The need for proficient writing is greater than ever. The growth of the internet has brought out a proliferation of people who think they can write, while the Web is constantly screaming for qualified professionals who know how to literally cross their t's and dot their i's. Yet with a market thick with wannabes, a student of the craft needs to not only pay the rent, but get some recognition.

The need for proficient writing is greater than ever. The growth of the internet has brought out a proliferation of people who think they can write, while the Web is constantly screaming for qualified professionals who know how to literally cross their t's and dot their i's. Yet with a market thick with wannabes, a student of the craft needs to not only pay the rent, but get some recognition.

As it happens, one good way to help build that portfolio is when you apply for college financial aid. Unlike other forms of scholarship applications, writing packages like to ask for samples of previously written - and preferably published - material. In many cases, they'll count more than a student's academic transcript or other qualifications. Staying informed about the most recent information about scholarships may speed your success.

For example, the WRHC Scribendi Writing and Art Contest is tied to a publishing organization that distributes its magazines to a number of top universities in the Western half of the U.S. Part of this annual contest is to submit three samples of poetry, non-fiction, or several other forms of writing for judgment. Not only does the winner get a prize in the form of $250, but national recognition, which is always critical in a novice writer's career.

For high school students trying to get their first exposure, another excellent outlet is the Scholastic Arts & Writing Award. It also has categories for a number of different forms of writing. It offers prizes starting down as low as the state level but can go as high as a handful of international awards. On the national level alone, the winners get $1,000 scholarships.

If a young writer wants to enter the children's writing field, a good place to start is with the Books-A-Million competition. Applicants must submit a completed transcript. If a student's is selected, he or she receives a $5,000 award in either cash or scholarship.

The realm of poetry has some particularly handsome prizes for young, aspiring students. One award that has received a lot of national attention is the Ruth Lilly Fellowship. Whoever it selects as winner gets a $15,000 fellowship. The only proviso is the contestant must be between 21-31 years of age. Even more rewarding is the Wallace Stegner Fellowship. It awards a poetry student a fellowship of $26,000 for tuition and insurance over the next two years (approximately $500 every four weeks) as a stipend. Checking the internet for more details about scholarships students is a smart move.

The science fiction and fantasy genre has the L. Ron Hubbard Writers of The Future Contest. Every three months, it selects three short stories or novellas submitted. Whoever is given first place gets an award or $1,000. Second place earns $750, while third place gets $500. If that's not enough, at the end of the year, the four first place winners are judged against each other. A grand prize winner is selected from them and awarded $4,000.