Singapore Writers' Group founder and critically acclaimed author Alice Clark-Platts experienced the rejection that many writers face when pursuing a traditional publishing path. It took perseverance and time for her to get an agent, along with a certain level of luck. As she continued waiting for responses from the agents she had queried, her novel, Warchild, got short-listed for the Impress Prize, giving her the opportunity to update her query letter and resubmit to the agents who had previously ignored or rejected her manuscript. It's a crowded, competitive market, she says, especially if trying to pursue a traditional publishing path, which is why so many people are starting to pursue self-publishing. Being able to stand out among the competition is key, and awards are one way to do this.