  Contests & Activities
This week: Advertising your Contest / Activity Edited by: Legerdemain  
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5. A Word from Writing.Com
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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.
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| ASIN: B01IEVJVAG |
Product Type: Kindle Store
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Amazon's Price: $ 9.99
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Bid Click
I published part of this article in the Noticing Newbies newsletter and thought it would be relevant for hosts of contests and activities. If you've done your research on your activity or contest and reviews are coming in saying your page looks good and have no errors, what can you do next, to bring in participants? Advertise! The first place to visit (after reading this newsletter  ) is "Gaining Exposure Within Writing.Com"
There are plenty of places to advertise in our community. WDC has listings for Contests and listings for your Activities. You can also inform groups you belong to, of your activity. You can post in the Scrolling Messages system on occasion with a ritem link if your item fits the Scrolling Messages' rating. Or you can use Bid Click!
What's a Bid Click? Bid Click is a self-serve advertising system in our community. What you "bid" on is how much you're willing to pay "per click" of your ad. The higher your bid ranks on the list of bids for that area, the higher your item shows on the list. Just like anywhere else, you have to watch and spend your advertising budget wisely. If you only want to spend a limited amount of gift points on your ad, watch your bid log carefully. Or if you have an upgraded membership, you can create a group to store your ad gift points in, and advertise through the group.
Now, how to best spend your advertising gift points. If you look at the bids in the Sponsored Items list, the bids right now are pretty high for a new member with a limited budget. The bid for the top of the list is 2001 gift points per click. If you have a limited amount of gift points, a few clicks could sap your funds. Another method to get on the Sponsored list is to bid 400 gps or more in an Item Type or Item Genre listing. This can put you at the top of the sponsored list for someone viewing a genre listing like "Western" or an Item Type like "Crossword Puzzle" AND a slot on the rotating Sponsored Items list. More ad for your gift point value.
If you have a very limited amount of gift points to spend on advertising, some genre and item listings require very few gift points bid to get in the top three. You could be at the top of a genre listing for as little as a 15 gift point bid. It doesn't get you in the major sponsored items list, but you will have ads going on the site.
Take a little time to become familiar with our advertising system, it may be well worth the investment when you receive participation in your contest / activity and some reviews in your Inbox.
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A monthly comedy contest. "Must be original! No old jokes or remakes of old jokes! Just tell me a funny story!"
WDC has been awash with auctions of late full of reviews and awardicons, but who doesn't like to get a package in the mail? In an effort to do something different, the packages in this auction will largely be items that can be delivered to your mailbox rather than your inbox!
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This item number is not valid.
#1534226 by Not Available. |
Fantasy opens the door to experiencing the magic that is in the world around us, and more importantly the magic in ourselves. As a genre, fantasy is about moving from our world into the world of experiences beyond. By tapping into those experiences we come to know more about ourselves and IMAGE the world beyond.
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This item number is not valid.
#1682353 by Not Available. |
Apocalyptic Candy is a special place for rising poets to enter some of their works.
This humble forum was created as a venue for Writing.com members to talk about the new slider feature available to all members. If you're wondering what a slider is: "Each portfolio gets their own set of Sliders -- think magnetic poetry. You create the "Words", which can include phrases, emoticons and other "Small" writingML" -- like "item" and "post", but not "bitem" or "image"... and anyone can move them around! Like what you've created on the board? Take a snapshot and save it! Visitors to the sliders page can view past snapshots."
This week's prompt is "Send me a rainbow." Poetry or Lyrics of any length accepted; Flash Fiction stories cannot be over 500 words and the word count provided at the bottom of your entry.
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This item number is not valid.
#1683600 by Not Available. |
There are scenes in stories and movies that stick out to us because they are so compelling and riveting. Its what makes us read the book again or watch the movie about a million times, rewinding it just to that part. In this contest, you have to write me the best scene based on the given prompt. Interested?
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This item number is not valid.
#1681132 by Not Available. |
To write a short story using picture prompt(s). The story must be in the Sci-Fi Genre and should be as intense and thrilling as possible.
The task is simple: get inspired by the photograph and write a short story using this inspiration!
Ever wonder how to make a friend's WDC anniversary extra special?
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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
Don't forget to support our sponsor!
| ASIN: B07NPKP5BF |
Product Type: Toys & Games
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Amazon's Price: Price N/A
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This month's question: What methods do you use to advertise? Now's your chance! Reply below and add a link to your contest or activity, so editors can post them in the newsletters!
Last month's question: What are the great features of successful contest /activities you've participated in?
Mark  replied: As always, very good newsletter! Of all the many activities I've participated in here at WDC, the ones I've found most rewarding have a universal theme: involvement. Unquestionably, when attention, chatter and participation are combined with fun, challenge and a level of excitement, it is hard to beat. The derivative benefits of the activity and clamor are things everyone here wants, feedback and exposure.
I agree, participation and having fun while learning always enhances our experience in the WDC community.
THANKFUL SONALI 17 WDC YEARS!  answered: What are the great features of successful contests you've participated in?
There are several features, I'm going to highlight the two that matter most to me:-
1. A contest which accepts either a poem or a short story, like "The Writer's Cramp - Poetry Week"
2. A contest which gives Gift Points or where the host is willing to give Gift Point Equivalents as prizes. I keep my membership through GPs and need winning items to help earn them!
"The Writer's Cramp - Poetry Week" is a fun contest and offers an awesome 10,000 gift point prize each day. If you haven't visited it yet, give it a try! Writing for contests and winning gift points are a great way to learn our craft and pay for our membership too!
peach said: I sure enjoy this newsletter, although I have never entered a contest on WDC. Get enjoyment just to see the extreme vairety of subjects, rules, judging, seriousness, and joy of the creators and participants. I do like the next 5 word action from Starr* Rathburn
I agree, "Invalid Item" is a fun activity!
Budroe sent: An excellent and timely newsletter, Leger. Great work! |
| ASIN: 0997970618 |
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Amazon's Price: $ 14.99
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Contests & Activities: June 23, 2010 Issue [#3823]
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