1st Turning Point

Posted By Joleen James on November 19, 2009

Joleen Wieser, Author

by Joleen Wieser, Golden Heart Winner
1st Turning Point Columnist
Copyright © 2009 Joleen Wieser

When Ann Charles told me I was the perfect person to write an article on using writing contests to promote myself, I was sure she was mistaken.  I’ve entered contests over the years-who hasn’t?  But what, if anything, have I done with regard to promoting myself?

While mulling the topic over I came to the realization that I’ve done plenty. 

Entering contests is a calculated move for me.  However, it wasn’t always that way.  At first, I entered contests for validation in a lonely business.  Later, as I gained experience, I began to choose my contests more carefully.  I entered contests that were known for stiff competition and excellent editor/agent judges.  The ultimate draw for me as an unpublished author was the editor judge.  Was she or he someone I wanted to work with?  If the answer was yes, I’d consider entering.

If I’m lucky enough to final in a contest, then I get to work.  Below is a list of the ways I’ve used contests to promote myself. 

• I added my Golden Heart win to my letterhead, business cards and address labels.
• I will use Award Winning Author on my website homepage (haven’t done this yet, but my website will be up soon).
• I’ve used the Golden Heart finals/wins, and other contest finals/wins in query letters I’ve sent out to editors and agents.
• When I won the Emerald City Opener this past October, I also added this to my cover letter, along with the news that the proposal has been requested by the editor who judged the entry.
• I added my contest wins to my bio in a condensed form. 

Another perk to entering an RWA sponsored contest is most chapters will put your name in the RWR (Romance Writers Report) if you place.  Great promotion.  When I won the Golden Heart, my picture went on the back cover of the RWR. 

There are so many ways to use contests, and I’ve just scratched the surface.  I asked a few author friends, both published and unpublished, about their use of contests for promotion.  Their answers are interesting and worth noting.

Gerri Russell, author of To Tempt A Knight, had this to say, “My whole career is the result of using contests to promote myself.  The American Title contest not only gave me the impetus to put myself out there in order to win that contract with Dorchester, it taught me the skills I would need later about promotion.  I learned to leave my comfort zone behind.  I realized the power of a web presence.  Blogging allowed me to reach out to a broader audience than I’d ever had before.  It allowed me to form and build on personal relationships with others, and the contest is the very reason I am published today.”

Gina Robinson, author of Spy Games says, “I used contests to get my work in front of editors and agents I was targeting.  I also used contest wins/finals in my query letters.  Listing a big contest win in your signature line, particularly if you’re on a list, like the RWA PRO loop, where they have editor and agent guests, is also a good way to distinguish yourself from the crowd.”

Here’s another angle.  Why not consider becoming a contest coordinator for your local RWA chapter?  Ann Charles and Wendy Delaney co-chaired the 2009 Emerald City Opener contest sponsored by Greater Seattle RWA.  When I spoke to Ann, she had this to say about using the contest chair position as a promotional tool:

“The obvious benefit you get when chairing the contest is working with the editor and agent judges.  Every opportunity you get to put your name in front of them is great, so long as the exposure is positive, and you treat the editors and agents with respect.  Acting professional in correspondence and in every personal interaction is essential.”

Charles continues, “However, there is yet another layer of benefits.  You also get to work with the author and Golden Heart finalist/winner judges.  By working with these first round judges, you are offered the opportunity to network with them on a different level.  In this case, you are asking them for their expertise, so if you treat them with respect in regards to their time and work, many of the authors will come to know you as a peer.  Always make sure you thank them for their help in print and in person, and the impression you leave will be even more positive.”

“The third layer of benefits from the contest is the contest entrants,” Charles further explains.  “While many or most of these entrants are unpublished, they are all readers, and they all know many other readers.  Some of these entrants will go on to be published, multi-published, even New York Times bestselling published.  How you treat these entrants is as important as how you treat the judges, editors, and agents.  Most of them will remember your name and how you treated them throughout the contest process.  If you publish and they see your name on the bookshelf, the chance of them picking up your book increases greatly because of that positive impression you left.”

A final word of advice is that you should have a plan when you enter a contest.  It’s easy to become a contest junkie.  Contests are expensive and take valuable time to prepare.  Is it your goal to enter contests or sell your work?  What will you get out of the experience if you final?  How will you use what you get to further your goals?

The road to publication is short for some, but long for the majority of us.  Finding a way to stand out is a challenge, and contests give you a means to do just that.  Considering entering?  Good luck!

After finaling in the Golden Heart three times, Joleen Wieser thought she’d always be a bridesmaid and never a bride, but in 2008 she won the Golden Heart with her series contemporary manuscript Under A Harvest Moon. Currently, she’s working hard to make her dream of publication come true.

Categories: Entering Contests, Joleen James, Name Recognition, Social Networking, Unpublished
Tags: ann charles, emerald city opener, gerri russell, gina robinson, golden heart, greater seattle rwa, romance writers of america, RWA, spy games, to tempt a knight, wendy delaney