Contests & Activities: May 21, 2014 Issue [#6335]
<< May 14, 2014Contests & Activities Archives | More From This Day | Print This IssueMay 28, 2014 >>

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Contests & Activities


 This week: You Might Get Lucky
  Edited by: Leger~ Author IconMail Icon
                             More Newsletters By This Editor  Open in new Window.

Table of Contents

1. About this Newsletter
2. A Word from our Sponsor
3. Letter from the Editor
4. Editor's Picks
5. A Word from Writing.Com
6. Ask & Answer
7. Removal instructions

About This Newsletter

The purpose of this newsletter is to highlight some of the current contests and activities on the site, help educate members on how to host contests and activities, and provide clues to submit quality entries to contests. Write to me if you'd like something in particular covered.

This week's Contests and Activities Editor
Leger~ Author Icon


Word from our sponsor

ASIN: B085272J6B
Product Type: Kindle Store
Amazon's Price: $ 9.99


Letter from the editor

You Might Get Lucky


Is your item lacking reviews? Instead of requesting reviews, maybe you can buy one. This newsletter is about auctions and raffles. If you don't believe auctions or raffles belong on a writing site, I understand. I run a raffle every December to raise gift points for "RAOK Upgrade Brigade GroupOpen in new Window.. RAOK benefits writers who need help keeping their membership. In that raffle, I tell everyone exactly where the gift points go - 60% goes to three winners, 35% goes to RAOK and 5% goes to me. Why do I get some? Simple, I work hard running it, I deserve some.

Some members run auctions or raffles to keep up their membership. Higher memberships might be needed to keep up a group and related forums. Hopefully, the group members help with the activity to support the group. Without active member support, groups have a tendency to die. Donating to those activities can help keep your group going. Suppose you donate some reviews; you were probably going to do some reviews that week anyway. If you like to write in an unusual genre, or perhaps items of higher rating, activities could be the place to find a willing reviewer.

Someone bids on your reviews. They've seen your terrific reviews on the Public Review Page  Open in new Window. and are excited to spend some of their hard-earned gift points on your comments. One, if you're bidding, have the gift points or buy some, don't jilt the activity host. Two, if you're reviewing, make your review worth their bid. They wanted your opinion, don't hand them fluff. No one likes fluff.

Three, if you're the one hosting the activity, make sure your prizes are from people you trust will award them. If a prize isn't awarded, be sure to make good on the prize or refund the bidder's gift points. No one likes to be cheated. Be up front about where the gift points are going and communicate with the people participating in your activity.

And last, have fun! Activities are a great place to network with other members. They're great places to make friends so the next time you need a review, you can as a favor and not need to buy a review.


This month's question: How do you feel about auctions and raffles on Writing.com and why?
                   Send in your answer below! *Down* Editors love feedback!


Editor's Picks

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FORUM
HONORING OUR VETERANS  Open in new Window. (ASR)
Of course there's a Veterans Day - EVERY DAY!
#423698 by Monty Author IconMail Icon

Excerpt: This is a place where veterans can come in, sit back, have a cup of coffee and read or write. A place to leave your thoughts, to share your dreams, to say what's on your mind. From one vet to another, welcome!

 Invalid Item Open in new Window.
This item number is not valid.
#1887146 by Not Available.

Excerpt: This activity is similar to the TV show. For those who aren't familiar with it, players take turns guessing letters until they can solve the puzzle. In this activity, you may purchase a consonant for 1k or a vowel for 2k. I will then reveal that letter wherever it occurs in the puzzle. For instance, you may purchase an "A," and there may be four of them. I would reveal all four of them. As the letters are filled in, you may want to solve the puzzle. To try and solve the puzzle, pay 10k. If you win, you will receive a prize from a group of prizes especially donated for that purpose.

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GROUP
The Steampunk Authors' Guild  Open in new Window. (E)
Group for those who wish to learn, practice, write in, promote, and review Steampunk.
#1776061 by Beck Firing back up! Author IconMail Icon

Excerpt: OUR MISSION: To educate the unfamiliar with this fascinating new field of fiction. To promote the Steampunk genre throughout WdC utilizing contests and review forums. To inspire authors to write within the genre and produce quality short stories, novels, and poems.

 Invalid Item Open in new Window.
This item number is not valid.
#1977538 by Not Available.

Benefits two newbie groups!

 Invalid Item Open in new Window.
This item number is not valid.
#1988565 by Not Available.

