Writing Roots

S46 Bonus – About Writing Contests with Rebecca van Laer of Reedsy

When we got a series of questions from our listeners regarding writing contests, we decided to get in contact with an expert. Rebecca van Laer is a writing contest judge with Reedsy. She sat down with us to answer your questions and talk about submissions, crafting a story for a contest, and more.
First aired September 30, 2023.

S46E8 – Writing for Anthologies

An anthology is a collection of stories or poems, often by a variety of authors, centered around a common theme. These are a great opportunity for new authors to expand their reader base by joining with other authors who share a similar target audience.
Listen for more about anthologies, their purpose, and what to look for when submitting.
First aired September 28, 2023.

S46E7 – A Look at Writing Contest Judging

If you want to enter your stories into writing contests, it’s good to go in knowing what to expect. From having an understanding of the contest and the judges to having an idea of the sequence of events, any bit of information you have can help ease anxieties.
Listen for more about the process of judging and what to expect once you hit submit.
First aired September 25, 2023.

S46E6 – The “Don’ts” of Writing Contests

Most of this month is dedicated to helping you know what to do when writing for and submitting to story contests. In this episode, we want to summarize those things you should avoid. These are common mistakes authors make when creating short stories or interacting with contests.
First aired September 21, 2023.

S46E5 – Formatting for a Writing Contest

While every contest will have its own rules and guidelines for submission, there are some general standards across the industry that you can follow now to make submissions easier. In this episode, we talk about the tips from Writer’s Digest on how to get your story ready to submit so it doesn’t get rejected out of hand for poor formatting.
First aired September 18, 2023.

S46E4 – Editing for a Short Story Contest

Before you submit your short story (or any piece of writing) to a contest, you absolutely must edit it. This is more than simply checking for punctuation, spelling, and grammar mistakes. Editing for a contest must be done with the understanding that everyone else is also putting forward their best work.
Listen for tips on how to comb through that story and make it the best polished version you possibly can before submission.
First aired September 14, 2023.

S46E3 – Writing for Short Story Contests

Writing a short story, especially with the goal of entering contests, means breaking down the standard storytelling structure into its basic parts. It involves focusing on the most important aspects of the character development or plot.
In this episode, we talk about how to write a short story that will grab the attention of judges.
First aired September 11, 2023.
For more on this topic, visit Writer’s Digest.

S46E2 – Finding the Right Writing Contest

There are many different writing contests out there, especially in this digital age. Anyone can technically host a contest and charge a fee for submissions. That can make it difficult to find ones that align with both your budget and your writing goals.
In this episode, we discuss how to find contests and how to determine if submitting will be worth your time.
First aired September 7, 2023.

S46E1 – Different Types of Writing Contests

Writing contests can be a foot in the door or a way to gain experience for authors of all kinds. There are many different contests you can enter, from short stories and poetry to cover design and audiobooks.
Throughout this series, we will be talking about contests, how to write for them, how to find them, and the pros and cons of submitting your name. We start by talking about the different kinds of contests and the most common sources.
First aired September 4, 2023.

S45E9 – The Editor’s Toolkit

Every editor needs to be prepared with a variety of tools at their disposal in order to help authors. From editing/writing programs to technical knowledge to style guides, each piece in your toolkit will benefit your overall work.
Ley and Leigh discuss different options to consider for your own toolkit, and how to determine what belongs based on genre.
First aired August 31, 2023.