A Conversation for contest

Rules & Guidelines

Post 1

Hypatia

We need to decide:

smiley - starWho is eligible

smiley - starLength

smiley - starFormat

smiley - starRestrictions

Since I am partial to poetry and fiction, I would like to have at least two categories - one for articles suitable for the EG and one for entries suitable for the UG


Rules & Guidelines

Post 2

frenchbean

How about a topic for each year / time it's run?

I would like to encourage original thought - and not stuff that can be picked up and revamped from other internet sources.

I agree about one for each UG and EG

Winners get published in smiley - thepost of course.


Rules & Guidelines

Post 3

Pinniped


EG plus UG is good.
The allowable entrants for each category could simply be people who've never been FP'd in the one in question at the start of the submission period.
The rules could just be the Guidelines in each case.
We should probably invite Entries, though, so that submission is a deliberate act - not just pick from what goes into PR and the AWW. About a month might be right for the duration, from posting of the first announcement to entries closing.
As for prizes, couldn't the judges each just send a book to the winner? Choosing one with a hootoo kind of a resonance would be fun and appropriate. It would also share the cost out. (We don't want the Pres to feel the need to levy taxes...)


Rules & Guidelines

Post 4

psychocandy-moderation team leader

I think a book would be an excellent prize (and need not be too expensive).

I agree with inviting submissions, too, rather than picking from PR/AWW.

And I definitely agree that I'd like to see UG-type submissions included in addition to EG submissions.


Rules & Guidelines

Post 5

frenchbean

I'd be happy to contribute to the prize/s


Rules & Guidelines

Post 6

Skankyrich [?]

If there is to be Post involvement, I may be able to help.

The official line is that we are not allowed to offer prizes for anything, because of the BBC competition scandals last year. However, I do have a small amount of goodies available for 'exceptional contributions' to The Post. So while I can't offer a Post prize for your winners, if any contributor were to come up something wonderful and amazing that deserved special recognition, I might be able to send them a h2g2 T-shirt or a couple of badges as a 'thank-you' smiley - smiley


Rules & Guidelines

Post 7

frenchbean

Ooooh... how do I become wonderful enough to merit a t-shirt??? smiley - whistle


Rules & Guidelines

Post 8

Skankyrich [?]

Well, it can't be too difficult. I have several smiley - smiley


Rules & Guidelines

Post 9

Hypatia

Hi Rich. It was my intention to have the contest be an Alabaster House event. I thought that if I paid for it all myself, there wouldn't be the necessity of getting the powers that be involved. I deliberately didn't want to ask the BBC for prizes for the reason you stated. This way it is a community event rather than an official BBC event.

I would greatly appreciate having the Post announce the event once the nuts and bolts are worked out and perhaps publish the winning entries. I don't expect you to do anything that would compromise the Post.

The rules will obviously include the BBC restrictions concerning objectionable material.


Rules & Guidelines

Post 10

Skankyrich [?]

Don't worry, Hyp - I'm not calling anything into question here. I'm just pointing out that if I, independently and retrospectively, decide that a particular piece of writing that has appeared in The Post is an 'exceptional contribution', I do have a few official goodies that I can send out to reward that effort smiley - winkeye


Rules & Guidelines

Post 11

Hypatia

Understood. smiley - smiley And a grand plan. Thanks. I've always wanted a h2g2 mousepad. smiley - envy Or a mug. Unfortunately, my contributions to the Post were never considered of exceptional quality. smiley - laugh


Rules & Guidelines

Post 12

Skankyrich [?]

We've never had anything to give out before, in fact. And as I'm not sure when, or if, we'll get any more, I'm clinging onto them like a Scotsman to a penny coin (sorry, FB) smiley - smiley


Rules & Guidelines

Post 13

psychocandy-moderation team leader

I've always wanted a hootoo t-shirt, too, but I've never done anything worthy of earning one, either.

Though I may soon have someone (or something) to contribute to the Post, if anyone's interested. Maybe for the contest,too. smiley - winkeye


Rules & Guidelines

Post 14

frenchbean

I wonder if being a Post columnist is worthy of a t-shirt? smiley - whistle I'll have to put my mind to some even more wonderful contribution next time....

I designed a hootoo mug for Gosho a few years ago. I wonder if he still has it? Are there official ones too?


Sorry, Hyp... getting off topic here.


Rules & Guidelines

Post 15

aka Bel - A87832164

Being a Post columnist was worthy of a badge. That not good enough? smiley - erm


Rules & Guidelines

Post 16

frenchbean

You are right, Bel smiley - smiley I shall stop being greedy I love my badge smiley - ta


Rules & Guidelines

Post 17

Skankyrich [?]

Well slapped, Bel smiley - laugh


Rules & Guidelines

Post 18

Hypatia

Agreed. I am also proud of my Post badge, although I've been an inactive reporter for too long. Another long, sad tale no one wants to hear. smiley - laugh


Nuts & Bolts

Post 19

Hypatia

Here's a starting place. We can tweak this and come up with the exact wording. I think the simpler the rules are, the better.

Three categories:
smiley - spacesmiley - spacesmiley - space Ford Prefect category. Factual articles suitable for the Edited Guide. (provide a link to the guidelines)
smiley - spacesmiley - spacesmiley - space Vogon Poet category. Poetry and prose suitable for the Under Guide (provide a link to the guidelines)
smiley - spacesmiley - spacesmiley - space Don't Panic category. For the best entries from new researchers. For people who have never written for h2g2 before.

Length: 500-2500 words for factual articles; 500-3500 words for fiction; 4-20 lines for poetry

Submissions should be new to h2g2. Writing previously published in the Edited Guide, the Under Guide, the Post, or submitted to Peer Review or the Alternative Writing Workshop is ineligible. Writing published by another Internet site is ineligible. Writing that has appeared in print is ineligible. BBC copyright regulations will apply. Also, the material will have to get through the BBC content filter.

Prizes:
smiley - spacesmiley - spacesmiley - space First place in each category receives the “President's Prize” which will be a $150 (US) gift certificate to Amazon (.com or uk or whatever one the winner uses)
smiley - spacesmiley - spacesmiley - space Second place in each category receives the “Alabaster Award” which will be a $50 (US) gift certificate to Amazon.
smiley - spacesmiley - spacesmiley - space Honorable mentions will be two in each category. No cash prize

I'll have some mouse pads or something that isn't size dependent printed. Also, we'll want something unbreakable and easy to mail. The winners and honorable mentions will receive these, as will the judges and the contest committee members. If we want to do shirts, I could get some iron-on decals and then buy the shirts after I know the winner's sizes. The shirts I made for the Hillbilly Meet used iron-on decals and they turned out great. We were also able to add the person's name to the shirt that way.

Winners should get nice certificates, as well.

Contest Name: 2008 Alabaster House Writing Contest (I know. Boring.)

Pin suggested a 30 day window for submissions. If we are going to promote the contest off site – at my library, for example - is this long enough? Of course we could do the promotions in advance and then create a 30 day time frame for the actual submissions. Say announce the contest rules and begin promoting it 30-60 days in advance of the submission date?

Summer is a bad time to announce contests. If I promote it here to my teen patrons, I'll need to wait until after school is back in session. It will also take us a while to get flyers created. So, plan to make the announcement on October 1 with a submission window of November 1-30 or December 1-31? Or we could even push it off until January and make it a 2009 event.



Nuts & Bolts

Post 20

Pinniped


Most looks good to me, Hyp.

Two points:
- please accept outside support to fund the prizes. I'd be proud to cover the Vogon Poet category.
- not sure any category needs a maximum length restriction. The minimum's are OK.


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