Why You Should Join Writing Contests

Isn't the answer obvious? If you win, you get a prize, recognition, and bragging rights.

But this article isn't entitled why you should win writing contests.

Earlier this year, I joined a contest for short stories. I happily submitted my entry through email. Then, I realized I'd rather lose because I wanted to publish the story online for free, and with a lot of changes. Was joining the contest useless now that I hoped not to win? No. I say that because of what I learned from eight-time Palanca Award-winning writer, Joem Antonio.

Doc Joem joined the Palanca Awards yearly from 2004 until 2019 (no Palancas during the pandemic as of this writing). Every year, he submitted three to five entries. He may have won eight times but he also lost approximately 60 times. That's a terrible batting average. For shame!

For shame indeed, as he has a folder of losers on his computer called the "Hall of Shame." That's where he puts stories that later on made him cringe. He revisits them on occasion—sometimes, he refines these stories, and other times, he simply gains a better understanding of why they're terrible.

This persistent approach to joining writing contests taught me a few things.

1. Submitting an entry means you completed a story

You don't need a contest to complete a story. But, contests have a way of making you finish your draft.

Doc Joem is often asked, "how do you motivate yourself to write?" Surprisingly, his answer to that is "sometimes, a deadline is the only muse you need."

A contest gives you a deadline, and a non-negotiable one at that. It helped me let go of my wanting to polish my story ad infinitum and simply finish it for submission.

Apart from providing a deadline, contests also help writers finish a project by setting parameters. At any given time, we can write a story about anything, and of any length. But, that ambiguity can set us back. A contest helps the writer focus on a limited set of options rather than a universe of possibilities.

Whether you win the contest or not, as long as you submit your entry, you gain a completed piece even before the judges pour their coffee.

2. A contest gives you an audience

"Join contests not to win, but to finish works and so that you can tell people that you are a writer, because for sure you have readers."

Doc Joem points out something that isn't obvious to many of us: a contest gains you readers. We usually think we need to be published to have an audience. But, contests are another way to do the same.

For one, there will be judges reading your work. There might not be a lot of them but they are readers, too.

Also, the process of refining your contest entry could involve getting reader feedback. So, write your draft, and then give it to your friends and ask for their thoughts. Revise accordingly. This is the thought behind one of Story Sandbox's Challenges, Draft Incubator.

Then there are contests that explicitly involve giving you an audience. For example, scripts that are shortlisted at Short+Sweet and Virgin Labfest are given an opportunity to be staged.

3. A contest is an exercise

Like any other skill, you need to practice in order to get better at writing. Contests are a great way to flex your writing muscles. Joining as many as you can will help you hone your creative writing skills.

Doc Joem advises, "The approach is to really be persistent. Look for opportunities to submit. Start with a draft, and remember that there’s no such thing as a perfect story—if you have a perfect story now, that means your succeeding work will probably be inferior. But, the opposite is true with writing: the more you write, the better you get at it. Keep submitting and you will see your work improve.

"When there’s a call for submission or contest entries, just submit. This is not only about winning but about letting others know that you are writing and completing stories. All established writers have their rejection stories. Sometimes, the rejection may have nothing to do with the quality of your work, but more due to circumstances like limited slots, cranky editors or judges, or even simply wrong timing."

Or, sometimes, your work might flourish in another contest.