One of the main benefits of writing contests is that they can open up markets for you which otherwise would be hard to break into. Also if you enter contests on a regular basis, which I recommend, then it helps build up self discipline, it helps you to write to a given length and meet deadlines.

We always recommend that you enter the big prestigious competitions like the Bridport, or the Arvon biennial poetry contest, or the Crime Writers Association Macallan award. Win one of these contests and you are well on the way to success as an author.

A word of advice. Don’t be afraid of entering the big contests because you fear been judged against well established writers. All reputable contests that I know of keep the names of authors from the judges until they’ve made a final decision.

While the major contests only come around once a year keep an eye open for small press competitions, a lot of these publications rely on entry fees to keep their heads above water. Some of the more established magazines are well established and your work could be seen my a large number of readers.

Poetry is not my strong point but i do know that a large number of poetry contests are more like lotteries than competitions. How so? Well it is common place for entries to be divided up among a panel of judges, each judge selects a small short list, when that is done then all the judges read all the short listed enteries. So if a judge elimates you in the first round, that’s it no one else will see your work!