| There’s nothing quite like the thrill of being | | | | extra charge, but well worth the outlay if you are |
| short listed, placed or winning a writing contest yet | | | | not getting the success you hoped for. (Check that |
| many writers quickly become discouraged by a total | | | | whoever is doing the critiquing does have the |
| lack of feedback from the competition organisers. | | | | necessary credentials). |
| All too often their entry seems to disappear into a | | | | 4.Email results. Competitions who take on-line entries |
| literary black hole which not only swallows up their | | | | really have not excuse for not sending out full results |
| cash, but all details of the results, short list and | | | | and web links to the winning entries to every |
| winning entries! | | | | competitor that has entered this way. |
| Now before you start getting alarmed, most writing | | | | 5.Announcement date. If none of the above seem to |
| competitions advertised are above board and the | | | | be mentioned in the contest details and you still |
| main reason for the dearth of feedback is not | | | | fancy your chances, look for a date when results will |
| dishonesty but disorganization. | | | | be available and contact the organiser for winners. If |
| A great many writing contests are run on a voluntary | | | | no date is included forget it. There are plenty of |
| basis by secretaries of writing clubs who often have | | | | other competitions around that will give you better |
| to fit this extra work load in with their other duties, | | | | value for money. Here’s a few to start you in |
| not to mention the day job and demands of family | | | | the right direction. |
| so don’t let’s be too hard on them! | | | | The Battle of the Bards poetry contest is one that |
| Even so, having sweated blood, chewed finger nails | | | | certainly puts you on your mettle as it |
| and teetered to the brink of divorce by spending | | | | doesn’t reveal the lineage or the theme until |
| long hours hunched over a flickering monitor, you do | | | | the day of the competition. You then get just 24 |
| at least deserve some kind of feedback even if this | | | | hours to pen your missive! Feed back comes in the |
| is just a quick email notifying you that results are up | | | | form of all entrants receiving a shortlisters and |
| on a website. | | | | adjudicator’s report, full results plus the top |
| Unfortunately this is generally not the case. To be | | | | three entries are posted on the website. |
| fair, most competitions do offer to post a result list if | | | | The Weekender Challenge runs on similar lines except |
| a s.a.e. is included with entry, but the technological | | | | this is for fiction. Again the word count and theme |
| age is now well established so there is really very | | | | are not revealed until the beginning of the contest |
| little excuse for not giving a reasonable feed back | | | | but two days are allowed for this one. Past entries |
| service. | | | | are archived on the site so you can get a good idea |
| The good news is that there are a number of very | | | | of the standard that you are up against. Feed back is |
| good writing contests taking place on a regular basis | | | | a full results listing, shortlisters report and |
| that are fully aware of this problem and go out of | | | | adjudicator’s report which are also archived on |
| their way to make results, judges reports and | | | | the site and sent to every entrant. |
| winning entries prominently available. As you would | | | | Subscribing to some of the on-line writers ezines is |
| expect most of these tend to be web based or at | | | | definitely a good idea as these will often list on-line |
| least have a very active web presence. | | | | competitions which usually offer feed back. |
| Before we take a look at them, a word of warning! | | | | WriteLink produces Competition News, a quarterly |
| Don’t get too carried away by the lure of big | | | | newsletter devoted to quality competition listings. |
| prizes! If you are not a regular winner, some form of | | | | This is free and includes full contact details which |
| feedback is what should take precedence since you | | | | makes it handy for those shy of using on-line |
| need to know where you went wrong and what the | | | | payment systems. You’ll find the sign up box |
| judges were looking for. | | | | at the bottom of the Competition page. |
| Here are a few questions to ask yourself when | | | | First Writer has a very extensive database of writing |
| evaluating a particular competition. | | | | contests which you can search by date and genre. |
| Does the contest offer: | | | | There is a small charge for this, but definitely worth it |
| 1.A postal result service. All competitions should offer | | | | if you enter a lot of competitions and want to save |
| this as a minimum as long as a s.a.e. is included. | | | | time searching the web. |
| 2.Publish results together with the judge’s | | | | Competitions Bulletin is a print magazine which is |
| report on a website. Not really much excuse for not | | | | updated monthly. It’s been running for a long |
| doing this either. A very basic website will suffice and | | | | time and again worth considering if you intend |
| can be designed cheaply or for practically nothing by | | | | entering a lot of competitions. |
| someone with a little technical ability. | | | | Good luck and remember
you can’t win if |
| 3.Critique service. More and more contests are | | | | you don’t enter! |
| offering this as an optional extra. Most make an | | | | |
