Competitions by Allison Symes

 Image Credits: Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos.

My thoughts have turned to competitions as I’m judging again for a Scottish writing group soon. I also enter various competitions regularly. 

 The big advantages to entering competitions, from a writer’s viewpoint, are:-

• They get you used to writing to deadlines.
• They get you used to following rules. I’ve been amazed at how many try to get away with not doing so. Hint - it never works, folks.  
• If you are listed or win, you have something fabulous to put on your writing CV, website, newsletter etc.

From a judge’s viewpoint, can I tell how much (or little) editing people have carried out on their piece? Yes! When at least one thorough edit has been carried out on a story, there won’t be things like character names changing half way through the tale (it happens) or line spacing changing for no reason (it happens). Spelling and grammar will have been checked (and checked again). 

I find it useful to get my story down first. I know aids such as Grammarly can be useful but just be aware they have their limitations. I think you still need human input here. 

Why? Aids don’t pick up on context. So you may have a beautifully chosen word, spelled correctly, but it is still the wrong one for what you are trying to say. Have seen this too. 

The one single tip I recommend is to give yourself plenty of time to (a) write your story, (b) rest it so you can return to read It afresh as if someone else had written it, and (c) to edit said tale.

I take off about a fortnight from any official deadline and use that as my submission date after all editing has been done. It means I am well within their limit. It also means if things go wrong - say I’m ill or something, I usually still have time in hand.

When the competition has a set theme, I jot down what ideas could come from it. If the competition was based on the theme of hope, what could I list?

• A feel good story where someone’s hope is for someone else’s benefit and the hope is fulfilled.
• A story where hope has been dashed and is restored.
• Where hope has led to someone doing something they wouldn’t usually do - bungee jumping, abseiling etc.

In all of the above ideas, hope would be shown through the character “acting” out the story. Themes should be apparent to a reader,  competition judge or editor, through the actions, attitudes, and thoughts of your characters. 

The winning competition entries are the ones where the story comes to life for the judge. Your characters’ stories must grip you first (as you are your own first reader). I find it useful to ask myself what is in this for my reader/judge/editor? It helps me focus on what matters.

If you are entering competitions, good luck!