Why Try Out for Free Poetry Contests as a Beginner
If you are just starting out in poetry and wish to establish yourself in this field, you might consider trying out for poetry contests. Writing contests are among the best ways to gain experience and get some feedback about your work. If you choose to enter a contest, there are many benefits that come with it. This article puts into focus some of the benefits of trying out for a poetry writing contest:
Prestige
Most free poetry competitions intend to publish the names of people who win and those who made the shortlist. This can come in handy for you, especially if the competition is reputable. It could be a steppingstone to greater heights. Having your name featured in a shortlist for the competition will also give you a buzz and, in turn, helps you grow your audience base.
Discipline
To win poetry contests, rules and guidelines must be followed. For instance, a deadline is set that you must meet failure to which you get disqualified from the project. This will make you more determined and disciplined about meeting even the deadlines that you set for yourself. It also teaches you new skills like research. Imagine a situation where you have to write 10 poems all around the same theme. You cannot spin and regurgitate the same work 10 times. You will be forced to research widely.
Free learning
There are some competitions that require you to pay in order to participate. Free poetry competitions however provide you a stress-free subscription and learning. You do not have to pay a fortune to get your work read by others. It is basically free learning. You only invest in your time and energy.
It might lead to other projects
Your participation in writing competitions does not go unnoticed particularly if your work is show stopping. The dream of many a participant is that a grand publishing house or agent will notice them and they will become famous. Sadly, it does not work like that always. However, entering your work into competitions works wonders in building connections. There are people who will definitely notice your work.
Conclusion
As you prepare to sign up for a poetry competition, there are two key things you can expect – honest feedback and long working hours. You will find yourself spending a lot of time structuring your ideas, writing and rewriting, editing and then starting over. Do not give up. Keep at it! There is an actual chance that you will win the competition.