Sometimes I get an idea for a story, but it does not get fully developed. Perfectionism often can lead to procrastination and unfinished manuscripts. Focusing on a perfect first draft is futile. Instead, I find the right words come after revising my initial draft many times.
What can I do to persevere in revisions or take the first step to get my whole story written down?
My tip is to enter a writing contest.
Many contests are free to enter and cover multiple genres. When I know these deadlines are fixed with no exception, that by the stroke of midnight no more submissions will be accepted, the ticking clock prevents me from making excuses and keeps me focused on completing a project.
And who knows? You may just win! Gaining recognition for your work can open new doors for your platform when your name is announced publicly. Even if you have not been traditionally published, you can write the award in your query or book proposal. When you feel unsure about whether you are going in the right direction with a manuscript, the affirmation from a professional writing organization can validate that you are making good progress.
I remember applying for a BIPOC scholarship and revising my manuscript to fit the parameters of the application, so I could submit it on time. I prayed and applied for the scholarship, asking God to show me whether I should go to this conference. Surprisingly, I won a scholarship that paid for it. I was grateful that God opened the door for my writing career through this scholarship. I was encouraged that the committee saw the potential in my manuscript. This increased my faith and motivated me to keep writing.
Contests help you repurpose your content.
I entered another free contest through the West Coast Christian Writers’ Conference that was included with my conference registration. The contest stretched me as a writer because I chose to submit a short story that was in a different genre, adult nonfiction, than my main genre, picture books. I wrote a very personal story based on an event that occurred after my youngest child died.
Although I did not win, I am glad I entered because now I have another completed manuscript that I can use for other purposes: speaking, blogging, a magazine article, etc. I don’t think I would have sat down and fleshed out the details of this story as efficiently if I had not entered this contest. Having a specific word count gave me good practice in writing concisely in a shorter time frame.
Try a 30-day challenge.
In addition to writing contests, 30-day challenges offer daily inspirational articles and chances to win free books or writing critiques from authors when you comment on their posts. Developing the habit of spending time each day to improve your craft and applying the things you learned from these experienced authors will make you a better writer. I also learn about new authors and mentor texts when I participate in a challenge. I add these mentor texts to a spreadsheet of comparative titles that I can refer to later in a query letter to an editor or agent.
Two 30-day challenges for kidlit writers that I find especially informative are Storystorm in January and Nonfiction Fest in February. Join their Facebook groups, where you will find caring authors that are happy to answer your writing questions and post valuable writing tips to help you improve.
Plan annually.
I recommend making a spreadsheet at the start of the year with all the writing contests and challenges that interest you. Put those deadlines on your calendar to keep them in mind while you are writing. Perhaps the manuscript you are currently working on may fit the contest guidelines or you can look at your journal of story ideas that may fit the parameters and schedule time to write it.
In addition, I specifically write the deadline in my calendar a few days earlier than the actual contest deadline. If something unexpected arises that may delay the completion of my manuscript, I won’t be rushing to submit my entry at the last minute. I give myself extra time, just in case I run into technical difficulties when I submit my story online, or I need to email the contest organizers if I have questions.
Go for it!
Enter a writing contest today and finish that manuscript. I look forward to reading your story!
Here are additional contests for picture books that you can enter. Make sure you read guidelines carefully to see if they require exclusive submissions and if they are for unagented writers only.
- Lee and Low New Voices Award
- Astra International Picture Book Writing Contest
What manuscript are you currently working on? Which contest would you like to submit your story to? Comment below.