Member Login

PWA 2024 “What’s Working” Cash Writing Challenge

PWA’s 2024 Cash Writing Challenge

***Official Guidelines***

Basic timeline & eligibility:  

  1. The cash writing challenge is open to all current PWA members (no registration required, and past challenge winners are welcome to enter again).
  2. The competition officially opens April 1, 2024.
  3. Entries are due May 15th, 2024.
  4. Send your finished essay to pwamonthly@awaionline.comby midnight (Eastern) to be considered for prizes.
  5. Winners will be announced via press release and in our News & Notes e-letter.

What can you win?

This year, PWA will be awarding up to FOUR $250 prizes, for a total of $1,000 in prize money available.

Winners will have their essays published on the PWA site for the community to enjoy and may be invited to participate in a “Member Spotlight” interview session. Further, each winner can expect to see their success announced in our News & Notes e-letter as well as in news items and press releases that may appear on the AWAI main site and elsewhere. In terms of the cash portion of the prize, winners can expect their funds to arrive via paper check for our US members and via PayPal for international members.

What’s the theme?    

Our 2024 theme is “What’s Working?”

In a standalone essay, I’d like you to take a look at your writer’s life and identify what’s working for you right now. Then, figure out how to turn what’s working for you into a mini-tutorial for your fellow PWA members.

  • Do you have a trick for staying focused that’s helping you complete projects in record time? Share that!
  • Have you figured out a way to get results for your clients on Facebook? Share that!
  • Are you connecting with fresh leads or fresh work opportunities somewhere unexpected? Share that!

Maybe it’s a way to power through those tough critique sessions without losing faith in yourself… an upsell tactic that’s making it easy to expand your retainer income… or a networking tool that puts LinkedIn to shame.

Whatever is working for you right now, SHARE THAT!

What I’m looking for in your winning essay…

The essay is my favorite part, because I love seeing all the different ways PWA members express themselves.

Your essay (1,000 words MAX) should cover:

  • Your special tip, tactic, life hack, or tool
  • How you discovered this, and how it’s working for you now
  • How someone else could apply this to their writing life (including any needed modifications for beginners vs. experienced writers, and domestic vs. international PWA members)
  • What you perceive as the strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities/benefits of taking your advice
  • Any special final tips or takeaways for your fellow writers

Send your essay to me as a document (.doc or .docx) attachment at pwamonthly@awaionline.com by Midnight (Eastern) on Wednesday, May 15th. Use “What’s Working Competition” as your subject line. Be sure to include your full name and contact information in your email.

All final report essays received on time, in the correct format, will be eligible for challenge awards.

Questions? Reach out to me, PWA Director Jen Adams, directly at pwamonthly@awaionline.com for the fastest answer to your question. You can also post questions in the LinkedIn community throughout the challenge period.