You know what I always say about winning? You can’t win if you don’t try! I just added the Michael Lacapa Award to my Awards page. So, go check that out and ooh and ahh, but come right back to find out where you can win this month!

Back? Okay, find a story that you know a 3 to 8 year old would love. Preferably a story you have written. Now, take that story, give it a polish and send your gem to the Abilene Writers Guild Annual Contest in the Children’s Stories division. Yes, there’s an entry fee ($5.00) but there’s also a chance to win (sorta) big bucks. Your entry must be postmarked by October 31st, so quit reading and start writing. Oh, and winning!

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?