00. COMPETITION RULES
Rules of the competition (current as at November 2013)
-
- please type up your entry in a Word document format NOT Adobe, and make sure it is compatible with Windows; if you’re not sure about compatibility, just cut and paste your entry into the body of your email;
- please use Times New Roman font size 12 and single line spacing;
- please send your entry to me at sarah@auspicioustimes.com;
- please do NOT post your entry on my blog;it won’t be published there unless and until you are one of the winners!
- please type your full name, age, grade at school and school name at the top of your entry;
- please don’t worry about illustrations or special type fonts – I won’t take them into account, and they just slow me down reading your entry! Times New Roman font size 12 is perfect and will help me to publish your entry if you’re one of the winners!
- the two categories are Grade 1 to Grade 3, and Grade 4 to Grade 6;
- the first prize winners in each category will receive a free signed copy of one of my children’s books sent to their home address;
- only the best entries in each category will be published – I will let you know how many entries will be published with each competition;
- your entry must be received by midnight on the deadline date to be eligible for entry;
- NB entries must be your own original work: any plagiarism (copying from someone else’s work eg using the Internet) will be reported to your school and will automatically disqualify you from entering my competitions in the future;
- NB please do not use scatological humour (which means any reference to toilets, bottoms, burps, farts, poos etc). No matter how good your work, if it contains any of these words I simply won’t publish it which means you won’t get a place);
- winners will be announced as soon as possible after the closing date;
- my decisions will always be final and no correspondence will be entered into afterwards!
- A Note About Age-Groups: It can be difficult to decide how to split the categories when judging entries from primary schools around the world. In some countries, children start school at an earlier age than in other countries, so that they reach higher grades (and standards) at a younger age than their contemporaries elsewhere. In others, children don’t start learning in the English language until they are much older than their native English-speaking friends of the same age. So it’s hard to be fair to everyone at the same time! For the purposes of my competitions, therefore, I have had to plump for what I feel is the fairest criteria, which is how many years the child has spent in school. Hence I categorise by grade rather than age, and you will find that there can be 8 and 9 year olds in both the Grade 1 to 3 and the Grade 4 to 6 categories. Please rest assured that first and foremost it is the writing I am judging; many younger kids write just as well as children a year or two older!
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Sarah Brennan Funny & Fabulous Blog 
Is it not even 1 minute past midnight?
Cara
Comment by Cara— June 6, 2011 #
Not even one minute!! A rule is a rule!
Comment by sarahbrennanblog— June 6, 2011 #
Do we have to enter our address at all?
Comment by Sam— July 25, 2011 #
Hi Sam – I don’t need your address but I do obviously need your email address, as well as the name of your school and your class and age! If you win the competition, I’ll write to you for your home address so I can send your complimentary book to you!
Comment by sarahbrennanblog— July 26, 2011 #
Should I go to grade 1 to 3 or should I go to grade 4 to five?
Comment by Grace— February 3, 2012 #
Hello Grace – it all depends on what grade you’re in at school! Just let me know when you submit your entry to my email address.
Comment by sarahbrennanblog— February 4, 2012 #
what about secends after midnight!
Traya
Comment by Tryay Ellery McLean— February 23, 2012 #
Just one second too late is TOO LATE!! A rule is a rule!
Comment by sarahbrennanblog— February 24, 2012 #
Hi Sarah,
If I would like to send you an entry for the competiton, which email address would you like me to send it too?
Comment by Emily— February 16, 2013 #
Hi Emily – I’ll be posting the details for the competition this next week. Keep visiting my blog and I’ll post the details very soon with all the information about how to enter. If you’d like me to add your email address to my Funny and Fabulous Mailing List so you can be notified individually, just write to me at sarah@auspicioustimes.com – but make sure you check it’s okay with Mum or Dad first!
Comment by sarahbrennanblog— February 17, 2013 #
Wow… so many rules!!! 😉
Comment by Michelle— May 9, 2015 #
😥
JK
Comment by Michelle— May 9, 2015 #
Yep – and you need to follow them all :)!
Comment by sarahbrennanblog— May 18, 2015 #
Hi sarah,
I have already entered my entry before i saw this page. It isn’t in the font you wanted. Can you make an exception for me just this once?
Isabel
P.s. When will you post the results. I NEED TO KNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Comment by Isabel— September 10, 2015 #
Be patient Isabel – I’ve had a VERY busy week so am just finishing the judging now! Keep visiting my blog and you’ll see the results this weekend!
Comment by sarahbrennanblog— September 12, 2015 #
And Isabel don’t worry about the font – I’ve adjusted yours so your entry is still eligible. Sarah
Comment by sarahbrennanblog— September 12, 2015 #
My daughter is interested in taking part in your writing competition. When would the next writing competition probably be? Thanks
Comment by Ashwini— October 3, 2015 #
Hi Ashwini – it’s great to hear from you. I’ll be publishing details of my next competition in the next week so please stay posted! All the best, Sarah
Comment by sarahbrennanblog— October 5, 2015 #