I love to enter writing contests. The benefits are manifold: you get immediate feedback, you learn what catches editors’ attention, and the small awards keep you going on the long, lonely trek toward writing and selling a publishable novel.

In 2006 I set a goal to submit at least one short story or to enter at least one contest a year. And if I won a contest or sold a story, I considered the year a success. I believed I was moving forward. This past year I didn’t enter any contests, but I did get an agent. So last year was a great success for me. I am crawling forward in this “pursuit of publication” marathon.

This year, since my agent is responsible for sending out my proposals, I have more time again, and I’m going to spend some of that time entering contests, I think. My goal this year is to complete a first draft of my WIP by April 1 and a revision by June 1, and to enter at least three contests or send out three short story submissions.

Here are the writing contests I’m looking at entering this year:

• SCBWI grants
• Writer’s Digest
• And I want to submit a story to Highlights. 

I also have a short story that I wrote last year for a contest that got lost in cyber space and never got entered. I want to enter it in some picture book contests this year because it has only 500 words and it relies on pictures to carry a lot of weight. Maybe I’ll try it in the SouthernBreeze contest. I want to get it in front of some editors to see what kind of feedback I’ll get on it.

What about you? What contests will you enter?

Speaking of kick-ass heroines in YA novels, you have got to read the winner of the YA category over at Novel Rocket’s LAUNCH PAD Contest: Boosting You Out of the Slush Pile contest. What a compelling read.

I hope you’ll forgive a small crow.

I won the Novel Journey OUT OF THE SLUSH PILE contest.

I was really surprised to win and am thrilled no end.

Thank you Novel Journey staff and judges, for all you do to help those who are traveling behind you on this long, and sometimes discouraging, road.

Enter to win a trip to London to see The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.

Wow! What a fun contest. Write a 200 word essay about your favorite Narnia character and why you want to go to London to see the premiere. There are still three weeks left to enter. The contest ends November 20,2010.

Students under 18 can write the essays as long as their parents enter the contest for them, so this should be great for the homeschool crowd.

Go, write, enter, enjoy.

Over at Habitual Rhymer, Lori Degman is having a contest. The prize is a critique of a rhyming picture book.

So if you have a picture book that’s written all in rhyme,
and you want a second look, from Lori so sublime,
then leave your comment on her blog—you’d better do it soon.
Her contest will be over—a week from now, at noon.

OK, the truth is that the contest ends Friday April 9, 2010, at midnight. Sorry.