This week: Contest Rules Edited by: JACE  
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Hi, I'm JACE .
Welcome to this issue of the Noticing Newbies newsletter. Join me as I take you into some nooks and crannies of Writing.Com that you may not have found time to check out yet.
Don't forget to toss me a note about what you liked or didn't like in my column, or about a topic you'd like to see discussed. This newsletter is about and for you. And for you seasoned members, I hope you'll find something you can take from my ramblings. 
Your Noticing Newbies Newsletter full-time Editors:
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Many words have been penned throughout the various newsletters about entering contests on Writing.Com. I recently finished judging the May 2023 “What a Character” WDC official contest and noted a few things I’d like to mention here. While this particular contest fostered my notes, they apply to any contest one might enter … at least here on WDC.
Contests found in writing magazines or other writing sites online normally charge a “reading” fee; WDC contest are free to enter, although the official WDC contest require a paid membership. This is because of the very generous prizes offered. Some member-run contests offer great prizes and are free to ALL members.
Member-run contests also offer prizes, including gift points, merit badges, reviews, or a combination of these. Whatever tangible items a contest offers, consider the intangible things you might get from entering a contest.
These include thinking outside your proverbial box to write a story on a subject that you might not normally write. You might write a poem, perhaps something you’ve never down before. You can see how you stack up against other members’ writings, thereby learning some tip you might incorporate into your own writing style.
Whatever your reasons for entering a contest, please remember the most important rule—READ ALL THE CONTEST RULES!!!
You do not want to spend a lot of time writing, editing, and proofing your story, then submitting it only to find yourself disqualified because the story was too many words. Or, didn’t follow the prompt. Or, was late. Or, didn’t follow some other posted rule.
The person hosting a contest gets to set the rules. Perhaps the host has limited time, yet wants to offer other members an outlet for their choice of genre. They limit the entries to 1000 words, so they feel they have time to read each entry carefully and perhaps offer a short review in addition to prizes.
Some entries in the contest I just judged were disqualified because they didn’t fulfill the prompt. In some the character’s attributes downplayed the prompt rather than emphasized it.
The bottom line it that it doesn’t matter whether or not you agree with the rules or limitations placed by the host on the contest—it’s that person’s contest. You wish to enter and win? Follow the rules.
For those who wish to find a contest to enter, check out "Writing Contests @ Writing.Com" . It’s available in the Community section of the Navigation menu on the left side of your page. If you have a contest you wish to promote here, enter it using the Submit a Contest: box at the bottom of the page.
Good luck with all your writing endeavors.
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A poem about a short-term relationship. Some humor to make light of hard feelings.
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Thanks for spending time with me today. At the bottom of every newsletter is a section entitled
followed by a text box. If you liked what you read (or if you didn't), please take time and drop me a line. I'd love to hear your ideas.
From the Newsfeed:
From tj-turkey-jobble-jobble-hard-J  : You missed an important choice, "Do you use WDC solely as a storage site for your stories, do you wish to improve as a writer, and or as a place to interact with other members and the awesome family that hosts us?"
My answer is, "No, not just a storage site, I actually store all of my work in the clouds and share some of it here. I also use this site as a means of improving my writing, and most of all, to interact with all the wonderful people and our wonderful hosts."
Indeed I did. But in fairness, I didn't have space in that window to add that third choice.
From Dave Ryan : I stumbled across WdC completely by accident. I'm a complete novice, but had been working on and off on a memoir of my traumatic adolescence and had been looking for somewhere to get feedback. On other sites I tried, I posted early versions and found myself standing there listening to the metaphorical crickets chirping as the metaphorical tumbleweed bounced past and I scratched my metaphorical privates and waited, and waited, and waited...
On WdC I got lots of feedback, which has helped me improve this "meisterwerk" enormously. While I've been polishing it (the next draft will be the final - I promise), I've started writing fiction, poetry and all sorts of amateurish doggerel in the various competitions, and now I'm curious to see if I can improve and eventually write something half-ways decent. It's not something I had in mind when I first joined.
I was originally on the free membership, but "upgraded" seems to suit me just fine for the moment.
I think finding a level that works for you is half the battle.
From Louis Williams : I put stories here. Try to improve. Advertise my projects. Get involved with these prompts and try to meet new people. Lots of different things.
From Leslie Loo : Both maybe, but I also want to improve as a writer.
From Igor Skoglund : Both.
I suspect most folks here do what you all stated.
From Fernando : Improve as a writer and bring some teasers to some pieces that I'm working on. Also if I'm able to bring any insight toward anyone reading my work that is also another positive to using this site.
From Mouse says gobble gobble  : I've always used WdC to improve as a writer and I personally think it is the best site online to do it. no other writing site offers as much variety and ways to participate.The diverse group of members function as an online writing group with many avenues to explore. I have never regretted finding it.
From elephantsealer  : WDC is the best place to want to improve as a writer, which I would very much like to be...
From Sumojo  : When I look back at my early attempts at writing now, I know I’ve improved. That is solely due to help I’ve received from receiving feedback and writing advice, especially from one particular person, who unfortunately has since retired from the site.
The storage element is also important to me because it has allowed me to keep everything in the one place. Being the least organised person I know as regards filing and retaining material work from long ago, little of my writing would now exist.
The opportunity to write something each day, even if it’s just a hundred word story, a poem or an eight line observation keeps my writing muscle in shape, unlike the rest of me!
A feeling of friendship with people from so far away from my home has been a bonus I didn’t expect when I signed up four years ago.
From Anna Marie Carlson : I want to improve as a writer.
From NaNotatoGo! : I like to improve my writing by doing it. That being said I think that the posts here do inspire me to be more creative so I store some pieces here. I shared a link to my WDC portfolio on LinkedIn. Hoping that it has a positive outcome. Here I can look for ways to be the best writer I can. Thats what I’ve achieved with WDC.
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Noticing Newbies: July 12, 2023 Issue [#12061]
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