about your journey from start to finish… well, I know it is not finished… you'll keep us updated won't you?
Hi Katie!
Yes, I love contests. Not so much for the chance of winning, but for the practice and of course the critique from super smart people. I haven't received my critiques yet from one of them, so I can't say if it helped or not.
Katie, what writing contest did you enter? Was it through ACFW?
I'm pretty sure I'm ready this year to make my first contest plunge!