I’ve been musing recently on writing competitions. I’ve entered a selection over the years, and been lucky enough to be short-listed, long-listed, and even to win prizes. I’d recommend anyone getting serious about their writing to enter their work. Sticking to a word count is a great goal, as is the need to edit rigorously and to meet a competition deadline. The bonus? Many short story competitions not only raise your profile, should you be listed, but also publish great-looking anthologies. Having your work read, judged and taken seriously, particularly if the final judges are literary agents or published writers, is a real confidence booster. And if you don’t succeed? There are many competitions out there, so try, try and try again …
