We will be giving away a total of $3,850 in this contest, including two $50 prizes each day! Every time you enter, you have a shot at winning each of these prizes - and one entry could technically win one of each type!
Staff Pick (28 winners): $50: awarded to the day's best Hub
Daily Drawing (28 winners): $50: selected at random from the day's entries
Best Hub (4 winners): $100: awarded to the community's favorite Staff Pick Hub of the week
People's Choice (4 winners): $100: awarded to the Staff Pick Hub of the week that is ranked the highest by our contest judges
Grand Prize (1 winner): $250: awarded to the highest judge-ranked of all the Best Hub and People's Choice winners
Pretty nice prizes, no? Just remember, you can only enter five Hubs each day.
Do you know what it takes to write a successful online article? Do you know about titling your Hub well for search engines, long-tail topics, and SEO? If not, now is the perfect time to put those skills to the test - or learn something new! So You Think You Can Write Online is all about learning how to write successful online articles that are easily discovered, helpful to readers, and lucrative for you!
Here is a brief summary of the rules, but please read the full Official Rules at the bottom of this page before starting, since you are bound by their terms by participating:
- Join HubPages (if you have not already - it’s free and easy!)!
- Write an entry - keeping in mind the judging criteria! (the maximum number of entries is five per day)
- Make sure it has the tag: WritingContest
- Click the “Publish!”
Keep in mind that all entries MUST...
- Include the tag: WritingContest
- Be published for the first time on that given contest day
- Be a minimum of 400 words
- Be entirely original to HubPages
... in order to qualify.
Please read official rules (below) for complete details and eligibility information.
- Long-tail, niche topic that has not been extensively covered online
- Search-friendly title (mirrors common search terms)
- Excellent writing (proper use of grammar, capitalization)
- Unique, useful information (not copied from elsewhere online, full of details, examples, names, and figures)
- Attractive formatting (avoidance of excessive link, eBay, or Amazon capsule clutter, excessive bolding or italics, and all-caps)
- Judicious use of relevant capsules (original photos (especially your own), video, maps, tables, links, news, etc.)
The So You Think You Can Write Online Contest – Official Rules
No purchase or payment necessary to enter or win. A purchase will not improve your chances of winning.
Contest Description
Contest begins at 12:01 P.M. (PT) on March 31st, 2011, and ends at 12:00 noon (PT) on April 29th, 2011 (the “Promotion Period). Cash prizes (the “Prizes”) will be awarded (the “Awarding”) to the eligible entrants with the winning entries in accordance with these Official Rules.
ELIGIBILITY:
THE CONTEST IS NOT OPEN TO RESIDENTS OF CUBA, IRAN, IRAQ, SYRIA, NORTH KOREA, MYANMAR (FORMERLY BURMA), SUDAN, PUERTO RICO OR THE PROVINCE OF QUEBEC. This contest is void in these countries and any other jurisdiction where prohibited and restricted by law. YOU MUST BE AT LEAST EIGHTEEN YEARS OLD AT THE TIME OF ENTRY TO PARTICIPATE. Entrants must participate by way of an Internet Service Provider or other method of Internet access and have a personal e-mail address. You must live in a country where you can receive contest earnings via PayPal, since this is our method of disbursement. Employees of HubPages Inc. and its respective affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising and promotional agencies, and the immediate family members and/or those living in the same household as such employees are not eligible to enter or win. All national, federal, state and local laws and regulations apply.
HOW TO ENTER:
To enter, visit https://hubpages.com/help/so-you-think-you-can-write-online and follow the So You Think You Can Write Online contest directions. All eligible Hubs, up to a maximum of five (5) per day, that are published for the first time between 12:00 noon (PT) on one day and 11:59 AM (PT) the subsequent day during the Promotion Period are considered for the Staff Pick, Daily Drawing, and weekly and final winners (the "Best Hub Winner", "People's Choice Winner" and "Grand Prize Winner"). Each eligible Hub is only eligible for the Staff Pick, Daily Drawing for the day on which the Hub is first published. Eligible entries can only eligible for the Daily Drawing, Best Hub Winner and People's Choice Winner once. To be eligible for a day's Staff Pick and Daily Drawing, a week's Best Hub and People's Choice prizes, and the Grand prize, the Hub must include the tag "WritingContest", must have a minimum of 400 words, and must be significantly unique from other Hubs and other Web pages. Eligibility for any prize requires the Hub to have been created and published in accordance with the HubPages Terms of Use and must otherwise comply with the terms of these Official Rules. In addition, all submissions categorized within the Daily Bonus Topic, which is specified on the contest page, within 24 hours of the topic’s posting, will win an additional three (3) entries (chances) in the day's Daily Drawing.
