4.11.2009

Short Fiction Contest--deadline April 24

Write2Help.Org Spring 2009 Short Fiction Contest. Proceeds benefit Action Against Hunger. Open topic, max length 2,500 words. Awards: $1,000, $250, $100. Entry Fee: $10.

Deadline:April 24, 2009.

Info:

www.write2help.org/current-contests.php

Write2Help.Org Spring 2009 Poetry Contest. Proceeds benefit Action Against Hunger. Open topic, max length 30 lines. Awards: $500, $150, $50. Entry Fee: $5.

Deadline: April 24, 2009.

Info:

www.write2help.org/current-contests.php

1 comment:

Unknown said...

This organisation is highly suspect. It holds periodic contests that offer prizes, according to their website, of $1000 for first prize, $250 for second and $100 for third, with an entry fee of $10 per story.

Paragraph four of their terms and conditions states, among other things: "SPONSOR reserves the right to adjust the amount of prize monies awarded or to substitute prizes for this contest depending on the number of entries received as well as other factors as deemed pertinent by, and at the sole discretion of, SPONSOR."

A story of mine was selected as the second place winner in their first contest (which ended in December, 2008). In keeping with that rule, and, according to their prize notification e-mail "Due to a low number of entries to the contest, and to ensure maximum donation to World Relief, the prize amount awarded to the 2nd prize winner has been changed to $25."

While a thorough reading of their rules -- which I acknowledge I did not make before entering -- reveals this and other potential pitfalls, it appears the organization has done nothing illegal. Their conduct, however, is questionable (for example: neither the website nor the e-mails they have sent contain the name of anyone connected to Write2Help; they are signed simply "Support Staff Write2Help.org"; and their prize notification e-mail -- dated January 2, 2009 -- states winners have five business days to reply or risk forfeiting their prize; I received the e-mail January 9th. Their rules also state they are not responsible for any delay in the transmission of notifications by e-mail or snail-mail).

I sent them a certified letter (which was returned as unclaimed), and they responded to a later e-mail by simply saying, in effect, I should have read the rules.

I will provide copies of my correspondence with them to any interested person.

Evan Guilford-Blake
evangb1@gmail.com