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Contests & Activities: November 24, 2021 Issue [#11090]




 This week: Clunkers
  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



Letter from the editor

Clunkers

We've all had this happen. We see a prompt and start an entry, then something goes sideways. You run out of time. Your family distracts you too much. Your characters prove to be a little flat and boring. Your plot runs out of gas and pulls up to a gasping halt and you can't wring anything more from it.

What should you do?

Write as much as you can. If you have the story completed and you realize in the editing process that the story didn't gel as you wished it had, leave it in your portfolio. I don't advise ever deleting something you've spent time and effort on. Put a note at the top of the item so when a review comes along, you've let them know there's something wrong and would like an opinion on how to fix it. Sometimes all it needs is a fresh pair of eyes staring it down and things will fall into place.

If it's only partially done, but you really like the character, ask for opinions on the character. Does he come across as genuine? Is his accent legitimate? Does he seem to be mean enough?

In the end, even if your work didn't make it to the contest, you probably have something worth saving and using in another entry. If you don't want to share your clunker, save it in a folder for another time. Perhaps they might inspire a whole new story.

And as always, Write On!

This month's question: What do you do with your clunkers? Send in your answer below! *Down* Editors love feedback!


Editor's Picks

 
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Quotation Inspiration: Official Contest Open in new Window. (ASR)
Use the quote provided to write a story and win big prizes!
#1207944 by Writing.Com Support Author IconMail Icon

Prompt: Quote Prompt for November 2021: "That bad news is time flies. The good news is you're the pilot."
-- Michael Altschuler


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Paranormal Romance Contest Open in new Window. (18+)
Now, Open Exclusively to HSP students & members - a 2016 & 2020 Quill Award winner
#2089860 by Jim Hall Author IconMail Icon

Excerpt: For our purposes, paranormal romance is defined as a subgenre of both romantic fiction and speculative fiction.

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The Prompt Me Contest Open in new Window. (13+)
Weekly winners will have a chance to win the monthly MB give-away!
#2000519 by Cubby Author IconMail Icon

Excerpt: Send me a prompt. I pick the winners each week and send them gps. I pick the best prompt of the month from the four top weekly winners. The monthly winner will be awarded this contest's exclusive MB!!!

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Question of the Day! Open in new Window. (18+)
Come answer a question, share a laugh, encourage one another, and bring me a coffee!
#2142667 by Lilli 🧿 ☕ Author IconMail Icon

Excerpt: A place to answer a daily question and spark conversations.

 Invalid Item Open in new Window.
This item number is not valid.
#2252388 by Not Available.

Excerpt: Let's create a supportive, encouraging group with honest and constructive criticism that is respectful of the writer's vision, story, tone, style, ambition. The goal is to help each other to self-publish successfully.

 Invalid Item Open in new Window.
This item number is not valid.
#2240621 by Not Available.

Excerpt: To all those who prefer the path less traveled, magic around every corner, and a healthy dose of fantasy, this contest is for you!

Daily Flash Fiction Challenge Open in new Window. (13+)
Enter your story of 300 words or less.
#896794 by Arakun the twisted raccoon Author IconMail Icon

Excerpt: Flash fiction is fun to read and a challenge to write. It must contain all the elements of a larger work of fiction, but in a much shorter space.

Are you up for it?


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The Writer's Cramp Open in new Window. (13+)
Write the best poem or story in 24 hours or less and win 10K GPS!
#333655 by Sophurky Author IconMail Icon

10,000 gift points are nothing to sneeze at! Check this out!

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MechGrammical Open in new Window. (13+)
A place to ask and answer questions about writing mechanics and grammar.
#2160953 by Satuawany Author IconMail Icon

This forum is where you can ask (and answer!) questions about grammar and writing mechanics.* We also have activities where you can win Gift Points, Merit Badges, and Awardicons.

 
Submit an item for consideration in this newsletter!
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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: This month's question: What do you do with your clunkers? Send in your answer below! *Down* Editors love feedback!

Last month's "Contests & Activities Newsletter (October 27, 2021)Open in new Window. question: Do you back up your work? How and where?


Elfin Dragon-finally published Author Icon: OH MAN! How can you not back up your stuff?? *Shock2* I use OneDrive to back up the majority of my stuff. But I also have other stuff backed up through Microsoft Office Suite and I use the "Write It Now" program for my writing. And I back up everything the minute I create the file and at least every 30 minutes I'm writing. I've lost stuff too often not to back things up now.

Cadie Laine - gobble, gobble Author Icon: I like to keep a backup of all my writing and things on an external hard drive that automatically backs up at least once a week most of the time more often though.

Indelible Ink Author Icon: Yes. The nearest dumpster.

Graywriter Author Icon: Printed copies in a binder. "The collected stories and poems of Graywriter"

Dave's trying to catch up Author Icon: First three piles on the left.

AliceLvs2Write Author Icon: always! external hard drive.

tybo777: Now that I know that my stuff deletes some time after my subscription ends, I will certainly start backing it up!

Scifiwizard Retired Author Icon: I write everything I type on paper first.

vada Author Icon: Yes. Flash Drives and External Hard Drive.

Loreli Author Icon: Usually the same computer that I write on here with. My first storage is here, then computer, then pen and paper.

Jtpete 1986 Author Icon: paper, flashdrive, different PC, external memory

Pumpkin Spice Sox Author Icon: pc, memory card, flash drive, wdc

elephantsealer Author Icon: I always back up my works through external hard drives. I believe these drives are actually the best that the internet has allowed us to use!!!! This reminds me of the times I have to make copies of everything I write...

Write_Mikey_Write! Author Icon: Well, I could say I use 3.5" or 5.25" floppy disks, but then you'd all wonder how I was even on WDC using Windows 2.0. The computers I used to use are currently located on the floor, taking up space and holding down the carpet. Basically, I use a collection of .txt documents to create, then copy/paste to WDC.

Anna Marie Carlson Author Icon: I have spiral notebooks with my writing and I have binders with my work that I have handwritten

Zen Author Icon: My website is quite extensive, but I have more space than I need. I make regular backups of my writing to local hard disks - some on my desktop, some on the network - and regularly zip these up and upload to my website. I'm actually in the throes of automating this process.

BoB_618 Author Icon: I use a linux computer & server I built a few yrs ago. I use a word processor like most, but then I printout a copy to add to a loose-leaf binder ( using sheet protectors) also, I keep a backup on the server. If I needed to I could transmit, copy to a disk, printout a copy, or even save it to a keydrive. For this site, I simply copy and paste.

JCosmos Author Icon: I lost some work due to incompatibility issues with Mac and PC world. went back to the PC world. I back up things to the one drive, and to an external drive which I will be testing out this week. the idea going forward is every Sunday I back up everything.

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