HubPages Inc. is not responsible for lost, late, misdirected, or incomplete entries, technical or software malfunctions, lost or unavailable network connections, or failed, incorrect, inaccurate, incomplete or delayed electronic communications. In the event of a dispute as to the identity of any winning entry, the entry will be deemed submitted by the record holder of the e-mail account from which the entry originated. Use of any automated or robotic devices to create Hubs is prohibited and such entries shall be void. Proof of submission does not constitute proof of receipt.
AWARDINGS/PRIZES AND ODDS:
The Awarding of the Daily Drawing and and Staff Pick winners will be conducted on or about 4pm (PT) at the end of each day's eligibility period from among all eligible entries received, beginning April 1st, 2011 (12pm on the Monday following weekend entries), and continuing every day until April 29th, 2011. Odds of winning any Daily Drawing or Staff Pick Awarding depend on the number of eligible entries for that Awarding. Each Daily Drawing and Staff Pick Winner will receive US$50, payable through PayPal.
The Awarding of the weekly Best Hub Winner and People's Choice Winner will be conducted on or about 4pm (PT) on the Monday after the week's contest period, or April 11th, 18th, and 25th, and May 2nd. Every week, the Best Hub Winner will be chosen by HubPages-appointed judges or HubPages. Every week, the People's Choice Winner will be chosen through a poll administered on the contest page, which will feature the seven (7) Staff Pick Hubs selected by HubPages, and which will run from approximately 4:00pm (PT) on Friday through 4:00pm (PT) on Monday for approximately 72 hours; the Hub receiving the highest number of eligible votes will be declared the Winner. Odds of winning any Best Hub Awarding or People's Choice Awarding depend on the number of eligible entries for that Awarding. Each Best Hub Winner and People's Choice Winner will receive US$100, payable through PayPal.
The Awarding of the Grand Prize will be conducted on or about 12pm (PT) on May 5th, 2011, from among the eight Best Hub and People's Choice Winners. Odds of winning the Grand Prize Awarding depend on the number of eligible entries for that Awarding. The Grand Prize Winner will receive US$250, payable through PayPal.
Winner must have an active and functioning PayPal account in order to receive the prize, and will be responsible for any and all fees and taxes associated with the cash transfer. Winner will be notified by e-mail at the e-mail address associated with the HubPages account. Winner may be required to sign and return an Affidavit of Eligibility, Liability, and where legally permissible publicity release within seven days following attempted notification. Failure to comply within this time period may result in disqualification and selection of an alternate winner. Return of any prize/prize notification as undeliverable may result in disqualification and selection of an alternate winner.
PARTICIPATION/ACCEPTANCE OF RULES:
By participating, entrants agree to the Official Rules and Terms of Use and agree to accept and be bound by the decisions of HubPages Inc. which shall be final and binding.
GENERAL CONDITIONS:
HubPages Inc., in its sole discretion, reserves the right to disqualify any person who tampers or is suspected of tampering with the entry process or who is otherwise in violation of the Official Rules and void all associated entries. CAUTION; ANY ATTEMPT BY AN ENTRANT TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE ANY WEBSITE OR UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE CONTEST IS A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS AND SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, HUBPAGES INC RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES AND OR OTHER RELIEF FROM ANY SUCH ENTRANT TO THE FULLEST EXTENT OF THE LAW.
If, for any reason, the contest is not capable of running as planned, including infection by a computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized, intervention, fraud, technical failures, human intervention, technical, human or other error, or any causes beyond the control of HubPages Inc. which corrupt or affect the administration, security fairness, integrity, or proper conduct of this contest, HubPages Inc. reserves the right at its sole discretion to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the contest. In the event of cancellation or termination, HubPages Inc. reserves the right to select the winner for the Awarding impacted from among all eligible entries received prior to termination or cancellation. In no event will HubPages Inc. be responsible or liable for more than the number of prizes stated herein.
All federal, state and local taxes associated with the acceptance of the prize, are solely the responsibility of the winner.
No substitution or transfer of prizes permitted. This contest will be governed by the laws of the State of California. Any and all legal actions or claims arising in connection with this giveaway must be brought in the State or Federal Courts in San Francisco, California.
By participating in the giveaway, each participant agrees to release and hold HubPages Inc. and its employees, officers, directors, shareholders, agents, representatives, its parent companies, affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising, promotion, and fulfillment agencies, and legal advisors, harmless from any and all losses, damages, rights, claims and actions of any kind in connection with the sweepstakes or resulting from acceptance, possession, or use of any prize.
WINNER:
The winners’ usernames will be posted on the HubPages.com website, on this page.
Sponsored by: HubPages Inc., 95 Minna St, San Francisco, CA 94105.