Contests & Activities: November 16, 2010 Issue [#4081]
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Contests & Activities


 This week: Take a Short Break if You Like To
  Edited by: NaNoNette Author IconMail Icon
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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

There was a day, last week or nearly a decade ago, that you typed "writing" into your search engine. You wanted to show off some of your poems, short stories, or maybe even get feedback for a whole novel. You found Writing.com.
On this site you found all that you had searched for: Portfolio space, helpful reviewers, encouraging groups, style and grammar lessons from peers. But nothing had prepared you for the amazing bounty of: Contests & Activities


Word from our sponsor

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Letter from the editor

Take a Short Break if You Like To


We are halfway through November, at is seems time is speeding up a little more with each passing day. NaNoWriMo is in full swing, and already we have several NaNo winners to celebrate.
Now, I know that there are forums, groups, and other support activities to help each one of us with motivation and commiseration to make it to that amazing 50,000 words by the end of the month. Because I saw a comment about it in a forum, and I have caught myself doing it too, I want to remind everybody that you should not be editing right now. Unless you already have your 50 k words. Otherwise, don't worry if the chapters make sense in the sequence you wrote them. Don't worry if you suddenly need an extra character to make things work. Let the plot happen as convoluted as it wants to come out. You will have all of 2011 until October 31st to fix it. *Smile*

If you need to take a break from your NaNo, there are plenty of activities and contests that are vying for your attention. If it helps you to reframe your mind and even gets your creativity to flow better, it might be a good idea to spend one of those days with a shorter contest. In preparation for the end of year parties, WdC members have started setting up wonderful activities to make it all more fun for all. The Secret Santa games are great community games that reward everybody.

Visit the "Writing Contests @ Writing.ComOpen in new Window. and "Activities @ Writing.ComOpen in new Window. pages for the listings of all the great things that are going on right now at WdC.


Editor's Picks


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FORUM
Secret Santa - Closed Open in new Window. (18+)
A fun way to get in the holiday spirit!
#1494614 by Leger~ Author IconMail Icon

Get in the spirit of the holiday and be a Secret Santa!

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This item number is not valid.
#1712999 by Not Available.

It's almost the Holidays!! And what a better way to celebrate then to celebrate with others

 Invalid Item Open in new Window.
This item number is not valid.
#1140329 by Not Available.

Minimum of 250k to the winner upon 1000 tickets sold!

 Invalid Item Open in new Window.
This item number is not valid.
#1723427 by Not Available.

A fun place to relax, from general gab to games

The 'Normal' Name Experiment Open in new Window. (E)
This In and Out is designed to create a wide variety of names for people to use in stories
#1697676 by Matt Bird MSci (Hons) AMRSC Author IconMail Icon

This In and Out is designed for generic names that really exist have an interesting but believable feel to them.

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The Quills Open in new Window. (ASR)
The Quills home page. General information, links and donations.
#1376303 by Lilli 🧿 ☕ Author IconMail Icon

Hello, and welcome to the Quill Awards, the WDC improvement on the Oscars, Golden Globes, Emmys, etc.!

Hawk's Vocabulary Extravaganza Open in new Window. (E)
A test of skills on the use of vocabulary. (2 time Editor pick) (Quill honorable mention)
#1706859 by BScholl Author IconMail Icon

When writing, a great vocabulary can mean the difference between an ordinary story or poem and a piece which will be remembered -- sometimes for years afterward.

 Invalid Item Open in new Window.
This item number is not valid.
#1710496 by Not Available.

This is a contest dedicated to the beautiful ways of chivalry and etiquette.

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#1694667 by Not Available.

The Wheel of the Year turns with each passing month and Season, and as it turns, it brings new inspirations.

 
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!
         https://www.Writing.Com/go/nl_form

Don't forget to support our sponsor!

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Ask & Answer

Mini Contest!


*Apple* *** ~~~ *** *Apple* *** ~~~ *** *Apple* *** ~~~ *** *Apple* *** ~~~ *** *Apple*


For the next time, tell me about the most flamboyant/fun/festive/amazing US or exotic Thanksgiving tradition you know of. For those traditions with dates earlier or later in the year, give me a date.
The person to submit the most amazing answer in under 30 words via the box under the line Send a comment or question to the editor with your item submission. will receive a Merit Badge of their choice from me. DISCLAIMER: This contest is run by me, NaNoNette Author IconMail Icon, not by WdC. If you have any questions, please send me an email.

