Dear Val,1
I haven’t been around for long enough to rant with any earned respect or knowledgable conviction but I wanted to give you my thoughts about contests…2
1. I love the contests at Storywrite. They are interesting. They provide a starting point/focus for writing. Personally, when entering, I try to think outside the box given to me. Sadly, sometimes I fail but always learn something, even if the judge dislikes what I have done. There are many contests I am unable to enter because I write very slowly and/or I don’t feel up to it but I still enjoy reading the entries and following the winners. As a reader, contest provide me a place to easily find content themes that I am interested in and introduce me to writers who I am not familiar with. 3
2. That said, the site is best served by offering a variety of contest types. There is a huge continuum of writers (ability, age, interests) who all need a venue to share.4
3. I think pre-writes have their place but I prefer contest that require new writes. Many very good, respectable people on this site submit the same pieces over and over again…and win with no new effort. While these are generally great pieces that merit reading, re-reading, and exposure, perhaps there should be a limit how many awards you can win with one piece of writing. I think of “fresh writes” as their own category because all entries have had to have been produced within the same time constraints and that can be a great equalizer. 5
4. I like a time frame of about 1 month to put my best work forward. 6
5. Long word minimums intimidate me. I will not enter a "novel" contest. It is beyond my abilities. But they are good for people who can do it. 7
6. Depending on the contest, short work maximums can be good---not appropriate if you are writing a novel but good for some stuff. I know that sometimes it encourages the younger crowd to enter a quick, blog-type entry but writing is writing. It can provide good experience for many people. It can build confidence.8
7. On the flip side of this, I support contests that are for select groups only---like age specific or group related subsets of writers. These contests offer a needed outlet for certain populations. 9
8. I am not a fan of most picture prompts. And I won’t write about song lyrics. Ugh.10
9. Ask an interesting or intelligent question or propose a clever idea and I am hooked.11
10. It is important to me when the contest leader does a good job in setting up the contest. Be clear. Fix spelling. Make it look nice and easy to read. If time is taken for presentation,as a writer, I am more likely to feel that time will be given to my entry.12
11. It would be nice for contests to have their own mechanism for being “featured”—like rewarding points for entries, not clicks/reads or comments. I know you get some points at the end for running the contest but it would be more fun to see them grow with each entry. regardless of how its done, I would gladly spend points to get more people to actually enter. What I enjoy most is the dialogue that comes from participation. 13
12. I have learned thru trial and error how to enter and what to expect with each contest. Know your audience. I now read the page of the contest judge/leader---to determine the level of effort I want to invest in the contest entry and to decide if I think my work will be read or considered fairly. I could have benefitted from this insight earlier on in my time here but it was a valuable lesson that I probably had to learn for myself. Not everyone cares about what I write—some want to hear only from their own cohort---while I may be on the outs, that’s okay. I might still have fun doing the writing. These contests are needed on the site as well. 14
13. Finally, I wanted to share my experience with my own contests. So far, I have tried to make contest that not only allow for creativity but also force people to think. I suppose that is who I am. Other’s don’t have my agenda of personal growth/self reflection but that is okay…my contest have their appeal to certain people and theirs to others. 15
Good luck with you endeavor. 16
(You need not consider this an entry, my opinion is freely given)17
Claudia
18
PS- Your last contest about the MUSE fits in under my category of clever ideas. It was fun to read the entries.
A contest entry
- Contest Rants by Valkyrie.
350 points, ended March 25, 6 entries
Gold trophy winner
• next story in this contest, remove from contest
Comments
1 - 6 of 6
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I'll agree with everything you say especially Musical prompts and I always end up with some ridiculous picture prompts.
As usual well written.
PS
I did try one of you contest but I didn't have the time to complete my entry.
beginning: 5, language: 5, plot: 5, ending: 5, dialog: 5, characters: 5.
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Oh I loved reading this. I especially like your idea in point 11. That is how the site should do that.
But i agree with everything you said in this. 
great work on your opinion paper. It was one of the best ones i've ever read and all the points were clear and thoughtful and made sense. awesome job.
beginning: 5, language: 5, plot: 5, ending: 5, dialog: 5, characters: 5.
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Wow, thank you for your well-thought out response. You had myriad good points and you made them well. I admit, I'd not considered the other side of the "prewrite issue" much. If people want to read them, I'm all for submitting them. The contest is theirs to craft, and the trophies are theirs to hand out as they will. If you don't like the contest setup, don't enter, ya know? There's always other contests. As you praise, in point 2. Everyone should feel welcome here, within the SW rules of course!
I especially like your points 7 - 10. And 11 is a great idea! I say we do that. *nods* Thanks for sharing your thoughts in my contest. I also appreciate a well-planned out response, even if it's not all ranty.
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Claudia,
First up, let me apologise for being so tardy in reading your views. It is remiss of me to to have done so earlier considering you commented so wonderfully on my little rant.
I agree with your various points and applaud the way you have made your views known.
The arguments concerning pre-writes will never go away but I believe, as you, that in certain contests it is unfair on a person who sits down, thinks, outlines, plots and then writes a new story, all within a given time frame. My view is that a pre-written story could have taken a lot longer to compose than the contest allows, plus the time to hone it to near perfection may well have been months rather than weeks. At the same time, and this may sound hypocritical of me, I will admit I have entered pre-writes.
The only thing I disagree with in your well defined and articulate 'rant' is para 17. I feel this should be a an entry for to me it is worthy of reward.
I must also make time to read your work.
Lawrie
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Now, Claudia, I think that you put your points across just perfectly. I agree one hundred percent with all you have said, especially regarding writers' who submit the same story to different contests (even though I'm guilty of this too!). If a story has been awarded a gold, silver and bronze it should not be considered for other contests. I also think that the time frame should be a month so that the writer has enough time to polish up their work.
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High-fives you!
What can I say CN. As a writer and more importantly as a friend you have my respect. Although I tend to agree with almost all of your rants I couldn't disagree even if I wanted to because you have presented them intelligently and fairly. You take time to think things through and that is apparent in your conversation and stories. Good on you!!!! Good luck in the contest.
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