Just trying to weigh whether or not it would be worth the effort to set up a short story competition on my website, so I thought I'd ask what you guys think first.
- No entry fee
- No winning prize
- Your story could possibly be seen by thousands
- Will provide a link to your blog/website if you have one
We already have a pretty successful Poem of the Week contest but I don't know whether enough people would enter without a prize at the end.
Would you enter?
No. Exposure isn't enough incentive to enter a contest or submit to a magazine. Payment is a must. You might get a decent amount of submissions regardless, but they probably won't be very good.
Hmm, I appreciate you being candid. The website isn't earning much so any prize fund would have to be straight out of my moth-plagued wallet.
I disagree with Max. Being able to say that your story won a contest or was shortlisted is a big deal. Yes it's not as significant if there is no prize, and with a new contest only little prestige, but it could still help people get read and get noticed.
I suppose this is an okay deal for people who already have steady sources of income, writing-related or otherwise. But I personally wouldn't enter. It's not that I'm trying to suck money out of your--or anyone's--pocket. I'm just a college student paying for a life-long medical treatment my insurance company refuses to cover. So yeah.
Getting noticed is great, of course, but you will be at a huge disadvantage when compared to a plethora of contests that offer both exposure and monetary prizes.
Me personally, I wouldn't enter...and that's nothing against Cultured Vultures. It's because I'm constantly notified about writing competitions and contests on a fairly regular basis that do pay. Most of them don't have an entry fee, and for the ones that do the entry fee is minimal...like $2 or something. Those are the ones that are going to rank higher in my mind.
Thanks for the responses, it's pretty helpful. What would you say the average prize kitty is for a short story winner?
$50 is a decent payout. You'll at least draw some semi-pro authors that way.
Honestly I'd take someone slightly less seriously if they listed being shortlisted for a non-paying contest in a context that established they thought it was a serious thing.
So I've decided to provide a prize of £25 to the winner at £5 per entry. Would any of you be keen?
