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| These words of wisdom by Annie Oakley were made into a needlepoint, framed, and now hang above my desk. I follow them every day. |
By Linda Wilson
If you read last month’s post, “Writers: Let Mistakes Be Your Teachers,” https://www.writersonthemove.com/2021/08/writers-let-mistakes-be-your-teachers.html, you will know that recently I entered my first picture book story in a contest and won! The only thing was that I forgot a niggling little detail: that the story had to be unpublished. During the time it took to receive the contest results, I published the book. Painfully, I had to disqualify myself and someone else won the prize. Bottom line: I got so involved in publishing the book that I’d forgotten about the contest until it was too late.
Never fear! If we
indie authors have anything, we have determination and just plain guts! As a
positive remedy, I vowed to enter other contests, and more importantly, I vowed
to enter a new story in the contest that I forfeited next year.
Lists Don’t Cut It
The first thing I did
was submit a few of my works in four contests. I thought I would keep track of
the entries in a list. Quickly, I realized the list did not work. Since then, I
have made a chart: much better.
On this chart I have
sectioned off the contest name, date entered, deadline, date winners are
announced, submission information, the folder where I’ve saved the info, and
contact information. Some of the contests are not open yet, so I’ve noted the opening
dates and cross-checked the dates by putting them on my daily calendar. In all,
I have collected information for ten contests.
Where to Learn about
Contests
Here is the list of
the contests I have researched so far that appear on my chart. Check them out.
I was amazed to find that quite a few of my works fit into the various contest
categories.
Moonbeam Book Awards:
https://www.moonbeamawards.com/
IPPY Award—Independent
Publisher Book Awards: https://www.ippyawards.com/
CIPA EVVY Award:
Colorado Independent Publishers Association: https://cipabooks.com/cipa-evvy-awards/
ICL Awards: https://www.instituteforwriters.com/writing-contests/
Searchlight Writing
for Children Award: https://www.searchlightawards.co.uk/
PNWA: Pacific Northwest
Writers Association Contest: https://pnwa-contests.webflow.io/
Southwest Writers Contest: https://www.southwestwriters.com/2021-call-for-submissions-sww-annual-writing-contest/
New Mexico Book Coop NM-AZ Book Awards:
https://www.nmbookcoop.com/
Foreword Reviews Awards: https://www.forewordreviews.com/awards/
The Sky is the Limit
I have just
scratched the surface. I haven’t even looked into what SCBWI (Society of
Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) has to offer. And as you can see, in some cases I've stuck close to home as a resident of New Mexico. But it’s a start. There
is an entry fee for each contest, some steeper than others. I have budgeted
what I can afford and then am going for it.
I’m sure I’m
preaching to the choir here, but entering contests is a great way to practice
submitting professional manuscripts that agents and editors expect, as is
encouraged by the Institute of Children’s Literature. Referring to the
Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards, the organization’s site explains that, “As our society has gotten more complex and
growing up has become more complicated, children’s book authors and publishers
have risen to the occasion, creating books that not only celebrate the joys of
childhood, but also help kids and families deal with its challenges. The
Moonbeam Awards will recognize and reward the best of these books and bring
them to the attention of booksellers, librarians, parents and children.”
For
the 2021 Moonbeam award, somehow my entry did not appear in my submission. I
didn’t know that until Director Jim Barnes was nice enough to email me
to request that I attach my submission in my return email to him. I was most
thankful for his concern so that my entry would not be overlooked.
Entering these
contests has taken time and effort, but it has given me a new outlet to vet my
work. Who knows if any of my stories will win any contests? The best part of it
is, if they don’t, I am spurred on to continually improve my stories until they
are worthy of becoming winners in the eyes of discerning judges, and finally in
the minds and hearts of my readers, who deserve the best that I can offer.
Photos by Linda Wilson
Annie Oakley quote: Jotted down and kept close to my heart ever since,
from the Garst Museum and National Annie Oakley Center, in Greenville, Ohio.
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| Linda's current WIP is the picture book, Waddles the Duck: Hey, Wait for Me! |
5 comments:
Linda, what great information on entering writing contests. And, why you had to forfeit your win is a good lesson for all writers. Thanks for sharing!
You're welcome, Karen. It seems the most important lessons we learned at the most difficult. It was in this case. I was crushed. But it was only because I wasn't keeping track of everything I was doing. I'm not letting that happen again!
I hope it helps! Thanks for writing.
Linda,
Thanks for this informative article about writing contests. In my writing life, I have not entered many contests--which explains why I haven't won many awards. Like getting published where you have to busmit, you have to enter contests to possibly win them. I've seen many writers enter contests and use these awards in the promotion of their books.
Terry
Thank you for writing, Terry. I thought I'd try my hand at contests, see what happens. Going through the exercise helped me think out of the box, too. I entered two adult contests, one the 100-word contest for The Writer, which was fun and challenging. The other a short short story for Narrative Magazine about an experience I had when I was eight years old. I hope I win!
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