Writing award-winning fiction is hard work
Most writers write to feed their passion and to weave words and sentences into a living, breathing work of fiction, complete with believable characters, a compelling plot and settings that prickle every sense. But every once in a while, you might feel that you want some awards. After all, an award brings new challenges and "ups the game," so to speak. You can increase your chances of getting that award by following a few simple tips before you start your next work.
Instructions
Write an Award-Winning Book
1. Practice the fundamentals of writing and hone your skill set. A writer isn't going to win any award by presenting sloppy copy and a clunky style that a reader has to slog through. So it might be best to think of your contest as a sporting event, maybe a marathon. Marathoners train with short runs during the week and one long run at the end of the week. For the writer, that means regularly writing shorter pieces that focus on crisp, tight sentences with perfect grammar. Once a week, write a longer piece that aligns with the contest you're considering, written in the form and style you plan to tackle in your final work. Before considering any contest, make sure you are on your best game.
2. Select a contest that fits your work. Horror writers shouldn't enter their fiction in love story contests, for example. Though there are exceptions, of course. Vampires in love, for example, might be a good -- and unique -- fit. Picking the right contest also means digging into information about the contest. Who are the judges and what do they like? Are there specific formatting guidelines (word count limits, for example)? How many entrants does the contest generally have? In other words, do you want your work to be a small fish in a big pond? If so, is it good enough to get noticed? Is the deadline conducive to your schedule? You don't want the deadline to fall on the due date of first child, after all. Consider all of this detail before you commit.
3. Review past award winners to see if your work fits the mold. No matter how great a writer's work is, if it doesn't fit the conventions of the contest, it is unlikely to win an award. Consider Best Picture winners of the Academy Award in the last several years. Almost all are dramas. There are few comedies (romantic and otherwise), fantasies, science fiction epics, horror films and so forth. The award for Best Picture goes to dramas -- and little else. The same can be said for the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. So write the kind of piece that wins the award you're going after. Or go at it the other way --- make sure the award you pursue usually goes to the kind of work that you're going to write.
4. Follow the rules of the contest. Do not deviate on structure, word count, media (digital, paper, number of copies) and deadline. If you do, it is likely the work will be automatically disqualified. On a more subjective note, follow the rules as they apply to subject matter, as well. As stated above, a horror story devoid of romance in a romance contest that looks down its nose at horror stories is a waste of time for all involved -- the writer and the judges.
5. Write what you love. Once you find the right contest, one you think you can win, start writing the piece primarily to suit yourself.. In the end, good stories -- fiction or otherwise -- win over readers who feel the writer's passion. Readers like a story that moves them and makes them want more. In the end, it's your passion that serves as the X-factor, turning a good work into an award-winning work.
