I love writing competitions. Love daydreaming about winning, or getting honorable mention, or even making it past the first cut. That love is diminished somewhat when the deadline for announcing the winners passes and the much hoped for email or phone call doesn’t happen. That’s when I know my entry wasn’t exactly what the judges were looking for.

Yet no matter the results, I, like so many other writers, keep coming back. Why? Competitions reel us in for any and all of the reasons below:

1. They serve writers at all stages of their careers.

Whether it’s a “Writing Challenge of the Month” contest essay writing service reddit essay writing service reddit offering kudos rather than prize money, a competition sponsored by a “little” magazine with a reputation for publishing Pushcart Prize-winning fiction, or a $40,000 Guggenheim Fellowship, competitions offer opportunities to almost all writers from the absolute beginner to the seasoned pro.

The trick is finding the right contest for you at your level of experience. While it’s possible for a total beginner to win the Bakeless Prize-in fact, the competition is not open to anyone who has previously published a book-length manuscript-a writer just starting out may have better luck with competitions focusing on shorter works, and gradually progressing to this much sought after award.