Showing posts with label contest winners. Show all posts
Showing posts with label contest winners. Show all posts

Saturday, February 2, 2019

Writing Contests: bad or good? by J. S. Marlo


During my exciting and scary journey toward publication, I traveled many roads. I first ventured into the submission path from where I sent my manuscript to dozens of publishers, most of them through snail mail. Over the following months I received acknowledgement letters, then rejection letters. Some were the standard "we're sorry to inform you--" printed rejection letters, while others were nice handwritten rejections. Still, the result was the same. Thanks but no thanks.

I'd received responses from about half the publishers when a friend and fellow unpublished author sent me a link to a free contest. A new publishing company was about to open its virtual door and it was looking for authors. My friend hadn't finished her manuscript yet, but she thought I might be interested. There were a few obstacles, the biggest one being the deadline. The contest ended at midnight that evening and it was already 6pm. I read the rules. They wanted an email with my name, and the first three and last three pages of my manuscript. Nothing else. No synopsis. No blurb. No bio. And most importantly, it was open to unpublished authors.
 
Getting a first contract is a lot like getting a first job. In order to get the job, you need experience, but you can't get experience unless someone gives you a job. Likewise, many publishers will only accept submissions from published authors or agents, and agents won't take you as a client unless you're a published author. You gotta love catch-22.

Back to the contest... I didn't have much time to think about it, but I figured there could be no harm sending six pages out of three hundred, so I sent it--and forgot about it. A month later, the publisher emailed me back saying I was one of twenty semi-finalists. She now wanted to read the entire manuscript, and if she liked it she would offer me a three-year contract and publish it in ebook. I only had a few days to answer. Well, all the questions I didn't have time to ask a month earlier flooded my mind. The first one being: is that new publisher real? It's hard to find information on a company that isn't in business yet. A nice website with the words "coming soon" under "books" was the only indication I had the company existed... Not reassuring I know.

If you browse "free writing contests", you'll stumble on a huge list. Many are free legitimate contests with legitimate prizes. So, is entering contests a good idea? First word of advice: do your homework. Make sure this is a legitimate contest. Read the fine prints. Make sure your manuscript meets the requirements. What's the prize? Is it worth your time and effort? Is there any string attached or any hidden cost associated with that contest? Like getting a free score for your manuscript only to learn you have to pay a fee if you also want to read the feedbacks from the judges.

That brings me to paid contests. Is it better to enter a contest for which you pay an entry fee? Does it make the contest more legit? Or is it a creative way to scam writers? Again, do your homework, like for a free contest, but also add the question Is it worth the money? In most cases, I'd be inclined to say No, don't waste your money. That being said, a month ago I did something I had never done before,  I entered a paid contest. Why you may ask? That's a fair question.

I stumbled on it in December. It was a short-story creative contest in which they randomly assign you a genre, a subject, and a character. Once they sent me my categories, I had seven days to write a 2,500-word-or-less original story. If I pass that first round, there is a second round, then a third. So why did I shed that money for a contest in which over 4,000 writers participated and I have zero chances of winning? Had I had any glimpse of hope of winning, it would have vanished the moment I received my categories. Genre: sci-fi. Subject: exotic pet. Character: interior designer.

Let's be honest here. I write romantic suspense. My idea of a short story is 45,000 words. I wrote one sci-fi story in my life. Back then I was in grade 8, it was a fanfic (I'm fairly certain the term fanfic hadn't been coined yet), I typed it on an old-fashioned typewriter (that was before home computer), and I shared it with my friends during math class. The only pet to ever make it in one of my stories was a cute little terrier by the name of Snowflake who got lost in a snowstorm, and I based her character on my granddoggie. That's as exotic as I got. And an interior designer? That wasn't an occupation I had ever considered for any of my characters. My chances to make it to round two? Slim to none.

So, did I enter for a chance to win money, a publishing package, writing software, and get a detailed critique? No, I would have ended up with more money in my wallet had I not entered, I have three great publishers, my laptop has all the software it needs, and my editor provides me with plenty of critics. The thing is, I started a new novel over the summer. I should already have finished it, but in mid-August, big changes happened in my personal life--good changes, great changes--but changes that affected my ability to write. Basically, these changes took away my writing time--until last week.

