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Writing competitions - make a new start in 2013
If you're looking to make a new start with your writing in 2013, you can find details of a free-entry competition (and other competitions) at Erewash Writers' Group competition website through this link:
http://erewashwriterscompetition.weebly.com/2013-start-flash-fiction-competition---dan-purdue.html
Comments
http://lies-ink.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/a-free-flash-fiction-competition.html
Please dive in with any comments or questions!
I decided to give this one a go, so I wrote a story.
I've just been to the website to check the online entry conditions.
The rules require me to fill in an Entry Form - but it has to be printed off and filled in. Bit of a pain, but, okay - I can do that.
The rules require me to send the Entry Form 'in the body of an e-mail.' ??
And now I'm stuck!
How do I copy a scanned document into the body of an e-mail please?
I've tried every which way, and my scanned (PDF) will not copy and paste into the body of an e-mail - it will only load as an attachment.
But the rules of this comp says 'BODY OF AN EMAIL PLEASE (ATTACHMENTS WILL NOT BE OPENED).'
I presume I'm missing something here - but blowed if I can figure it out.
Not a happy bunny.
I didn't need to keep them so no need to file them as a document. I'm sure there is another and more professional
way but it worked for me.
All the best with your entry.
I copied the form into Pictures and tried to copy and paste into the body of an e-mail - still nothing.
I wonder if it would work if I did it via photobucket? But surely the organisers don't expect entrants to have to faff about like this? Rapidly losing patience with this to be honest.
(Taken from the site.)
So I am to take from this that the form should be "Interactive" and you can fill it in on your machine. OR
that your entry form can also be copy pasted?
(Ctrl & A = highlight all text on screen. Then Ctrl &C copies highlighted text. Finally Crtl &V to paste it onto a new doc/screen.) A lot easier than dragging the mouse down over long pages for those that didn't know.
I had to think about that for a bit, though, so it would maybe be helpful for that to be included in the comp instructions for future comps.
Have to say I would have needed to ask how to do it too.
It's not that hard, I agree, just one more think to think about if you're not used to it.
And that's exactly what I tried to do the first time I started this fiasco - but it wouldn't let me.
I'm not a complete novice when it comes to entering competitions online and Ive come across entry forms on many occasions. However, they have always entailed simply filling in the details there and then. Ive never come across a system where Ive had to copy and paste the form into a word document first!
I have now copied and pasted the form into a document now I only have to remove all the dotted lines and I guess I just ignore the bit that requires a tick.
You could always contact the organisers and ask them? :)
[quote=claudia] But surely the organisers don't expect entrants to have to faff about like this?
[/quote]
No, we don't expect entrants to have to faff about at all. I wouldn't think any competition organisers would expect entrants to faff about. If anyone is experiencing difficulties please contact us and we'll help all we can.
The information is required to be sent in the body of an email. Yes, that's correct. As long as the information that is required is sent in the body of an email, it doesn't matter if you send the actual original form or type the details again or find a completely new way of sending it.
Personally if it was me, and I'd entered in reasonably good time before the close date, and I hadn't had confirmation of receipt of my entry then I would contact the organisers to check my entry form had been received okay. Or, when I sent my entry I would add a note explaining my difficulties and ask then if they could confirm it had been received satisfactorily.
[quote=heather]I had to think about that for a bit, though, so it would maybe be helpful for that to be included in the comp instructions for future comps.[/quote]
Thanks heather, I may put something in next year's comps information now that you've pointed that out to me.
I apologise to anyone who has experienced difficulties in submitting their entries although this is the first time I've been alerted to any problems. If I had more know-how of how to organise completing an entry form for a competition then I daresay Claudia would not have needed to raise the point. Unfortunately I don't, so this is how it is at the moment and until I change the way it's done, that's how it'll stay.
I suppose I could always ask someone else to organise all the techy mastery for me but that I'm afraid would possibly come at a price and then I'd have to put a fee for entry to ALL the EWG competitions which is something I am trying very hard not to to.
But it doesn't say in the rules that you can re-type the information not using the official entry form.
[quote=dora]Personally if it was me, and I'd entered in reasonably good time before the close date, [/quote]
Meow
Claudia, that 'meow' comment of yours was not necessary to this conversation although I understand from your earlier comments the entry form procedure has stressed you out somewhat. Thus I will take your 'meow' comment as a venting of your frustration at that, and not a personal insult to me.
[quote=claudia]But it doesn't say in the rules that you can re-type the information not using the official entry form.[/quote]
No, it doesn't, and further to Heather's constructive comment above I will consider including more information about the entry form in the competitions for next year.
Once I understood that, I completed the entry form online and copied and pasted it into the body of an email. I did the same for my competition entry. (At least I think I did, a lot of writing has gone under the bridge since that one).
I've had an ack. so I'm happy with that.
Good luck, everyone.