So you call yourself a writer. But here’s the catch, you’ve
never been published. The only proof you have that you are a so-called writer are the stacks and stacks of manuscripts on
your bedroom floor. So what do you do? Wait
around until someone stumbles upon your work of brilliance and calls you the
next Fitzgerald? In a perfect world, maybe. But the world isn’t always that
great.
For writers with little experience, submitting work to
editors can be both a terrifying experience and a major blow to your ego if
things don’t work out the want you had hoped. However, there are plenty of
other ways to get your feet wet and gain experience as you embark on your
writing journey. One of the easiest is submitting work to contests and
periodicals.
The pros of submitting to contests and magazines
- The prizes – Most contests offer cash prizes for their winners, the amount depending on number of entries, level of prestige the organization holds, etc. (Who couldn’t use some extra cash?) Other contests offer prizes like books or award plaques. With periodicals, often times you don’t receive a prize, although you may receive payment. However, your writing and name printed among other writers should allow you some bragging rights to your friends and family!
- The experience – Submitting work to organizations, you learn the process of presenting writing to be evaluated. Many contests and periodicals require cover letters or specific formatting to their entries (no identification found on the piece for example) and learning how to follow guidelines correctly is a powerful resource in any writer’s skill-set. It also pushes you to learn how to edit your writing and push yourself into creating and presenting your best pieces for judges or editors to evaluate.
- Recognition on many levels – Depending on what you choose to submit to, there’s the possibility to being recognized locally, provincially, nationally or even internationally. Larger contests often list “honorable mentions” as well as the winners, giving more opportunity to have your work be seen. If chosen to appear in a periodical, anyone who picks it up (or stumbles across it online) can read it. Perodicals are often great too because previous issues are easier to get a copy of whereas contests tend to keep only current winners mentioned on websites, etc.
- Short in length – Requirements tend to cap off entries so they don’t become too long. This makes them easier and faster to write.
The downfalls
- Entry fees and mailing – Most contests require an entry fee (which helps pay for prizes). Both magazines and contests usually ask for hard copies mailed to the location which can be inconvenient.
- Rules on publication – Sometimes a requirement will state that a work cannot be published elsewhere, requiring you to write new pieces.
Some tips
- Start small. Enter contests at school, or in your city to get yourself familiar with it. Even submitting to the school’s newspaper can give you the confidence to pursue larger contests.
- Winning isn’t everything. Think of how your writing will improve. Maybe your favorite piece will be something you wrote for a magazine submission!
A list of international competitions with some interesting prizes
Top 50 literarymagazines to submit to
