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Cathy C. Hallhttps://cathychall.wordpress.com/I write, write, write. Then I rewrite, rewrite, rewrite. THEN I submit all those polished-up words out into the world and sell 'em. It's a plan that's worked pretty well.

Do Contests Count?

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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?

Tooting My Horn Tuesday: ICL Opportunity

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So, you remember how I’m taking the ICL class? And how I’ve told you about the weekly e-news that you can subscribe to for all sorts of children’s writing tips? And that it’s free, so you’d be crazy not to subscribe?

Oh, but did you? If you had, you’d know that there was a recent call out for articles needed. Not necessarily kiddie lit articles, either. Writing-in-general articles were also needed. And I happened to have a splendiferous writing-in-general article idea. Which, as you have probably guessed, was accepted for publication in the newsletter. Wheee!

The editor said she loved to see “articles with clearly organized goals and objectives.”I think that’s a huge hint about what she’s looking for, don’t you?

So, here’s the moral to this horn-tootin’ story: You never know where you might come across a call out. Keep an eye peeled. U might C opportunity knocking all over the place.