  Contests & Activities
This week: Follow the Rules Edited by: spidey  
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Welcome to the Contests & Activities Newsletter. I'm spidey , and I'm your Editor this week! I'd like to discuss Rules.
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Rules
There are many things to think about when setting up a contest or activity. Theme, prizes, judges, and rules!
Rules are guidelines meant to help members participating in the contest or activity, and they help the host run a successful event. Rules also do one more thing:
They help viewers become participants!
Think about it: How often have you looked through contests & activities, trying to find one that suits you. Maybe you find one that seems perfect - it has an intriguing prompt and an enticing prize, but what's this? Unclear rules? Or maybe none at all? Would you stick around and ask the host about specific rules? Or would you move on?
Sadly, I think a lot of people skip over forums without specific rules.
Now, you don't need a super-long list of rules for participants to follow (unless you're like me, and like a long, detailed list of rules  ), but there are a few basic rules that will help viewers to participate and will help you in managing your contest! Here's a list:
 Newly written - Does the item need to be newly written for the contest? A new item is written specifically for the contest, usually following a specific prompt. Often, the item is more likely to match the prompt if newly written for the contest. Another advantage is leveling out the playing field amongst participants. Older items may be more polished, as they may have been viewed, reviewed, and edited multiple times.
Not previously awarded - If an item does not need to be newly written for a contest, can it have already won an award? Something to think about.
No editing after deadline - Often, hosts review entries. Upon sending the review, the author may be tempted to edit with the host's suggestions in mind. Is the host then required to review it again? Probably not. Or perhaps the host began reading an item, then went back and finished at a later time, but there have been changes made in the meantime. It can be problematic to allow editing while judging is going on.
Word Count Limit - This rule may pertain to the host's allowance of time to judge. Reading longer works, like novellas or novels, take up a good amount of time. So, you may want to have a limit, either word count or KB-size limit.
Rating Limit - You know what you're comfortable reading. If you don't want to read anything above a 13+, 18+, etc., rating, you'll want to consider adding a limit.
Number of Entries per Entrant - Another consideration is number of entries per entrant.
Types of Entry - Personally, I have a difficult time judging poems and short stories together, or short stories and novellas. Sometimes there are types that are difficult for some to compare with one another. One more thing to think about!
Submission Format - Most often, contests require a {bitem} type of submission. If you accept entries to be submitted as a direct message post, you'll want to include that in your rules (and make sure your forum's content rating reflects any posts submitted!). If you only accept a {bitem} submission, you may want to include a link explaining how this link works. "Invalid Item" is a good example!
Remember, rules are meant to clarify. Too many rules can clutter up your forum and sometimes add more confusion. Try to keep things simple, but cover everything you feel must be covered. Be open to questions and suggestions from your readers, and stick to your rules once they're set!
Happy Hosting!
Always keep on writing!
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Contests:
Activities:
Know of some gems that deserve exposure? Submit them in the feedback form or submission form at the end of this Newsletter, and I'll put them in my next one!
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My last newsletter, ("Contests & Activities Newsletter (February 23, 2011)" ), discussed Recharging with Writing.Com
I hate the cold, but contests make it barable. ~ BIG BAD WOLF is hopping 
You're so right! What would we do without WDC? 
I love the analogy you used, comparing a writer establishing a daily writing practice to a runner training her body. Both need to build up endurance and learn to get past that "wall" of exhaustion or self-doubt. Awesome NL!! ~ NickiD89 
Thanks! I couldn't agree more!
Questions to think about:
What rules do you think are a MUST in contests? Do you like a lot of rules or just a few simple ones?
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Contests & Activities: March 23, 2011 Issue [#4300]
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