Writing Contests

In this month's issue of WEND magazine, one of the contributor bios mentions being a SOLAS category award winner for 'Best Travel Writing.' It took me a moment to realize, "Hey, I've had one of those too!"

Winning contests can add to your authorial resume. Even better, they can get your work published in high profile places and pay big bucks (mine didn't) at the same time. The down side: Most contests require fees, though nominal.

A word of warning: If your winning piece is posted online, as mine was, it might be considered published when you submit it elsewhere. And then it's stuck in no-woman's-land.

Writing Conferences

In 2005 and 2007 I attended the annual Travel Writers and Photographers Conference in northern California. Attending seminars and writing workshops, networking over lunch or happy hour, and sharing the company of other burgeoning and experienced travel writers for an intensive four days re-ignited my passion and motivation to write. One of the stories I worked on was later published, and another eventually won a contest.

There are numerous writing conferences all over the country. (Book Passage also has an annual conference for mystery writers and for children's book writers/illustrators.) Though pricey, many offer scholarships, and the opportunity to hear from or meet with agents, editors and publishers in the field is immeasurable. Manuscript critiques are an added bonus. Following is a partial list of conferences in North America (and one in Paris), compiled from the Writers' Conferences and Centers website.