OutaStory runs writing contests from time to time. They work a little
differently from what most people expect, so it's worth reading this
once before you plan an entry.
Where contests live
The list of contests is at /contests. Every contest also
has its own page, at /contests/{year}/{slug} — the year is part of
the address, so this year's contest and next year's contest with a
similar name never collide. Keep the full link if you want to come back
to a particular one.
Contests are not in the navigation menu. You reach them by link — from
a newsletter, a shared URL, a post, or a search engine. If you like
entering them, bookmark /contests.
The list is grouped into three sections:
- Running now — status Running. These are open.
- Coming up — status Upcoming. Announced, not started yet.
- Past contests — status Finished. Over, but still there to read.
How you enter: with a tag
This is the part people miss, so here it is plainly: there is no "enter"
button and no submission form. A story enters a contest by carrying the
contest's tag. Publish a story, tag it with the contest tag, and it
shows up automatically — no signup, no fee.
Step by step:
- Open the contest page and note the tag it names.
- Write your story as you normally would.
- Go through publishing. On step 1 Details, add the contest tag to
your story's tags, spelled exactly as the contest page writes it. - Publish.
A story can hold up to 8 tags in total, so leave room for the contest
tag if you're already near the limit. At the cap the tag input tells you
"Maximum of 8 tags reached", and you'll have to remove one first.
Forgot the tag? You can add it afterwards by editing the story — editing a
published story creates its next version, and the tag travels with it.
What's on a contest page
A contest page is built from four panels:
- How to enter — the tag, and what the contest is asking for.
- How the winner is picked — the criteria for this particular contest.
- Meet the jury — the people judging, shown as read-only profiles.
There is no voting and no ballot anywhere in the app; the panel is
there so you know who will be reading your story. - Rules — the conditions you accept by entering.
How a winner can be picked
Each contest names its own criteria on its own page. The ones a contest
may use are:
- most likes
- most views
- most followers
- most chapters read
- a jury decision
- a jury short-list plus a reader vote
Read that panel before you enter — a contest judged on chapters read is a
very different challenge from one judged by a jury.
How results are announced
One honest caveat: results are announced by the organisers. They are
not displayed as a winners list inside the app, and there is no automatic
winner badge on a story. Follow whichever channel the contest was
announced on, and watch the contest page itself for updates.
While your story is in a contest
A contest entry is an ordinary published story. Readers can comment on it
like any other — see
Comments and replies — and the
reading it collects counts towards your
trophies as usual.
If anything about a contest is unclear, contact us and
we'll point you in the right direction.