Learning photography is a long haul. Don't ever get discouraged. Believe me, for your own satisfaction, it's worth the trip. I've been doing this for over 40 years and I'm still learning stuff!

Winning is great, but the primary purpose of these challenges is the learning experience. When you think about it, everyone wins from seeing others photos and how they took the shot, what light was used, exposure settings, etc. We all help each other here. That's what sets us apart from other photo web sites.
By the way......what IS that that you took a picture of?

It looks like some kind of crumble cake with a marangue on top.