Face Your Fears And Submit To A Writing Competition
If you’re considering competing in a writing competition, you might be surprised at how many benefits there are to sending in a submission. Regardless of if you win, there’s value that comes from the competition and motivation that comes from writing contests.
Before you decide to submit to a writing competition, do plenty of research to find the best one for you. Competitions all have different styles and submission guidelines. For literary journal competitions, it helps to read a few past issues of their journals to get an idea of what they are looking for.
Here are a few benefits to submitting to writing competitions.
#1: Setting Boundaries And Goals
A writing competition gives you boundaries to work within. Most competitions will have a word count, theme, and other general format guidelines. For some writers, this may feel restrictive, but what it actually does is gives you guidelines to work within. If you’re the type of writer who is easily overwhelmed and distracted when working on a long-form piece, this is a great way to have tangible goals that you have to meet.
Before you submit to any writing competition, make sure your submission is complete and follows every single guideline. You don’t want to miss out on an opportunity to receive recognition because your font is too large, or you didn’t include the title in the right spot.
#2: Improve Confidence In Writing
Writing competitions are also a great way to build confidence as a writer. Even if it’s scary, there’s so much value in putting your work out to the world. It takes vulnerability and a belief in yourself that your writing is worth it.
The outcome of the competition shouldn’t matter as much as the sheer fact that you did it, you wrote something you’re proud of and want to share with the world. The more you do that, the more you’ll find confidence in yourself as a writer and individual.
#3: Having An Audience
Having an audience for your writing allows you to get the support and feedback you need to continue to grow. Some competitions will have judges who send personalized feedback, though this isn’t always the case. If this is something you value, seek out smaller competitions with less submissions who have the resources to do so.
If your submission does get published, you may receive feedback from readers. Whether it’s praise or critique, look at this as an opportunity to improve. There is always going to be someone who doesn’t connect with your writing, just as there will be people you inspire. Both are important parts of growing as a writer, so embrace whatever feedback you get. Use it to fuel your next project.
#4: Inspiration
There’s nothing more inspiring than proving to yourself that you can do it. Finding the time, energy, and stamina to write and submit a story is a HUGE accomplishment! You reinforce the idea to yourself that you are capable of tackling a writing challenge, and sharing your work with the world.
The more writing competitions you do, the more natural it will become. With each submission, you become more familiar with the process, and you’ll be inspired by the urge to create. In addition to writing, continue to read blogs, books, and literary journals, and find your inspiration in seeing other writers create.
About Calepin | Writers’ Workshop Centre
If you’re looking for inspiration as a writer, you’ll find the resources you need through Calepin Writers’ Workshop Centre. Calepin is a writer’s haven that gives you the tools to get past writer’s block, reconnect with your creative side, master social media, and more.
If you’re ready to get started and connect with the Calepin team, visit https://calepin.co/ today.