Writing contests

I've thought about entering a writing contest or two before, but I haven't done it yet. I haven't found any that really suited me that I was absolutely sure were legitimate, either.

I try to find contests with no entry fee. If I entered every contest that had an entry fee I'd be broke. I do enter the Toronto Star Short Story Contest every year, which costs $5. But when I enter poetry I don't want to have to pay $5 to $15 U.S. to enter. It's money lost if you don't win. I guess I'm just not that confident in my abilities. LOL!

I enter some writing contests. I try to find free ones. But I will pay if I think I have good chance to win, especially if it's a good idea.

Most writing contests require fees and that is why I do not enter. I can never understand why a writer who has to pay for (if it is not received as a present) his or her computer or typewriter and buy the paper, ink, cartridges, stamps, envelopes, find a place to write, and the time to do it. Oh yes there is the creative writing courses, the online courses, or the books if one cannot afford to take a course, and then after all that, they expect them to pay $10 or so to enter a contest. If the contest were free or if it was a voluntary fee, then it would be all right, but if it were a contest, would not someone else, like the organization sponsoring it, pay for it, and not the writers, themselves?

I did about 6 yrs ago. I was new here and the only English words I knew was the ones I learned in my homeland. The publisher though was kind. She liked my writing, it was original. She told me to improve the grammar (I hate this part) and I resubmitted it. So my story was one among 14 stories got published in their book. I never mentioned it to anyone else but my family before, but now you know. They told me I should write again but I never did. I don't know if it's worth it, but I never enter any contest again after that. What I wrote was an honest fact and it scared the hell out of me to ever do it again.

I've never entered a writing contest (yet). But my dad says you should never enter a contest that makes you pay because it could be a scam. And plus, like she said, it's a waste if you don't win...even if it isn't a scam.

I have never entered a contest, but that doesn't mean I dislike them. I guess I keep waiting till I have something I think is good enough. I read "Poets & Writers" magazine, and I totally trust their contests and information. I think they are a great resource. Thanks for providing the website information in one of the responses, too! I know that there are scams out there, but there are many literary magazines who barely hang on financially and need the infusion of cash to keep on going. Most offer a free subscription as part of the contest fee. I think writers are often unrealistic in what they expect from these small journals. First of all, you have to pay someone an honorarium to read through all those entries, even if it is just staff. They there is the award (cash), so I don't think that they are trying to rip off writers, just keep their financial journals afloat. Someday I hope to enter a contest. Have you entered any?