Contest stand out

Writing contests can receive hundreds of submissions. Thousands sometimes.

A lot of people write and a lot of people want to be seen or validated. Contests can be the easiest way to make that happen.

If you're submitting your writing to a contest, don't forget that you are one among many.

Of course, you have to make sure that you meet all the writing requirements. Word count. Formatting. Theme. Etc.

Above all that, however, remember that you have to stand out. The best way to do that is to be yourself in your writing. Show them who you are and who no one else is. Write what you are and what you know.

Stand out by being yourself. The right contest will come along and give you center stage when it's the right time for you.

Hi, My Name Is…

There are a lot of advantages to writing in the first person.

There are challenges too.

One of the biggest challenges is introducing your narrator to your readers.

It doesn't make sense for someone to introduce themselves to themselves. Unless you narrator is breaking the fourth wall, they also don’t know that they are introducing themselves to anyone, so it makes no sense for them to think about their name. It can be confusing to have your protagonist introduce themselves to another character just for the sake of having a reason to say their name.

But you don't want to hold. You don't want to wait too long before introducing your protagonist to your audience. You want them to feel an affinity to your narrator as soon as possible.

So, while it might take some time to find the right way to do it based on what's happening in your story, make sure to introduce your protagonist/narrator early enough. Otherwise, you'll leave your audience apathetic or confused.

Permission to hate it

Writing is a passion. It is a pastime. It is a love.

It is whatever you want it to be.

It's okay to admit that sometimes, it is annoying as hell too.

Sometimes the words don't want to come out. Sometimes you keep finding errors in what you wrote. Sometimes you are stuck in a plot point that refuses to have a logical solution.

Sometimes writing sucks and it's okay to admit that. Always loving writing isn't what makes you a writer. Working through the parts that you don't like makes you a writer. So keep at it, hate or shine.

Feedback timing

Writing "the end" is great.

Sometimes, you're so happy about what you've written that you just want to get it to the next step as soon as possible. You want to share it so someone else can read it and know how amazing your writing is.

You want to get some feedback from someone who wasn't in your mind the entire time you were writing.

But take a second.

Your story is great in your mind as you've written it, but rereading it might reveal a number of flaws. You might realize that there are huge plot holes. You might realize that you didn't write it all in the same tense. You might realize that a huge plot point doesn't actually make sense.

You might be proud of writing "the end," but take a pause and read your words again before you move the forward to asking for feedback. Keep your readers for when you need them the most. Don't lose them in a first draft that's still a little messy.

Simplify your promises

There are so many articles that promise you a list of things.

Five ways to make more money. Six ways to develop your character. Ten examples of the three-act structure.

Then you read the article and it's impossible to find the list of things you're looking for among all the bla bla.

Sure, I'll give you three examples, but first read all about my writing career. Let me define seventeen terms and hide my examples in there. Let me hide my five examples in two paragraphs without any bolding or other help.

If you promise someone a number of tips, help them find them. Give headings. Separate paragraphs logically. Use bullet list.

People want to learn, but they don't have all the time in the world to analyze your writing to find your lessons. If you promise a number of elements, make them clear. It will help make sure your readers come back for future tips that they can find as easily.

Leaving is easy. Why stay?

There are some characters you need in your story.

Sometimes you need an ex to still be around. Sometimes your protagonist needs a high school friend that never abandons them. Sometimes a childhood crush has to be the solution to a self-esteem issue.

The problem is: there isn't always a reason for these people to still be around in your protagonist's life.

The world is huge. There are opportunities everywhere. Your protagonist is not the main character in everyone's life.

Why would the people who can most help shape your story still be around when inciting events are happening to your protagonist?

There can be a lot of reasons, but you have to make sure you pick one. If someone from a long time ago is still in your character's life, you may need to justify it. Find the right reason for your story.

Best today. Better tomorrow.

Every year, best of lists come out. Lists of the best books and the best writing aids and the best writing websites. The best of the best, all lined up.

When it comes to websites, podcasts, and blogs, you'll find some repeats. Some of the items identified as the best one year are still there the next.

But there are always some new entries. There are always some new appearances.

The creators of these tools have learned from previous lists. They have studied. They have applied themselves.

And if they stop, they'll drop off the list.

Aim to become the best today by studying tools like these, and then keep working if you want to stay the best on your list.