Winning Short Story Competitions: Essential Tools for the Serious Writer

A writing guide authored by competition judges. In a first, judges and editors discuss what makes one entry stand out above the others. The authors are highly experienced editors and judges and detail with discussion, examples and exercises essential writing skills for the serious writer. Whilst the book is geared towards short stories, the skills translate across all genres. Short fiction is in demand. For emerging writers, it’s a swift path to publication-swifter than that first novel, for sure. Submission calls are global and a few publications will light up your portfolio. Collectively, over the years, L. E. Daniels and C. Sawyer have judged many short story competitions and seen patterns in what makes stories wobble, and what makes them dance. When you enter competitions you’re pitting yourself against a legion of other writers who are largely just as talented and passionate as yourself. Competitions are filled with good to great writers. In Winning Short Story Competitions, Daniels and Sawyer detail the difference between the winners and the well-populated layer of the field that score around the 8/10 mark for their work. Long- or Short-Listing, or better yet, winning, competitions endorses that you have the skills and talent of a career writer. Chapters include: How to Impress Judges, Behind the Scenes: How One Literary Judge Approaches Short Story Comps, Your Writerly Self, Hint, Tantalise, Reel Me In, Enter Late, Leave Early, How Dialogue Makes Plot, Theme & Conflict Shine, POV: Who’s The Boss?, Let’s Talk Tautologies & Filters, The Art of Self-Editing, Top Drawer Writing Groups & Peer Review, Your Title, Your Promise, Recommended Resources, Ten Weeks of Creative Writing Exercises to Hone Your Skills. Reviews available at hawkeyebooks.com.au.