tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4620199782689299940.post3818479766536760209..comments2024-01-01T18:42:01.363-08:00Comments on International Christian Fiction Writers: WRITERS, BEWARE THOSE RULESLisa Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11358581487206184033noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4620199782689299940.post-64294587549429384172012-05-19T21:46:03.641-07:002012-05-19T21:46:03.641-07:00Okay. this is up on Ray's computer and so the ...Okay. this is up on Ray's computer and so the photo is him and not me, Mary, his "other half". LOL.<br />Good comments, Rita and Dale. I'm not too sure about the "fun" in judging because I find it a really big responsibility! <br />Dale, sometimes I wonder if the danger is also becoming a touch arrogant and thinking our writing is so strong the rules don't apply - even in contests.Ray Hawkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17720158812896505028noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4620199782689299940.post-47581558031445244932012-05-15T14:44:28.096-07:002012-05-15T14:44:28.096-07:00It's quite amazing to me that people think dis...It's quite amazing to me that people think disregarding the rules of a contest is unimportant. Seems to me a writer would want to give his or herself the best chance, which means doing as instructed. Shows how rebellious people are by nature.Dale Harcombehttp://www.daleharcombe.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4620199782689299940.post-76640501817379450682012-05-10T19:43:17.441-07:002012-05-10T19:43:17.441-07:00Yes, I think some forget judges are people, not co...Yes, I think some forget judges are people, not computers. We get so used to answering machines & the like. Have a good time at your judging, Mary!Rita Galiehhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14586506137798711397noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4620199782689299940.post-84463428485005008982012-05-10T18:18:47.690-07:002012-05-10T18:18:47.690-07:00Great post Mary! I always think it's so sad wh...Great post Mary! I always think it's so sad when people don't follow rules carefully when entering contests. Entering contests takes a great deal of effort - and often at a cost of a much personal angst. It takes courage to put your work 'out there' and ask for people to judge it, and there's both stress and hope involved - and a lot of nail biting. <br /><br />But to go to all that effort and put yourself through that - only to fail because you didn't pay close enough attention to the rules? Insane. And as said: sad! <br /><br />Of course there are people who think they're beyond mere mortal rules - those who cavalierly just tramp in and expect that someone will overlook their mistakes and give them a pass. I have no sympathy for those people I'm afraid, and the only way they'll learn is to be disqualified.This is just arrogance. <br /><br />Like the woman at the checkout line the other day. It was the 8 items or less line. The supermarket was really going off - long lines at every checkout. Of course the fast lane was moving through simply because each customer had only a couple of items - and fair enough. I was in this line, along with several others. One of these was a gentle elderly lady and another was a smart looking young woman with a laden trolley. <br /><br />Thinking she was helping, the elderly lady said (very gently), 'Dear, this is the eight items only line. The girl might turn you away.' <br /><br />The young woman smugly replied: 'No she won't. Look at this line-up. They'll put me through just to keep the line moving.' <br /><br />I said nothing, but I secretly (and meanly) hoped that the operator did indeed ask her to step aside. I didn't find out as I was ahead of her - but your post reminded me of her. <br /><br />There are those who make honest mistakes and those who blatantly flaunt rules. I would like to think that those who broke your rules made honest mistakes. But then again - that's why we have rules and instructions...<br /><br />Thanks Mary!Kaz Delaneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11185938209953975157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4620199782689299940.post-88394462837359619882012-05-10T17:28:59.687-07:002012-05-10T17:28:59.687-07:00So true, Alice. I am also rather surprised that fo...So true, Alice. I am also rather surprised that for a short story contest a few did not have computer word count. I am told there are still writers who do not use computers.Mary Hawkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12603850711168486457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4620199782689299940.post-77721332258999180572012-05-10T08:27:39.749-07:002012-05-10T08:27:39.749-07:00I'm one of those who treats writing "rule...I'm one of those who treats writing "rules" as suggestions more than edicts, but as a contest judge I do expect submission rules to be applied. If I've agreed to judge the first five pages of a ms and someone submits six or seven, I get very crabby. And you don't want to make a judge crabby! I think a contestant must remember that she only one of many entrants. Five pages x 10 entries is 50 pages in total. I didn't agree to do any more than that.Alice Vhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00218095053108888830noreply@blogger.com