Short Story Contests Are A Great Way To Get Your Work To Be Seen

December 10, 2009

If you think you have a flair for writing and want to see if anyone else thinks so then a good way to get out there and make a name for yourself is entering short story contests. Quite often it is a small investment to enter and you can try to see if you can win. With winning you can quite possibly build prestige and get your name out there.

There are many contests out there that have different subject matter. If you have already written something you can submit it to a contest. If you see a contest that interests you, you can write something specifically for that contest. Many writers write short stories to get out there and earn money while they work on longer pieces.

You will also want to have a bio of yourself prepared for entry as well. Many times a contest wants a brief biography about the writer. It can be short and sweet and give the details of your writing history and your personal life briefly. Many times a bio will speak of why you like to write and what inspires you.

Many sites are online that have lists of contests you can find. You can also get a Writer’s Market and find them or go to your local library and borrow their copy to look for them. You will want to mail in and follow all of their entry guidelines to avoid disqualification. Many contests are now all through online entry sources so that makes it easier for you in many ways.

If you have a desire to be in a certain periodical then see if there is a contest to get in there. It doesn’t hurt to go for the magazines and other material that you eventually see yourself in. Have a vision and a plan and get to submitting yourself.

You must realize that any winning of any contest is an accomplishment and you should be proud of yourself. Many times an award includes having your piece published and you then are a published writer, which is your eventual goal. The more your work is out there the better and it will be seen by others who are looking for writers so entering short story contests is a great idea.







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