Writing Contests vs. Competitions

If you've been following me for any amount of time, you'll know I get preachy about a few topics: submitting to anthologies, working on multiple projects at once, and keeping a document for all your dead characters and cut pages. Something else I'm pretty passionate about is entering writing contests and competitions. Now, you might make the mistake in thinking these are one in the same... well let me stop you right there!

Unsplash Melody Zimmerman

Writing contests are very different from writing competitions. Now, over the years I've entered plenty of both, so I feel pretty confident in my understanding and know-how when it comes to finding them. And at the end of this, I'm going to share some of each type so that you too can enter a writing contest and competition.

At the end of the day, the writing world is really one big game.

It's about practicing your skills to become the best in your genre. Learning patience and resilience while submitting. Building up your stamina and endurance to draft, write, edit, repeat. Being a gracious and friendly winner and sharing tips with everyone else on how to reach the top.

Okay, okay, enough of my poorly crafted metaphors. I think you get it.

Unsplash Ante Samarzija

Writing Contests

• Can be free to enter or pay-to-enter. It is entirely up to you, your budget, and the quality of the contest--if you want to pay-to-enter

Before I keep going, let me give you my 2 cents on pay-to-enter models. For contests and competitions I believe that pay-to-enter is 100% acceptable, because the majority of the time the money is used for: marketing, promotions, prizes, and judges. On the other hand, I DO NOT believe in pay-to-submit models for publication in literary journals, online magazines, anthologies, books, or any other publisher or literary agent related products.

• Writing Contests generally come with some kind of accolade. It might be a financial prize, a trophy, certificate, or acknowledgment on a website or in a print publication. Occasionally it will also come with publication or re-print.

  
  

• Many contests have very specific rules and are not open to all writers and all work. Therefore it is important to find contests that fit you.

  • Examples of specific rules. Many writing contests are limited to authors from specific:

    • Geographic location

    • Gender/Race/Identity/Age

    • School Status

    • Published vs. Unpublished author status

  • Additionally there are typically specific writing rules:

    • Word Count

    • Genre

    • Style

    • Theme

Some writing contests I've personally entered...

BOOKS

Book Blogger Novel of the Year Award - https://www.bbnya.com

CIBAS - https://www.chantireviews.com/contests/

Patterson Prize for Books for Young People - https://www.poetrycenterpccc.com/awards

SHORT STORIES

Tennessee Williams Contest - https://www.twfest.org/contests

L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future Contest - https://writersofthefuture.com/enter-writer-contest/

There are literally HUNDREDS of contests. I don't have time to link them all. Here is the website I use to track down the contests I enter: https://curiosityneverkilledthewriter.com

Every month the Curiosity website puts out an email of monthly writing contests. What I like to do is go back a year ago, check out the contests and the websites, because most are annual, meaning you can build up a list of future contests to work toward. Because the monthly Curiosity list is generally too fast of a turn around for me to write & enter.

You can also use Duotrope or Chill Subs to find contests to enter. I've used both, with mixed results.

Writing Competitions

• Writing competitions are almost always pay-to-enter to cover the administrative costs of running the actual competition and prize money.

  
  

• Competitions are timed events. Can be as little as 48 hours up to 12 days.

  
  

• Typically have multiple judging rounds, so your work has the chance to make the long list, short list, top 10, honorable mention or other form of notoriety on its way up the chain to becoming a winner.

  
  

• Some competitions have a social aspect--allowing you to virtually connect with other writers or even perform peer-to-peer judging.

  
  

• You will usually be given the topic, theme, or idea for writing when the competition starts, along with the required word count.

  
  

SHORT STORY COMPETITIONS

Reedsy Weekly Competition - https://blog.reedsy.com/creative-writing-prompts/contests/

The Writers Workout Games - https://www.writersworkout.net/games

Writing Battle - https://writingbattle.com

Globe Soup - https://www.globesoup.net/writing-competitions

NYC Midnight - https://www.nycmidnight.com

Forest & Fawn - https://www.forestandfawnretreats.com

Well, I guess this is it for now. Have fun out there looking for writing contests and competitions. Make sure to read the instructions and thoroughly vet any person or website you are sending your materials. Ask about their AI policy and if you retain the rights to your stories at the end.

If you win anything, please let me know! I'd love to give you a boost!

xo

S.E.