Writing Contests

You might remember that at some time I mentioned that entering writing contests is what got me hooked and started in this career. There were many disappointments, of course, when I didn’t win or even place. But there were moments of joy when I did. I remember one specific episode when I entered a writing contest about patio decks. I loved my deck and spent many hours out there, especially at night gazing at the stars. I wrote about that. And lo and behold, I won. That was years ago, but I still remember the UPS truck driving up and the delivery guy unloading box after box of gallons of deck stains, paint, brushes, etc., for our deck. That was my prize – items for the deck! I was one happy camper. Other times, I won free subscriptions for magazines. Winning gave me the confidence to pursue what I loved. I still think it’s a great idea for those writers just starting to break in to enter writing contests. It gives you an opportunity to follow guidelines, word counts, and deadlines. Debut Children’s Authors Helped by Contest Wins written by Institute of Children’s Writers' author Laura Aldir-Hernandez covers what I’ve been writing about. Read it and start submitting.

Last week I attended and signed books at the Latino Family Expo being held at the convention center. The picture above is of Folkloric dancers performing in their colorful dresses.