Enlightened Conversation.
Tag: contest
What would you do if you discovered a device that can take you anywhere? What if it can take you at any time in history or the future?
In this week’s contest, our protagonist, through a quirk of fate, finds such a device.
Please leave a comment on the site after reading this free, totally free entry.
Thanks
Many of you know I frequently submit contest entries to Reedsy, aiming for several submissions each month.
While the tease, the carrot, if you will, of $250 is nice, the reality is that I don’t even consider that part of the prize that I am seeking.
People around the world read my stories. While a simple “like” is an affirmation in that they took the time to click like, it is for the critiques of other writers I seek.
Since they don’t know me, they can tell me what they honestly think or feel. I also reciprocate for the stories that I read. I do that with the good, the bad, and the ugly.
This week’s entry was posted, and I received the following review.
Scott, your story masterfully blends humor, serendipity, and heartfelt moments into a captivating narrative that made me feel like I was right there in the snowed-in airport. The line, “No, I’m not tired,” he whispered sadly, “but I’m also sad to see the blizzard ending,” encapsulates the bittersweet feeling of fleeting connections and new possibilities. Your depiction of Victor and Emma’s banter and chemistry, especially their shared frustrations and quick wit, is utterly delightful. The humor throughout the story—like Emma’s hilarious commentary on airport bars—kept the mood lively while the underlying emotions added depth. Your vivid descriptions, especially of the bustling airport bar and Victor’s nostalgia for Toad Suck, created a rich, immersive backdrop. This is a wonderfully crafted piece with humor, heart, and charm. Thank you for sharing such a delightful read!
I am not sharing this as a brag but as an example.
Countless similar contests, with their own unique rules and prizes, undoubtedly exist across various platforms and communities. For me, these contests are much like a recess from grade school—a welcome break from the pressures of work, a chance to let loose and have some fun, just like those carefree days of childhood. The prompt transports me from my project – be it the chilling winds and barren rocks of an alien planet or the plush carpets and rich scents of a movie star’s boudoir. The challenge is to meticulously plan my writing, unlike my spontaneous, free-flowing pantster style. With a maximum of 3000 words, creating the arc, the storyline, and so on is excellent practice for that New York Times bestseller that is looming in the near distance of my imagination.
Follow the link to my entry and see what you think. Was she right?
Recently, I published a book of these entries called Ephemera, Tales of the Fleeting and Profound. Another book with the same name, Vol II, is in the making as I take these stories, edit them, add to them as I see fit, and re-publish them as a book of short stories. You can find my work here.
Welcome to 2025 and your personal connection to someone passionate about the craft of writing. Cheers!
This week’s #reedsy contest features a prompt that intrigued me.
Center your story on a character filled with love and fear in equal measure.
Check out my latest story.
In the hushed corridors of a historic museum, Peter Thomas, an aspiring artist moonlighting as a security guard, becomes inexplicably drawn to a haunting portrait of a woman named Georgiana. The painting said to imprison the soul of a king’s daughter punished for love, ensnares Peter with its eerie allure. As Halloween approaches, under the glow of a blood moon, he discovers the painting’s sinister secret. Lured into a deadly game of deception orchestrated by the enigmatic curator, Roger, Peter unwittingly becomes part of a centuries-old curse. With the stroke of midnight, the boundary between art and reality blurs, revealing a world where the living and the painted are intertwined. In a twist of fate, Peter’s fascination turns into betrayal, leaving him trapped within the canvas while Georgiana—now free—steps into the modern world. “Brushstrokes of Betrayal” weaves a gothic tale of enchantment, sacrifice, and the timeless seduction of art, where the ultimate role one plays may not have a curtain call.
https://blog.reedsy.com/short-story/4zw843/
After you read the story (for free) take a moment and leave me a comment. Those are helpful. Thanks!
Is it a good idea to enter contests?
I harken back to why I first put pen to paper way back when I was a child. Before English classes were part of my routine, I wrote. To be fair, I also drew and took part in other creative expressions, including teaching myself to play the guitar.
Ancient movies might give false hope to writers. Dragging the carriage of an old typewriter back to the starting point a million times or so in the hopes of creating a best-selling novel might seem like a great idea. Still, I think it is the wrong reason to write.
I write for the same reasons I paint or play music; I do it for myself.
Losing oneself in a world you create is the only reward I can count on. Sorry if that bursts your bubble, but it is the truth of it. The same goes for painting or, yes, music.
‘But, there are famous artists, and look at these books that have sold millions of copies.’
Yes, that is true, and look at the lottery ticket winners; see, the comparison is not as estranged as one might think.
While I create stories, paintings, and music for my own pleasure, there is that fantasy that lives in the back of my mind that this book will be one that will sell.
So, to answer the first bullet point, write to please yourself. The odds are that others might also like your book if you are happy with your creation.
To respond to the second bullet point contest.
I have entered multiple contests and won many. Winning local contests affirms your writing; not winning is a wake-up call that you must improve something. The something is the bugaboo. What is it that you need to improve?
I will address this in a future blog. For now, I want to focus on which contests you should enter.
Lately, I have entered the Reedsy contest. Usually, there are about 300 entries that pay five dollars per entry. It doesn’t take a mathematician to figure out this is a business.
The cards are stacked in their favor, much like any gambling house, casino, or slot machine.
Why it works is simple: they prey on one’s ego.
Analyzing winning stories, it didn’t take long to determine that the judges were swayed by emotion. The judges are volunteers and could be anyone.
Reedsy is in the UK, as are their contributors, and so on. Idioms they use don’t resonate with Americans. Conversely, stories and styles written by Americans don’t seem to resonate with their judges.
In conclusion to the second bullet point, I would focus on contests in your backyard. If you live in New York, your story might not resonate with a judge in Alabama or vice versa, and most certainly not with some judge in the UK.
That is not always the case; however, keep that fact in mind.
The third bullet point that ties this all together is simply considering your audience. I continue to search for the algorithm of a best seller. Quite literally, you are shooting at a moving target. To spot your audience, one must almost be a time traveler with insight into the future.
While not as challenging as picking the correct lottery numbers for a specific day and time, it is almost as tricky.
Several authors have written how-to books on the subject.
This will sound cynical, but…if they are all knowledgable, where is their best seller?
I have their books on how to do this, and they have some value for the foundation of your novel. What they don’t have is ‘the magic formula.’
In conclusion to the title…I would keep it local and look for contests that don’t charge an entry fee unless…you get feedback on your entry, no matter what.
On Reedsy, you might get comments from those who read it; you want professional feedback.
As I venture forward in this world of words, I will continue to pontificate on what I have learned. The good news is that it won’t be in some how-to book you must pay for.
-Best
