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Posted by: accio_lily Apr 5 2007, 05:50 PM

Welcome to the home of TLC's Contest Endeavor!
In this post we have (almost!) everything you'll need to know about entering one of Leaky's contests!
You can check out the rules which will apply to every contest we run, and also read the FAQs, if there's anything else you want to know.

General Rules:

• There will be a limit of entries per person to make the competition fair for everyone. This limit will be specified on each competition's explanations.
• There will, generally, be three winners for each category (if applicable): placed 1st, 2nd and 3rd.
• All entries must be submitted with a name, or a screenname by which we can credit you
• All entries must be PG-13
• All entries must be consistent with canon in the Harry Potter books (not interviews)
• All entries must be solely the entrant's creation; any entries found to include the work of others will be disqualified immediately.
• All entries must be e-mailed in to contests@the-leaky-cauldron.org with the competition and category (if applicable) included in the subject line. e.g. “Competition name - Category”.
• Anyone over the age of 13 can enter, including Staff members who are not involved in the judging process.
• Only one person from Staff will receive the submissions, and will remove the entrant’s name before they are passed on to the Judges.
• All decisions by our Judges are final.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why Leaky Contests?
The contests are another way for Harry Potter fans to enjoy the series and have fun getting to know each other. It also gives fans an outlet for their creative side!

Who is eligible to enter Leaky's Contests?
Anyone aged 13 or over (from any country) is eligible to enter our contests. You do not have to be a member of the Leaky Lounge. Leaky’s Staff are also eligible to enter, as long as they are not part of the judging process.

Can more than one person work on an entry to a contest?
Unless specified within the contest rules, collaboration with others is not acceptable. This includes having them write or create any piece of your work, enhancing your work that is out of the ordinary "proofing" for grammatical and/or spelling errors, etc. Any entries found to include the work of others will be disqualified immediately.

English is not my first language; can I have someone edit my piece for spelling and grammatical mistakes?
Yes, you may. In fact, anyone may have someone edit their piece for only spelling and grammatical mistakes. It is the smart thing to do and the Contest Team really appreciates it when the simple mistakes of spelling and grammar are fixed. Editors are not allowed to help you enhance your entry through writing any of your work, pointing out where your story could be better written or clarified, etc. This will be deemed as a collaboration and disqualified unless collaborations are allowed for the contest.

Can a fellow contestant edit my entry?
Yes, he/she may as long as his/her own entry is submitted before he/she receives the piece to edit. This is to ensure that the editor does not take your idea, changes their entry after reading yours, etc.

Is there a limit to the number of entries allowed per person for each contest?
There will be a limit of entries per person to make the contest fair for everyone. This limit will be specified within each contest.

In what form should the entry be sent?
Entries may be sent by e-mail as an attachment, which is preferred, or in the body of the message. Please double-check the rules for each individual contest in regards to file format, but in general:
• Text files should be submitted in .doc or .rtf formats.
• Image files can be submitted in .jpg, .png or .gif formats. Please note that the entrants are responsible for the quality of the files we receive.

What information should be included with my entry?
• You must include the name you wish to be credited by (Leaky Lounge/Screen Names are acceptable).
• Please include your preferred e-mail address.
• Mailing addresses or telephone numbers are unnecessary.

Will I receive a confirmation email after I enter?
No. Unless there is a problem with your entry or you are a winner, you won't receive an email from us.

How strictly should the contest's rules be followed?
There are varying consequences depending on the rule broken. Some rules, such as the PG-13 rating, result in an automatic disqualification if broken. Other rules, such as word count, will receive a penalty issued during the judging process. The further from the rules you stray, the worse the penalty will be.

How closely does my entry have to follow canon in the Harry Potter books?
Canon will be judged on how closely you stick to the information that is in the series (not interviews). The closer you stick to canon, the more points your entry will receive in regards to canon. Large canon mistakes (this also includes misspelling characters' names) might result in an automatic rejection, even if the entry is well written. Each entry will be judged individually based on canon and some errors may be viewed as larger mistakes than others by the Judges.

How long between contests?
There will be approximately one month between the announcement of one contests and the next. This is subject to change depending on the popularity and complexity of each contest.

