Writer's Contests: Enter Writing Contests Today!

Writing contests are a platform for writers to be discovered, and to grow in learning their craft. As writers, depending on ones' goals, most of us want to get discovered. No matter your genre, fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, science fiction, Christian fiction, or other, there are contests out there with your name on it just waiting for you to enter. But - you can't win if you don't enter. If you want to win a writing contest, you have to enter one.

So a lot of people ask, how do you know which writing contests to enter, and which ones to avoid? What should one look for when entering writing contests. This article will give you the skinny on writing contests, and which ones' to consider. 

Let's start from the beginning. If you want to become a professional writer in the areas of fictions, creative nonfiction, poetry, science fictions, Christian Fiction, and many others, you want to look for the writing contests in your genre. It is to your advantage to be familiar with the publication so that you will be on the mark when you submit. You will know what they are looking for which gives you a better chance of winning.

Read the guidelines of the writing contests very carefully. Follow the rules to the letter. Not following the rules can get you disqualified before you even begin. 

Visit the Web sites of the contests sponsors. Most writing contests are sponsored by literary magazines, publishing companies, universities, some non-profit organizations, and other establishments of literary interests. See who the past winners were, and what they are doing now. Find out who the judges were, and read their work so you know what they write, and what they read. Familiarize yourself with the background of the judges and the sponsors of the contests. 

Know what rights you are giving away in the contests. If in doubt - find out from someone who knows before you relinquish your rights to your work. You should be giving up only one time publication rights. Don't give up the actual copyright to your work.