Are you up for the challenge?

Here's why August is for personal essays

Hi writing family! Kelly Eden here.

If you haven’t heard, this month The Medium Writers Challenge is running with $50,000 in prizes.

I read a post from a Medium writer the other day who was quite negative about the challenge, but I think she missed the point.

There is a huge prize for this contest, and yes, most of us won’t win it. But we don’t enter writing contests just to win.

Only a small percentage win. We enter contests because they’re an opportunity to learn and crash through your limits.

I still regularly enter writing contests— even after 13 years in this career— because I know how much it pushes me.

Contests make me do my best, most creative work. I edit harder with competition pieces, get more feedback, and read exceptional writers to get inspired.

After a contest, my writing is better. That’s why it’s worth entering!

Here are some free tips on Personal Essays and writing with objects (I’ll be sending out more this month).

“Write physically. Write with physical objects. Put physical objects in your essay.” says John Maguire in The Atlantic.

If you want more, my Personal Essay Course is also open— the lessons are short so you can fly through AND get feedback on your contest entry draft.

Have fun!