  Contests & Activities
This week: Read the Rules! Edited by: Leger~  
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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~
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 Read the Rules!
One of the most frustrating things I find as a contest host is when members don't take the time to read the rules. I try to keep the rules simple. I think a contest should have less than ten rules. If you need more, it's too complicated. I take the time to make the page as clear as possible, and if people ask questions about a certain topic, I try to address that on the contest page. But I find it frustrating, and I'm sure other contest hosts do too, when a member obviously didn't take the time to read the rules and just plopped an entry in the page.
If you're a contest host, try to be clear and try to be understanding of newbie entrants. That bitem thing can be a tricky bit of business if you've never dealt with web ML. There are a few tutorial pages like "Enhance Your Item With WritingML" with video and "Invalid Item" . Link those on your contest / activity page and if you're not familiar with linking, check them out! If you're a newbie, give yourself extra time before the deadline, in case you have problems linking or posting. No contest host likes disqualifying an entry just because someone had problems typing.
Word count: Ask any contest host and they'll say they've DQ'd an entry because of a forgotten word count. Ugh! Spending all that time writing and editing and your item dies on the qualifying bench. There it is, flopping around and gasping for air because you forgot a few characters and numbers. Aw...
Posting your entry: Some contests and activities require your forum message title to say something particular...like "Entry for July". Some hosts will forgive if you just post "July" but remember, if your entry and another one tie in the judge's mind, yours will lose points for not having the proper message title.
So remember, take your time. You took the time to write an entry, take the time to enter it properly. Reading the instructions and following them properly is a good habit, even when thinking about submitting an item for publication. Write on!
This month's question: What is your biggest challenge when hosting a contest? Send in your answer below!  Editors love feedback!
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Bomb your friends with water balloons for a good cause!
Poems can be any length/format. Short stories must be 4000 words or less
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An awesome novel challenge.
A challenge to help you stay active!
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Great auction packages! And the GPs will all go to the winners.
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Send a friend a butterfly and support your favorite charity.
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This contest runs twice a month. Current Prompts Due Jul 31  Sci-fi Prompt: Time travel Fantasy Prompt: Mermaid
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The contest will run from 12:00 AM, Writing.com time on the 15th until 11:59 PM, Writing.Com time on the last day of the month. Current song prompts are: The House Rules: Christian Kane --- Ruby Tuesday: The Rolling Stones --- Don't Go Away Mad: Motley Crue
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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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This month's question: What is your biggest challenge when hosting a contest?
Last month's question: Do you write while on vacation?
Jellyfish  responded: I actually write a lot on holiday - partly because I have more free time, partly because there are less distractions like TV and partly because I feel more inspired and less emotionally drained than I do on a daily basis at work! I always carry a notebook around with me whenever I'm on my hols! And by the way - if you do write something holiday related - check out this link to my contest  (Sorry - shameless plug  Jellyfish x
Lexie  answered: Of course you write on vacation! Even if it is only a journal or notebook, you can record events, the landscape, people you meet or the trouble you had at the airport with your baggage. All of those things and more give you more material to include in your future writing
Jeff  sent: I usually use vacation time to think about writing. I find the clarity and relaxation that usually comes during vacation to be a great opportunity to brainstorm, mull things over, start whipping a story into shape, etc. I'm never fully disconnected from writing, even when I'm enjoying some time off. I rarely actually write, though, because who wants to sit at a computer screen all day when you're on vacation??? 
PandaPaws Licensed VetTech replied: I will write all summer. I have been a member since March and LOVE Writing.com!
Dragon is hiding submitted: In response to the monthly question-yes! I do/have written while on vacation-even though my time on the internet is limited. Having so much going on in my personal life right now, I feel as if writing is my outlet to let off steam.
Quick-Quill  said: I absolutely write all the time, but summer seems to have more fodder for writing as I am out and about more and see all kinds of weird things. After all I live in Portland, OR whose motto is "Keep Portland Weird" and they are!
Last month I posted a review challenge to the Contest / Activity newletter readers - "Review three current contests or activities - 300 characters or more and public reviews." The Teamwork merit badge winners are: PandaPaws Licensed VetTech - Dawn Embers  - blue jellybaby  Thanks to these members for participating and helping our community!
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Contests & Activities: July 17, 2013 Issue [#5790]
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