Selling finalist and runner-up stories

[lostlore]

If your story is a finalist or runner-up in a competition (mentioned by the pub as coming in X place, but not published by them), is it advisable to mention this near-winner status when you send it out again for first publication elsewhere, or is it better to not mention it at all?

[Kate Thornton]

I think stories should stand on their own merits - but if it is a relevant winner (i.e., your sci fi epic came in second in a major sci fi contest) you might want to mention it as a finalist in the competition when you shop it.

If it came in further back in the pack than second, or if it's a contest your prospective publisher may not have heard of, then maybe it's not necessary to mention it. You could mention in your bio that you have "placed in several literary contests" or "enjoyed success in the ABC Science Fiction Competition" or something similar.

[The_Grand_Duchess]

I agree with Kate. I think to say something that was less than a win just makes you sound kind of pompous. But congratulations on your success :)

[Soccer Mom]

For me, it would depend on the competition. If it's a really big, well known competition and the story made it to the final round or placed well, then I would probably mention it. But ultimately, the story has to stand on it's own.

[pdr]

Some editors ask for credits. You can mention short listed and placed stories there if the placings are recent and if the comp is a well known one.

[Twizzle]

But you wouldn't enter a competition if you weren't okay with mentioning it? or shouldn't?

I don't think you're mentioning it so much as a credit or bragging. It's more--I would just think an editor would want to know any history like that on a piece, esp if the title was mentioned in a publication? They're always concerned about things being orig and unpublished? I'd lay it out there, versus having them stumble across it?

This was a good question. I guess, to cover all bases, I'd probably mention it.

[Jamesaritchie]

It depends on the contest. If it's a big, famous contest, I want to hear if you placed in the top three. If it's a small contest, or one I've never heard of, I don't want to know, even if you won.

[Twizzle]

James, do you think then it's better just to stay away from smaller contests??? as an editor, would you rather see work that hasn't been in a contest at all?

sigh...so much to learn. blah.

[Jamesaritchie]

James, do you think then it's better just to stay away from smaller contests??? as an editor, would you rather see work that hasn't been in a contest at all?

sigh...so much to learn. blah.

If it's one of the few good contests out thee, I'm all for the writer entering it, and I want to know if the story wins, places, or shows. Anything in the top three.

It doesn't matter to me whether a writer enters small contests, it's simply that even winning one usually doesn't mean a thing. A contest is only as good as the judges it has, and by the prestige it has. Far too many contests are run by people or groups or fly by night magazines with no qualifications at all for judging fiction. A writer who enters such contests is wasting time and money. You wouldn't believe how bad some of the winners are.

But there are a few good contests out there. Not many for each genre, but a few, and placing in the top three in such a contest will at least make an editor read the story personally, rather than having an assistant editor read it.

The thing is this; a story good enough to win, place, or show in a legitimate contest is probably good enough to sell anyway, so you don't need the contest. So unless it's a high profile contest with good prize money, judges with names you recognize, and is sponsored by a prestigious magazine or group, I do think it's better to skip contests and just submit the stories to magazines.

[Twizzle]

thank you!

[lostlore]

Thanks for all the info here.

I know that placing in a good contest is something to mention in general, but I was afraid that mentioning it when submitting that particular story could hurt my chances -- you know, goods that were shopped elsewhere first, where they were appraised but not bought ...

[lostlore]

BTW, I used to never ever submit to contests. I had the attitude that one should never pay for a chance to win -- just submit to magazines.

But a few of the better lit mags also have contests that pay much more than a regular submission does. There's an entry fee, but if your story is good enough and right enough for the magazine, shouldn't you go with the contest?

[Jamesaritchie]

BTW, I used to never ever submit to contests. I had the attitude that one should never pay for a chance to win -- just submit to magazines.

But a few of the better lit mags also have contests that pay much more than a regular submission does. There's an entry fee, but if your story is good enough and right enough for the magazine, shouldn't you go with the contest?

With a tiny few lit mags, yes, this may be the case. But you have to also consider numbers. Most often, only one story wins the contest, while several stories will be bought outside the contest. So unless you win, you've wasted your money.