  Contests & Activities
This week: Edited by: Sarah Rae  
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1. About this Newsletter
2. A Word from our Sponsor
3. Letter from the Editor
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5. A Word from Writing.Com
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The contests and activities on this site are constantly changing! Almost every day there is something new and exciting to view and participate in. The ideas are endless. Some succeed, some manage to get along, while others, unfortunately, are left behind and forgotten. My goal as your Contest & Activity newsletter editor is to provide each of you with the tools it takes to create a great success.
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| ASIN: 0910355479 |
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Amazon's Price: $ 13.99
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Introducing:
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Today, there are several hundred contests and activities currently running, in the works, or almost ended at Writing.Com. Poetry contests, raffles for RAOK, a brand new group, a big reviewing contest that everyone's talking about... With so much going on and with all changing so quickly, it's hard to tell what are legitimate activities.
To run a contest or an activity, one doesn't need the approval of Staff members or a moderator. You can simply think up a contest idea and start it. Anyone can create a contest or an activity that promises a big payout or promises to donate all proceeds to charity. The problem is there's no way to guarantee the hosts of any contest or activity will do as they say. In fact, unethical hosts are a problem at Writing.Com. Several members complain that they gave gift points to an auction and never received their prizes; others wonder what happened to that big contest that they worked so hard on an entry; while others think their raffle ticket prices are going straight to RAOK, when the gift points actually go into the host's own account.
There is, however, a new way of seeing if somebody has earned a good reputation as a contest or activity host or as a donor. Allow me to introduce "Invalid Item" . A group of moderators and other Writing.Com members watch contests and activities carefully, and when a member has proven his or her reliability as a host or as a donator, that person earns the "Seal of Approval" which gives them the right to display a smaller version of the image above in any contest or activity they host, or wherever else they choose.
To earn the "Seal of Approval," a member must have participated in 3 or more sucessful contests or activities, either as a host or as a donator. Moderators of the "Seal of Approval" will review the contest or activity. They will check to see that gift points, both donated and given out, match up as promised. They will make sure the rules are followed and that the host or donator follows through with everything in a timely manner. When the hosts or donators have proven themselves trustworthy three or more times, they are given permission to display the image; and their name is listed in "Invalid Item" which is accessible by clicking on the image.
To encourage members to be ethical, the moderators of the "Seal of Approval" have also created "Invalid Item" . If a member falls behind or fails to meet any other requirements, his/her name is temporarily added to this list. People on this list may easily have their name removed by completing the obligations they have left unfulfilled in their contest, activity, or donation. However, to warn members against hosts or donators that are constantly unable to fulfill their obligations or who might be dishonest in their dealings, anyone who has been listed on the "Wall of Shame" three times will be given a 'place of honor' at the top of the list for 3 months.
We hope this addition to Writing.Com will be a helpful guide to all members. Our hope is that the combination of both lists will encourage members to run contests and activities to the best of their ability, by awarding your hard work. If you know of any members that have earned the right to be given the "Invalid Item" , feel free to nominate them through "Invalid Item" .
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The focus of this month's picks are groups. Check out these original group acitivities, and some contests, and look at next month's "Ask and Answer" question!
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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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| ASIN: B004PICKDS |
Product Type: Toys & Games
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Amazon's Price: Price N/A
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An original contest is one that requires me to do something I've never thought of before- combine ideas in a unique way, look at things with new eyes, stretch myself.
What makes a contest original is when you have never seen something like it before, but it still pulls you in to try something new.
I think when a host finds a niche that piques everyone's interest, and makes them want to join in the fun, they've come up with a great contest. People, looking for new ideas to write about, love a contest that inspires their creativity. It should be fun! There's nothing worse than either waiting too long for a deadline that you've forgotten you've entered, or cramming too hard to make a deadline. Sometimes the timing takes practice. I think a contest where more individuals win prizes, rather than one great big prize, is more enticing also. It is more fun when the entrants have a good chance of gaining a prize.
A contest is new when it has never been done before. A contest is new when the slant of the design is just tweaked interestingly enough to pull the reader in. When enticed by such a contest, a participant CANNOT get the idea out of his/her head. That contest has hooked and landed the writer with the novelty and freshness of the idea. Ergo, it is original.
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| ASIN: B083RZ2C5F |
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Amazon's Price: Price N/A
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Contests & Activities: February 01, 2006 Issue [#856]
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