From Edie: Cindy Sproles shares why writers should enter contests and how feedback, deadlines, critiques, and competition can strengthen your craft, build confidence, and support long-term writing success.
Why Writers Should Enter Contests: 6 Lessons That Build Writing Success
by Cindy K. Sproles @CindyDevoted
Many of us have just returned from the 2026 Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference, where we met new friends, reunited with the old, and . . . we entered contests.
I’m a firm believer in entering contests for a number of reasons, but most importantly, contests teach us to step out of our comfort zones. It’s one thing to pour into a work, but then to have it judged. Suddenly, the bravest of the brave shrink a bit. Still, contests are vital to the writer. In fact, I’d say if you are in any profession where contests are available, you should enter—they’re that important.
6. Benefits to Entering a Writing Contest
1. Contests force you out of your comfort zone: As I stated earlier, it’s hard enough to put your all into a manuscript of any kind, but then to lay it out to be judged. Well, that’s a bird of a different color. If anyone believes in our work, it’s ourselves. We know we love what we do and believe in, but we also understand writing is subjective. If you don’t understand that, then here is your first lesson in contests: Writing is subjective. Now, the rules don’t change, but the tastes of a reader do, so it’s important to understand that being judged is not the be-all-end-all.
Don’t let that prevent you from launching out allowing yourself to become vulnerable enough to be judged. I had a friend once say, “It’s only a contest, right? They’re a dime a dozen and every dime is different.” I know…he tried but when you look through the analogy, there is truth there. It’s only a contest. It’s not your entry into heaven. Step out, learn to present your work. Learn to pay attention to the guidelines and to the deadline. Invest the money. It’s a small price to pay for your growth as a writer. When you practice stepping out, you learn amazing things. You might just learn that others like your work.
2. Contests help us learn to discern criticism: No one likes criticism, do they? I can remember as a child, my sweet momma would stand over any project I did and guide me through. When I was finished, she’d look over my work and begin to pick apart little things. It used to make me angry. Could I never please her? But what I learned was that her gentle criticisms were what she lovingly referred to as “constructive criticism.” There were things I could do to make my work better. It wasn’t to pick at me and tell me what I’d done wrong. Not at all. It was to look at what I’d done right and say, “take it to the next level here.”
It took me years to learn that Mom wasn’t tearing me down. Instead, she was giving me the highest form of praise. She was looking at my good work and showing me how to take it to the next level. We have to change our mindset and stop looking at criticism as bad. Look at it through different eyes. Take the time to get those paid critiques. When you look at them from a constructive viewpoint, you’ll see the value. Put your childhood fears to rest. Pull up your adult undies and learn to discern criticism.
3. Contests teach us to pay attention to detail: Oh, those pesky guidelines! They seem to always get in the way of what we normally do. But guidelines are there for a reason. In the case of a contest, guidelines level the playing field so that every writer has the same opportunity. They teach us that submissions and how to do them is vital. You must submit properly and learning to pay attention to the details in the guidelines, not only brings your work into compliance, but it helps you learn to follow the rules.
Think of it like this. If you’re driving in your car and you run a red light, there’s a great chance you’ll have an accident. The same thing applies to a contest. Not that you’ll have a crash, but your work can be disqualified and the money you invested lost. An important step in submitting your work to publishers begins with the guidelines. Following them not only gets your work there, but it also speaks volumes about the type of writer you are. Are you worth the risk if you can’t follow the directions? When you enter a contest, if you don’t follow the guidelines, your work could be placed in the wrong category, given to the wrong reader, or worse, kicked into file 13. Details are important.
4. Contests help us meet deadlines: Deadlines can be tough, which is why you start preparing your work early. Don’t wait until the last minute to do the necessary things. A deadline is just that—a deadline. If you wait until 11:59 to send your work and there’s an internet glitch and your work arrives at 12:01—you’ve just missed the deadline. There is no give and no grace. It must be met, so start early, prepare early, and enter early.
When you have a contest where hundreds of entries are in play, there is no room for grace. Not if the contest director is to meet her deadlines to get submissions in the hands of readers so they can meet their deadlines to have their judges' sheets back to the director. Then she can again meet her deadline of logging, ordering awards, and making a presentation. Do you see how you are not the only person in play when it comes to these little pests? When you miss a deadline, you miss the opportunity. Plain and simple.
5. A win is a win, but it’s not the world: Should you enter a contest and win, give yourself a pat on the back and then tuck that bit of encouragement into your pocket for another day. A win is a win. It proves that the hard work paid off. A win should boost your confidence level and help spur you on to the next writing level. Wins are great. But what if you lose? It’s still a win. Why? Because of all the things we’ve listed above. You met a deadline. You wrote a piece and submitted it. You allowed your work to be read and judged. All those things are 100% a win. A loss is counted as a success and remember—it doesn’t mean your work wasn’t good, it simply means that writing is subjective. You pocket a loss as a learning win, and you continue to submit to contests. Your time will come when yours is the cream of the crop!
6. Contests must be kept in perspective: What does that mean? Well, a couple of things. When you enter your work into a conference contest like the Foundation Awards at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference, it’s important to keep in mind that your work is being judged against other conferees at this conference. It is not being judged on a national level. Remember, a win is a win and when you win in conference contests, your work is noted as the best of the best at that particular conference. Outside of that conference, the recognition is simply noted.
A win is still a win, and when you write your bio, you can add that you are an award-winning author because you are. There is no need to list every conference you win a contest at. Within the industry, editors and publishers simply note the win. The where doesn’t matter, and they don’t need a grocery list of all the contests you’ve entered. Take the win, list it appropriately in your bio: Jane Doe is an award-winning author, etc., and move on. Now once you have a published book, the accolades carry a bit more weight because those contests are judged against published books nationwide, even internationally.
So, if you win Christian Publishing’s Christy Award, publishers are going to take note of that win because it’s significant. This information is not meant to be a Debby Downer. It’s important that you hear these things to dispel any disappointments from lack of understanding or information. This is why I continue to repeat that a win is a win. Take it. Rejoice and don’t dwell over it. Instead, look at the things you learned, accept the joy either way, and then start the next award-winning project, because when you write, your production is far greater than the trophy on the wall. Write. Enter contests. Write. Enter more contests. Learn from every win and every loss. Before you know it, you will see your work and your mastery of the skill grow by leaps and bounds.
Let me share a last story. I’ve worked hard and won a number of awards. My adult son visited at Christmas, and when he walked into my office, I caught him eyeing the awards hanging on the wall. “Wow, Mom. I knew you’d won a lot of awards. I just didn’t realize how many.”
“Yep. And I’ve listed them in my will, so when I die, you inherit them.” A grin crossed my lips.
“Uh…well…”
“Are you hem-hawing around to nicely tell me you don’t want my awards?”
“Sure, I’ll take them. Straight to the trash can.”
Now, we laughed about the conversation, and my son told me how proud he was of my work and of me. But when I say, take the win, it’s important to see what I mean. Those wins only really mean something to you. Keep them. Pay attention to the time and work you’ve invested. Take the win and know that they only belong to you. Now, go enter a contest.
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