instructions to get you on the winners' podium. Winning takes a plan that starts long before the contest deadline. You'll know during design which projects would be good entries. Focus on those projects for your upcoming entries. Learn how to take really horrid before photos that make your after's look all the better. See why there is no substitute for professional photography. Study winning projects and magazine features for tips on how to stage and frame your photography. If it's an NKBA chapter or national contest you are entering, learn what the NKBA Graphic Standards are so that your drawings don't lose a single point during judging. Know what different type of drawings you need for other contests that are even simpler to do. Know what Kitchen & Bath Design Guidelines the judges are looking for. Learn how the name you give the project has a lot to do with how the judges will view it, and how to edit your description for minimum word count but maximum impact. Hear from prior judges what the most common mistakes to avoid. Enjoy the process of entering your work in the next contest you've targeted, and let your personality come through! It's time; this is YOUR year to add "award- winning" to your name.