Does competition make for good writing?

Well… Of course?

Working under pressure is nothing new. In fact, it’s an alarming constant in most everyone’s lives. Yet, some of us thrive under this pressure. We work harder, work better. At the very least, we work fast enough to avoid building up more pressure later on. Annoying as it may be, tension makes for a good motivator.

Surely, then, pressure we actively choose to take on is a good thing? We get all the push it brings, as well as the excitement of a new challenge. Writing competitions offer exactly that. At least, they claim to: pressure to perform, deadlines to meet, and a chance to show off your skill. Competitions can push a writer to a new level — but are they a double-edged sword?

...of course, this episode is two months late, so maybe pressure isn’t all that.

In this episode, Rachel and Sarim attempt to contest the contests.