by Heather Foster

Created on: May 02, 2008   Last Updated: May 09, 2008

Writers wanting to exhibit their talents get told there are lots of ways to show what you can do' but when seeking those ways, too many cost money for memberships and/or time to seek them out. The Internet has changed all that. Web-based writing contests provide, not only an opening to show your talent, but also the means to improve.

Sites that offer opportunities to write and allow others to read and rate the writing are better than writing classes, for me. Seeing what others write, on any topic, offers insights into how others think and present their thoughts. Feedback from other writers on what I have written gives me new perspectives on presentation.

The question posed gains a resounding Yes from me!

Fear kept me from allowing anyone else to read my writings, for years, because I didn't feel the work was good enough' to present to anyone. Now that I have posted my work on the web and received nothing but positive results, even from my mistakes, I am once again enjoying my favorite hobby.

Feedback from other writers, both professional and hobbyists like me, is so valuable to making my writing better in quality. A whole new world has opened up through this medium and given me greater confidence in my work.

Ratings let me know how I can improve in various ways. The number positions tell me what people are looking for in that particular subject material. I can then go read what others wrote, and how, to make them achieve a higher rating. Other feedback comes when writers send specific messages about what I wrote. Even those that flag a piece for spelling or grammar errors are appreciated for catching what I missed.

Even when something written doesn't win the contest prize, the learning experience helps writers improve their work for the next contest. Yes the contests on-line are a great help in exposing a writer's work to the world. Sometimes an article will be picked up unexpectedly and give the writer exposure that launches their dreams. One never knows what will happen when one writes on the various web sites.

Some sites like short stories and poetry and some prefer articles but they all are an adventure in writing. Learning to show rather than tell a story changes the word choices dramatically. Writing becomes a work of art filled with fine delicate strokes in some parts of the picture, while other parts have broad strokes and washes to lend background colors and lighting. Every site, however, helps us improve, broaden, and add fine details that allow the reader's mind to envision the scene painted for them.

Exposure of our writing gives us opportunities to trade ideas with other writers, learn from others works and mistakes, and even win prizes for our work. Prizes are a great incentive to explore possibilities and strive for excellence. However, not winning should not crush a budding writer's dreams. Being persistent is the only way to improve and gain recognition for writing.

Read up on some authors in a favorite genre and see how they got started. Some started out in similar ways, writing for contests and submitting to specific market magazines. These on-line contests offer us a world of opportunities that we didn't have before, and that alone is wonderful. Look at the vistas afforded now. Publishers can access the sites where we write, magazines can look for new writers and topics, and we all can write, rant, vent, dream, and dance on the pages.

What is better than a rumba with our readers, a polka with the publishers, a march with a magazine, or waltzing with other writers? We can even zip through zero gravity if we venture into science fiction or fantasy. Who knows where our contests can take us as long as we write and enter, even if it's just for fun.

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