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JILL ELIZABETH NELSON

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Contests are a good deal in several ways for both the published and pre-published writer. Before I received my first book contract, I was a finalist several years in a row in the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) Noble Theme Contest. (The contest is now called the Genesis and is currently open to entries at http://www.acfw.com/.) Now that I have a number of books out on the market, I still enter contests. Let me tell you why.

For the pre-published, contests offer unique opportunities.

Low-cost critique from experienced writers.

Where else can you get such low-cost feedback on a chapter from authors who are farther down the publishing road than you are? Granted, not every suggestion written on our submissions should be taken as gospel, but we can take the nuggets and discard the dross. Sifting through feedback offers a great way to learn how to weigh suggestions and incorporate them (or not) in our work. When I judge contests I try to give feedback the writer can apply to the entire manuscript.

Opportunity for recognition in the industry.

Each successive year I was a finalist in the Noble Theme brought me to the attention of more agents and editors. I appeared on their radar, so to speak, as an up-and-coming writer to watch, and eventually, the recognition helped me get an agent and then a publisher.

Experience handling criticism.

The ability to receive criticism with a receptive and humble heart is invaluable to any writer, not just those who haven’t yet sold their first book. Rejection is part of the business for the published and pre-published alike, as is editorial critique. A gracious attitude toward corrective feedback is a hallmark of a professional and makes an author desirable to work with in the eyes of an editor or agent.

For published authors, contests offer:

Feedback from other writers that can help improve future books.
The opportunity for recognition in the industry that may open doors to further contracts.
Recognition among readers that may increase sales.

As a final word, I would offer a caveat about contests. As excellent as they can be in so many ways, contests contain a degree of subjectivity. Perhaps what you have written is not to one judge’s taste, and you get a lower score from that person than the others, keeping you from being a finalist or placing. In those cases, you get up, dust yourself off, thank the Lord for whatever valuable instruction came out of the experience, and move on. This, too, is great practice in behaving as a professional with grace and humility. I speak from experience!

BIO: Jill Elizabeth Nelson writes what she likes to read—tales of adventure spiced with romance, humor, and faith. Reluctant Smuggler is her latest release in the To Catch a Thief series of romantic suspense. To find out more about her books, read excerpts, listen to a recording of the author reading the first chapter, and enter a monthly contest for a free signed copy, drop by http://www.jillelizabethnelson.com/. Jill and her husband of over 25 years live in rural Minnesota, where they enjoy camping, outdoor cooking, and hiking (weather permitting). They are both movie-buffs, and Jill is an avid reader.