tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post4242947081741731320..comments2024-03-28T17:30:06.439-04:00Comments on Writers Who Kill: Indie Author ContestsJim Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15090252530437277145noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-66133777263187132832016-09-04T21:14:58.771-04:002016-09-04T21:14:58.771-04:00Contests! I learned my lesson about them in high s...Contests! I learned my lesson about them in high school. I entered a writing competition with high hopes. Later I overheard two teachers talking about the competition. They had received only two submissions and one was dreadful. Since I wasn't the winner, you can guess who submitted the dreadful composition. Since then, I've avoided contests. <br /><br />I especially avoid contests where it's obvious the only reason for the contest is to line the pockets of the contest sponsors.Grace Toppinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10291304815273486038noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-56829513261121225482016-09-04T16:48:44.861-04:002016-09-04T16:48:44.861-04:00We're in the wrong business. We should be runn...We're in the wrong business. We should be running writing contests!Kaye Georgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05596677617002735674noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-46687062949643862982016-09-04T16:45:34.927-04:002016-09-04T16:45:34.927-04:00not to, seemed almost to be done by a bot.not to, seemed almost to be done by a bot.Hollyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11305574406794878811noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-22691390259521836842016-09-04T16:44:40.381-04:002016-09-04T16:44:40.381-04:00PT all the way.
I feel the same way about some of ...PT all the way.<br />I feel the same way about some of the Writing courses online (not Guppie). After research, I found the "teacher" was no more accomplished than myself. And the lessons and answers to almost be done by a bot.<br />Waters are very shark infested; it's what makes solid organizations invaluable.<br />Holly AB Sweany Hollyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11305574406794878811noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-48521183157081270232016-09-04T16:41:04.996-04:002016-09-04T16:41:04.996-04:00My reaction was similar to Jim's when I first ...My reaction was similar to Jim's when I first learned about the Indie Authors' contest a couple months ago. Prompted by the contest's overeager response to my inquiry, I, like Shari, thought "shark." And when I did the math I concluded it was not worth my time or money.In the past, I did enter contests with my romance novels at the manuscript stage, and also judged contests, as a member of Romance Writer's of America, Those contests offered substantial feedback to entrants by trained judges, in addition to modest forms of recognition to winners. That experience was invaluable to me! But the Indie Authors contest held no appeal.C. T. Collierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07056021289925210090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-89644382953293629092016-09-04T16:00:21.496-04:002016-09-04T16:00:21.496-04:00It is always wise to "Follow the money."...It is always wise to "Follow the money." Warren Bullhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07789270258599769915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-48492057601112589792016-09-04T14:48:28.752-04:002016-09-04T14:48:28.752-04:00Good grief! It's so disappointing to see so ma...Good grief! It's so disappointing to see so many sharks in the water....Shari Randallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16425493627354028820noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-77187470923859678082016-09-04T14:37:29.235-04:002016-09-04T14:37:29.235-04:00Jim, I would never fall for that. It's too muc...Jim, I would never fall for that. It's too much money in the first place, and the odds of winning are slim. I do enter the Bethlehem's Roundtable short story contests sometimes, but it's only a $10.00 entrance fee, and that's reasonable. I also enter the Ohio Poetry Day Contests every spring, but for $10.00, I can enter as many of the 29 contests from different writing organizations in Ohio they cover as I want. Sometimes I win enough to more than make up for the $10.00, and sometimes it's no more than an honorable mention for one or two contests. I find I'm rather skeptical about anything like what you mentioned.Gloria Aldenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13581719606924364447noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-76549110611484641902016-09-04T14:14:49.366-04:002016-09-04T14:14:49.366-04:00I do make a distinction with those contests that o...I do make a distinction with those contests that offer real critique value, and my entries in the Daphne du Maurier (Kiss of Death) contest provided valuable information about what was and was not working as I learned how to write.