This week: Reviewing Contests & Activities Edited by: Legerdemain  
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2. A Word from our Sponsor
3. Letter from the Editor
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5. A Word from Writing.Com
6. Ask & Answer
7. Removal instructions
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: 1542722411 |
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Amazon's Price: $ 12.99
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Reviewing a Contest or Activity
We all search the "Writing Contests @ Writing.Com" listing for prompts or activities that interest us. We scroll over the listing and click on a few that interest us. Have you ever clicked on one and then closed it because the rules were too confusing? Or clicked off of it because you didn't understand the prompt? Did you ever contact that contest/activity owner and tell them?
We all like to be active on the site and at the same time, there are members trying to be active but are struggling to get contestants or participants. Perhaps they're not aware their contest is confusing, or their activity lacks the spark that makes people want to join in the fun. How can you help them? Review their contest or activity. This takes just as much effort as reviewing a static item; you need to take the time to help with spelling, grammar and punctuation. Beyond that, you also need to give suggestions on how to improve the contest or activity. Is the deadline too short or quick? Does the judge take too long to announce the winners? (I'm of the opinion it should never take longer than a week from closing.) Are some of the rules confusing? Is the drawing date/time not listed?
To be a good contest/activity reviewer, you should be able to examine the item without trying to change the basic structure of that item. In other words, if the theme is about snowy castles, don't try to make it a beach activity. Try to add suggestions to continue the theme or help find ways to make the contest/activity more fun. On top of this, keep in mind your review will go on the reviewers page. This helps promote the item, but as a word of warning, don't turn your review into a roadside carnival barker - just mention the good and the bad and let members click and view. If the activity seems to need a LOT of help, send the review privately and hope the member receives the advice and makes good changes.
And to be really nice, if you find a contest or activity that is well organized and looks fun, review it and then sponsor a bid click ad to help promote it. Often, newbie members use all of their gift points for prizes and don't have a deep enough pocket to promote their cool contest. Give them a hand and sponsor! This is something that only takes a moment if you're short on time, but really helps a new contest or activity. I remember someone sponsored one of my first efforts and I was so thrilled to see it advertised in the Sponsored areas. I really felt like I belonged to the community. I never found out who it was, because bid click is done within each member's account, but I always remembered the kindness.
And perhaps, after reviewing and sponsoring, you'll find the time to enter! There's nothing more exciting than seeing lots of new friends joining in the fun on your page.
This month's question: Are you ready for a challenge???
Review any current contest or activity and email the review link to me and I will reward your review!
I'll also link some of the best reviews in my next Contest / Activity newsletter.
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Excerpt: This forum is designed to get your creative juices flowing. 10,000 gps will be given away every 24 hours!
Character Prompt for May 2019: It's the last day of your character's old life. Tomorrow is the beginning of a new one. How does your character spend the final 24 hours of the only life they've known up until now?
Authors on Writing.Com are looking for good, useful feedback... and of course, exposure within Writing.Com. You can do a good deed by reviewing any qualifying item* on Writing.Com and you might win! Enter as many times as you want to increase your odds of being selected as a prize winner!
May, 2019 prompt
 When Roscoe comes home from work, the house is a disgusting mess.
His wife, Ruby, is angry when he notices the mess.
Ruby watches TV instead of fixing dinner.
Roscoe orders take-out and cleans up the mess.
Excerpt: This contest is here to channel your inner poets, so don't be timid and let the words flow through you!
Excerpt: Currently, winners will receive the GIF Me a Story Trinket. If we get GP donations, prizes may increase!
Excerpt: Here, you can share recipes, find new ones, and learn about foods from other cultures.
Excerpt: There is a lot of wishing on this site and this is one of the best place to voice your wishes. Just post your desire (Writing.com items only please) and wait (crossing fingers) that an Writing.com Angel grants it. Submissions are not anonymous and the post does allow WritingML.
If you'd like to help other members or need help with your upgrade and have done some reviews recently, visit this page.
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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: B083RZJVJ8 |
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Amazon's Price: $ 19.99
Not currently available. |
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This month's question: Are you ready for a challenge???
Review any current contest or activity and email the review link to me and I will reward your review!
I'll also link some of the best reviews in my next Contest / Activity newsletter.
Last month's question: How do you handle drama / a complainer?
Osirantinous  replied: Good advice and reminders to everyone, Leger! I remember being involved in a bit of drama in a contest just after I joined; it was all about the interpretation of the rules, so I've learned to be very crystal clear and to the point on those in the contests I run. As for promoting them, I'm pretty slack. I tend to post once or twice on the newsfeed only. But I've also got this feeling that I don't want to spam the newsfeed - I do feel bugged when I see contests or raffles mentioned over and over and over again. Anyway, I probably need to do the same; that'd help me stop sighing that I get no entries. Ah, rock and a hard place. How comfortable!!!
Sally  responds: I promote my contests on each of their respective pages, on the newsfeed, at the Contest Central Station, on mail outs, and often friends here will highlight my contests on one of their contest pages and I reciprocate. 
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| ASIN: 197380364X |
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Amazon's Price: $ 15.99
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Contests & Activities: May 15, 2019 Issue [#9552]
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