Other organizations use contests to make money on the front end, via entry fees. Such contest mills may get hundreds or even thousands of entries, and can be very profitable. By far the most common of the fake contests are the ones conducted by the vanity anthology companies. These companies publish collections of poems, short stories, or essays, which then are sold not to the public, but to the contributors. Because inclusion in these anthologies is offered without regard to quality, an anthology-published poem isn't considered a legitimate literary credit.
Many writers think that entering and winning contests is a way to build a writing resume.
But of the many, many contests out there, only a few have this kind of clout. I'm not trying to be snobbish here. Keep in mind that not all contests are created equal, and that winning won't necessarily build your career. Assessing Contests Following are some tips to help you evaluate contests you may be thinking of entering. If it's an organization you don't recognize, be sure to verify its legitimacy.