question about breaking into the writing business?

Question

ok heres the story...im writing a short story and I have been writing short stories for a while but this time im looking to at least be published or entered into a contest. To make it short...I am VERY EAGER to make a name for myself but i am wondering if i am setting myself up for failure by setting my goals to high and too soon. I think i am but im just very insecure right now and im asking this anyways LOL. Any feedback is greatly appreciated, thanks!

Answer 1

You mentioned entering your story into a writing contest to see if it basically stacks up for publication. My suggestion is to go to www.writersdigest.com and click on their contests pages. They have contests for short short stories (1500 words max.; $12 per entry), popular fiction (4,000 words max or less, $12.50 per entry, 5 categories), nonfiction, poetry, etc.
They have pages with the contest rules, too, as well as prizes, etc. In the short stories categories, the grand prize is between $2500 and $3000, $100 in Writer's Digest books, and the opportunity to have your story critiqued by one of their editors. If you want to be a writer, this is one of the best places to start.
Another website is www.helium.com. They also will pay for things that you write and submit according to their guidelines.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

Most cities have writer's clubs, critique groups, or classes for writers (not necessarily affiliated with a formal school) where you can get pointers on things like making your work marketable, getting an agent, and writing queries, or developing a proposal package. Classes can be expensive, but clubs usually charge a very nominal fee, and critique groups are free.

Yahoo Groups has some sites for writers.

There are also magazines like Writer's Digest, Poets and Writers, The Writer, and many others that offer good advice for aspiring authors. Some of them also either run regular contests, or list contests that are coming up.

The way I found the writing class I currently attend was by joining a monthly writer's workshop, hosted by a local Barnes and Noble book store, and talking to the people who showed up for the workshop. Once I was in the class, I found other writers who invited me to join critique groups and writer's clubs.

I know how vulnerable you feel about sharing your writing with other writers, some of whom will write better than you do. No matter how well any of us writes, there will always be somebody better, so just take a deep breath and plunge in. I've found most other writers to be very encouraging and helpful. We all remember what it felt like to be in your shoes.

Hope this helps.

Answer 4

IMO, paying to enter contests isn't a great way to go, especially as a barometer for determining your present talents. (Virtually all contests get their prize money from contest entries.)

If your work might be good enough to win, why not submit it to the appropriate market for sale? If it's rejected, find a local or online critique group to help you determine its weaknesses and do a rewrite.