How to Get it Done
Winning or being short- or longlisted for a writing competition gets your work noticed. It’s out there, no longer hiding in a drawer, but published ~ in a magazine, online or an anthology for everyone to read. And everyone includes editors, agents and publishers ….
All competitions have a final entry date and nothing is more inspirational than a deadline. Yes, there is usually a fee for entering (sometimes quite hefty) but, without the pressure of that deadline, how long would it take you to complete and polish a piece of work until it’s as good as it can be?
And, whatever the outcome, the whoosh of pride and satisfaction you get when you press that ‘Submit’ button (two minutes before the official deadline, of course) makes you feel like a winner. Every time.
The websites listed below update competitions/submissions in all genres every month so that you can choose one (or three) and get it done!
Here’s some winning advice from a short story competition judge, plus a few tips for poets. Don’t let any of this stop you from daring to be different, but do read the rules.
Writing a synopsis
As for writing a novel synopsis, you might find this advice from the Novelry blog useful. More excellent suggestions and a template from Jericho Writers. And a brilliant guide for the dreaded one-pager.
Good luck!