Sunday 29 August 2010

Are you a writer? Then you MUST enter THE WRITING SHOW CONTEST! (Repost)

Would you like to win unbelievable prizes AND support fellow writers like yourself? Then keep reading ... 
This contest isn’t your average contest, folks, and you don't have to write anything to enter. This contest is an attempt to save The Writing Show, an amazing writing resource for us, and if The Writing Show goes bust, I think I’ll just go hide in the corner of my bedroom and cry for a decade. It would be such a shame to lose this amazing resource.



Writers support writers, right? Well the founder and owner of The Writing Show, is not only the provider of this writing resource we simply cannot do without, she is also a fellow writer, so I hope you’ll all find it in your hearts to support her—the amazingly generous and talented Paula B.



The show costs $10,000 – $15,000 to run per year, and so far this year there have only been $500 in donations. So PLEASE, not only for Paula B, but for you and all of us writers out there, struggling to get someone to take notice, please help out.
Read on to find out how …


Now. before I get into specifics such as rules and prizes (and the prizes are to DIE for), read a little about The Writing Show and Paula B, the producer and host of the show, and brilliant writing mentor:

“Since 2005, The Writing Show has provided engaging information and inspiration for writers of all kinds. We deliver high-quality, in-depth interviews, reality shows, and other features designed to shed light on some aspect of writing, publishing, and other topics of interest to people who write or aspire to do so.”


“Paula Berinstein (Paula B) is the author of seven geeky nonfiction books, including Making Space Happen and Business Statistics on the Web, and numerous magazine articles. Paula has been "Publishing Trends" columnist for Searcher magazine, ran her own research business serving the entertainment and other industries for 15 years, and has been a computer programmer, systems analyst, and librarian.

She has a B.A. in English and an M.L.S. in library science with a specialty in information science, both from UCLA.

Paula considers herself first and foremost a journalist. Her heroes are Jim Lehrer and Margaret Warner of the PBS NewsHour, whom she admires for their low-key manners and thoughtful questions.”

Right, let’s get to business …


RULES TO ENTER:


You must be a follower of this blog.

 You must plug this contest at least once, on either your own blog, on Facebook, or on Twitter and post the link in your comment, or email me at jessica.carmen.bell@gmail.com to let me know. If this isn’t done, you will be disqualified.


You must make a donation of $5 or more to The Writing Show at this link. Now before you screw up your nose at having to part with money, take a look below at what $5 could get you.

You must comment on this blog post and let me know how much you're donating so I know how many entries to give you.


IF YOU ENTER …


By simply entering this contest you will get your pick of one of Paula B’s self-mentoring e-books. To see the list, go here. If you don’t have an e-reader we will email you a PDF version. As soon as you donate, Paula will email you to ask which one you'd like.


NUMBER OF ENTRIES:


This is working like a raffle, so pretend that each dollar you donate is one ticket, and therefore one entry. So your initial $5 will get you five entries.


But …


If you donate $50 or more, you automatically get 100 entries.


If you donate $100 or more, you automatically get 200 entries.


If you donate $150 or more, you automatically get 200 entries plus a bonus and IMMEDIATE prize of a first chapter critique and follow-up email discussion by Paula B. I repeat BONUS. This is on top of the prizes below. You will receive this without even winning, simply by donating this amount of money.


Of course, if you wish to donate more than $150 dollars, it will revert back to the one entry per dollar system. So if you donate $151, you will get 201 entries plus the critique.


NOW FOR THE PRIZES …


IF AN ASPIRING AUTHOR WINS:


1. Paula B will interview you for a podcast and it will be published on The Writing Show and remain in its archives for as long as The Writing Show is up and running. (This can be by phone if you can’t make it into the studio.)


2. The Writing Show will plug your blog or website on its home page.


3. The Writing Show will publish a short piece of your writing on the website, and it will remain in its archives as the winner of this contest, with a short biography and any links or other information you wish to include accompanying it for as long as the show exists. I will copy edit it before it is uploaded. If you don’t know me, I am a professional English Language Teaching editor and writer, so you can trust me.


4. A $100 dollar Amazon gift card, donated by MOI.


5. I am also donating my time to this cause. I will proofread and copyedit your full manuscript whenever it’s ready. If you were to hire me to do this it would cost you at least $1500 for a 100,000 word manuscript. So I’m offering a big chunk of my time for free here!


If it’s ready now, excellent, if it’s ready in a month, no problem, if it’s ready in December, again, no problem. The cut off time for this will be mid December. I will not accept any manuscripts after December 15. If you’d like to see my CV, let me know and I’ll send it to you. You have to give me at least two months to complete it, though, as I sometimes have to work 60 hours per week!


IF A PUBLISHED OR SELF-PUBLISHED AUTHOR WINS:


1. Paula B will interview you for a podcast and it will be published on The Writing Show and remain in its archives for as long as The Writing Show is up and running. (This can be by phone if you can’t make it into the studio.)


2. The Writing Show will plug your blog or website on its home page.


3. The Writing Show will publish a biography about you on the website (with a small excerpt of your writing if you wish), along with a direct link to purchase your latest release on their home page..


