Should Unpublished Writers Enter Writing Contests?

Literary fiction writer Tara Dorabji spent over a decade researching and revising her manuscript, only to receive declines from all the agents who read it. But then, during the pandemic, Dorabji entered Simon & Schuster’s Books Like Us writing contest—and won. The prize? Publication of her debut novel, Call Her Freedom.

Similarly, children’s book writer and illustrator Supriya Kelkar had been querying literary agents for years before her first novel, Ahimsa, won Lee & Low’s New Visions Award and was published by the company as a result; she now has more than a dozen books to her name.

And internationally acclaimed mystery writer Louise Penny was “turned down more often than I care to remember” before placing in Debut Dagger, a contest held by the UK’s Crime Writers’ Association. “I cannot overstate the importance that award has had on my career,” she writes on her website.

Given these success stories, it’s no wonder that writing contests are an attractive option for writers who have yet to break into the industry. But are they worth the investment, both financial and emotional? Yes—if the contest is legitimate and the prize offers value to the writer.

Research the contest sponsor. Of the different factors to consider before entering a contest, “look first at who is running it,” says Victoria Strauss of Writer Beware, who has written extensively about how to evaluate writing contests. “Are they reputable? Do they have name recognition, so that, if you win, it will be a useful addition to your writing resume?”

Whether held by a corporate book publisher or small press, a literary journal or a magazine, a writing school or a writing platform, the primary goal of a writing contest should be to discover and nurture talent. Yet profiteering enterprises do exist, and one sign, says Strauss, is a contest sponsor that isn’t researchable or has no presence apart from the contest.

If a contest is being held by a publisher, “Look at the books they’ve published, the awards those books have received, and those books’ sales records,” says Stacy Whitman, a consulting editor and former publisher of Tu Books/Lee & Low; she previously ran the New Visions Award. “You’ll have a good idea whether the publisher is worth submitting to.”

Many writing associations also hold contests, and these tend to be trustworthy, says Anjali Singh, who runs an eponymous literary agency. “A non-profit, writer-focused organization is definitely going to be better set up (in my opinion) to create an equitable system and support its winners in a way that feels meaningful.” Andrea Morrison, an agent with Writers House, has a similar take. “If you’re already a member, there’s probably a level of familiarity and comfort you’ve built with them,” she says.

Read the fine print. Whitman encourages writers to prioritize reviewing a contest’s terms, which may be separate from its submissions guidelines. Her main concern is rights grabs from “fly-by-night, profiteering contests” which “generally don’t understand (or deliberately mislead writers about) publishing rights.”

Rights grabs—the attempt to secure excessive rights to a work—can include moral rights waivers, copyright transfers from author to publisher, or an automatic grant of rights on entry that doesn’t expire once judging has taken place, Strauss says. This is why it’s “very important to carefully read and understand the guidelines,” where “unfriendly legalese can lurk.”

Entry fees should be modest. “Contrary to what many people think, entry fees aren’t an automatic sign of a questionable contest,” says Strauss. “However, very large entry fees ($75 and up) may indicate a contest whose main purpose is not to honor writing but to make money by maximizing entries. The same goes for contests that sell additional goods or services—critiques, courses, PR services, and the like.”

Although most corporate publishers’ contests are free of charge, it’s not uncommon for university presses and other not-for-profit, mission-driven publishers to charge fees in the $25 range to offset the cost of hiring readers and judges. Such fees are justified, says Barbara Jones, an agent with Stuart Krichevsky Literary Agency.

Whitman says she doesn’t usually recommend paying to enter a contest unless the fee is nominal. For Morrison, paying an entry fee may be worthwhile, depending on the contest, the writer’s goals, and other factors. “If it is a contest that a writer has been especially interested in, and the fee is within reason, it could make sense,” she says. “As with anything, there’s a risk of not being selected, but someone has to win.”

The value of prizes is subjective. “Cash can be incredibly helpful if you’re focusing on your writing—no one can deny that,” says Morrison. Whitman agrees. “That money can make the difference in a writer having the resources to spend more time on writing,” she says.

