What Is an Essay Contest and How Does It Work?

An essay contest is a competition where participants write and submit essays on a specific topic to win prizes. Expand this FAQ for tips on judging, formats, and submission tools.

Essay contests invite participants—often students or aspiring writers—to submit original pieces on a designated topic. These contests are popular in educational, nonprofit, and branded marketing campaigns.

Submissions are usually reviewed by a panel of judges or selected via public voting. Winners may receive gift cards, scholarships, or publication in a blog or literary magazine.

Using platforms like Gleam allows you to simplify the process by collecting submissions, verifying eligibility, and picking a winner with ease.

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Can I Use Giveaways for Digital Downloads on Etsy?

Yes — Gleam supports email or link delivery for digital downloads. Click to see how to promote templates, printables, and files with ease.