Online Writing Contests: Three Questions To Ask Yourself Before You Take the Plunge

by Lisa Gail Green

I thought it would be perfect timing to broach this subject while running our new Red Light/Green Light Contest. I’ve seen several articles while poking around online, but most seem to relate more to entering your finished book as opposed to those in the “Searching for an Agent” stage.

There are so many contests these days if you look! Everything from PitchWars to Sun Vs. Snow. I entered my own fair share before finding my current agent and publisher, and since joining AYAP, this is the fourth contest I’ve run (not counting the times I’ve judged in the past).

So with all this experience, what have I learned? That there are three main things you should ask yourself before entering anything.

Is this contest worth my time?

Do a little research. Who are the judges? Are they published authors who you respect? Agents you can verify with a site like QueryTracker or from established and known agencies? Editors for established publishers with a good track record? I entered a contest and won a partial and full! But guess what? My second book comes out in September and I still never received a response from either one. 0.o
What are the prizes? Is it something you can use like a critique from someone relevant to your work or ten dollars at the bookstore? Not that I’m knocking the ten dollars. I’d take it! But one would be more valuable to me than the other. What are the rules? Are you allowed to enter other contests at the same time? Are you being charged money? Personally I am wary of anyone asking for money, though I know some are legit, some are not. Weigh that carefully.
What kind of commitment are you looking at? Is it something that takes away writing and query time that you really should be focusing on? Or is it something that helps work out the piece you’re having issues with or about to query?

Am I ready?

It’s exciting sometimes to want to get your work seen by agents and authors! But don’t forget you always want your best out there. If you haven’t had any eyes on it but your own you may want to hold off until the next “season” of contests is upon us. Believe me it will come soon enough.
Are you prepared to receive criticism? We always strive to make sure that the feedback is respectful, but you can’t control everyone and even with a positive intention it can be difficult to hear that something you’ve worked so hard on could stand some changes. Are you ready and willing to hear that? Because if the truthful answer is no then you should think twice.
Is the manuscript finished? If not, what happens if you win and an agent requests the material? That puts both of you in a difficult position.

Why am I entering?

Feedback may not be a glamorous reason, but it is probably the most important. There is nothing more valuable than a fresh set of eyes on your work, especially if those eyes belong to amazing authors, agents, or editors! Just be sure to check the above question and make sure you’re ready for it.
Prestige may or may not come from these contests, depending on which one and who you’re telling about it. If it’s well known or respected it may be worth mentioning in a query letter.
Connections are important especially when genuine. So when you have a positive connection with other writers and get to know them through contests like this, that’s a plus you can’t measure. It may also make you feel more comfortable sending out your work when you’ve been through a contest or two.

Lisa Gail Green

Lisa Gail Green lives with her husband the rocket scientist and their three junior mad scientists in Southern California. She writes books so she can have an excuse to live in the fantasy world in her head. She likes to share these with readers. She has a parrot but would most definitely get a werewolf for a pet if she weren't allergic.

Post © Lisa Gail Green and/or Adventures in YA Publishing. All rights reserved.

Posted: Jul 23, 2015

Category: Imported from AYAP

Tags: #contests

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The first slide is an animation of a science/magic room in a castle. A cartoon character of a mad-scientist looking man in in the foreground says: “Hello! Dr. Frankenstein here to say, Well Done on kid lit zombie week! I’m an expert at reviving the dead, and let me assure you, with a little spark, you can bring dead projects to life. Especially if you dig up parts from other dead things. I’ll even let you have a sneak peek at my laboratory’s store room to consider potential parts for your dead project. If you see something with a yellow glow, that means you should click it. Have fun!”

He points to the right side of the screen and a new scene slides in of a castle science/magic storage room. There are various cartoon Frankenstein body parts scattered around. Some of them have a yellow glow. If you click on them, the images below appear (I’ve added alt text to them, so I hope it works).

The Heart of your story is the main character. The protagonist is the beating core that truly brings your story to life. If your MC doesn't make kids (and their grown-ups) care within the first few pages, your story will flatline. </p>
<p>Your main character needs to be:<br />
• Relatable enough for kids to see themselves<br />
• Unique enough to stand out in the slush pile<br />
• Active enough to drive the story<br />
• Memorable enough to survive multiple readings at bedtime</p>
<p>Where do you find this amazing donor heart? It might be the very thing you loved so much about the manuscript you want to revive. It might be the younger sister from your shelved YA novel. Or maybe it’s the hilarious kid you blogged about meeting at a school visit. Find a character beating with potential and place it in the center of your story.<br />

The Brain of your story is the theme or central message. The theme is the big idea that controls everything else. Picture books are more than stories - they're tiny life lessons disguised with humor and heart.</p>
<p>But your theme needs to be:<br />
• Subtle enough not to trigger the dreaded "didactic" rejection<br />
• Clear enough for a four-year-old to grasp<br />
• Universal enough to speak to both kids and adults<br />
• Fresh enough to prevent agents and editors from responding with "Not another sharing/bedtime/first-day story!"</p>
<p>Check your other dead manuscripts to see if there is a recurring theme, something that really seems to be speaking to you. Find the bit of poetry you scribbled on the back of a receipt to see what theme inspired it. Reread the pep talk you texted your critique partner at 1am. Pick the theme that will drive your story, giving it purpose, direction, and deeper meaning.<br />

The Legs of your story is the plot. Not to be confused with a grave plot.🤪 The plot is what keeps everything upright and moving, as well as providing support for all the other elements. You have very few words to use in a picture book, so you need to do a lot with each plot point.</p>
<p>In general, your plot should:<br />
• Hook readers fast<br />
• Build tension that a child can follow<br />
• Create page turns that feel natural<br />
• Wrap up in a way that satisfies</p>
<p>You can borrow a plot twist (a leg) from one manuscript and the opening (the other leg) from a different manuscript. Consider if the subplot of the middle grade novel you trunked would work better as a picture book. Or maybe your Facebook post about a disastrous camping trip could become a story for kids. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other until you have your storyline.

The Arms of your story are the side characters.

The Torso of your story is the setting. Setting helps a story breathe and connects all the elements of the story. It isn't just where your story lives, it's what makes your story ALIVE. It's the difference between "this happened in a park" and "this happened in that park, the one with the twisty slide that burns your legs and the creaky swing that sounds like a baby crying.”</p>
<p>Your setting should:<br />
• Make your character's world feel real<br />
• Contain your story in a way that makes sense to young readers<br />
• Connect different scenes and moments organically<br />
• Give your illustrator enough room to add visual subplots</p>
<p>Half-finished manuscripts are a great place to dig up settings, since you worked out the place details before the plot petered out. Or maybe you had to cut a second fantastic location from your chapter book. You can also revisit the detailed caption from your Instagram carousel documenting your tour of that delish candy shop. Disinter a robust setting that can house all of your story's vital organs.

After you press the Click When Done circle button, the lights flash with the sound of electricity buzzing. Then the screen goes black and lightning zaps across the screen with the sound of thunder.

The screen then lights up to show the storage room, and all the Frankenstein pieces have been assembled into the whole monster. An upbeat song plays in the background. Then a speech bubble pops up with the words, “I’m alive! I’M ALIVE!” Then the screen goes to black.

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