If finding an agent is a good way to getting your book publish, winning a competition is another.

Of course, I can hear you chuckle, because of course it’s not easier to win a competition than landing a fancy agent. Yet if you don’t try, you’ll never know.

Here are a list of competitions that seemed genuine with a real price and worth your investment and money. For I have discovered spending a lot of time on the world wide web, that they are lots of traps aspiring authors may fall into. One of them being false or unworthy book competitions that will get you nowhere and have your work lost through the world wide web.

So here it is:

THE SCBWI: here you will find lots of competitions and awards you can apply to, depending on which stage you are in your writing.

The chicken House children’s fiction competition. This one is for debut author. Ones that have had short stories, poems or picture books published can qualify as well.

First prize is a worldwide publishing contract with Chicken House with a royalty advance of £10,000, plus representation from a top children’s literary agent.

The purple dragon fly book award. This one is for published authors. It helps them get more recognition for their work.

The grand prize winner will receive a $300 cash prize, 100 foil award seals (more can be ordered for an extra charge), one hour of marketing consultation from Five Star Publications and $100 worth of Five Star Publications’ titles, as well as publicity on Five Star Publications’ websites and inclusion in a winners’ news release sent to a comprehensive list of media outlets.

The Montegrappa Scholastic Prize for New Children’s Writing.  This one is for unpublished authors who live in the UK or Ireland.

As well as a publishing deal, the winner will receive a £5,000 advance, literary agent representation with LBA and a trip to Venice to visit the home of luxury pen-maker Montegrappa.

Check each web-site to see full details of how to enter. I hope you will find something to suit your desire.