The Main Contest
The main contest is a month-long (4 week) contest. In December, it runs for 3 weeks instead, to accommodate for the large number of members here who spend that month celebration a variety of holidays.
How do I sign up for the contest?
A few days before the beginning of the month, a moderator will post signups for the monthly contest. Here is an example of a signup post. Simply select "yes" and click "Submit Poll" to sign up for the month, but be sure to meet the deadline. Feel free to talk to other members in the comments - get to know people, speculate on topics for the month, whatever!
How do I submit my entry?
Each week, a topic is posted to the community. Here is an example of a topic post. Your entry should be inspired by the topic and new, original work. It can be written in any format you like - personal essay, poetry, fiction, blog, nonfiction, historical fiction, screenplays, etc. You may incorporate visual or audio media in your entry as long as there is a written element, but be aware that some members may not be able to see or hear anything that isn't written. You may include adult content, but please warn members for anything pornographic, violent, offensive, or triggering when you submit your entry in the poll on the topic post.
How do I vote? Can I vote for more than one entry?
Yes, absolutely! You may vote for as many entries as you feel are deserving. Once you've read the pieces, simply go to poll, click the box next to each person's username for whom you would like to vote (be sure the check mark appears), then click on "Submit Poll" at the bottom of the poll. If you change your mind about an entry or realize you clicked on the wrong entry, don't worry - the moderators include a link just above the poll that you can click to edit your vote at any time until the poll is closed. Please only vote using one username!
How do weekly eliminations and runoff polls work?
When the deadline for submitting entries passes, a poll is created with links to all competing and Just For Fun entries for the week. All members are given several days to read and vote on entries. The poll is usually open for a couple of days before results are announced.
Each week except the last, the number of eligible contestants is halved. On the final week, one winner is chosen from the remaining contestants. For example, if there were 80 contestants signed up for a month, the eliminations would go as follows:
Week 1: 80 contestants eligible to compete. 40 will be eliminated.
Week 2: 40 contestants eligible to compete. 20 will be eliminated.
Week 3: 20 contestants eligible to compete. 10 will be eliminated.
Week 4: 10 contestants eligible to compete. 1 of these will be chosen as this month's winner.
If a poll ends with entries tied at the elimination line or as the winner on the final week, a 24-hour runoff poll will posted to resolve the tie. There can be up to two runoff polls for eliminations; on the final week, runoffs will go as many times as necessary to get only one winner.
What do I win?
A moderator will announce the monthly winner after the final poll, and moderators and members alike congratulate them. All winners have their names in the profile and on the sidebar of the community. Winning this contest is very difficult, and it takes someone with the discipline to write on a regiment who possesses exceptional skill to win an entire month. More importantly than winning the name on the community is how you'll feel about yourself- you've really accomplished something great to be picked from such a broad base of exceptional people.
What are Just For Fun entries?
Any member who is not competing, has already been eliminated, or simply wants to write two entries one week is welcome to play Just For Fun (or JFF). Simply submit your entry in the JFF box on the topic post, and all JFF entries will appear in a special section of the weekly poll. Members may read your entries and vote for them as a show of support, but the JFF votes do not count in competition in the main contest.