Let’s say that you have this wonderful kiddie story, all dressed up with no market to go to. So, you’re staring at your computer screen, thinking what about a contest? But then you pause a minute and think again. Do contests count?

Oh, yes. And not just those prestigious contests with expensive entry fees.  Those not-quite-so-la-ti-da contests with reasonable fees count, too.

You can practice keeping your writing tight when you have a word count specification. You can practice writing age-related fiction when you have a target/grade specification. You can broaden your appeal when you write for a theme. And finally, you can win! a contest and brag a little. (Okay, you can brag a lot if you take me out to lunch with your winnings.)

So try a contest, like this one. Children’s Writer has several contests a year. And even though there’s a fee, you get a trial subscription with that fee. So even if you lose, you win. That’s got to count for something, right?