Contest and Competitions Forum Rules.

I asked Mara about setting up some guidelines for the Contest and Competition Forum. She suggested making a thread about it and if it got good feedback, and we made rules the majority of us could agree on, she'd make it a sticky.

Here's whatwe have so far:

Contest Rules:
*NO SOLICITING VOTES!

*No making threads specifically to link to voting threads - if people want to vote they'll do so by their own discretion.

*If you've won or placed in a contest with a certain photo, then that photo should be retired. Not only are the contests getting repetitive, but the pics being entered are, too.

*Don't enter a contest for a siggy if you're not going to show the siggy off -Contest holders work very hard on them to not have them used.

*If you are making a contest intended for "mature audiences" PLEASE put a disclaimer in the title. We don't want our little ones seeing something intended for grown-up eyes.

*You may only enter pics of yourself, YOUR SO, or YOUR child...It's a privacy and courtesy issue. Would you want someone posting a pic of
you/your child without your knowledge or permission?

* Please make contests fair. Make the contest topic something general that more than a select group can enter. The randomly specific contests (i.e. Cutest Boy with one blue eye and one brown eye, or Momma with the most chic pair of sunglasses.) are not only ridiculous, but they're not fair either.

* NO RIGGING CONTEST! Seriously...that's just lame.

* NO PM votes. It's really not fair.

* If you start a contest - please finish it!


If you have anything else you'd like added post it in the thread, or PM me and I'll gladly add it.

This isn't intended to stop people from making contests, but I'm hoping it will help cut back a little bit on the soliciting, and make the contests a little more enjoyable for the general community. It seems like the contests have gotten out of hand lately, and this is just a hopeful step towards getting things under some control.

oh oh i know...
maybe something like one contest per person per month LOL
like that'll ever happen  

i'll think of more...

If you won a contest of one theme, dont enter a contest with a similar theme.

If a pic has placed in a contest, dont use it in another contest.

Dont enter a contest, if you dont plan to show your siggies... whats the point?

Quoting ♥ Becca HTM:“ oh oh i know... maybe something like one contest per person per month LOL like that'll ever happen   i'll think of more...”

Or maybe one contest at a time?

Quoting Cass ♥ Julia:“ I PMed Mara last night to see if there was something that could be done about the excessive amounts of ... [snip!] ... we can cut back a little on repeating contests, or having more than one of the same contest topic open. Any other ideas?”

The only problem with a thread that would link the contests already open is that people would have to read thru PAGES and PAGES of posts. I don't really think its a big deal if people do the same contest. Someone's like "Oh this is already being done" and thats the end of it.

If you start a contest, make sure you finish it.

what's most annoying IS the same contests being done over and over. i don't know how we'd cut back on that though.

Quoting Jerzee*Jissella*Jaylaa:“ If you won a contest of one theme, dont enter a contest with a similar theme. If a pic has placed ... [snip!] ... a contest, dont use it in another contest. Dont enter a contest, if you dont plan to show your siggies... whats the point?”

I agree on this one. I work hard on the siggies I make and if people don't sport them, then I'm not even going to bother ya know.

Quoting Jerzee*Jissella*Jaylaa:“ If you won a contest of one theme, dont enter a contest with a similar theme. If a pic has placed ... [snip!] ... a contest, dont use it in another contest. Dont enter a contest, if you dont plan to show your siggies... whats the point?”

The first contest I did, I made these really awesome unique siggies, and no one even took them! I even messaged the winners with the link to their siggy. I worked so hard on them, so it was really disappointing  

Quoting OGPillowpants *Edge*:“ I agree on this one. I work hard on the siggies I make and if people don't sport them, then I'm not even going to bother ya know.”

me too girl...

Quoting Jerzee*Jissella*Jaylaa:“ If you won a contest of one theme, dont enter a contest with a similar theme. If a pic has placed ... [snip!] ... a contest, dont use it in another contest. Dont enter a contest, if you dont plan to show your siggies... whats the point?”

amen on the siggie issue... really why make me waste my time! I am good at doing it all by myself. 

Quoting Sasha&Aaralyn:“ The first contest I did, I made these really awesome unique siggies, and no one even took them! I even ... [snip!] ... them! I even messaged the winners with the link to their siggy. I worked so hard on them, so it was really disappointing  ”

yea, and its not air to those who entered who WOULD wear theirs...

I think vote solicitation is annoying! 
There is already a thread for open contests....I've seen it before (I don't use it)

I don't think you should be able to reuse a picture you've won a contest with


I try to make my contests fun and follow through on my prize

all these are nice ideas, but how in the WORLD do you plan on keeping up with all of it?

You'd be banned from BGif you ran a contest where you solicited votes?  

Who would keep up with what child won what ?

If it bothers you that much, maybe you should think about leaving? I can't stand the millions of contests, but I got over it.

Also, time frame for contests... lots of people slack and you are like? okay going to tally the votes or what? 

No of course not... my baby is not placing LMFAO