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Are there any meaningful contests out there for fiction novels?

I've never entered any contests and never looked for one, but I seem to read more about them all over the place. I know some are large and prestigious, but are most worth the effort or are they just feel good things like paying to put yourself on a "who's who" list?

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A good question, John. I haven't done any contest but I do understand the entry fees to raise prize money. I've held a couple of contests without entry fees, but it didn't yield any long lasting results. When it comes to paying to be on a "who's who" list I think we're all guilty of that when we pay dues to belong to clubs and organizations. The problem with writer organizations is, few people trust them, including me. There's a lot of distrust, so I don't know if there is such a thing as a "who's who" among the majority of writers. Perhaps a few professionals such as King and Steele, but even the pros seem to keep their distance.
Hi John,

Whether they are meaningful or not, that will be your decision in the end. It depends on what you want to get out of them.

I think if you enter the right ones (the biggies) and win, it does bring you promotion and bragging rights. It also is a good thing to add to your resume, such as an awards your book wins. Note, it can't be any old rinky dink contest either. It should be something that holds weight in the industry, a contest that if you win, people will really take notice. Some contests are so huge that if an author wins them, they end up with stories done on them in big time papers like The New York Times, etc. You never know where things lead.

So far, I've not entered my books in any but I might with my next release. My books have won awards though. If I do enter a contest, it's going to be one that matters. With those, even if you don't win, your book gets attention for just you taking part.

Think big! If you want to try them, nothing wrong with that. It's just up to what you expect and want out of it.

By the way, one of my dreams would be to win the Edgar Allan Poe award or the Alfred Hitchcock award. You have no idea how much this means to a mystery, suspense writer. Some authors want the Pulitzer, nah. I got my own dreams, LOL!

Best Wishes!

http://www.stacy-deanne.net
Here's a great list of upcoming writer's contests and conferences: http://ow.ly/wX2R

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