<br /><br />And KM -- I remember the Who's Who in high school, and college, and business. I always gave them the information, which cost nothing, and never bought a book.Jim Jacksonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15090252530437277145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-13944670659030171272016-09-04T13:20:44.253-04:002016-09-04T13:20:44.253-04:00Jim and Steve, you're both right on the money....Jim and Steve, you're both right on the money. I will only enter a contest sponsored by a legitimate group (Sisters in Crime or Romance Writers' chapters, e.g.) that have an entry fee. Usually these are $25 for members, but I still hesitate. I've never entered a contest from an unknown. I might if I were told that reviews or comments would be given, like the Daphne du Maurier Kiss of Death. I entered my first book, didn't win, but got some great feedback.<br />On the other hand, my sales are tanking...maybe I'll start a contest! If Jim's figures are correct, and I'm pretty sure they are, $250,000 would go a long way! Michele Drierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06944263184981732147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-6429605305739681432016-09-04T12:13:07.638-04:002016-09-04T12:13:07.638-04:00Jim,
You're right, and that's the point. I...Jim,<br />You're right, and that's the point. It makes me stop and think before entering. If there are other benefits, such as the critique that Margaret mentioned, or lots of potential exposure, or if I know a particular judge is connected with another place I might submit to, I will go higher. Writers need to check fine print in the rules (if posted), too. Some contests say they reserve the right to declare no winner, which means they keep all the money.Steve Liskowhttp://www.steveliskow.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-40798478764079379762016-09-04T11:43:55.413-04:002016-09-04T11:43:55.413-04:00It's such a gamble, submitting a short story w...It's such a gamble, submitting a short story with a $10 or $15 fee. If I don't get published, I've flushed away the money. But if I don't take advantage of every opportunity, I won't publish my stories.<br /><br />I paid to enter my debut novel in a contest, and received an excellent critiques. Definitely worth it.<br /><br />For the short story anthologies that are happy to accept payment for entering and don't notify me of my rejection...never again! And I'm happy to spread the word.<br /><br /><br /><br />Margaret S. Hamiltonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07979191318652199350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-60576871999905212962016-09-04T10:44:31.772-04:002016-09-04T10:44:31.772-04:00There have always been scams that victimize people...There have always been scams that victimize people who don't do the research into them.<br /><br />When I was in high school, I can remember all of us who worked on the school newspaper (how did they get our names & addresses?) got an offer to include our poems and short stories in "publicly available anthologies." Well, of course, they were available to anyone who wanted to shell out $50 for one. And, oh yes, there was a small $5 "processing fee" for each poem or story included (no limit on the number you could submit!) And didn't you want to order enough copies of the book so you could give them to everyone on your Christmas list?<br /><br />And let's not forget Publish America and similar vanity press arrangements.<br /><br />I'm afraid we can't go into this entire process starry-eyed and hopeful.A bit of skepticism is an important component of our tool boxes.KM Rockwoodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03973749764907859829noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-58314208543137967452016-09-04T10:29:09.547-04:002016-09-04T10:29:09.547-04:00I hate the way the contests prey on writers. It...I hate the way the contests prey on writers. It's so important to research before one enters. I work in mental health and I remember a client who "won" a poetry contest. If he paid $800, he could go to the big celebration at Disneyworld! It was a huge rip-off and he was devastated. carlahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15985823239660829148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-21241778348940602972016-09-04T08:35:08.794-04:002016-09-04T08:35:08.794-04:00Steve -- I'll bet your 1% rule eliminates a hu...Steve -- I'll bet your 1% rule eliminates a huge percentage of the contests with entry fees.Jim Jacksonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15090252530437277145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-4012721207540222792016-09-04T08:20:41.966-04:002016-09-04T08:20:41.966-04:00About two weeks ago, I received an email inviting ...About two weeks ago, I received an email inviting me to enter another Indie Author Contest. There were no restrictions on content or length, and the entry fee was fifty dollars...for a five hundred dollar prize. I couldn't find the contest listed on Preditors & Editors or a couple of other sites, so I ignored the email. <br /><br />I'll bet a lot of first-time novelists and others desperate for promotion opportunities bit, but I see scams like this (yes, it's a scam. As Jim suggested above, do the arithmetic) more often as Indie publishing becomes more legitimate. My rule of thumb is that I don't like contests with an entry fee. If that fee is more than $25.00, it has to be no more than 1% of the monetary prize that's being offered. I also like to know the names and backgrounds of the judges.<br /><br />All this means I don't enter many contests.Steve Liskowhttp://www.steveliskow.comnoreply@blogger.com