  Contests & Activities
This week: Contests 101 Edited by: Shannon  
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Welcome to the Contests & Activities Newsletter. I am Shannon and I'm your editor this week. |
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Contests 101
Do you have a routine ... a checklist you follow when you're about to enter a contest? I wouldn't say I have a "checklist", but there's definitely a pattern to my contest entry process.
1. Print out the prompt. Whether it's a picture prompt, a word/phrase prompt or both, I print it out and tape it above my desk.
2. Familiarize myself with the rules. It's wise to know the rules inside and out. Read them once. Read them twice. Print them out and keep them beside you as you write ... and refer to them often.
3. Be sure of the deadline. As many of you already know, this one's nailed me once. KNOW YOUR DEADLINE and plan for it. By "plan" I mean allow yourself enough time to edit before entering. I typically try to finish my story a week or two in advance, then edit it until my crossed eyes can't see anything else that needs fixing. Then I ...
4. Send my work to 3-5 brutally honest but trusted friends. This is the most important step (in my humble opinion). I choose people I trust, people who know their stuff, and people who aren't afraid to speak their minds. I want to know about their emotional reactions as they read and suggestions for improvement. It's not until I've rewritten based on their feedback that I make the story public. And I always offer a generous amount of gift points and require a review with ratings (after all, the review--the detailed suggestions for improvement--are what I'm after). Hopefully this step will garner me at least twenty in-depth reviews. Then I ...
5. Channel Stephen King. Okay, so I don't really channel Stephen King, but I DO follow his advice when it comes to editing: if one reviewer out of twenty says I should revise something, then it's a tie (me vs. the reviewer) and the writer always wins in a tie. But if the majority of those twenty reviews say this section or that topic need clarifying/revising, then I clarify and/or revise.
6. One last check of the rules/deadline. I'm very OCD, so one last check (or two ... maybe three) is in order here.
7. Submit! Now my entry is finally ready for submission.
Each person has their own process for entering contests. These steps work for me, and for those of you who haven't developed a routine yet ... well, maybe they'll work for you too.
Until next time,
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Feedback
The following is in response to "Contests & Activities Newsletter (September 30, 2009)"
DRSmith  says, "You've got to be wary of us Smiths. In lieu of pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis in 1935, Everett could have said for the sake of students: lungbustfromfinesillicadust? Of course, being a Smith, I've always called brassiers overtheshoulderboulderholders, but am I in Oxford Dictionary? No-o-o-o." Good point, doc. 
afineline says, "Excellent newsletter! You really highlighted some great activities. I'm even saving this so I can look back later and visit those again! And wow, there is absolutely nothing worse than putting forth effort and not being recognized... or is there? I once spent two weeks writing and revising a piece for a contest. When I saw there were no other updates to the forum, I double checked the rules, and nothing indicated that the contest was not running. The last post had been a few days before me, and the closing date was still a week away. However, I was informed the next day that the contest had ended over a year ago! You can imagine my embarassment! And I had always thought the word 'antidisestablishmentarianism'--the separation of church and state--was the longest word in the dictionary. I can't believe that they'd make an even longer word!" Ugh! Yeah, I feel your pain. But did you get a good story out of the deal? That's really all that matters (or at least that's the mantra I keep repeating to make myself feel better).
JACE  says, "Thank you for featuring the first auction I've ever run, Shannon. By the time this response is published it will be over. But I can safely say that it has exceeded my wildest hopes already in its first week, and I believe your listing has some part of that.  You sure know where to check the activity pulse of WDC." Thanks, Jace! Glad to help.
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Contests & Activities: October 28, 2009 Issue [#3309]
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