Writing a novel? Do you think you know how? Have you got the tenacity to edit your manuscript to a good standard and submit it to publishers? It takes practice.

Practice?

Yes. You can practice by entering writing competitions. The best way for a writer to practise is to submit to short story competitions.

Short story competitions are a means to an end. They motivate you to write, help you understand the importance of working to a deadline, and help you gain a sense of achievement. Competitions help exercise your creative muscle. They are a stepping stone - potentially taking ‘ordinary Joe,’ from insignificance to a successfully published author in easy steps.

Short story contests are normally Pay to Enter competitions, so you need to get it right. Here are a few simple short story competition tips!

* Always read your chosen competition's instructions or guidelines, or terms and conditions, or whatever it is the competition's website call them. Read and follow them precisely.

* If there is a required word-count for the story, don't go over it, or under it. There is a minimum and a maximum. If it is a short story that is required, don't give them a novella!

* What format does the competition require? A Microsoft Word document? Rich-Text Format? Give them what they want.

You want to write that novel, but believe me it'll be a complete waste of time if you just rush into it. By subbing to short story competitions first, you are generating ideas. By using your latent creative ability, you are exercising your creative muscle to the point where it can generate plots with ease. By writing short stories you are starting small by weaving smaller plots first - great first steps on the rung to that intriguing best-seller.

But how do you know that your story writing is any good? How many of your friends do you trust to give you an honest opinion?

Join an online writing community, and find out.

It is a fact, that most short story competition winners belong to writing groups - be they real-life writing circles, or online writing communities. One such writing community web site is Writers' Dock. (http://www.writersdock.org)

Writers' Dock is the ultimate writers support site, supporting writers of all abilities. A writing community with a large membership, giving friendly advice, tips, honest peer reviews, daily writing activities, and writing prompts. It's a writers' club - a social club. It has new beginner, intermediate and advanced groups starting all the time. Do you want to interact with writers of your own ability? Join a Writers' Dock group.

Enter into Writers' Dock's latest short story competition and receive a free gold subscription for twelve weeks to discover if it will benefit you. By getting involved in this community you will realise how much it will motivate, inspire, teach, and help you to develop your style and give you a multitude of other benefits. Best of all, by entering into this competition, you've made a positive step in your writing career.

Find the site here: http://www.writersdock.org
Find the competition here: http://www.writersdock.org/competition
(Apply for your free twelve week gold subscription with your entry!)

Good luck!