3 Big Reasons Our Spring Writing Contest Will Make You a Better Writer

The article 3 Big Reasons Our Spring Writing Contest Will Make You a Better Writer appeared first on The Write Practice.

Entering a writing contest can be scary—but sometimes this push is just what you need to take a big (and great!) step forward in your writing craft. Plus, entering a writing contest is extra fun when it comes with amazing prices.

If you’ve been wanting to enter a writing contest but haven’t made the leap, or would like to again, read on! The Write Practice Spring 2022 writing contest might be the prefect fit to kickstart or support your writing and publishing dreams.

writing contest spring 2022

Are you excited about our Spring 2022 writing contest? We are! You can learn the full details on why entering this contest will make you a better writer, what you can win, and how to enter in this article.

Or, check out thee full details on our contest page.

3 Big Reasons Our Spring Writing Contest Will Make You a Better Writer

When you enter a writing contest, you’re giving yourself an opportunity to grow as a writer. Here are three big reasons why entering The Write Practice’s Spring 2022 writing contest will help you become a better writer.

1. Practice Writing

Entering a writing contest forces you to practice writing stories within a timeframe. One of the biggest reasons writers don’t practice writing—or sometimes finish their stories—is because there’s nothing holding them accountable. A writing contest lights a fire in your typing hands because it forces you to finish writing and edit a story fast.

Plus, with all the great resources on plot and structure at The Write Practice, a writing contest is the perfect opportunity to put new knowledge into practice.

I recommend reading about how to structure and plot stories, and then brainstorming how these tools will apply to your contest story. This is one of many great strategies you can use to help you win a writing contest. As a refresher, the elements of story structure are:

  1. Exposition
  2. Inciting Incident
  3. Rising Action
  4. Dilemma
  5. Climax
  6. Denouement

2. Become Motivated to Write

Another reason writers fail to commit to their writing is because they feel like they don’t have any good story ideas. In order to become a writer who is good at coming up with story ideas, you need to practice writing.

Brains are muscles, after all, and like any other muscle in your body, if you don’t use it consistently (in this case the creative part of your brain used to write stories), it won’t perform when you need it.

A great thing about entering a writing contest is that it narrows the possibilities of what to write about without limiting you in how you can write that story. Stuck? Don’t worry! Start with the contest theme.

The Spring Writing Contest Theme

Happily Ever After

With all the trouble in today’s world, wouldn’t it be nice to spend a little time imagining a story that ends on a good note instead of a sad one?

What does happily ever after mean for your protagonist? What does your protagonist want, and why does your short story complicate this goal?

Let us know by writing that story and entering it in The Write Practice Spring 2022 Writing Contest.

3. Get Professional Feedback

This is one of the biggest reasons a writing contest will make you a better writer. Maybe it’s the biggest reason.

It’s one thing to write a short story (an accomplishment!) and a whole other to write that short story and then be brave enough to request feedback on it.

Sharing a story can be an extremely vulnerable action for writers to do. It also is a courageous one that will:

  1. Make you a better writer
  2. Teach you how to edit your own work
  3. Figure out what might be holding your writing back beyond one story, and
  4. Give you confidence to share your work with the public

There does come a learning curve with giving feedback. Here at The Write Practice, we especially encourage OREO feedback. Regardless, all writers need to learn how to give and take feedback, as well as learn when you shouldn’t take feedback.

How do you learn what kind of feedback will help your writing and what kind of feedback you can dismiss? No surprise here: Practice.

And that’s what you’ll get in the writing contest. Before you submit your story to the judges, you’ll share it in our writing workshop, and your fellow contestants will offer their critique of what’s working and what’s not. You can revise your story as many times as you like before sending it to the judges!

Ready to bet on yourself and take an extra big leap? Enter the writing contest with our Premium package. You won’t just get feedback from your fellow peers, but from the contest judges themselves after the winners are announced.

Whatever entry package you choose, receiving feedback from various others invested in the writing community will help you identify your writing strengths and the other areas that could use more time and attention. And that gained self-awareness is a huge growth opportunity and real strength.

Did We Mention There Are Prizes?

Oh yeah! In addition to entering a writing contest that will push your writing skills within a supportive and encouraging community, this writing contest comes with a chance at some wonderful prizes.

These prizes include cash prizes to the top stories, as well as a year of membership in our community and even an opportunity to become a regular contributor to Short Fiction Break literary magazine.

And if you don’t win the grand prize, you still win a prize. Every story entered in this contest will get published on Short Fiction Break, guaranteed! (If you don’t want to publish your story, no problem. You can opt out.)

You can learn more about how to win a writing contest in this article.

If you’ve ever wanted to get published and share your writing with the world, this is your chance. What are you waiting for? Join the contest here.

Enter Today, Become a Better Writer Tomorrow

Writers who enter a writing contest take a rewarding chance: they bet on their storytelling skills for a shot at finishing a story and winning a grand prize.

And while prizes are great, every writer who enters a writing contest gains so much more, some including disciplined writing habits, goal setting skills, and awareness on how to give and when to take feedback.

If all of this sounds great to you, we’d love for you to join the many other writers entering the Spring Writing Contest. This is your opportunity to learn and grow! We can wait to support you and your writing process.

Enter the Spring Writing Contest

Ready to join? Get all the details and join the contest here:

Enter the Spring Writing Contest »

PRACTICE

The writing theme for this contest is: Happily Ever After. With all the chaos in today’s world, what character learns or gains something good?

Take fifteen minutes to come up with a premise based on this theme. Think about what your character wants and what stands in their way—and how they overcome trials to find their happy ending.

When you’re done, share your story idea for the contest in the practice box below. Maybe even give us a taste of the story by providing a sneak peak of a the first few lines.

P.S. Be sure to give feedback to your fellow writers! And while you’re at it, enter your story in the Spring Writing Contest!

Enter your practice here:

The article 3 Big Reasons Our Spring Writing Contest Will Make You a Better Writer appeared first on The Write Practice. The Write Practice – The Online Writing Workbook

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Author: Abigail Perry