Excerpt: HISTORICAL POETRY tells about the past, from today back as far as the story takes you, often gives tribute to brave and interesting people of any age who did something history of humanity and the world have remembered, documented from the far past, or something just yesterday which will be remembered as time rolls on..

Image Protector
FORUM
Crack Kraken's Code Contest [Round Over] Open in new Window. (13+)
Follow the clues and decipher the message to win prizes!
#746016 by Davy Kraken Author IconMail Icon

Excerpt: For each round, I will disguise a quote—which could have been sung, spoken, or scrawled—and your task is to be one of the first five people to decipher it.

Image Protector
FORUM
The Perfect Sonnet Contest Open in new Window. (E)
In search of the perfect sonnet...
#1897037 by April Desiree-I'm back! Author IconMail Icon

Excerpt: I love poetry, and I love sonnets. I could read them all day, every day. So I'm on a search for the best of the best here at WDC for the best sonnets you can write.

Image Protector
FORUM
The Humorous Poetry Contest Open in new Window. (18+)
The contest where the rating doesn't matter! ~ Next TBA~
#1875093 by Lornda Author IconMail Icon

Excerpt: Come on in and enter your best funny poem! Write about a humorous situation and exaggerate. Try a rhyming poem, a Limerick, or even pen something absurd.

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FORUM
I'll Give You a Sentence Contest Open in new Window. (ASR)
I'll give you a starter sentence, you give me a story!
#1926350 by Nikola~Thankful Author IconMail Icon
Bookmark for June 1.
Excerpt: It's really very simple. I give you a starter sentence or part of a sentence and you write a short story. This sentence should be the first sentence in your story.

 
Submit an item for consideration in this newsletter!
https://www.Writing.Com/go/nl_form

Word from Writing.Com

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!
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Ask & Answer

This month's question: How do you feel about auctions and raffles on Writing.com and why?

Last month's question: How do you manage your time in our community?


Bill Gerace Author Icon responded: Oh gosh Leger you must of been reading my thoughts lol! I am very new here and was just thinking to myself which contests should I participate in? I am already a member of two groups and I'm just thinking there is so much to do on the site. I am trying to develop a system of some sort where I do so many reviews participate in a few contests and do some writing. My goal for now is to devout a flat 2 hours each day which encompasses me reading my emails here, doing a few reviews and writing. Any suggestions would be awesome. Can't wait to see what other folks write. Extremely helpful!! Awesome newsletter Leger!! Thanks again.
{c:

Elfin Dragon-finally published Author Icon answered: Managing time can be difficult. I usually decide on specific contests I know I can accomplish. If they're long ones then I decide on how much time I can devote to them as well as a review here or there. Usually I stick with the contest and lessen reviews until the contest is done. But right now it also depends on what is going on in my life. I have to manage time wisely so I don't get burned out between writing and life itself. That's important as well. And I make sure if I'm going to be away from reviewing for a while our lovely moderators know. *Smile* And also remembering to go over previous story pieces for re-writes is important. So the key phrase is Manage, Manage, Manage.
Elfin *Dragon*

Quick-Quill Author Icon sent: What can I say? I'm addicted!! This is the first place I come every day during the week. I don't have a lot of computer time on the weekends but I check in now and then. I help out judging on the Roots and Wings contest. I love her contest and have submitted a couple of my own stories. I understand the spreading too thin but sometimes I miss a now closed contest. Alice's Antique Shoppe was my favorite. I've looked at it in the past (not lately so I don't know if her list is still there. I just loved the principle and she changed the list every so often. I wish she'd come back to it or someone would take it over.

spidey Author Icon replied: Great advice! I think we've all felt overwhelmed from time to time. I know I have! I like to reassess my involvement and time every once in a while. I'd love to do more, but sometimes "real life" gets in the way. Great newsletter!

A*Monaing*Faith Author Icon submits: Manage? Not sure that's the right word for me recently. In order to manage you must be organized, lately I've been everything but. Recently I've just been flying by the seat of my creative pants. I'm in a couple of ongoing contests/activities that require weekly involvement at the minimum so that keeps me busy. I also like to lurk around the news-feed and pop up unexpectedly on peoples notebook. Good times....

Robyn is PUBLISHED! Author Icon tells: I'm lucky to have a pretty set schedule for work. Tuesday and Wednesday (my Sat/Sun) is my day for writing and reviewing. I do three reviews on this site each week. Since I don't look at poetry and my feedback on stories is pretty long so three is a lot! I only participate in challenges when I have time. The same goes for contests."

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<< May 14, 2014Contests & Activities Archives | More From This Day | Print This IssueMay 28, 2014 >>

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