4. A $100 dollar Amazon gift card, donated by MOI.


5. I am also donating my time to this cause. I will purchase and read your latest release. I will review and plug it on my blog, again with a direct link in my side bar for others to purchase it. Once this is done, it will also be linked to your biography on The Writing Show. If you’re self-published, and would prefer the proofread and copyedit I’m offering aspiring authors (see point 5 above), then let me know so I can do that for you instead.

The RUNNER-UP PRIZE is:
A $15 Barnes and Noble gift card.
An illustration, drawn by the wonderfully talented Elizabeth! All you have to do is provide her with a summary of your WIP and she'll illustrate a mock cover of it for you! How awesome is that?

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email me: jessica.carmen.bell@gmail.com. If you have a question for Paula B, run it by me first and I’ll have her email you back directly if need be.

So, folks, whaddayawaidingfor? Follow, Plug, Donate, Win!
Cut off date for entering is Monday, Septmeber 13.
GOOD LUCK!

My testimonial for Paula's mentoring:
Paula B's feedback has not only been more than helpful, but it has increased my need to make my work better than better. Her tactics are not the usual. She does not 'tell' you what she thinks you should do. She does not 'tell' you how to make your story shine. She pokes and prods and asks you questions until you come up with ideas on your own. She pushes you in the right direction, twists your mind to think in ways it isn't used to. She certainly knows which buttons to press. And she knows these buttons because she takes enormous care and time to know your writing better than the back of her own hand before uttering a single word about it.
At the end of the day, not only have you come out with an outstanding critique and the encouragement and extraordinary motivation to keep pushing yourself to achieve the best, you come out with new and insightful knowledge; knowledge that one generally can't come by unless one enrolls in a creative writing course. Paula is definitely high on my recommendations list. In fact, now that I come to think of it, I don't think there has been a single person who I have been more pleased with or trusted with my beloved prose.

50 comments:

  1. As I don't qualify to enter on many counts I do wish the competition all the luck in the world.

    Have a wonderful day.
    Yvonne.

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  2. *hangs head in shame*

    I'd never heard about the writing show before. (I'll fix that, I will!)

    This is incredibly generous of you...to give your time and energy to help someone else.

    Just a suggestion: make the link to donate bigger or maybe put another one at the end... By the time I finished reading about the prizes I'd forgotten there WAS a link up there. (okay so maybe that's just my ditzy side showing through)

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  3. What an awesome contest! Off to post it to my blog.

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  4. Sweet Jess. I'll be back with linkage when the child lets me surf the web longer. Now off to "entertain" her.

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  5. I'll hit this up later, Jessica. I just want to say to anyone who is questioning donating even $5...don't question. Just do it. Paula B. is an amazing resource to writers, plus she's a wonderful person. She went above and beyond in helping me mold a concise and dynamic synopsis. She surely made it shine. But that's not all, she helped me--the writer--not just my writing. I gained confidence through her encouragement. She never gave up on me, even though I wavered and often moaned that I couldn't get it done. She saw a story in me that I couldn't.

    Thanks again, Paula.

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  6. How could I not have heard of this? I'm going to have to go talk Kelly into giving me some money.

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  7. I'll go tweet and FB it though, so I can be prepared in case she lets me!

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  8. I will enter, I can't afford much but I will help where I can. I can also promote on my blog.

    CD

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  9. Looks like a big contest with even bigger prizes. This is the first time I've heard of this show, but it seems to be a great source for writers.

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  10. wow, that's pretty impressive.

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  11. I have heard of the Writing Show. They presented a podcast in which I was mentioned. :)

    I will be Tweeting and FB this though I might not be able to enter.

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  12. You are a gracious and great-hearted friend. I have never heard of this resource or Paula before.

    Of course I will donate and advertise on my blog for her. But don't give me any entries into the contest. I am helping to help, not to gain from the helping.

    Thanks for visiting my blog and commenting. My visitors and commentors are deeply appreciated. As are you. Roland

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  13. Saving this link so I can come back and do this! Paula's awesome - I was a guest on her show several years ago.

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  14. I've never heard of the show either but I'm looking for contests to get involved in so I may have to look into it. Thanks for passing the word along to me.

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  15. Best wishes for the success of The Writing Show. I'm saving the link and will check it out more thoroughly this evening when I can commit quality time to it. Looks great so far!

    Stephen Tremp

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  16. I haven't heard about the writing show but after this I'm eager to check it out. That you feel so strongly that you would do something like this says volumes, so good for you!

    Angela @ The Bookshelf Muse

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  17. I haven't heard of the The Writing Show before. Can't wait to check it out.

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  18. This is such a wonderful idea, Jess! And it sounds like Paula B is such an inspiration. I've not heard of this but I have to check it out now, for sure. Thanks for bringing attention to this!

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  19. This is great Jess! What a great cause, I haven't heard of the writing show so what a great shoutout! When I get a free moment I'll be posting this beauty on my sidebar and taking a look at her site!!

    Looks like we have a major helping bug on the blogs this year! I like it!

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  20. well... wow!

    And to think I didn't even KNOW about the Writing Show. I feel so uninformed and underhelped!