Last week was also when I was scheduled to write that short sci-fi story. The contest forced me to get that writing time back--and write. And I wrote that short story in 36 hours. Am I happy with the result? It's not bad for a 2,400-word sci-fi with an exotic pet and an interior designer  😂 but most importantly, it got me writing again. After I finished it, I went back to my summer novel and finished another chapter. So why did I pay money to enter that contest? To get that creative juice flowing and to whip me into writing again! For me, at that precise moment in my life, it was worth the money. Granted, a kick where I sit might have been a cheaper alternative, but probably not as productive.

Now you may wonder what happened to that new publisher's contest...

Sending six pages was one thing, but the entire manuscript to a self-proclaimed new publisher I knew nothing about entered a different category. I'd heard stories about writers who shared their manuscripts with a critique group only to see their stories stolen and published under a different title by someone else. I'll admit I was scared and suspicious. After all, that publisher had only read six pages. At the time I didn't fully comprehend the power my few pages  might hold. In the end, I emailed my manuscript (and kept a copy of the email). I figured I had nothing to lose since all I was getting were rejection letters...or worse, no letters at all. A few weeks later, I was offered a contract for my novel and assigned to an awesome editor who took me under her wing. Unfortunately, the publisher closed its door a few years later, but then my editor dragged me with her to a different publisher where I published more books. My gamble in that new publisher had paid off. Thanks to that contest, I became a published author, and from there, doors that might have remained closed began to open.

There are lots of good writing contests out there for published and unpublished authors. Don't shy away from them, but be careful and selective. They are not all created equal.

Happy reading & writing! And good luck!
 JS

Tuesday, November 1, 2016

Win a Gift Basket in our November Blog Comment Giveaway

Win this gift basket in our

November Historical Romance

Blog Comment Giveaway





Visit the Books We Love Insider Blog and comment on any November post. Be sure to leave your email address in the comment. Then go to the sidebar and follow the blog either with Google follow or Networked Blogs. One random commenter who meets these requirements will be chosen to win a gift basket plus the Books We Love title of their choice at the end of November. Winner will be announced in the December newsletter. http://bwlauthors.blogspot.com/  




Congratulations to the winner of our October basket

Valerie Lemoine

Valerie, please send your snail mail address and phone number to bookswelove@telus.net and we'll arrange to have your prize sent to you. Also choose the Books We Love title of your choice. Congratulations from Books We Love!




Sunday, August 28, 2016

Final Weekly Winner ~ Get Fired Up For Summer Contest



Bob Wong wins a copy of Crazy Cat Kid by Joan Donaldson-Yarmey.

Bob, please email bookswelove@telus.net 
to claim your prize. 

Congratulations!

Books We Love



Contest ends this week! Winner announced in September 1st newsletter. Last chance to enter below.




Find the contest details here

 

Get Fired Up For Summer with 
Books We Love!

Sunday, August 21, 2016

Weekly Winner ~ Final 2 Weeks of Summer Contest!



Monica Allen wins a copy of Spider Play by Lee Killough.

Monica, please email bookswelove@telus.net 
to claim your prize. 

Congratulations!

Books We Love









Find the contest details here

 

Get Fired Up For Summer with 
Books We Love!

Sunday, August 14, 2016

Weekly Winner ~ Get Fired Up For Summer Contest



Leslie Crosbie wins a copy of Heart Throb by Janet Lane Walters.

Leslie, please email bookswelove@telus.net 
to claim your prize. 

Congratulations!

Books We Love









Find the contest details here

 

Get Fired Up For Summer with 
Books We Love!

Sunday, August 7, 2016

New Weekly Winner ~ Get Fired Up For Summer Contest



Linda Fast wins a copy of Murder on Spithandle Lane by Ronald Ady Crouch.

Linda, please email bookswelove@telus.net 
to claim your prize. 

Congratulations!

Books We Love









Find the contest details here

 

Get Fired Up For Summer with 
Books We Love!

Sunday, July 31, 2016

Weekly Winner ~ Get Fired Up For Summer Contest



Eva Minaskanian wins a copy of Damsel of the Hawk by Vijaya Schartz.

Eva, please email bookswelove@telus.net 
to claim your prize. 

Congratulations!

Books We Love









Find the contest details here

 

Get Fired Up For Summer with 
Books We Love!

Sunday, July 24, 2016

New Weekly Winner ~ Get Fired Up For Summer Contest



Andrea LaRone wins a copy of The Twisted Climb by J.C. Kavanagh.

Andrea, please email bookswelove@telus.net 
to claim your prize. 

Congratulations!

