If you’ve been around for a while, you know I LOVE a good writing contest. And contests are really what got me started on the path to a legit writing career.

In 2018, after entering and winning three awards over multiple categories at Write to Publish, I landed my first book contract and signed with agent Cyle Young. Later that year, I entered and won at both the Ohio Christian Writers Conference and the North Carolina Writers Conference for both rhyming picture books and inspirational short non-fiction.

In 2019, I attended Write to Publish again and took home a First Place award for both God Made All Your Feelings (now published!), and I Want Him to Know, an inspirational piece about raising boys.

In 2020, I branched out and entered The Institute of Children’s Literature’s Bedtime Picture Book Contest and received an honorable mention.

In 2021, I entered Vivian Kirkfield’s 50 Precious Words and didn’t place at all — bummer!

In 2022, I entered the Institute of Children’s Literature’s Great Outdoors Picture Book Contest and won 4th Place + $100. I also entered their Funny Family Contest (a non-fiction piece for adults) but didn’t win.

And most recently, I entered the Fall Writing Frenzy hosted by Kaitlyn Sanchez and Lydia Lukidis — honestly, on a whim. While it was on my radar, the contest is only open for three days, October 1-3rd. They announce the contest in September so that you can write and revise ahead of time, but who has time for that? Jk. We all have time for that and absolutely SHOULD revise our work, but to be honest, that doesn’t always happen.

So, on October 3rd, I read through the rules, chose the following photo prompt, and wrote the story below in less than 200 words.

Ooey, Gooey, Sticky, Sweet

By Amanda Flinn

Juicy apples in a tree

Fill a bag for you and me

Take ‘em home to wash and dry

Pluck the stems and watch ‘em fly.

Line up apples, grab a stick

Stab and jab ‘em, fast and quick

Parchment paper, cookie sheet

Unwrap candy, crank the heat.

Melt the caramel, add the milk

Stir until it’s smooth like silk

Set to simmer, then we dip

Twirling, swirling – drip! drip! drip!

Grab the sprinkles, shake ‘em out

Dip in nuts or go without

Chocolate drizzle, dark or white

Almost ready for a bite.

Ten more minutes, watch the clock

Have mom grab a carving block

Ooey, gooey, sticky, sweet

Caramel apples can’t be beat!

And to be honest, I don’t hate it. This 114-word poem about apples came super easy to me, and it was fun to figure out the ‘best’ way or the ‘best’ word choice to make the story move forward. I love writing days where the story flows. On these days, writing is FUN!

It’ll be a few more weeks until I know if my entry was chosen as a winner in the Fall Writing Frenzy contest. Even if it’s not, I’m proud that I keep putting myself out there, accepting the challenges before me, and doing my best to enjoy the process.

In the meantime, I’m working on another writing contest entry for the Institute of Children’s Literature, due on October 31st. The theme is Fall Poetry, and there’s still time to enter if you wanna give it a go!

And who knows? Maybe I’ll keep going this month and enter Susanna Hill’s Halloweensie contest the last week of October.

Have you entered any writing contests lately?

I would love to put a few more on the calendar!