Awardicons are virtual ribbons or trophies that may be awarded to items within Writing.Com. This is a wonderful way to recognize someone for a job well done! Each awardicon is given by a member of Writing.Com for whatever reason he or she so desires. Each ribbon, plaque or trophy given will be permanently attached to that specific item and displayed beside the item's icon when displayed in the portfolio, on public listings and within WritingML links. The highest valued award most recently received will be displayed to the left of the item's icon at all times. If there is more than one awardicon for an item, the quantity received will be displayed as a small number over the bottom of the awardicon on display, such as:


An Example
As as example, let's say your item was awarded a blue ribbon valued at 10,000 GPs. The blue ribbon awardicon would be attached to that item. A week later, this same item wins a green ribbon valued at 10,000 GPs. Now the item will display the green ribbon since it is the highest valued award most recently received. It will also have a small number "2" at the bottom of the awardicon, showing that your item has won two separate awardicons.

Three weeks later, this item wins a red ribbon awardicon valued at 25,000 GPs. This red ribbon will be displayed on that item until another awardicon of equal or greater value is received. A few more examples are:

Giving and Purchasing an Awardicon
When you find an item that you would like to give an awardicon, you'll need to also have an item that explains why you're awarding it. This can be anything from the item ID of the original contest where the award was won to the item ID of a specially written static item about your awardicon presentation. This is the ultimate form of recognition here at Writing.Com!

If you have a "special" awardicon that you have given more than once, keep a running list of those items and their authors at the bottom of your "special" item. Perhaps your award will be known throughout Writing.Com and coveted by all. Add some life to your contests by giving away an awardicon for each winning placement. Combine this with Gift Points and you've got instant cool prizes!

To purchase an awardicon for a member's item, you have a few options. If you are viewing the item, you can scroll to the bottom of it and purchase one directly from there. You can also choose Shop or Gift Point Tools from the navigation under the Writing.Com logo. Both of these menus have awardicons linked from within (http://www.Writing.Com/main/awardicons.php).

If you would like to award an author instead of an item, please see: "Merit Badges" .

Information and Inscriptions
Clicking the awardicon on an item will launch a small window containing a larger awardicon image and additional information regarding its allocation. Award-giving members must provide an Item ID number, which gives more detail about the award.

Trophies and plaques allow members to leave special, personal inscriptions for the item, while ribbons do not. Readers will see the name of the member who gave the awardicon and the reasons behind it.

Item Display Cases
Each item created on Writing.Com will automatically have an awardicon Display Case, where all awards received for that specific item will be stored. Each time the item receives an awardicon, it will automatically be added to the item's Display Case. When viewing an item, readers may click on the awardicon to peruse the item's Display Case. A small window will appear allowing the reader to look through the awardicons from highest to lowest value.

Your Trophy Room
Each Writing.Com author has a Trophy Room, where all Display Cases are stored. This means, each item that has won an awardicon will be seen from this room. Members will access an author's Trophy Room from the author's public portfolio "Community" tab.
         For example: http://www.Writing.Com/authors/storymistress/trophy_room

A Few Thoughts About Awardicons
Just like "Costumicons"  and "Merit Badges" , awardicons are sponsorships that help support Writing.Com.

Awardicons are not supposed to be "under priced" because they would quickly appear on every item and lose their value.

Awardicons stay with an item forever. Once your item has received an award, it will keep this award by its side as long as it's on Writing.Com.

More than likely, items that receive an award will stand out much more on an item listing page. Over time, they will probably stand out so much more that they are worth their "weight" in saved BidClick fees.

Awardicons give added exposure to the awarding author as well as the awarded. People will click on the ribbons, plaques and trophies. When they click, they get the nifty pop-up with a link back to the original contest; thus, bringing new interested parties to the contest itself.1