Writing competitions

[Hiphopopotamus]

Apologies of this discussion has already been had, but I entered my first writing competition this weekend. Have any of you entered competitions and had successes, and if so, have they led to anything bigger?

I was shortlisted for the Bridport first novel award and for the Bath novel prize. The shortlisting got me a discounted editorial read but neither got me an agent at the time. But it gave me a confidence boost, and gave me something to put in query letters to make them stand out a bit.

Ah well done! I’m definitely not expecting anything to come from the one I’ve entered. The first round was a 500 word piece on a given title, then the shortlisted people get asked to submit the first 3000 - 5000 words plus a blurb and synopsis of a full novel or non fiction book. I entered with my novel in mind, but struggled with the 500 word piece and I wasn’t particularly happy with it - I’m definitely more comfortable writing longer pieces!

I remember reading this a couple of months ago and feeling down that I'd not been shortlisted for any of the five competitions I'd entered. But that's history now as Ive just heard I've been shortlisted for an international short story competition. 🤗

That's great news! Congratulations

Aw, thanks. It's given my on-the-floor confidence a bit of a hike!

Well done! I've done a couple, and not got anywhere but I suppose it's a bit like submitting to magazines - I've done that a bazillion times and got mostly rejections but the odd small acceptance. You just need one person to say yes and it's well worth doing it.

The thing that puts me off competitions is the cost (the Mslexia one is £25 which seems like an awful lot), but I'm sure being shortlisted/winning is a great thing to put in a query letter to an agent.

Thanks. I didn't even think of putting into a query letter to an agent! Ive just turned 40 and only just started writing 3 months ago. 🤭

that's amazing progress, I'm nearly 40 and have been writing forever with not much to show for it :D. The nice thing about writing is that you can break through at any age.

Thanks. I had a children's book considered then refused when I was 20 and it put me off writing again!

I have just entered NYC Midnight microfiction competition - 250 words story. The first story I wrote in decades. Fingers crossed I get to the next stage. Probably not, though.. :D

Kirst - yay..good luck! I found out yesterday that I got longlisted, then shortlisted, for another Uk novel writing competition. So chuffed! 🥰

kirsty !

TalentedMsRipley, how very cool! :)

I am 37 - been writing lots when I was a child/teenager, winning competitions and being published, but gave all up when got older and life got in the way. I finally feel I have something more to say - so trying to do some grown-up writing :)

Ooh, MsRipley, if it's the competition that I think it is, that's amazing. Well done 🍾

Nooo, it's not THAT competition!! (For which there is a whole other thread) 😬

Well, 🍾 anyway. It's still brilliant news.

Finding an agent

Woops sorry wrong thread! Congrats though!