    OK, I'll get on this... My next post is tomorrow, so I'll give 'er the ole plugaroo.

    And my donation's on the way~ yay, Paula B! Keep up the great work~

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  21. Hey there!! Missed you. The contest sounds awesome...I'm all over it as soon as I get a chance!! :)

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  22. Smack my hand...I didn't know about The Writing Show either!
    What a great cause to support...
    I'll head over there and take a look. :)

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  23. How is it that I haven't heard of the Writing Show? I feel like I've lived under a rock. Great job getting the word out there.

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  24. Hi Jess! Okay, I've just donated $25 to The Writing Show. I wish it could have been more! I'm putting a blurb about The Writing Show on my blog sidebar and linking this post!!

    You're awesome!

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  25. OMG I'm so broke. I donated a measly $5. Do you need receipt emailed or anything? Also, here's the link for blog plug:)
    http://themisadventuresincandyland.blogspot.com/2010/08/im-not-that-kind-of-girl-well-okay.html

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  26. Hi,

    I'll check this out, but I don't think I qualify as an already published author. So quite happy to step aside for those aspiring to publication.
    best
    F

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  27. Hi Francine. You do qualify. If you'd like me to enter you let me know. It's for both aspiring and published authors.

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  28. Hey, Jessica. What a terrific contest. Never heard of The Writing Show (shame, that), but definitely seems like a great resource. Just donated $5 via PayPal, and tweeted about it (http://twitter.com/zoecourtman). Thanks for helping pay it forward!!

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  29. Following, and I tweeted, FB the contest as well as posted links to it on both of my blogs. Sounds like a great contest and a great idea!

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  30. Great Janie! Would love to follow your blog but can't seem to find the follow button???? Don't forget to let me know how much you're donating so that I know how many entries to give you :o) Good luck!

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  31. Scroll down to the bottom of the right column and click the RSS feed to subscribe - it works just like following. You can subscribe to the posts or comments or both.

    Here is the link to my other blog: The Center for Writing Excellence: http://writingxlns.wordpress.com/

    I just donated $5.

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  32. Thanks, Kay! Off to check it out! :o) And welcome to my blog!!!

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  33. Just wanted to let you know I made a $10 contribution to the Writing Show. I know it's not much, but hope it helps. :)

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  34. Not going to enter the contest but I am going to donate!

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  35. AW Lydia, WHY??? Thanks so much for donating! You sure you don't wanna enter???

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  36. Interesting contest, and a worthy cause I'm sure. I'll have to check out a show. I haven't gotten into pod casts though - wouldn't know anything about them.

    But I'll donate $5 at leat, possibly $10 on my payday - Friday. Not much I know. Single Mom on a budget.

    I'll also put a link on my blog. I'm not doing the Shout Outs this week, but I'll try to slip the link in also on a post of its own.

    Good luck with the donations.

    ........dhole

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  37. follower - check
    $5 donation - check
    promoted on twitter - check
    http://twitter.com/endofriendo

    Thank you Jessica for your efforts to save The Writing Show!!!

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  38. I always twitch at offering money on line from so far away, though I want to support writers. Tell me how it goes from Australia and I'll see how I go. I'm with your competition in spirit.

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  39. Thanks for clarifying! Ok, I just tweeted a link to this post (@juliemusil)

    I'm off to donate now!

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  40. Officially done. Took 3 tries to remember my stinking paypal password (had a virus awhile back so I changed EVERYTHING but hadn't written that one down, woops) but mission accomplished.

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  41. Follower - Yes!
    $5 Donation - Yes!
    Blog Side-Bar Love - Yes!

    Exciting contest! Can't wait to see how it all goes down. ;]

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  42. $5 donation
    Tweeted the contest
    Listed the contest in my blog's sidebar
    And linked this post on my blog
    DUH! I follow you :)

    Great contest Jessica!

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  43. $150 donation
    I've been following your blog since you started the contest but only realized today there is a Follow button so it's formal now!
    Plugged The Writing Show on my Facebook page since I do not have a blog. (at least not yet)

    What's the easiest way for you to see my Facebook plug? Paula is a friend of mine if that helps.

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  44. $150 donation
    Plugged on my Facebook page.
    http://www.facebook.com/#!/?ref=home
    I've been folloeing your blog since you started the contest but only realized today that there is a follow button!

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  45. Wow Phil, what an awesome donation!!!

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  46. Nothing like slipping in at the last minute!

    I follow you.

    Tweeted:
    SpunkOnAStick
    Last day to enter The Writing Show Contest http://thealliterativeallomorph.blogspot.com/2010/08/are-you-writer-then-you-must-enter-this.html less than 5 seconds ago via web

    Donation:
    Total$5.00
    Paid to
    The Compulsive Creative
    info@compulsivecreative.com

    I really need to get my life organized... LOL!

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  47. Dang, I didn't find this contest until today! Good luck to everyone who entered, and thanks Jessica for bring The Writing Show to my attention - I'd never heard of it before and it's a real gem :-)

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  48. I'm too late, but it is a great thing for you to do to help this show continue. I don't know of it, but I must be pretty ignorant..:)

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