Meet Our 3-Sentence Cash Writing Challenge Winners

It’s time to congratulate the winners of our Fall 2020 cash writing challenge!

The aim of the challenge was to provide PWA members with a skill-building experience incentivized by a cash prize. Less about the writing than the process, everyone who participated in the challenge had the chance to master an unusual – and unusually fast – tactic for developing fresh professional bios targeted at different types of clients and readers. You can read all of the original contest details – and try the tactic for yourself –right here.

Of course, the speed of the creation process didn’t fully eliminate the pain of self-marketing, but many participants shared that they could see the value in learning to do this work rapidly when necessary. As winner Olivia Pipis said, “This was agonizing–but SO important to get comfortable with. Thank you for this pain!”

Entries for the competition flew in all September long from every corner of the globe. Our winners hail from Africa, the UK, and all across the US. And, while I was pleased with the number of entries overall, I was surprised to see that for whatever reason, instead of our usual 50-50, women entered this contest at nearly 2x the rate men did. Makes me curious to see what the entries in our Spring 2021 competition will be like! 

Without further ado, let’s get to know our challenge winners through the bios they submitted. And, in addition to being featured here, each one of these PWA members received at $100 cash prize.

Roberta Anderson, US (Florida)

Roberta Anderson is a Medical and Alternative Health Copywriter whose 20 years of experience as a Registered Nurse, in a variety of specialties, allows her to speak directly to the Medical community with her copy. She works with Business to Business and Business to Consumer clients to optimize the marketing plan into copy which increases their share of the marketplace. She’s an American Writers and Artists Institute (AWAI) verified writer and lives in Lantana, Florida with her family and her precious dog, Lily.

Cynthia Besse, US (Texas)

From wrangling middle school students in science to wrangling words, Cynthia Besse’s skills acquired in various roles as: educator, administrator, presenter, online course facilitator (and let’s not forget, wife and mother), are applicable to her latest role as a writer and wrangler of words. Cynthia is curious and willing to play with words and ideas. She enjoys a variety of activities, her favorite ones include time with her family, getting lost in a good story and regular “dirt therapy” otherwise known as gardening.

Celia Conrad, UK

Ginika Ifeabunike, Nigeria

Ginika Ifeabunike is a freethinking, aspiring copywriter in her early twenties. She enjoys writing, be it for fun or for money. She strongly believes that life is what you make it.

Olivia Pipis, US (California)

After saying goodbye to her first “real” job in advertising in Chicago—Olivia Pipis dove head-first into the wacky world of entertainment—gaining experience in all facets of film, television and theatre production before moving to Los Angeles to realize her childhood dream of working in film and television. While she will always cherish appearing before a live studio audience—Olivia’s passion lies in helping entrepreneurs, business owners and creative artists develop meaningful connections with their clients, customers and fans—by way of engaging content—now from the East Coast. Olivia’s written copy for Disney, Hyperion Books, ABC Television Group and host of small business owners, nonprofits, entrepreneurs and creative artists.