This is one of the [[assignments for publishing]] you can choose. > You have much to gain from entering writing contests: 1) Having a deadline forces you to finish editing, and 2) Many contests require you to write a synopsis and a pitch, both of which are essential for approaching publishing houses and/or agents. And if the contest is free, what have you got to lose? Erica Verrillo’s blog “Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity” has a [post listing several good sites to find writing contests you can enter](https://publishedtodeath.blogspot.com/p/free-contests.html). (Please lmk if that link no longer works.) Explore these or find other ones. Enter a contest. For your assignment in class, tell us all about the process: - What contest did you enter, and what were the guidelines? - What writing did you choose for your entry? - If you had to write a synopsis and/or pitch, share those with us. - What kind of editing and revising did you do, if any, before submitting? - Are you emotionally invested? Intimidated? Psyched? Don’t care either way? - What have you learned by going through the process? - Did you win or get accepted or whatever? If so or if not, how does that make you feel? - Will you be trying this kind of thing again? Why or why not?