Join the Neopoet online poetry workshop and community to improve as a writer, meet fellow poets, and showcase your work. Sign up, submit your poetry, and get started.
Those Stupid Contests With Their Stupid, Stupid Prizes
I'm going to give away a secret.
The only way to get a rise out of me is to attack people who are doing their best merely because you want to appear smart or tough or clever or whatever.
Recently there have been several snide comments made about the contests and the prizes awarded in them. Now, to be fair, these comments were directed at me and the folks making them were hoping that their sad little attempt would hurt my feelings. That did not happen.
What did happen is that I did some math.
In 2009 there were 11 contests with a total prize value nearly $300 or an average of over $25 per prize. Since Neopoet is not structured to give out money, Neopoet cannot supply the prizes. What does this mean? It means that all prizes are donated by other members.
Let's repeat that part for the stupid.
All prizes awarded in contests are donated by other members of Neopoet.
What does this translate to? It translates to two members donating nearly $300 worth of prizes in 2009.
But it gets better. Near the end of 2009 one member contacted the AEC, which contacted me, since I am the Contest Director, to arrange a donation of prizes for all 2010 contests. The total estimated value of all prizes to be awarded through 2010 is over $750.
That's right, one member stepped up and made a donation worth over $750 to be given away to the winners of the 2010 contests.
And a few sad and childish people, with hopes of hurting me, are disparaging this anonymous donation and donor.
What's worse, the donor is someone that they all like.
Remember the fables where people act in a hateful and callous manner and it turns out they are harming the people they love?
Me to.
You folks be proud of yourselves, you so richly deserve it.
The only way to get a rise out of me is to attack people who are doing their best merely because you want to appear smart or tough or clever or whatever.
Recently there have been several snide comments made about the contests and the prizes awarded in them. Now, to be fair, these comments were directed at me and the folks making them were hoping that their sad little attempt would hurt my feelings. That did not happen.
What did happen is that I did some math.
In 2009 there were 11 contests with a total prize value nearly $300 or an average of over $25 per prize. Since Neopoet is not structured to give out money, Neopoet cannot supply the prizes. What does this mean? It means that all prizes are donated by other members.
Let's repeat that part for the stupid.
All prizes awarded in contests are donated by other members of Neopoet.
What does this translate to? It translates to two members donating nearly $300 worth of prizes in 2009.
But it gets better. Near the end of 2009 one member contacted the AEC, which contacted me, since I am the Contest Director, to arrange a donation of prizes for all 2010 contests. The total estimated value of all prizes to be awarded through 2010 is over $750.
That's right, one member stepped up and made a donation worth over $750 to be given away to the winners of the 2010 contests.
And a few sad and childish people, with hopes of hurting me, are disparaging this anonymous donation and donor.
What's worse, the donor is someone that they all like.
Remember the fables where people act in a hateful and callous manner and it turns out they are harming the people they love?
Me to.
You folks be proud of yourselves, you so richly deserve it.