How many winners will there be per contest?
All contests will have general 1st, 2nd, and 3rd placing. Additional categories and placing may be included depending on the contest.

When will we find out if we've won?
If you win, your name will be announced on Leaky's main page and we will also send you an e-mail informing you that your entry has placed.

What do we win?
First place winners will receive a http://wizardwands.net/custom-apprentice-wands.htm from http://wizardwands.net/wizard-wood-wands.htm. All winning entries will be announced on Leaky's main page and posted on the http://www.the-leaky-cauldron.org/fun/contests. All winners who are members of the Leaky Lounge will receive a nifty button saying "Contest Winner" to be placed underneath their location information when they post and, lastly, MyLeaky points will be distributed to those who win: 200 points for First Place, 150 points for Second Place, 100 points for Third Place, and 50 points for Honorable Mentions.

What is being done to ensure that the judging process is carried out fairly?
Keeping contests and the judging process fair is of the greatest importance to Leaky's contest endeavor. In addition to keeping entrants' names anonymous, detailed rubrics are followed to avoid voting for favorites.

Who is judging the contests?
The contest Judges are composed of a set number of dedicated and fair-minded members of the Leaky Staff. Their identities will remain anonymous in an effort to keep the contests as unbiased as possible. From time to time, there will be Guest Judges.

Where can I view past winners and contests?
You can view all previous contests and winners on our webpage http://www.the-leaky-cauldron.org/fun/contests and in our archives http://www.the-leaky-cauldron.org/fun/contests/archive.

Where do we send questions/queries about the contests?
If the answer to your question is not found in the FAQ, you may post in the "Feedback/Queries" thread, or email us at contests@the-leaky-cauldron.org.

So, what are you waiting for?
Good luck!

Posted by: Pyxis Sep 19 2007, 11:15 PM

PG-13 CLARIFICATION

The Leaky Lounge requires all entries to abide by a PG-13 content rating. Please remember, establishing a rating is subjective, if you have a question about content, feel free to PM any member of the Contest Crew. The following are some examples of exceeding the PG-13 guidelines. These are only examples, all questionable material will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

* Any depictions/descriptions of illicit drug abuse is prohibited.
* Realistic, intense, and persistent violence is not allowed, literary or visual.
* Nudity or vivid descriptions of sexual activities will be disqualified.
* Hard language not found in the text of the Harry Potter series is not allowed, and any expletives used in a sexual context will result in disqualification of the entry.

Thanks for helping us keep Leaky a fun place for everyone!

Posted by: mjk Jul 31 2008, 07:44 PM

Tips and Hints to Create an Even Better Entry:

• Carefully re-read your entry before submitting - By re-reading your entry, you will catch obvious mistakes (like forgetting words or major misspellings) that may result in your entry being rejected immediately. Have someone else re-read your entry if you've looked at it too often or read it out loud. Reading your entry out loud will also help you catch mistakes like missing words or incorrect grammar. Please see our http://www.leakylounge.com/-t42935.html&view=findpost&p=1169148 for information on how much someone can help you with your entry.
• Spell check your entry - Spell check your entry for common words that are misspelled and for people, places, and things in the Harry Potter series. Misspelling a character's name or a major place in the series can result in your entry being rejected immediately.
• Make sure the book canon in your entry is correct - The closer your entry is to book canon, the higher your entry will score. Major inconsistencies will result in your entry being immediately rejected, whereas minor ones will be looked at in regards to how well your entry is written. In some cases, large inconsistencies (and misspellings of people, places, and things in the books) will result in a rejection no matter how well your entry is written.
• Try to make your entry original - If applicable, try to follow characters we know little about or story lines that are very small and minute in the series. For minor characters or story lines with little canon to work with, keep to the canon we know of, but have fun with what we don't know that fits. If that isn't applicable, try to be creative and think of fun ways to make your entry stand out from the rest.
• 'Shipping should play a minimal part in your entry - As much as we all like to read a good love story, the Judges have read an extensive number of stories with a variety of 'ships. At this point, 'ships are simply not original for the Judges. Please try to be creative and avoid 'ships in your stories.