Why should you enter a writing contest?
I can think of several good reasons:
Honest Feedback
Writing contests are a great way to get honest feedback on your writing, and we all need honest feedback. Feedback is a gift which can show us what we’re doing well, and where we need to improve on.
Feedback from Writers
But it’s important to get feedback from the right people. We can ask family and friends for feedback. While they might give encouraging feedback (You’ve done a great job! Keep it up!), it might not be accurate. Family and friends will be proud of you for having written a book, and may be able to tell you what they enjoyed and why, but they probably can’t tell you what needs to be improved (unless they happen to be successful writers who know your genre).
In contrast, contest judges are fellow writers, usually people who write in the same genre. Some will be fellow unpublished authors, some will be published authors, some will have won awards. All are willing to give up their time to help other writers improve their craft.
Targeted Feedback
Because they are writers (or editors, or agents), they know what good writing looks like, and they will judge accordingly. Most contests use a score sheet which looks at different aspects of the writing, such as the opening, the characters, the plot, and use of point of view or showing vs telling. Entering a writing contest will show you if you have issues in some of these areas.
Finding out you’re not using point of view well may be painful, but it’s better to find out from an anonymous contest judge early in your writing career than to polish the manuscript for months (or years), submit to a publisher and be rejected because of your point of view. (And point of view isn’t your opinion on a subject. If you’re a fiction writer and don’t understand what I mean by point of view, you need to learn).
Anonymous Feedback
Judging in unpublished contests is blind, which means the judges don’t know whose entry they are reading and judging. Most contests for unpublished writing ask writers to say who has read the entry so the contest organiser can avoid assigning the entry to a judge who may be biased. In addition, judges are encouraged to notify the organiser if they have seen any entries before so they can be reassigned.
Blind judging means judges can give feedback without worrying about that feedback potentially affecting a relationship (as can happen if you ask family or friends to critique your writing).
Bragging Rights
Finalling in or winning a contest gives you bragging rights aka a line in your query or proposal to an agent or editor. Many well-known Christian writers credit contests with helping them land an agent and/or publishing deal.
Five Contests to Enter
There are several contests currently open for entries, or opening soon. These contests are all for fiction writers only. Some are for Christian writers, some are for romance writers, and some are for both. If you write Christian romance, I recommend you enter at least one to get unbiased feedback on your work.
Note that most contests are for unpublished fiction authors, but some do permit authors who haven’t been published in fiction in the recent past (e.g. three years or five years), and some are open to any author, published or unpublished, as long as they enter an unpublished manuscript.
2022 Touched By Love Award
The Touched By Love Award is managed by Faith, Hope & Love Christian Writers, formerly the FHL chapter of Romance Writers of America. Writers do not need to be a member of FHLCW to enter.
This is a contest for unpublished authors, so entrants must not have been published a novel or novella in any form in the last three years, either traditionally published or self-published. Entries may not be contracted or published while they are still under consideration.
The contest has three categories:
- Contemporary romance
- Historical romance
- Sweet romance (i.e. not specifically Christian)
Authors enter their first 20 pages plus an unjudged synopsis of up to 2 pages (all double spaced).
Entries opened on 1 June, and close on 1 August 2022, and the entry fee is USD 20 for FHLCW members, and USD 25 for nonmembers, payable via PayPal.
Click here to find out more and enter.
The Crown Award
The Crown Award is run by the Virginia chapter of American Christian Fiction Writers, and is for Christian fiction.
The award has six categories:
- Contemporary
- Contemporary Romance
- Historical/Historical Romance
- Mystery/Thriller/Suspense/Romantic Suspense
- Speculative
- Young Adult/Middle Grade
ACFW Virginia have not yet released the names of the final-round judges, but the 2021 judges included a range of bestselling authors, agents, editors, and bookish influencers.
Authors enter a one-page synopsis and the first five pages of their manuscript.
Entries opened on 5 July, and close on 5 August.
Entry fees are USD 20 for members of the ACFW Virginia chapter, and USD 25 for non-members, payable via PayPal.
Click her to find out more and enter.
The Big Apple Contest
The Big Apple Contest is run by the New York City chapter of Romance Writers of America.
The award has eight categories:
- Category Romance
- Contemporary Single Title
- Historical Romance
- Romantic Suspense
- Paranormal Romance
- Erotic Romance
- Young Adult/New Adult Romance
- Inspirational Romance
The advantages of this general-market contest are that it has a specific Inspirational Romance category,and all entrants are guaranteed two one-page written critiques as well as the score sheet.
The contest is open to published and unpublished authors, and judges the book’s first chapter (up to 25 pages).
Entries opened on 1 July, and close on 31 August 2022. Entry fees are USD 20 for RWA/NYC members, USD 25 for RWA members, and USD 30 for non-members.
Click here to find out more and enter.
The Emily Award
The Emily Award is run by the League of Romance Writers, and is a contest for unpublished general market writers.
Authors enter the first 5,600 words of a completed or almost-completed manuscript. No synopsis is needed, although the organisers recommend entrants write a synopsis in case it is requested by a final-round judge (which are all agents or editors).
The award has six categories:
- Short Contemporary Romance (under 70,000 words)
- Long Contemporary Romance
- Historical Romance
- Romantic Suspense Romance
- Paranormal Romance
- Young Adult Romance
Entries open on 1 September and close on 2 October 2022. The entry fee is USD 30 for members of the League of Romance Writers, and USD 40 for non-members, payable via PayPal.
Click here to find out more and enter.
First Impressions Contest
The First Impressions Contest is run by American Christian Fiction Writers, and judges the first five pages plus a back cover description of up to 200 words. Entries “must be consistent with a traditional interpretation of Scripture“, where “one or more characters’ Christian beliefs are blended with and form a part of the story.”
The award has the following categories:
- Contemporary
- Historical
- Historical Romance
- Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
- Novella
- Romance
- Romantic Suspense
- Short Novel
- Speculative
- Young Adult
Entries open on 2 September and close on 15 October 2022. The entry fee is USD 15 for ACFW members and USD 25 for non-members.
