This week: Options Are Good Edited by: GeminiGem🐾  
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Hello! I am GeminiGem🐾 , one of the regular editors of the Contest & Activities Newsletter. We're going to dig up a little controversy with this edition. |
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Options are Good
If you are in the mood to enter a contest here on Writing.Com, there are somewhere around 30 to 50 contest open at any particular time. My current count for the month this newsletter is written is 35.
Each contest is unique in some way, which is good, of course. One of the things that varies from contest to contest is whether the contest accepts only newly written items or if they will accept items you already have in your port.
Let's talk about why the contest owner may choose one option over the other, shall we?
If a contest only accepts items newly written for that contest, there are a couple of reasons. First of all, they want to make sure that you are following the prompt that is indicated for that round of the contest. Since prompts can be very specific, it may be easier to ensure this with a newly written item.
Here's the other reason. Members who run contests may be interested in inspiring people to write with their contests. This only works if you enter a newly written item.
All that aside, I understand the desire to be able to enter an item that is already in your port. Even with a specific prompt, you may have the PERFECT piece already written and ready to go that fits that prompt precisely. I know because it has happened to me. Then I checked the rules and discovered that the contest accepted newly written items only.
Bummer.
I want to address the contest owners for a moment. I think there is a case for having more contests that accept already written pieces. If you decide to do this with your contest, remember that there can be a rule in place that the item must follow the prompt and any other rules of the contest (word/line limits, etc.). I mean, just because it is already written doesn't mean it couldn't be edited a bit to follow those rules, right?
The contest owner can also decide if they want to accept items that have been awarded ribbons from other contests if preferred to be able to acknowledge only items that have not had a chance to win before. That is absolutely legit.
Now, before you think I'm giving any contest owners a hard time for only accepting newly written items, please know that is not my intent. I am just trying to make a case for expanding those horizons. You might get more entries in your contest if you accept those lonely port items.
(Takes a deep breath.) Now let's talk about a controversial thing related to all this. Yes, I may ruffle some feathers with this, but I feel that it has to be said.
Let's say you are perusing the lists of open contests in "Contest Clues" , and you spot the perfect contest for an item already in your port, but  the contest only accepts newly written items.
Do you:
1. Sigh heavily, maybe say some bad words, but move on.
2. Email the contest owner to make sure they are firm on the "only newly written" policy.
3. Open a new static item, copy and paste your "old" item into it, and pass it off as newly written.
Options one and two are perfectly acceptable, assuming you are in a place where some choice words won't be problematic.
Option three, though...yeah, that is controversial.
I have seen this practice encouraged and even seen it actually happen. It seems to me to be sketchy if not downright shady behavior.
I recently judged an official contest where a person entered a short story as a newly written item that I know for a fact was NOT newly written. I know that it was entered in one of my own contests sometime in the past. I remember reading and judging this particular story. I remember this item had been in this person's port a couple of years ago.
This presented a moral dilemma for me as a judge, especially for an official WdC contest.
(Drops friendly tone.) I did not appreciate being put in that position. If it was you, you know it and you have been called out. Don't do that again. Next time I may not be as polite in your review. If you encourage others to do this, please think twice. Consider that without the contest owner's approval, this is a violation of that contest's rules, simple as that.
(Clears throat.) Ah hem. Sorry to get a little heavy there. I hope we are all still friends. If we respect each other we can make this all work. If you have another point of view you would like to share, you can comment on this newsletter. I'm always open to hear ideas I hadn't thought of before.
If we are lucky, maybe more contest owners will open their contests to "older" items. I will rub my Chihuahua for luck. Okay, I'll pet her and I'll feel lucky. Whatever. It all comes down to the same thing. More entries for the contest owner and more choices for the contest entrant. Sounds like a win-win situation to me.
P.S. Highlighted below are currently running contests that accept both newly written items as well as older items.
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Would you like to help a couple of regular editors of the WdC newsletters and possibly get a Merit Badge for your time and efforts? Check this out:
L K at the contests I found that are open THIS MONTH (June 2024) that accept items already in your port!
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Have an opinion on what you've read here today? Then send the Editor feedback! Find an item that you think would be perfect for showcasing here? Submit it for consideration in the newsletter!
https://www.Writing.Com/go/nl_form
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Here is some feedback from my last Contest & Activities Newsletter "Here's Your Chance"
from Joy 
Great NL, all around! I love your voice here and the conversational tone. Kudos!
Thank you for the kind words, Joy!
from Dave Ryan 
At the risk of being a contrarian, I've noticed that many contests and activities frequently struggle to get much interest. Calls for more entries are a regular thing on the newsfeed, as are notifications that there were insufficient entries for all prizes to be awarded. There are often contests that run along similar lines (off the top of my head I can think of two horror contests) and I can't help but think that a series of mergers and acquisitions to reduce the number of contests/activities each month would surely boost the number of entries the surviving ones receive.
Hmmm...sounds like a valid idea to me. I may have to discuss this in an upcoming issue.
from Turkey DrumStik 
Personally, I'm more in favor of any sort of contest or activity that allows people to enter things they're already written and posted in their ports. In my eyes, it gives people with less port space more chances to participate. It's also good for those of us on WDC who are taking limited sabbaticals from writing new works.
You are in luck, this issue is for you! You are not the first person to express this sentiment to me, so I thought I would discuss it this month.
From the newsfeed...
s 
I've tried a contest and am currently trying a long-term activity. I have an idea for a shorter activity once this one is over, involving comedy, but am yet to decide whether to do it or not. I think it will depend on if my current activity succeeds.
It is hard to know if an activity will succeed or flop until you put it together and give it a try. Good luck!
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Contests & Activities: June 12, 2024 Issue [#12591]
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