How to win writing contests
Google “how to win writing contests” and you’ll get a little bit of basic advice — proofread your entry, follow the submission rules to the letter, keep track of your entries, and don’t even think of missing the deadline — along with a whole lot of nonsense concocted by self-professed literary gurus with lucrative writing coach businesses.
In reality, there are only three things you need to do to win writing contests:
Keep writing.
Keep learning.
Keep entering.
It really is that simple. Here are two contests that I recently won by following these three tips:
2019 Hint Fiction Contest
“A Night Out with the Girls”
Mythic March Short Story Contest
“Minotaur Noir”
But remember, those are just two out of the dozens of contests I’ve submitted to lately and the hundreds I’ve entered over the years. Note that I said “submitted” and “entered,” not “lost.” The only way to lose is to quit.
Don’t quit.
