You win some. You lose some.

Welp, The Remainders didn’t place in this year’s Eric Hoffer Book Awards contest. With 2,500 entries, it was far from a sure shot. From the times I was on the other side of the judging table, I know how tough it is to pick a winner. One book might have a slight edge over another that puts it on the short list. And if you enter a competitive category like general fiction, many excellent books might miss the cut. I was disappointed, but I understood.

You may wonder whether you should enter a book contest. Winning an award can help you promote a book (as well as give you a serotonin rush), and the cash prizes are enticing. But are they worth the fees? There are contests where you’re basically paying for a sticker to put on your front cover. If anyone can win an award, what value does it have? Other contests are prestigious, but they have high entry fees and low chances of winning. You might as well spend that money on advertising.

But I find a value from competing that goes beyond winning prizes and having stickers to put on book covers.

It comes from my experience in Toastmasters speech contests. I did those twice a year, except for times I was running contests, serving as a test speaker for evaluation contestants, or judging. Those contests were instrumental in my growth as a speaker. Each time, I challenged myself, tried new things, learned…