Ask Sally #32 - Competition Entry Fees

Francis has sent me this question:

Could you please tell me why the vast majority of short story comps require
an entry fee? It seems unfair considering the small size of the prizes and the straitened circs of most writers

As I explained to Francis, many writing competitions nowadays are run by writing groups or circles. These groups are made up of writers just like us, in similarly 'straitened circs' so there's no way they'd be able to stump up the prize money for a competition. So entry fees are charged to create a prize fund and possibly to raise funds for the group, so that they can invite speakers for workshops etc. The same goes for small presses, who might run comps to raise money to keep a literary magazine afloat.

You'll find that most of the free competitions are run by larger organisations and publishers, who have the financial backing, though there are a few free to enter comps run by individuals who put up the prize money themselves. My good friend, 'Blunt', at Cafe Doom funds an annual competition out of his own pocket.

I try to include as many free comps as I can on the competitions calendar, but they're few and far between. So I just try to include the legitimate ones, even if they do charge an entry fee.

Sometimes free to enter competitions turn out to be run by vanity press or someone with their eye on the main chance, so what seems free at first glance can turn out quite expensive. It's always wise to beware of those who are trying to run competitions only to raise money for themselves, or say it's free but it's really to get people to buy something, like a winners' anthology at a ridiculous cost.

I was sent details of one 'free' competition the other day and the only way to enter was to join a website at a cost of $15. I didn't put that one on my site as I felt it was a ruse to get more members, rather than a genuine competition.

What I do personally, with comps I believe are legitimate, is weigh up the fee charged against the prize money on offer. One competition I haven't listed and won't be entering is run by a small press who are charging a $50 (£25) entry fee. I can't see anything in the competition that justifies that amount.

Sometimes the prize money may be low, but the kudos high, for example, when I came second in the British Fantasy Society's comp last year. I only won £25 for a £5 fee, but I felt the kudos of coming second in such an important competition for sci-fi/fantasy writers more than made up for lack of financial reward.

One thing you might bear in mind is that as a lot of people don't want to pay to enter competitions, you might have more chance of winning a competition which does charge as the number of entries will usually be lower. Having said that, the recent Happenstance competition, who do charge an entry fee, saw their number of entries rise to 400 this year.

Good luck if you do enter any competitions! Nothing feels better than finding out you've been named somewhere, even if it's only on the longlist.



NEW writing competitions calendar