Writing Contests to Challenge You

What better way to push yourself as a write this new year than to enter your work in a few writing contests?
Freelance Writing Jobs has an article that lists and describes eight different writing contests. Entitled “Enter a Writing Contest to Challenge Yourself in 2016,” the list contains a wide variety of contests in genre, scope, requirements, and entry fees (including free). Here is the list, with links. (For more details on each, click here.)

1. 10th Annual Short Story Challenge
2. Erma Bombeck Writing Competition
3. Central PA Magazine Writing Contest
4. Script Pipeline TV Writing Contest
5. 2016 Jolley Prize
6. Writer’s Digest Writing Competition
7. Ploughshares at Emerson College
8. ABA Journal/Ross Writing Contest for Legal Short Fiction

Peruse each writing contest and pick one that fits your style and goals the best. If you have never entered a contest before, it is a good way to push yourself. At worst, you gain some discipline by finishing a work by a deadline, adopting a mindset that someone will be judging your work, and patience while you wait for the results. Chances are you will not win (percentage-wise), but you never know. In addition, once the contest is over, you can compare the winning piece(s) to yours and learn something about writing.
And if you do win…well, I need say nothing about that.