Writing competitions

If you have a way with words and fancy a chance to earn some cash visit First Writer website for a list of competitions. These cater to all sorts of writing styles and genres.

Some of them do have entry fees although most are under £5. But there are several that do not charge and the site displays a clear list of them.

Prizes include week-long holidays, £1,000 prize and magazine publications. Also, winning writing competitions can be added to your portfolio when approaching editors or publishers. Any achievement that you can brag about can’t hurt!

Another great site is the Writer’s Forum Competition.  This is a great site that will link you to competitions.  The magazine awards £800 in prizes for each issue and offers a forum for every type of writer and style imaginable.

If your kids are creative then keep your eye on the Young Writer Magazine. It’s published three times a year, at the beginning of each school term and features writing competitions. You have to subscribe which costs £10 for the year.

Tips for winning writing competitions:

• People love stories that are about everyday life situations and experiences that they can relate to. They need to care about your characters, so make them real.
• There are loads of helpful resources to inspire you. Writebuzz has lots of good advice. It also lets you share your ideas with other members and lists lots of competitions to get you started. You do need to become a member, but it’s free.
• For a list of upcoming competitions, their closing dates and prizes visit Prize magic.  It isn’t a pretty site but it has a comprehensive list of links to current competitions.
• Begin with a bang! Editors routinely say they read the first paragraph of a piece, and if they aren’t interested in finding out what will happen next they stop there. Try to bring an element of suspense early on in your story.
• Get creative and use an unusual setting or unique characters.  If there are two stories about the same topic then they’re both thrown away.  Be inspired by the current Twilight series sensation!  Werewolves and vampires all loved up with sweet American highschool teens?  Hey, it worked!  It has been a huge success.
• If the contest doesn’t have a specific length requirement, send a story or article that is medium length (1,500 to 3,000 words). This way you won’t overwhelm judges who don’t have the time to read 10,000-word manuscripts.
• When someone reads your writing they should be able to say, ‘This article or story is about …’ and finish the description in one sentence. Get rid of the things that don’t relate to the main theme of your story or article.
• Follow the rules of the contest. This seems simple, but lots of people break them and their entries are the first to be thrown out. Pay attention and fill out the entry forms correctly so that you are entered into the correct writing category.
• Proofread and make sure that your grammar and spelling are correct.