Guest blogger today is Marylane Wade Koch. She’s a writer, editor, speaker, coach, and adjunct professor (University of Memphis nursing school). This article first appeared in Tracy Crump’s The Write Life, a newsletter for writers available here.

And the winner is . . .

In my twenties, I dreamed of winning the Publishers Clearinghouse Sweepstakes. Now each year I virtual-tour the HGTV dream house online, submit my entry, and envision myself as the owner. However, I only considered entering writing contests after I read an article in The Writer profiling authors who catapulted their careers to publishing success with their wins. (more…)