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Short Story Competition

edited June 2011 in - Writing Tales
I have just found out that, although I have been fortunate enough to have reached the shortlist of a bedtime short story comp, I find that I am in an online voting thing which I was unaware of when I entered.

Now it feels more like being a contestant in the X Factor than in a writing competition! I don't know that many people on FaceBook etc to rally up readers. So if you fancy reading a story - and you like it, click on Story A 'One Stop Beyond'!!!

Many thanks in advance.

https://www.facebook.com/AVogelUK?v=app_180788271975392

I O U !!! :)
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Comments

  • Congratulations on reaching the shortlist! Fantastic news - I'll certainly look and vote :)
  • I've voted - loved your story!
  • Hi Seaview,

    Well done on being shortlisted. I'll definitely take a look. I have to say I had my eye on this competition too, and had no idea either they were doing voting like this. They certainly don't make that clear on their own website.

    Well done again!
  • Well done on the shortlisting. My vote is in.
  • Well done on the shortlisting. Pity they didn't specify they'd be doing it this way.
  • I also entered this comp and wouldn't have expected this. Just checked the rules and it does say they can publish any story, online and in a subsequent antholgy, which I had misread and wouldn't have entered if I'd known. Oh well.

    Well done Seaview on getting this far - hope you win the prize!
  • Best of luck! (I don't think I'm on Facebook.)
  • Thanks everyone. Even the monthly prize would be nice - it's about time I made some money at this writing lark, as I'm spending so much time on it...mind you, I have to admit a lot of it is on writing forums so maybe not the most productive, but at least I'm typing!! :)

    Glad you liked the story Van. Phots, out of interest, did you remember the story from my posting on C79?

    Yes, Carol, it was a bit misleading as in the T&C it started off by saying WINNERS would be 'published online on both YHL and A.Vogel websites in early 2012.' Fair enough. Then it says ''Each month a story will be selected as a Pick of the Month and featured online on both websites' - well you get £50 for that, so I wasn't bothered. This is the bit I didn't notice 'Worldwide copyright of each entry remains with the author, but A.Vogel and Your Healthy Living will have the unrestricted right to publish any story, either in full or as an excerpt, on websites and in any subsequent anthology. ENTRANTS must be prepared to take part in publicity.' It didn't say WINNERS there, so they can do what they want with the stories... :( Plus, they didn't mention it would be a voting system on Facebook and I suspect a lot of people (Jay included, as he mentions above) are not on FB so I'm not sure if they can vote. Basically it's a big PR campaign for the brand. When I got an email to say I'd been shortlisted and asking for my permission for them to put my story up, my thread on C79 was called 'Am I being paranoid?'

    update....Just heard from one of my mates on FB that she thinks you have to click 'like' on the A Vogel page and then you can vote.
  • I read those terms exactly as you did, Seaview, and missed the switch from 'winners' to 'entrants'.
    It looks like they're just doing it this way for this month. I'm nt on Facebook so I'm afraid I can't vote.
    At least they did ask permission.
  • Methinks it was a bit sneaky! Yes, heather, they sent an email - but as someone said to me on C79, they could have done so without my permission anyway because of the T&C. I didn't want to risk saying no and losing out every way!

    I'm not sure if you can go to the page from their link here - I can see it at the bottom right hand side of the their own website http://www.avogel.co.uk/ but that might be because I am registered on Facebook?
  • I can go to the Facebook page but you can't 'like' and then vote unless you are registered on Facebook.
    Sorry.
  • [quote=Seaview]Phots, out of interest, did you remember the story from my posting on C79?[/quote] No. I can't have read it (unles it was a very long time ago) as I'm sure I'd have remembered it.

    I think the Facebook thing is rather unfair. Those who regularly use Facebook and therefore have lots of friends on there will have a big advantage. The rules do give them the right to post stories, but it would have been better if they'd explained this voting system in advance. My guess is they got more entries than they'd expected and that encouraged them to try to make more out of this comp than they'd planned.
  • Oh I see. That's a bit stupid of the organisers isn't it and explains why so many friends have said they voted but the numbers have risen accordingly. Nobody's going to be bothered joining FB just to place a vote!!! THanks for trying anyway heather. :)
  • Yes, Phots it would have been on C79 a long time ago, I think, but it's nice to know that you recognised the writing as mine - although that might not have been a good thing!!!

    Yes, I'm not pleased about the FB thing at all. It's a pain. :(
  • I'm completely confused. I went on the Vogel website and it appears that you can still enter this comp. This month's featured story has been written by one of the judges!!!!!! I haven't been able to access your story seaview, or vote for it. Can't find it on FB either. Help!
  • What a palaver. I finally managed to get on the FB page after liking A Vogel about ten times. I have voted for your story. Loved it. Well done and good luck. Keeping my fingers crossed.
  • Aw thanks casey for sticking with it! :) Glad you liked it - as I've said to a few people, at least you weren't lying when you ticked 'like' then!!!

