Top 5 Reasons to Participate in Writing Competitions/Submissions

One of the first challenges emerging writers face is what to do with the plethora of drafts and articles that are churned out of their creative minds. While some writers are courageous enough to self-publish or share across their social media pages, other writers seal up their writing until their writing career dies.

The most valuable thing you can do with those drafts and articles is to submit them to publications that are interested in publishing them or participate in writing competitions. Here are 5 reasons why sending in your submissions and participating in competitions is the next best thing for your writing career.

• Visibility: Being accepted by a publication, puts you on the internet. Many publications have thousands of readers and followers who devour their articles. Self-publishing can put you on your reader’s radar but this could take a while. Online/offline publications and competitions simply explode your writing to thousands of already interested people all at once.

• Credibility: Anyone can claim to be a writer but nothing screams success than being a published writer. Traditional publishers and vanity presses may make you wait a lifetime before your book is accepted but it is easier and faster when you can name a few notable publications that you have featured in by submitting your short stories, creative non-fiction poems etc. Submissions help you build your portfolio as a writer even before you publish a book.

• Confidence Booster: A publication acceptance or winning a writing competition goes a long way to boost a writer’s confidence. The more submissions you send in or competitions you participate in, the bolder you get with your writing. Many authors can attest to the fact that submissions and publications formed the foundation of their writing careers.

• Writing Improvement: Both online and offline publications have a set of expectations commonly called “submission guidelines”. These guidelines sometimes go as far as instructing on the punctuation, fonts, spacing and query emails. These guidelines expose a writer to unique ways of writing. In addition, some publications may reject your piece and while this may hurt, it is also a pointer to the improvements you need to make in your writing. Rejections should not discourage you, they should encourage you to put more effort into improving your writing.

• A Good Source of Income: Many publications may not have the capacity to pay writers and contributors but could offer some benefits that money cannot buy. A reputable publication can expose you to writing awards that you cannot apply for as an individual. Of course, there are a lot of publications that pay cool money for your work

Writing competitions and submissions are quite a rave among writing communities. Joining a writing community will keep you notified of open submissions and competitions. It is also important to follow submission guidelines to ensure you are accepted.