[bestwriter]

It is fine to have contests at writing Sites that pay occasionally but not when it becomes the mainstay

The user spends time and effort to make a submission and just one gets the award. I am not for this and find it is a waste of time and effort

What is your opinion?

[OldGuy]

I personally agree that repeated similar contests that only require a junk post to enter and then only pay a prize to a single member who participated is not helpful in any way to the site and does not particularly benefit all active members. I've never been able to comprehend why they are even considered.

Most who enter pay a small fee to enter but are stiffed with no return when the prize is awarded, much like a lottery. Even worse, it is rare for more than a few to even bother to enter the game, and those who do enter dozens of times or more filling the post count numbers with pure junk content. Piles of junk posts end up reducing the reputation scores of those who enter and the site is inundated with junk content which also reduces the quality content ratings for the entire site.

You might notice that some contests of this nature may end up with 1000 or more entries, but on close inspection there are usually far less than 10% of all active members who even enter them. After dozens of such contests, maybe 4 or 5 members end up winning all the offered prizes over months of repeated contests because each has entered the same contest hundreds of times while a few may only enter each contest one time. Most such contests have been awarded before enough entry fees can even cover the award.

On the other hand, contests that encourage members to contribute posts that add value to the site that actually offer added awards or benefits to each member who participates is an entirely different animal. Such contests can be ongoing and can encourage participation from a wider range of members. The value of the entire site improves. Each member who participates can earn more positive reputation points and payments per post and the added benefit to each will raise the morale of the entire site rather than a single winner.

A current sample is the Earn your Christmas Bonus contest. Enter a new topic between now and December 22 and earn an extra 1FC for each new topic. Christmas Bonuses are to be paid December 23 and there is no limit each member can earn. Every member who participates can earn a bonus and we all need new topics all the time. Added benefits for the site and added smiles for all who participate. So where are your new topics?

[ptrikha21]

I would see such contests as an avenue where one gets a chance to work on something and get a chance to win as well.
As a positive, one works on something and develops imagination and writing skills.
On the flip side, I think often one is in dark about how the entries are evaluated, who is the judge and so on.
Plus sometimes the winning criteria can be totally subjective and the judges can be biased.

So it is something that has both positive & negative factors.

[augusta]

Well, it is just the admins way of being versatile I believe. But it is good that they have the prize money for at least the first winning 10 people than just one person

[bestwriter]

Earn your Christmas Bonus contest

I was nsot aware of this context Could you post a link please. Thank you

--- 09 Dec 2024, 14:05 ---

one gets a chance to work on something and get a chance to win as well.

Most contests that make people work do not win anything. There are several other situations where one earns something when one works on it. Most Sites are Sites where one earns to write.

[JASPREET]

We all know only winners get the praise and this is life, You can go for the top finish, just put your best effort

[Tendz]

I think, contests can be a fun and motivating way to challenge oneself and improve as a writer. However, there should be a balance between contests and other forms of engagement on the forum.

[OldGuy]

I was nsot aware of this context Could you post a link please. Thank you

Earn your Christmas Bonus / latest list of new topics
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=39253

[SHAHID987]

I won so many prizes, when counpayu site offered contest. I wrote so many articles for them and some of them were picked up as a winner. After sometime the site changed its policy and stopped article writing portion.

[monster_masterpiece]

I personally agree that repeated similar contests that only require a junk post to enter and then only pay a prize to a single member who participated is not helpful in any way to the site and does not particularly benefit all active members. I've never been able to comprehend why they are even considered.

Most who enter pay a small fee to enter but are stiffed with no return when the prize is awarded, much like a lottery. Even worse, it is rare for more than a few to even bother to enter the game, and those who do enter dozens of times or more filling the post count numbers with pure junk content. Piles of junk posts end up reducing the reputation scores of those who enter and the site is inundated with junk content which also reduces the quality content ratings for the entire site.

You might notice that some contests of this nature may end up with 1000 or more entries, but on close inspection there are usually far less than 10% of all active members who even enter them. After dozens of such contests, maybe 4 or 5 members end up winning all the offered prizes over months of repeated contests because each has entered the same contest hundreds of times while a few may only enter each contest one time. Most such contests have been awarded before enough entry fees can even cover the award.

On the other hand, contests that encourage members to contribute posts that add value to the site that actually offer added awards or benefits to each member who participates is an entirely different animal. Such contests can be ongoing and can encourage participation from a wider range of members. The value of the entire site improves. Each member who participates can earn more positive reputation points and payments per post and the added benefit to each will raise the morale of the entire site rather than a single winner.

A current sample is the Earn your Christmas Bonus contest. Enter a new topic between now and December 22 and earn an extra 1FC for each new topic. Christmas Bonuses are to be paid December 23 and there is no limit each member can earn. Every member who participates can earn a bonus and we all need new topics all the time. Added benefits for the site and added smiles for all who participate. So where are your new topics?

]
This itself could be a thread about junk post to win post contest.

[OldGuy]

This itself could be a thread about junk post to win post contest.

OK. So rewrite it in your own words and post it as a new topic! You need to post new topics too. Make posting new topics part of your site participation.

[bestwriter]

I was nsot aware of this context Could you post a link please. Thank you

Earn your Christmas Bonus / latest list of new topics
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=39253

I will go there. Thanks.

[augusta]

I think, contests can be a fun and motivating way to challenge oneself and improve as a writer. However, there should be a balance between contests and other forms of engagement on the forum.

This is why I sometimes go in for this contest. it can help you to guage your abilities online