To win story contests regularly, you have to look at your writing hobby as a business. It means looking at competitive events as an office you visit every day, five days a week. Just one award will not amount to much yet many wins every month add up to a rewarding sum.
To switch a lifetime’s behavior can seem impossible yet every successful achiever in this field has been forced to take on a fresh psychology.
Step one is to arrange a record system. Paper files fast get out of date so try a spreadsheet program such as Excel. But spreadsheets are hard to master. Better to adapt Table in Word for such a basic task. Precise documentation is essential so you know what you’ve done and where you’re going. Top contest winners arrange a scheme and fulfil the scheme, meticulously.
Investigate every contest that looks promising. Do a web search. Note the competition data and closing date in your records then arrange the deadlines in date order so you don’t miss one. Explore the many opportunities open all the time. You may find a wealth of exciting ideas in your search that will lead on to further profitable enquiry.
Don’t be interrupted The contest business is no longer a hobby. It’s your job. Allocate yourself a set time to tidy and submit each entry.
Research can become addictive. Therefore, after a while, close your research. Or you will never start the main task!
Set targets for the competitions you will research. Employ precise key words in the search box. For example, “story contests UK 2010“. The long tail search phrases should bring you the best contests. Set yourself a private target. For instance, twelve entries submitted every four weeks.
Keep a record of the monies you invest in all the events and the time you invest across the year. What payback are you getting in awards? If it’s not wonderful, maybe you need to improve the stories or select your contests more ruthlessly.
Let your failures teach you and adjust your scheme as you go. With persisent application, your prize rate should visibly improve. To keep inspired, dream what you’ll do with your winnings. Once you’ve mastered the scheme, you will find yourself able to fund many small luxuries. As your skill improves, you’ll get substantial prizes almost each fortnight. It’s contest prize magic.
Remember that, if your stories are simply adequate, sheer persistence will win yet entries that are brilliant will founder if not submitted systematically. Follow your schedule and that schedule should eventually earn you major wins.
Simply make use of those proven formulae and in a short time you will gain more contest wins. They’re easy to carry out plus all are a pleasure to do!
