Tips on Writing an Essay to Enter a Contest
Many companies and websites offer essay contests. These contests might just get you name recognition, but many offer monetary prizes. While they are usually open to anyone, if you want to increase your chances of winning, you have to go about it in the right way.
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Study the Guidelines
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Carefully and fully review the rules and submission guidelines for the contest. You also need to know when and where to submit your essay, word count limitations and any format or stylistic requirements. Determine what you get if you win and how and when you will be notified.
Topic
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You need to know if there is a specific topic for the essay. Most businesses or organizations holding essay contests have a particular slant or approach they want you to take. If you deviate from what they want in this regard, you have no chance of winning. Remember that the No. 1 rule in freelance writing is to give your clients what they want, not what you want to give them.
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Outline Your Ideas
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As with any other essay, you should brainstorm ideas before you start writing a contest entry. Within the bounds of the topic laid out in the contest rules, decide on an approach you want to take. Then create a rough outline, listing the ideas you want to present in order. Below this, list the sources you plan to use in your essay, if it is the kind that needs citations.
Writing Your Essay
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Based on your outline, begin writing the essay. Because your essay will be competing with others, it is a good idea to make sure your first sentence engages the reader immediately. Avoid unnecessary wordiness or pretentiousness, because the contest is not about proving you have a dictionary. Instead, make your points in a clear and concise way. When you have completed your first draft, proofread it for grammar, spelling and structure. Also verify that you have adhered to all requirements for content, style and length.
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