Whitman adds that mentorship and educational opportunities, such as what’s offered by the nonprofit We Need Diverse Books, can also be a valuable prize for contest winners. SCBWI runs contests in which winners receive free registration to one of their conferences, where they can “hone their craft and meet agents and editors,” she says.

If publication is the ultimate goal, “again, look to the terms of the contest and what rights you’re granting them,” says Whitman. She shares that, initially, Lee & Low did not allow for contract negotiations by contest winners but has since changed their rules. “That’s one thing I’d look for in a contest, whether there’s room for [negotiation] if publication is on the table,” she says.

For Singh, “any kind of prize or recognition can be meaningful.” But for Strauss, “there should be a tangible prize, whether that’s money or publication. Prizes for questionable contests are often cheap or cost-free items, like digital certificates and seals,” she says. “And you should never have to buy your own trophy!”

The judges can be a key factor. Well-known judges can boost the visibility of a contest and give it prestige. They can also reassure and motivate writers. “If you were a winner or runner-up, you’ll know that they read and valued your work,” says Morrison. Whitman admits that, when she was a publisher at Lee & Low, she didn’t look at independent contest winners to see if they might be a fit because editors had so many submissions to consider already. However, she says some judges “do have some acquiring power, so perhaps they might make an offer to a contest winner or even someone whose manuscript pulled them even if it’s not a winner.”

For Strauss, anonymous judging can be a warning sign of a questionable or dishonest contest, prompting questions about whether the sponsoring organization is using judges at all. Whitman points out that the New Visions Award doesn’t name specific judges. When she ran the contest, some of the staff volunteers who supported her were not in editorial, so “it didn’t feel right to put their names on the contest,” she explains.

But focusing too closely on the judges is not a useful strategy, according to Singh. “I don’t think you can game the system by knowing who the judges are (and trying to suss out their taste),” she says, “but it is important to know how subjective judgments can be and to keep trying if at first you don’t succeed, because it does come down to the judges in the end.”

Placing in a contest can attract interest from literary agents. If Morrison receives a query letter in which a writer mentions placing in or winning a contest, she is pleased that they have taken this proactive step. “From the agent/publisher perspective, you’re showing that you’re putting in the time and working on your growth, and that is fantastic,” she says. However, her reaction depends on the contest in question. “Certainly, there are awards and journals I’m not familiar with,” she says, “but it’s a sign that a writer is active in the writing community.”

For Singh, if a project has won accolades, this can facilitate the process of finding it a home. She explains that one of her clients was a runner-up for an AWP prize, which led to a citation from a prominent writer and a publication offer from a small press. “That was enough to make me think we could try bigger houses, and we were able to secure a deal with a Big Five publisher,” she says. “That little bit of platforming did help enormously in terms of the story I had to tell to larger houses.”

Waiting for contest results can be tricky. “Smaller journals are generally understaffed or could be all volunteer,” says Morrison, “so it could take time to go through the submissions.” Strauss agrees that contests “do tie manuscripts up for a sometimes considerable amount of time.”

If the contest requires exclusivity, writers may become impatient and be tempted to break the contest rules, says Whitman. For this reason, her advice is this: “Be willing to let one manuscript ride on the contest circuit while you submit another to agents, or while you write your next book.”

Bottom line: Although Strauss feels that contests are “mostly a distraction,” she understands the appeal. Still, she has a warning: “Don’t take any contest at face value or be blinded by the promise of a big money prize: do careful research before you enter.” She adds, “Every contest should have clear guidelines addressing the entry and judging process, eligibility, prizes, any rights granted, and more.”

“Definitely subscribe to Poets & Writers,” says Singh, “And get yourself into spaces where you are surrounded by other writers in the same boat so that you can share information and strategies.”

“I’m all for these opportunities,” says Morrison. “Just know what your options are and understand the terms you’re accepting.” And, she adds, “We all have different ways of getting our foot in the door. If you feel that your work is ready to be shared and seen, cast a wide net.”