Literary contests - a launching pad for novice authors

By presidential decree, 2015 in Russia is declared the year of Russian literature. In this regard, much attention will be paid to libraries, the school curriculum and, of course, to authors, especially beginners. Literary contests of different scales will be held for authors of any age and genre.

It is noteworthy that many talented people, who transmit their thoughts and experiences on paper, know very little about such contests. Their work remains in boxes, the circle of readers is limited to acquaintances and relatives, as the authors do not see the possibility of bringing their work to the light. Literary contests are called upon to help such people.

To whom and why is it necessary

For those who intend to "give life" to their creation, it is superfluous to know about the competitions held among writers. To begin acquaintance with this phenomenon it is better with questions: who is the organizers, sponsors, participants and is a jury of similar events.

Organize literary contests today can schools, universities, local or federal authorities, professional authors or communities of writers, Internet sites and publishers.

The conditions of each competition determine the set of participants, works, topics and other components of the event.

The jury of the competition can include both professional, well-deserved literary men, and ordinary people, readers. Works in the latter case are published on the Internet and are estimated by readers. Also, winners can be determined by a mixed system, professionals and amateurs together. Before submitting an application for participation, each contestant gets acquainted with the conditions of holding, where it is registered, how the works will be evaluated.

Sponsors allocate funding for the contest, the preparation of letters, diplomas, collections of best works and, if provided, monetary prizes. In return, the sponsor receives advertising on all resources, where the question is about holding a competition, and the opportunity to choose promising authors for further work.

Identify promising authors - this is one of the primary goals for the organizers of competitions. Publishers and professional writers get acquainted with the work, select the most talented authors and offer them cooperation within the framework of one job or more long-term. By the way, if literary contests are held by the state structure (school, department for youth affairs, etc.), they are aimed at identifying and promoting talented authors, and no financial profit from its further successes do not have.

Russian Competitions

Russian literary contests are an excellent opportunity for young authors to post their work and get recognition, reviews, and even prizes. This year a lot of competitions are held in different directions. From those who want to participate, a proper application is required, good own work, a desire to participate and self-confidence.

The most famous All-Russian literary contests this year are:

1. "Russian Booker 2015" is a competition for publishing houses, libraries and universities for the "Best Romance of the Year" award, with a serious monetary prize.
2. Competition of fantastic stories "Extra days".
3. The short story contest "The Arms and the Spirit of Victory".
4. "Black Jack" - a contest of short fiction stories, organized by the magazine "Samizdat".
5. AST Publishing Company holds the contest "Best Youth Bestseller - 2015".
6. The topic of fear, horror and nightmare is offered to consider the organizers of the competition Quasar "Scary".
7. Literary and pedagogical competition "Good Lira".
8. "Everything is ahead" - a contest of prose, with the participation of the Writers' Union of Russia.
9. «The Crystal Spring».
10. "Written by the pen-2015".

International Competitions

International literary contests differ from the all-Russian ones in that not only citizens of the Russian Federation can take part in them. Today there are several similar contests:

1. "The fate of Samara."
2. "Smart heart".
3. "Written by the pen-2015".

Participation in international competitions is no different from "relatives", except that there is more competition, although this is a shaky indicator.

Children's competitions

Reading opens great opportunities for a person. Children's reading is an indispensable assistant in obtaining knowledge, developing imagination and broadening the horizons. It is very important to instill in the child a love for the book.

It's great when a child not only likes to read, but is also able to analyze information and formulate his thoughts and experiences so that he can create works himself. For such talented children, children's competitions are held, which stimulate them to further development.

The list of the most popular children's literary contests:

1. International creative contest "9 May - 70 years of Victory".
2. "Young journalists of Russia".
3. International competition "Children - talents".
4. "The feat of our people" by the Victory Day.
5. "Spring inspiration."
6. "My little homeland."
7. "I have the right to live, develop and be friends."
8. «100 Talents».
9. "The Imaginarium."
10. "Russian beauty - birch".

Literary children's competitions are often held on the orders of the president or heads of regional organizations. Participation in such events enables the child to be heard, to feel the importance of his work, to find friends who share his hobby, and to develop his talent to a more professional level.

Instead of a conclusion, or How useful are the competitions for authors

Not every contestant gets a prize, so why waste time? If you have such a question, do not participate in the contest. Not every competition has a cash prize, what will the author get from participation in it?

1. If the competition is organized by the publishing house, it is interested in choosing a quality work, awarding it a prize and distributing it, glorifying the author.
2. Even if the work has not won the prize-winning place, it can interest someone from the jury and find a further way to the reader.
3. If the competition is "networked" and the work goes on the self-judging of the readers, the author will certainly receive a positive charge from the reviews and a designation of weaknesses over which he will be able to work in the future.
4. It is not out of place for the author to get acquainted with the works of other contestants. The role of the editor, judge and reader gives a lot of experience.
5. Getting any significant diploma and "likes" in the network is already a good addition to the author's portfolio.