Date: Wed, 7 May 1997 22:35:45 -0500 From: Phanny Subject: TECH: Preliminary Contest Announcement We'll have a Summer Writing Contest, but it will be different this year. I haven't got details down yet, but here's a little to get you started. We'll have a humor writing contest, with several categories, such as poem, limerick, vignette. We'll have a simple *Other* category (other than humor) for 2 categories only -- poem and prose (to include short story, vignette, etc.) No play category. I'm open to category suggestions in the humor writing part, or any suggestions about the contest. I may or may not use them. I liked Robyn's idea of submitting only during a certain time frame, so we'll do that. The prizes for the humor contest will be humorous. The prizes for the others will not likely be paperweights because I don't think I can get there this year (the manufacturer). I could have them sent by mail, but I'll think about it. I don't have prizes in hand like I did last year because I'm not in charge of shameless begging this year for our Office Professional Seminar. Had to bow out for a year; too much else going on. I do already have at least one prize for the humor part of the contest. Voting will be less complex. You'll have two votes in categories you submit a writing to -- one for yourself and one for your other top choice. If you have submitted to any category, you will be required to vote in all or a certain number of categories or lose votes. If you see any hitches in this, let me know. I know this is sketchy. If you have not submitted but want to vote, you'll have one vote in every category. I don't want too many different categories; it was too much last year. There will be one winner in each category, but we'll mention 2nd and 3rd places. If you have a good theme in mind, email me privately. If you would like to assist, email me privately. I'll check my calendar and let you know dates and all the guidelines when I get them ironed out. Suggestions about any part of this are welcome. So start writing some humor and other outstanding literary masterpieces! The main focus of this contest will be on the humor part, even if there are more submissions to the other part. If you have questions, ask; I prolly won't know, but I'll sure think about it!!! Should we limit subs to a certain number of categories or not??? We've done this in the past to cut down on volume of reading for voters, and to give more people a chance to win, but I'd like to know what you think. Humor subs, as all others, must be original writings done by you. Limericks will have to conform to the standard rules for limericks, which I will try to find and send to the list. If someone else has them, please let me know. Voting on limericks should take into account whether the limerick follows the standard. Short stories should be short -- not book chapters. I don't like to set word count limits, but we can do that if it seems reasonable to most. If you all prefer, we could run this as two separate contests, one to follow the other. I would do the humor one first. Phanny, thinking out loud....