Lately, I’ve been sharing information regarding good writing contests. This is a great way for writers–both non-published and established–to gain recognition and credibility. Some even offer hefty monetary rewards and publishing contracts. That said, there are a lot that are bogus. So how do you know good from bad? Here are some warning flags that you should steer clear:
*If the prize has strings attached, such as requiring you to pay a big entry fee, purchase a service (such as editing or self-publishing book package) or enroll in a program (whereby you have to sign up for a publicity campaign or commit to a fee-charging literary agency or commit to an unfavorable publishing contract if you ‘win’. Now, there is nothing wrong with a contest having an entry fee but beware that some are just money makers for greedy publishers and agencies. Do a little research about the contest before you enter to make sure it is legit. Are legitimate organizations, such as Mystery Writers of America or Random House or Writer’s Digest offering the contest? Are well-known authors judging the contest? What is the prize? Can you find any complaints about the contest?
*Make sure about contest rules. READ THE FINE PRINT. Do you retain the rights at all times to your work or do you give up the right to your manuscript? Do you agree to whatever terms the publishing contract stipulates if you ‘win’? Are you able to submit your manuscript to other contests or agencies or publishers or are you expressly forbidden to enter other contests or seek representation until the contest is over? What happens to your manuscript if you ‘win’? When is the deadline? When are the winners announced? What are the prizes? What is the entry fee? Who exactly is eligible? Who is judging? Where and how will winners be announced? Are you waiving the rights to your work by entering the contest? If this is not clearly spelled out, do not enter! Do you release your manuscript or your money!
IMPORTANT: While you may hold the copyright for your work, when you sign an agreement (publishing contract), you usually assign that entity all rights and permissions for said work. This means your copyright is not worth much as you have agreed to all terms and conditions held forth in this contract. The point being that you may think that you have nothing to lose by entering a writing contest but it turns out you have lost creative control (and worse still, monetary control)!
The point of all of this is not to discourage you from entering any writing contests. Some are very good opportunities. The point is to make sure you are aware that not all are good opportunities. Be careful what you commit to…
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