*Pumpkin* *** ~~~ *** *Witchhat* *** ~~~ *** *Cat* *** ~~~ *** *Jackolantern* *** ~~~ *** *Ghost*


For October, I asked the following questions: Is October really the tenth month of the year? If not, which month is it? How do you know? Where did you find the answer? The first person to submit the correct answer via the box under the line Send a comment or question to the editor with your item submission. will receive a Merit Badge of their choice from me

Free_Rip Author Icon wrote: Yes and Google/primary school. I have a feeling that this is a trick question, though... or maybe the trick is that it isn't a trick question, even though it seems like one! *Delight* *voice of reason: no, it's a trick question* Darn.

Not really a trick question, but it could be. *Laugh*

Mike~Dolphins Fan 4 Life Author Icon wrote: Yes, it is the tenth month in the internationally accepted Gregorian Calendar, and is the eighth month in the old Roman Calendar, which lists December as the tenth month of the year. I found the answer in Wikipedia.

Cool! You were the first one to answer. Send me an email which MB you would like as your prize.

A.T.B: It'sWhatWeDo Author Icon wrote: According to the Gregorian calendar October is indeed the tenth month of the year. The Catholic Church revamped the existing Roman calendar due to a wandering Easter (never a good thing to lose)...prior to that, October was the Eighth Roman month. I remember learning that due to musical training, actually, as "octo-" is also a deceiving description for the "octave." Some would say there are eight notes due to the name, of course, but it's actually twelve (eight full steps, four half steps). October was always the "fun fact" whenever the octave question was raised. Good stuff, and a great NL!

Very good! I learned a lot from your answer. And here I thought I was clever.

A.S. Hendra [Job-Searching] Author Icon wrote: Nope, it's not. Originally, October is seen as the eighth month, as the old old calendar began in March. However, it's later on updated by adding two more months in the beginning of the year, January and February, and so the rest of the months changes.

Very nice. I didn't know January and February were also added.

Fyn Author Icon wrote: It was the 8th month on the old Roman Calendar
Oct is not the 8th month because the ancient Romans inserted 2 months in the middle of the year to correct the calendar. This is what is now known as the Julian calendar. Why? Because July (for Julius Caesar) and Aug (for Augustus Caesar) were added between June and Sept. Sept from 7th, Oct from 8th, Nov from 9th and Dec from 10th each got moved forward two places.
The Jewish religious new year begins at the month of Passover... So April would be the 1st month of the ancient Jewish year making September the 7th month and October the 8th...
The new months, Ianuarius and Februarius, were inserted at the front of the old calendar
July and August were originally known as Quintilis and Sextilis (5th and 6th). March/Martius was the start of the year.
So Dec USED to be the 10th month because there was a several month span that wasn't even named beyond winter...When Jan and Feb were added it fixed things and messed them up :)

Great answer. Thank you so very much for the thorough reply. I think my brain just got a little smarter.

An apple a day.... Author Icon wrote: October is the 10th month on the Gregorian calendar (ours) but originally it was the 8th month on the Roman calendar thus the name "October"...from Wikipedia....via google.

Thank you for playing the game with me. *Smile*

Matt Bird MSci (Hons) AMRSC Author Icon wrote: October was the eighth month originally, hence the 'Oct' in October. Julius Ceaser had a month named after him- July and October became the ninth month, the Augustus had a month named after him- August which promoted October to the tenth month. I learnt it in school, but technically October is the tenth month but traditionally it is the eighth month. MattAB16

You learned it in school? Man, what kind of place did I go to? They never told me that. Or I forgot.

BIG BAD WOLF Feeling Thankful Author Icon wrote: The tenth month depends on what you use to measure the year by, snow-fall, harvest time, birthday, holiday, anything. *Bigsmile*

A very creative approach. I guess it works, since the months are really messed up looking backwards with each emperor naming a month for themselves.

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