Books We Love









Find the contest details here

 

Get Fired Up For Summer with 
Books We Love!

Sunday, July 17, 2016

Weekly Winner ~ Get Fired Up For Summer Contest


Jennifer Hansen wins a copy of Rough Business by Randall Sawka.

Jennifer, please email bookswelove@telus.net 
to claim your prize. 

Congratulations!

Books We Love









Find the contest details here

 

Get Fired Up For Summer with 
Books We Love!

Sunday, July 10, 2016

New Weekly Winner ~ Get Fired Up For Summer Contest


Catherine Lindley wins a copy of Adam's Frontier Bride by Margaret Tanner.

Catherine, please email bookswelove@telus.net 
to claim your prize. 

Congratulations!

Books We Love









Find the contest details here

 

Get Fired Up For Summer with 
Books We Love!

Tuesday, July 5, 2016

Weekly eBook Winner ~ Get Fired Up for Summer Contest


Sandy Haber wins a copy of Sapphire Kisses by Joanie MacNeil.

Sandy, please email bookswelove@telus.net 
to claim your prize. 

Congratulations!

Books We Love









Find the contest details here

 

Get Fired Up For Summer with 
Books We Love!

Sunday, June 26, 2016

Weekly Winner ~ Get Fired Up For Summer Contest


Jackie Wisherd wins a copy of Secrets, Lies and Love by Roseanne Dowell.

Jackie, please email bookswelove@telus.net 
to claim your prize. 

Congratulations!

Books We Love









Find the contest details here

 

Get Fired Up For Summer with 
Books We Love!

Sunday, June 19, 2016

New Weekly Winner ~ Get Fired Up For Summer Contest


Eva Minaskanian wins a copy of Damsel of the Hawk by Vijaya Schartz.

Eva, please email bookswelove@telus.net 
to claim your prize. 

Congratulations!

Books We Love









Find the contest details here

 

Get Fired Up For Summer with 
Books We Love!

Sunday, June 12, 2016

Get Fired Up For Summer Contest ~ Next Weekly Winner

Nance-Lynn Greenshields wins a copy of Remnants of Dreams by Tricia McGill.

Nance-Lynn, please email bookswelove@telus.net 
to claim your prize. 

Congratulations!

Books We Love









Find the contest details here

 

Get Fired Up For Summer with 
Books We Love!

Tuesday, June 7, 2016

Get Fired Up For Summer Weekly Book Winner

Darla Kidder wins a copy of Crazy Kat Kid by Joan Donaldson-Yarmey

Darla, please email bookswelove@telus.net 
to claim your prize. 

Congratulations!

Books We Love









Find the contest details here

 

Get Fired Up For Summer with 
Books We Love!

Monday, July 9, 2012

Sizzling Summer Spectacular Weekly eBook Winner





Our first weekly winner is Theresa Dell! Theresa, please visit our website at 


and choose the eBook or Spice eBook you'd like to receive. Email the title to 

bookswelove@shaw.ca

All entries, including weekly winners, are in the running for one of five Amazon gift certificates to be given away in July, August and Sept., plus two gift baskets. See the prizes and enter here:  http://bookswelove.net/contest.php

Important notice: Winners must subscribe to Books We Love's monthly newsletter. (No spam, just a monthly email with new releases and contest announcements. Find the simple entry form on the contest page.)

 All emails will be verified as subscribers before being announced as winners. Prize winners announced in newsletter, eBook winners announced on our blogs.

Good Luck and Happy Reading!

Sunday, June 10, 2012

Spring Fling Event Winners



* Winners! *

Teresa Balderas
wins a Kindle Fire in the Spring Fling Event!

 

Teresa says, "I can't believe I won the Kindle Fire.  I hoped that I would win it but, never dreamed that I would. Yippeeeeeeeeeeeeee!! Thank you all so much!!! I can't wait until it arrives to start using it.  Have a beautiful day...you've sure made mine much brighter."

Val Pearson will receive an autographed print copy of Mary Leo's latest thriller, Trusting Evil!
Val, please send your snail mail address to bookswelove@shaw.ca so Mary can mail you the book.


Debra Guyette will receive the ebook series Love, Lore and a Wee Bit of Larceny. Debra, please email us at bookswelove@shaw.ca to receive your prizes!

 

Congratulations to all the winners and thanks to everyone who entered. Check out our Sizzling Summer Spectacular Contest, going on now

HERE


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