The term investing in your career comes to mind today. I see a lot of contests that are pay to play. There are also publishers that charge to review work including many consumer magazines. I'm not opposed to the idea, but I do think you need to do your research first before sending anyone a check. If it's for a contest, check the previous winners writings. If it's for a magazine or publisher, check to make sure they publish work that is like yours. And then decide if it is worth the risk. Is the entrance fee affordable? Do you believe in what you are submitting? What are the odds? And if you win, what do you get?
I am considering submitting my writings to a contest with an entrance fee that guarantees my work will be read. But first I want to have multiple options of stories to choose from. And I want to see that it is a good fit for my writing.
It's also a good marketing strategy to win contests that will publish your work on their website. Publicity often helps. That's why even unpaid places that publish can benefit your career and increase your audience. That's how I went about publishing my poem "The Tattoo." Of course that was before I learned how important online presence is and did not use that as an opportunity to link my blog or website or twitter account. Growing an audience is essential to becoming a writer.
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