Monday-Monday What do you expect from a contest?
I’ve read a few posts lately questioning whether writers should enter their work in contests. So I decided to weigh in and share my opinion. Come on, you knew I had one. Didn’t you? 
Before you enter, and spend your hard earned bucks make sure the contest is right for you. How many score sheets do you get? Are the preliminary judges published authors? Check out the judges. What do they represent or publish. In my opinion, you need to know what you want to accomplish. A win? An agent or editor begging to guide your career? Feedback?
Before my first book was published, I entered lots of contests. I loved getting feedback from the judges. Some of their suggestions were spot on, but some either didn’t work with my story or fit my voice.
Yes, I had a few who’d make Simon Cowell blush, but even the harsh ones gave me something to think about. But I didn’t revise my book to fit every judges opinion. I read the comments, digest them, and checked to see if more than one judge picked up on the same thing.
I won a few, placed in a couple, and didn’t make the cut in some. But I’d do it all again in a heartbeat. Can you guess the best thing to come from entering those contests? It wasn’t the wins, although they were awesome.
What I treasure the most are the wonderful friends I made. Yes, from entering contests! The first time a judge signed her name to my entry and promised me she’d buy the book when it hit the market, (thank you, Ellis Vidler) I was beside myself. In fact, I cried.
I thrived, even survived, on a few author/judges who gave me words of encouragement and praise. Had it not been for Ellis Vidler, (http://ellisvidler.com) Lena Diaz, ( http://lenadiaz.com) Donnell Bell, (http://www.donnellannbell.com) and Mimi Barbour (http://mimibarbour.com/) taking the time to comment on my entries and believe in my work, I might have hung up my spurs long ago.
Even though I still haven’t meet them all, I treasure their friendship and support. So for me, entering contests has been fruitful in ways more important than a win. No win or award will ever be more important than the relationships I made along the way.
Do you enter contests? Doesn’t have to be a writing contest, but one where you learned something? Think contests are a good idea?
