Fall out...

So...... we get some folks who initiate some contests, and they never come back to to do the actual judging. What is up with that? I understand that there might not be alot of folks who did join, but dont you owe it to the ones who did, to at least honor the rules and criteria to start with? I think it is messed up to start a competition that you have no intentions to see through. We all have life happening in between P & Q, but if you start something you should finish it and if you cant than you should not have started it to begin with (which is going to win me no awards). I am just speaking my mind here. I have entered several topics, to try to enrich myself (and for accolades, no lie) but of those, there is never any follow up or actuall judging. Why?
The moderators have so much to do already, but I feel that there should be some criteria for people who want to start a "contest".

The comments part dont really matter to me. I was just hoping to be judged in a competion with other poets and see where I stand (so to speak) on a level with others. It is very disappointing to put yourself out there and not even get the dignity of being acknowledged in a competion that was started for whatever reason. I have participated in several "competions" that have never been judged once the initial poster started it. I find that to be a lack of character in the person who originally started the thread. In my opinion, if you have no intentions in following through with something then you should not initiate it. As I said before, we all have lives outside of P&Q, but if you commit to something, whether it be here or elsewhere, you should follow through. I am glad that I am not the only one who feels this way MisTake. I feel that there should be rules or guidelines to those who start a thread initiating a contest. And if it is abused or not followed up on then perhaps that person should not be allowed to start another. Of course, as I said before, the mods have alot of other stuff to deal with and it would probably be hard for them to monitor something such as this. But it is nice to know that I am not alone in my thoughts on this.

I agree with this, it is highly annoying plus takes up unnessesary space. In the past I actually did do a little monitoring on this particular subject, I actually went and judged and commented what was offered by the original poster of the thread which was left to rot basically, but do to the high amount of contest being dropped, I just don't have the time like I used to, like you stated in your post, we have lifes and much to do aside from the site. I for one am working a fulltime job as well as going to 2 colleges fulltime, and also in the process of getting another fulltime job. So naturally you can see I personally have been a bit busy aside from the site, but all in all, even though it isn't fair I would recommend for someone in that particular contest to step up to the plate and take it upon themself or a group of people to read, judge and comment.

I'll take to the other Moderators and we will write rules about creating contests and what is accepted and what isn't.

- Joe

Well I guess what goes around comes around.

Plus, do not even think of sending them a reminder regarding the contest/comments as promised or else these lines would be highlighted in their profiles.

"STOP sending me private
messages asking me to comment your
work, I HATE that, it ISN'T GOING
TO HAPPEN!!!" Blah Blah Blah........

Really funny...

I agree with everything posted.

I have; however, held a few contests where the winners never acknowledge that they have won. I think that people that participate have to follow the rules (set up at the onset of the contest) and make sure to follow up on the contest to see who wins.

I actually still owe some comments to winners. Even after PM-ing once or twice, and checking their LAST SEEN ON date, they have never instructed me to pick my own nor supplied titles for me.

I completely agree with everyones statements, but before punishing the contest holder, we need to make sure that the winners are communicating with the owner about leaving comments. I do like leaving comments, but I am not going to fight with people to ALLOW me to comment on their poetry.

I like the approach that Bob Shank had. He placed in one of mine, but wanted me to comment on the newer poets on the site instead of his. I took his 7 comments and left 1 for each of the 7 newer participants.

That said, check out my new contest on the contest page.

I understand where Cyber Saiyan is coming from with the comment part, but I'd have to agree with Bob on that. I'm guilty of holding competitions in the past and not getting all the comments out or withholding the contest so long for enterants that I just gave up on it. I try not to do that now. I've decided after my most recent elongated contest that if the poems aren't in by the due date then that's not my fault. I'll send reminders a few days before but that's that. I'm also going to watch who enters my contests, if they start to fall back and not enter time after time then I'll quit allowing them to enter. I know that's a bit much but why should they waste up space on the contest where other people could easily enter and have a chance to win.

I do think that somehow there should be a limit on who starts contests and who enters them. The mods can't do everything, obviously. They have 'limited supply'. But, it's easy for US to not enter contests of people WE KNOW won't judge and not let people enter our contests we know won't finish. I'm sure in time the mods could come up with someway to control the issue but that will probably take a long time, especially if they have to go through whatshisname. I think all in all it'd be easier for us to monitor what we enter and who we let enter, that way they'll stop creating contests they won't finish and quit entering contests they won't completely be involved in.

STOP sending me private
messages asking me to comment your
work, I HATE that, it ISN'T GOING
TO HAPPEN!!!"

^^ I do believe that is from my profile. However, I have nothing against people reminding me that I owe comments for contests, as I can be rather forgetful at times.

What I don't like is logging in to find dozens of messages asking me to comment on people's work when I either donh't have the time, or when I don't know them, or the messages where people try and compliment another's writing just to get a comment.

However I agree with what was said above as well, alot of times I have held contests, the winners don't acknowledge it, and I'm not going to chase them for it.

It's easier said than done.

We should be grateful to those people who took their time to remind us of what we have forgotten instead not acknowledging it at all.

"Not hard, if they win and don't acknowledge the win, just comment as you see fit, and you've met your obligation..."

^^ I agree on this, If you really are indebted to that person then you know what to do.(Oh well, few reminders dint work, what else can you expect.)

That's why you should add topics that you need or want to be active in to your 'favorite topics'.

With a click of the button you will be reminded to check up on those posts, correct?

Contest rules have now been posted: I will also post them in this thread for double exposure:

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Any and all decisions are final and rules and guidelines are subject to change without notice at "Poems & Quotes" discretion.

~Poetry Submission Rules~

- You must be the AUTHOR of poems you submit here. Do NOT submit texts that are not yours. It is a violation of COPYRIGHT LAW.

- Do NOT submit texts in CAPITAL LETTERS.

- Do NOT submit texts on the subject of PORNOGRAPHY, VIOLENCE, or overly OFFENSIVE texts. EROTICS and/or PROFANITY should be submitted only by using Links to your poem (if you are under the age of 18, you must have parental consent to post and/or read texts in these categories).

- Save your poems on your computer before you post them here. We are not liable for the loss of any of your work you post.

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~Contest Forum Rules~

- All contests must have a time frame.

- DO NOT start more than one contest at a given time. Only one contest is permitable until finished and all winners are rewarded.

- If someone wins and doesn't acknowledge the win, just comment as you see fit, and you've met your obligation.

- If contest holder doesn't follow through with his/her contest and it is left for a long period of time, they will be penalized. Easy way not to get a penalty is to add the thread to your favorites and/or don't start a contest if you know you aren't going to follow through with it.

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- There is a forum called request to read/comment, that is the only forum in which you are allowed to post requests for other members to read your work. Also do not answer a thread like this, yes I feel like that to, I even wrote a poem about it called "my parents hate me", that is a slick way of getting someone to check out your poem. Post requests to read/comment your poems only in the request forum.

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