The Competitive Edge in Writing Contests

The Challenge of Feedback in Writing Competitions

Many writing contests are managed by volunteers who juggle their responsibilities with other professional and personal obligations. While writers invest considerable time and effort into their submissions, they rightfully expect some form of acknowledgment, even if it's a simple notification that results have been posted online. Unfortunately, this is not always the case, and while some contests offer to mail a results list if a self-addressed envelope is provided, the digital era demands better communication.

The Bright Side: Competitions That Excel in Communication

Thankfully, there are numerous writing contests that recognize the importance of feedback and make concerted efforts to provide detailed results, judges' reports, and access to winning entries. These contests often have a strong online presence, which facilitates better interaction with participants.

Evaluating a Writing Contest: Key Questions to Consider

When assessing a writing competition, writers should inquire about the following:

1. Postal Result Service: At a minimum, contests should offer to mail results if a self-addressed envelope is included.
2. Online Publication of Results: With the ease of creating a basic website, there's little excuse for not posting results and judges' reports online.
3. Critique Service: An increasing number of contests offer critiques for an additional fee, which can be invaluable for writers seeking to improve.
4. Email Results: For contests accepting online entries, emailing results and links to winning entries should be standard practice.
5. Announcement Date: If none of the above are mentioned, look for a specified date when results will be announced. Absence of such a date is a red flag.

Contests That Offer Robust Feedback

• Battle of the Bards Poetry Contest: This contest challenges poets with a surprise theme and a 24-hour deadline. Participants receive a shortlist, adjudicator's report, and full results, with the top three entries posted on the website. Battle of the Bards
• The Weekender Challenge: This fiction contest also surprises entrants with a theme and word count, providing two days to craft a story. Feedback includes a full results listing and archived reports. Weekender Challenge

Resources for Finding Feedback-Oriented Competitions

• Online Writers' Ezines: Subscribing to ezines can lead to discovering online competitions that offer feedback.
• WriteLink's Competition News: This free quarterly newsletter lists quality competitions with full contact details, ideal for those cautious of online payments. WriteLink
• First Writer: A database of writing contests searchable by date and genre, available for a small fee. First Writer
• Competitions Bulletin: A monthly print magazine with a long history of providing competition listings. Competitions Bulletin

Conclusion: The Importance of Participation

Despite the challenges, entering writing contests remains a valuable endeavor. Remember, you cannot win if you don't participate. Good luck to all writers seeking to gain a competitive edge!