You submitted entry after entry, following the guidelines to a tee and working your tail off to produce the best piece of writing you could, and finally, your hard work has been recognized!
If you’ve just won a writing contest, congratulations—it’s time to celebrate! But once you’ve taken a moment to revel in that victory, it’s time to spread the word and make sure your author platform can actually benefit from that well-earned recognition.
What to Do After Winning a Writing Contest
Follow these 5 steps to tell the world about your victory and spread awareness of your work.
1. Share your win on social media.
Don’t be shy! If you’ve won a writing contest—whether you’ve taken 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place—share that victory with your followers on social media and your author website.
Winning writing contests is a great way to build your credibility and authority as a writer, so readers who are new to your platform will see that your work is reputable and at least worth a try.
2. Add a banner to your book cover or blog.
The contest might provide you with a banner or graphic to display on your book cover or blog. (For example, TCK’s Readers Choice Awards contest issues badges that winners can display.)
3. Add it to your author bio.
Another great place to highlight your win is in your author bio, for both your book and your website.
Of course, every achievement is worth celebrating, but if you’ve won multiple contests, you may want to limit the mentions to just the most prominent ones, as there isn’t much space in these short bios and blurbs, and naming just a few well-known contests is more effective anyway.
4. Mention it in query letters to agents.
If you’re in the market for a literary agent or publisher, you should also mention your success in query letters. Again, these awards show that your work has been recognized by others as being of good quality.
No matter how large or small the host organization was, this kind of recognition could help you stand out and grab the attention of tired agents who are sorting through hundreds of letters each day.
5. Celebrate!
Finally, what should you always do when your kickass writing skills earn you an award of any kind? Celebrate!
Whether you pop open the bubbly or break into your happy dance, reward yourself with a little fun time. It’s always a great feeling to have your hard work recognized, so don’t take even the smallest victories for granted. Enjoy the moment!
Benefits of Winning a Writing Contest
Even if you don’t win, entering a writing contest can be very beneficial, especially for new writers. For some contests, the judges will provide feedback, which makes the investment of your time and money (if there’s an entry fee) well worth it. You’ll also build your confidence when it comes to putting your work out there.
If you are lucky enough to actually win, though, there are several added benefits that can really help your writing career.
For one, you’ll establish greater credibility for yourself as a writer if an organization with authority in the industry recognizes your work.
Then, of course, there are the actual prizes! Most often, the prize for a writing contest includes a cash award, and sometimes other significant perks, like a publishing deal or your work being printed in a literary magazine.
This will help you gain more exposure for your work, which is why after winning, you should multiply those benefits by spreading the word yourself with the tips above.
Writing Contests Can Help Your Career
You might be feeling a little shy about putting your work out there for the world to see, but whether you win or lose, entering a writing contest can help you grow your confidence and build your skills as a writer.
Then, if you win, be sure to take advantage of those benefits by sharing the happy news with your followers and readers.
Did you find this post helpful? Let us know in the comments below!
If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:
- 2020 Writing Contests: Where and How to Enter Your Work
- List of Book Awards Contests (Updated 2020)
- How to Enter a Writing Contest: 8 Tips for Success
- Readers Choice Awards Nominee Resources
As a blog writer for TCK Publishing, Kaelyn loves crafting fun and helpful content for writers, readers, and creative minds alike. She has a degree in International Affairs with a minor in Italian Studies, but her true passion has always been writing. Working remotely allows her to do even more of the things she loves, like traveling, cooking, and spending time with her family.
