Contests again
My chapter's contest went electronic this year. We'd heard that did well for other contests, plus the no-going-to-the-post-office bit and saving a ton on postage.
We had a deplorable number of entries! One category didn't even make it! We got less entries than last year when it was a paper contest! Why do you suppose this is? Are contest entries down across the board? Are people afraid to try the e-entry and paypal? I think part of the problem is that there was very little promotion, even on our own chapter loops. We got reminders to sign up as judges, but no information about the contest itself. When I was coordinator a few years ago I posted monthly on every loop I was on, as well as eHQ. We had a large number of entries - I wish I'd kept the info so I'd know exactly how many, but I know in ST we had around 50 entries alone. This year we have 70 entries total.
The surprise? The biggest category was paranormal. Smallest that made it was RS.
I'm blogging today at Wet Noodle Posse today as soon as I can figure out what to blog about.
And some exciting news - my agent believes Hot Shot is ready for the real world! I've forgotten what it's like to have The Possibility of a Sale out there!
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9 comments:
I don't know why you'd have such a low turn out for entries. I'd think it would be the opposite. That you'd have a mad rush of entries with a low number of judges. I don't like judging electronically. It's hard on my eyes. Congrats on your baby venturing out into the world. Good luck! :-)
Tanya
YAY on the book being ready Mary! Good luck.
I don't know why the contest entries would be down. I haven't entered any this year but only because I can't justify the expense when the manuscripts are already requested. I could enter some of the rejected manuscripts, but I don't want to go back to work on them when I've already moved forward.
Good luck again!
Have they banned anyone pubbed in ebooks? I just noticed the Daphne has so I can't enter that. Maybe that has dropped the numbers of possible entrants?
Congrats on the agent's words and good luck!!!!
I miss entering contests. :( I think I might enter some pubbed contests when my book actually comes out.
Congratulations on Hot Shot, Mary--and good luck with it.
And by the way--as lovely as Gerry is, LOVE the pic of Josh. Yum yum.
Paula
Still puzzling over the contests.
When you guys choose a contest, how do you find out about it? Email loops? RWR? I used to do the RWR, then go to the websites. Mia Zachary always has updated contest info, too. I miss entering them, too, but like Mary Beth, I only have old stuff that I would enter now.
Toni, I don't know what the rules were. Honestly, there wasn't even publicity in the chapter!
I just emailed my agent my ms so she can print and mail it. Why am I so nervous???
And yeah, I think until I can find more pictures of Gerry, I'm going to go Sawyer for awhile.
I believe a lot of contests are down, and I think that's at least partly because there are so many chapter contests now compared to when they were just becoming popular. I think it's often a combination of the timing of the contest, who the judges are, what subgenres are popular and selling at the time the contest is running, etc.
And ditto the yumminess of Sawyer. I just love his character on LOST.
Mary, I thought $30 was a tad overpriced for an electronic contest. The other electronic ones I've seen had much lower fees. Also, I didn't know about the contest until the last RWR. PR is a big thing with contests and I remember when you headed it you promoted it heavily.
Trish, you're probably right with the timing. The Lauries and Winter Rose are right around now, aren't they? And the Barclay? Still, electronic entry - you can't get easier.
Michele, didn't they up the pages? They were going to make it 50 pages.
See how they didn't promote it? I don't know the answers!
Whoo hooo! Keeping my fingers crossed for Hot Shot!!!
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