November/December 2012 Writing Contest- Holiday Theme

It’s that time again for the monthly writing contest.  I have chosen to combine November and December for one big holiday theme and greater prizes (see below).  For this contest only, the three finalists will have their stories posted separately each day after it closes for everyone to read before voting begins.

For those who are new to the contest, or haven’t participated in a while, pay close attention to all the details. The stipulations and rules are listed below.  For further information, stop by the Monthly Writing Contest page to see the complete listing of rules and other information you should know (along with who the previous winners are).

You will have until December 15th at midnight (EST) to submit your entry. On December 16th, I will announce the first finalist for the contest and continue to announce a new one each day until all three have been posted.  After that, I will open up voting for three days.  There are typically three finalists, but if more than ten entries are submitted, I may select four and add a day for announcing it.  It will remain my right to use assistance from outside sources in the selection process, if I cannot decide easily. Those who judge will have no stake in this contest or its outcome.

Prizes

1st Place- $25 Amazon Gift Card
2nd Place- $15 Amazon Gift Card
3rd Place- $10 Amazon Gift Card*

*The third place prize (and increased prizes for 1st and 2nd) are for the holiday contest only.  In January, they will return to the normal levels of $20 gift card for 1st place and $10 gift card for 2nd place.

**As a new permanent prize, authors who win will also be eligible for getting their book advertised on this blog.  Please see this link for details.

*THIS IS A “NO FEE” CONTEST!!!

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Now, here are the stipulations and rules.  Follow them closely or you will be disqualified!

Stipulations:

1) The theme is holiday stories.  Entries must be relevant to holidays which occur during the November-December time frame, regardless of religion or country of origin.  So long as it is documented as a real holiday somewhere, it can be written about.

2) The story itself may be one from real life or one you made up, but it must be originally written by you and not copied from any other source.  No plagiarizing.  The story must not be one that can be found elsewhere prior to the contest even if you did write it.

3) The holiday in question should be made clear.  Whether you tell it from the point of view of humans, animals, or supernatural beings is entirely up to you.

4) Style and mechanics will be considered for those stories chosen for finalist positions.  After that, it will be up to the voters to decide.  The tale can be sad, happy, or humorous but keep in mind your audience will be looking for something that touches them in some way.

5) Word count: Up to 2500 words (no minimum)

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General Rules:

1) No extreme language. There are people here who do not want to see it and I prefer we not have anything that might be too offensive to the average reader. Light profanity is acceptable.

2) Making me laugh or cry will gain you favor in my selection, though it isn’t a requirement. All genres of writing are welcome (if you are erotica, try to keep it mild please).

3) Post your story in the comments section of this post. Do not email it to me.

4) Ensure you include your name (even if it is only a first name or nickname) and a title for the story. Neither of these go toward word-count.

5) Anyone who has won a prize in any of the last three months is not eligible for a finalist position. They can submit a story if they wish, just for fun, but they cannot win.

6) Any story submission posted here can be posted elsewhere AFTER the competition is over. The only thing I ask is that you put a disclaimer saying that it was written for a contest on this blog (a link back here would be nice).

7) Must be your original writing that has never been published or posted elsewhere prior to this.

8)You are allowed one edit where you can fix one sentence in your story after it is posted.  Contact me prior to the contest closing date/time and specify exactly what you want changed.  ***New Rule***

9) Anyone may enter the contest  but must be able to receive an Amazon gift card from an Amazon site that is in English (they are not transferable).  I will convert US currency to the currency of the Amazon country site requested, based on current exchange rates.

10) In the event of a tie during the finalist voting round, I will ask (at a minimum) three previous winners who are not involved in this round of the contest to vote anonymously (via email to me) and use the majority of their votes to make the decision on who will win.

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That is everything you need to know.  Come back on Sunday (December 16th) and the following days after that to see who the finalists are and vote in the poll for your favorite candidate (or maybe even yourself).   The poll will open on December 19th and stay open until midnight (EST) Friday, December 21st.  That is approximately three days for voting.  On Saturday, the 22nd, I will announce the winner and runners-up.  They will all receive their Amazon gift cards at that time via email.   Good luck!

~ by Suzie on November 15, 2012.