    Yes you can enter this comp anytime as a winner is chosen every month and then I think each one goes through to the grand final in October.
  • [quote=casey]This month's featured story has been written by one of the judges!!!!!! [/quote]

    How odd.

    Will they be judging their own entry?
  • I entered this comp as well. A friend was also short listed but got in touch with Vogel withdrawing from the Face Book fiasco as like most of us thought judges not public was going to judge the winners. To be honest it seems like an advertising ploy by Vogel to try and get people onto their Face Book site. I will have a look at your entry Seaview, had a quick look at all the entry`s on Monday when they were first published . Good luck with your story.
  • Well it will now become another company to use with caution...
  • Great story Seaview-didn't see the twist coming, which is always good :) Voted too!!
  • Good luck, Seaview
  • edited June 2011
    Thanks everyone who's voted so far - this has been a real effort but I have now managed with all your help to get into the lead!!! :) However, the bad news is that i'm only four ahead of the next story and with voting going on until Friday it's anyone's race, I guess! :(

    If anyone is seeing this thread for the first time, I would be ever so grateful if you could click the 'like' button on Story A 'One Stop Beyond' on A Vogel's Facebook page at

    https://www.facebook.com/AVogelUK?v=app_180788271975392

    (unfortunately you have to be a member of Facebook to vote.)

    Many thanks.
    marion
  • I've just done it for you Marion, i'll rope in daughter and hubby later on (then you can owe me three :-) )!! Good luck with it as the story is really rather good!
  • Hi Seaview,

    Had problems with FB (as ever!) but have finally got in and voted for you. I thought your story was great. You captured the smells, sounds etc of a late night district line journey perfectly. I really could feel myself there.

    Well done and good luck.
  • You have my vote
  • And mine too - good luck.
  • Thanks so much Amanda (IOU3!), Michelle (so glad you liked the story), Mutley and Suzie - I am now quite a bit in the lead so thanks ever so much for your votes...fingers crossed, toes, eyes etc etc! :)
  • I am fuming. I have 132 votes and the next person has 89. The deadline was supposed to be today. I emailed to ask at what time they make the decision and they said -

    Hi Marion

    It's all getting really exciting now and we have decided to extend the closing date to Monday at midnight.

    So if you or any of your friends know anyone with a Facebook account now is the time to encourage them to vote.

    We'll let everyone know the results on Tuesday.

    Good luck

    I am leaving this afternoon to go to my inlaws and won't be able to get any more votes. It's very unfair. :(
  • I don't blame you! Can you (get someone to) post a comment saying you're the winner according to the original rules?
  • Great story Seaview. I voted for you.
  • That doesn't seem at all fair. Are they allowed to do that?
  • Well, Jay, I didn't want to rock the boat too much because this stage is only to decide the monthly winner who then goes forward to the final in October, so I just told the organiser that I would be away from this afternoon and I had no more friends to contact anyway, so I hoped that the person in second place didn't round up the members of a football club to vote for them in the meantime. I wasn't nasty but it was obvious I wasn't pleased.

    Thanks for your support PBW!
  • edited June 2011
    I don't know, heather. I didn't even know I was going to be subjected to judging by public vote by Facebook members when I entered!!! :(
  • [quote=Carol]Well it will now become another company to use with caution... [/quote]

    How right you are Carol!
  • When is a winner not a winner?
  • 134. Just voted. :D
  • I just voted 135 and I looked at all he other you look way out in the lead
  • Thanks so much MaderianMermaid and Jenny. I am on 137 now, but I see the story behind me got another 10 votes since yesterday so they are obviously playing catch up now!!!
  • It's sooooo annoying when you take the trouble to get your comp entry in before the deadline, then they extend it! The Writer's Bureau regularly do this. So deadlines don't count do they? Annoyed as hell for you Seaview.
  • [quote=casey]The Writer's Bureau regularly do this. [/quote]

    Why would that be I wonder?
  • Got taken to an advert for prostrate problem cures when clicked the link Seaview !!

    Going on facebook now to check it out and vote.
  • [quote=lexia]Got taken to an advert for prostrate problem cures when clicked the link Seaview !!
    [/quote] I got that the first time I came on and mentioned it to my husband, lexia!!! :)
  • I suspect they are doing this for an extra few days publicity, but it's a very sneaky way of doing things.
  • Voted! Good luck!
  • Thanks ttofee! :)
  • [quote=Seaview]I am fuming.[/quote] You're right to be!
  • I know Phots, all it would take is for the person behind me to have a load of friends waiting to vote just before midnight and knock me off the lead!!! :(
  • Well, thanks to all of you who voted I won this stage and am now through to the final in October - I hope the judges do their job on this one! (Mind you, I'll probably lose if it's a 'proper' competition! :) )
  • Well done Seaview, your story should now be on their proper web site as winner of the month.
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