How to win a writing Contest - Part 2

As I outlined some points earlier this week, now I will discuss some more points which play a vital role in winning a writing contest, they are as follows:

1. If possible, look at previous winning essays. This will give you a good idea of what the judges are looking for. Some essay contests are looking for a certain message or a particular style. Other contests value unconventionality and innovation. You will have a better chance of winning if you give them what they want.
2. Come up with a good hook. Particularly with short essays, you win or lose it in the first sentence or two. Ask your reader a question that will get her thinking, or introduce a perspective she may have not have thought about before. Remember, the judges will be reading a lot of essays. Make yours stand out from the first sentence.
3. Make sure that your spelling, grammar, and punctuation are flawless. If you are entering essay in a contest, the judges will expect it to be perfect. Leaving in grammatical mistakes or awkward sentences looks like laziness. Be sure to have a friend proofread it for you, then look it over one more time yourself.

That's about it, and you'll be needing nothing more than this if you want to win a writing contest, I'll also write an article on how to be a contest winner in the coming weeks.