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Generating Innovative Ideas for Writing
There is nothing scarier than staring at a blank piece of paper with a deadline quickly approaching. Whether you're writing a column, article, or essay, the following ten techniques will help you find the topic or angle you are looking for. 1.Read ...
How Ghost writing Articles and Booklets Can Earn You Big Money!
Do you want to make $5000, $10,000 or more every month as a freelancer? Does your current published materials earn you that much or are you still struggling looking for new jobs every month? Well, ghost writing articles and books for businesses...
How to Catch the Writing Bug
If you earn income as a writer, or use writing as a marketing tool, you know how difficult it can be at times to write. I started writing for my website and newsletter a few years ago. Sometimes it would be two or three weeks between articles....
Realizing the Potential of Your Writing Output
Achieving publication for your extra income ideas is removed from the improbable dream category and becomes instead a calculated certainty when you follow the strategies contained in my 'Writing for Profit' tutorial. That's the beauty of niche...
Script Mechanics—Suggestions for Writing Effective Voiceover Copy
As with any of the performing arts, an effective voiceover begins with a well-crafted script. You don’t have to have many years of writing experience to create copy that is both effective and a pleasure for the voice actor to perform. Here are...
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How to Evaluate Writing Contests: Six Starter Questions
At some point in your writing career you will probably encounter the possibility of entering writing contests. As you peruse writing newsletters and magazines, at any rate, you’ll almost inevitably find listings of competitions; you may very well begin to wonder how to decide whether a given contest is “right” for you and your poetry or prose. Here are six “starter” questions you can ask yourself to initiate that process of evaluation:
1. Do you recognize the press, university, writing center, magazine, literary review, etc. that is sponsoring the contest? Do your writing friends and teachers know about it? (A number of Internet boards post warnings about “scam” contests—it can’t hurt to check those out.) Is the administering organization one you’d be happy to have publish your work?
2. Does the competition post the names of past winners (and the titles of their winning works)? Can you locate the published stories, poems, essays, or books?
3. Is an award guaranteed? Some contests stipulate that an award may not be given in a particular year; this may not be appreciated when fees have been collected; you may choose not to hand over a fee to such a contest.
4. What does the rest of the fine print say? Have you given over rights to your work simply by
submitting it? Such details are often included in that tiny type. Read it carefully.
5. Is judging “blind”—are you asked to submit a manuscript without any identifying material on it?
6. If a fee is charged, does it seem “worthwhile” considering the potential prize? For example, a $25 entry fee for a possible $100 prize might not seem as alluring as a $25 fee (or less) for a $500 (or more) prize.
Considering these questions should set you on the way to thinking more critically about the contest process, and they’ll assist you as you navigate the many listings and advertisements you’ll find the more time you spend investigating opportunities to develop your writing career.
© Copyright 2004 Erika Dreifus. All rights reserved. Article reprint permission is granted provided that the entire article, including the “About the Author” information, remains intact and unaltered. Please send a copy of the reprint to erikadrei@yahoo.com .
About the Author
About the Author: Dr. Erika Dreifus is a writer and writing instructor in Massachusetts. She edits the free monthly newsletter, "The Practicing Writer," and is the author of "The Practicing Writer's Guide to No-Cost Literary Contests and Competitions." Visit her website at http://www.practicing-writer.com .
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