Contests for kidlit writers are big draws because they’re an opportunity to break into the business, but I must say to publishers—please stop with the public vote-to-win process.
Publishers may think that open voting ensures that the public’s favorite—and thus, the best book for their audience—will win, but how is that going to happen when the writers are campaigning for votes via social media?
Sure, votes demonstrate the author’s reach and may indicate how well they’ll market a published book, plus it gets more eyeballs on a publisher’s site. But the thing that will really sell a book? A GOOD story.
Writing contests should be chosen by an experienced editorial team, not by Aunt Sue in Schenectady. Because it’s one thing to ask for a writer’s friends and family to click a button and yet another to ask them for cash once the title is released. Just because someone spends two seconds to vote does not mean they’ll spend hard-earned money on the completed book.
Contests that require people to vote once a day for a prolonged period are even more exhausting to the writer and the people who are repeatedly asked to vote. And vote again. Just one more click. Another? Pretty please? It may even cause that writer’s social network to shrink.
And think of the disappointment when the diligent voters learn their time was for naught. Think of the writer’s disappointment having to tell their audience that it was for naught. Will people spend the time voting for that person again? Maybe. But maybe not.
Yep, social media isn’t always so social. And it shouldn’t be exploited.
As a kidlit enthusiast, I want to see good stories published for children to love. The public voting process does not ensure that. Like a Student Council election, it ensures that the most popular person wins. But the most popular isn’t always the most qualified or the most deserving.
In the end, these contests are more about marketing for the publisher than about discovering real talent. And if you have real talent, you should avoid them. Spend your time polishing your manuscript for submission, not campaigning for votes.
I’m sure this post will cause a stir. So please, debate away in the comments. I’m eager to hear your thoughts.
Writing for Kids (While Raising Them) 
73 comments
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January 13, 2012 at 8:50 am
Sheri Larsen
I couldn’t agree with you more, Tara. That’s why I’ve never entered a contest like this, until this past November/December. The only reason I decided to give it a try was because the prize was the publisher’s entire library for my local elementary school. (I’m sure you know which I’m referring to…) I thought it would be valiant to at least give it a try.
I’m not fond of popularity contests, though. I understand an author’s reach is important, but it must be about the work, firstly. JMHO
Thank you for writing this post.
January 13, 2012 at 8:50 am
Sheri Larsen
PS: LOVE your new header!!!
January 13, 2012 at 8:51 am
Katia Raina
So true! No need to turn literary contests into popularity contests, and yes, great job showing that an author who has the most “friends” will not necessarily sell the most copies. If it were a matter of this simple formula, then only the works of most well-connected authors would ever see the light of day. While promoting your work and cultivating a network of potential readers is really important (and can be fun), I am glad it isn’t everything.
January 13, 2012 at 8:52 am
jcestes
I think you’re spot on, Tara. Winning what is effectively a popularity contest does not say anything about your skill or talent as a writer, which is what writing contests ought to be about.
And you get bonus points for using one of my favorite words of all time — Schenectady!
January 13, 2012 at 9:16 am
Tara
I know, don’t you just love to say “Schenectady”? So much fun. LOL
January 13, 2012 at 8:59 am
Donna Martin
I COMPLETELY agree! A “popularity” contest doesn’t necessarily guarantee the BEST work is being showcased.
January 13, 2012 at 9:00 am
Corey Schwartz
I’m totally with you on this too!
January 13, 2012 at 9:08 am
DianaM
Hear, hear!
January 13, 2012 at 9:11 am
Jennifer Young
Hi Tara, I entered into the contest and found it exhausting to get votes. I like that they have contests available for writers, but I wish some weren’t so drawn out. I get that companies need to market somehow, but maybe there is a better way than votes, I don’t know?!
January 13, 2012 at 9:16 am
Genevieve Petrillo
What a wonderful post. Remember good STORIES!? *sigh* I love those things! Like you, I entered the contest, and I totally felt like the girl who cried wolf asking for votes and reposts over and over, and then – NOTHING. Now I’m even embarrassed to enter my cute little dog in a contest because I won’t do that vote-begging again. What a bummer. She’s really cute!
January 13, 2012 at 9:18 am
Tara
Genevieve, I didn’t enter–I avoid those things. But I have entered non-writing vote-to-win contests and they’re just as bad. Too bad you won’t enter your doggie–I’d vote for her!
January 13, 2012 at 9:18 am
Carrie F
What Tara said. 1000%.
January 13, 2012 at 9:20 am
Renee LaTulippe
Brava, Tara. I wouldn’t touch these contests either as a writer or a voter. I made an exception for Julie H. because I like what she does and wanted to support her; otherwise, uh-uh. After years in the creative world – in theater, teaching, editing, and writing – I’ve seen far too many “most-popular-wins” scenarios. Regardless of the field, it HAS to be about talent, not social media skills.
January 13, 2012 at 9:22 am
Bonnie Adamson
Thank you for taking this issue on, Tara.
I’ve never entered one of those contests–I’ve voted in them, in response to pleas from friends, but always end up feeling a bit uncomfortable. Making people uncomfortable is not the way you want to launch your career.
January 13, 2012 at 9:25 am
Tara
I have a good friend who downright refuses to vote in these sorts of things because she wants to be fair. She’s got the right attitude!
January 13, 2012 at 9:27 am
Janet
I agree. Especially when the stories they are asking you to vote for are not that great. I wouldn’t vote for one that I did not believe was good, tho. I just wish publishers would just start accepting manuscripts from unagented authors. I know they have a reason for not doing this and they get deluged with manuscripts, but if everyone would just make sure their manuscript is the best it can be and get it edited and critiqued by fellow writers before sending it out, the publishers wouldn’t get so swamped with manuscripts. I think some new writers don’t realize how hard it is to write a good story and how much time is involved in making the picture books just right.
January 13, 2012 at 9:30 am
Tara
You’re right, but I just don’t think new writers are ever going to be anything but new writers. Everyone makes the mistake of submitting too hastily, before a manuscript is ready. Everyone thinks what they’ve got is gold. It takes submitting and time to realize that becoming an author is a whole lot harder than you thought it would be. So many people think just writing something merits publication, as if catching a ball was all that was required to join the Yankees.
January 13, 2012 at 9:29 am
Susanna Leonard Hill
I totally agree! I’m all for entering contests where a qualified editor might read your ms, but the social media voting thing is difficult to ask of people and not fair – there are always some people who manage to get extraordinary numbers of illegitimate votes. I’m with you – a good story is a good story and will stand out where it matters.
January 13, 2012 at 9:41 am
Kim
Thank you for writing about this. I, too, thought an entire library for my kids’ elementary school would be great and almost entered that aforementioned contest. But, I’ve never been good at hounding friends and family for votes through social media or otherwise. I find it so unappealing. What I find even more unappealing are the really crappy stories that get the most press based on votes. UGH. I’m glad you said what many others are thinking.
January 13, 2012 at 9:47 am
Cathy C. Hall
Ugh. I *really* don’t like these type contests, either, for all the reasons you’ve already mentioned. Marketing is part of publishing, no doubt about it, but hitting a LIke button is not investing in a writer. It’s driving traffic to a site.
January 13, 2012 at 9:49 am
Laura
I agree! AND my mailing address is Schenectady! ; )
January 13, 2012 at 9:53 am
Tricia I.
I agree. Thanks for putting these good points out there.
January 13, 2012 at 9:55 am
Sarah Frances Hardy
Wow!! Thanks for this. I completely agree.
It seems like life is becoming one big popularity contest (and that was supposed to END when we got out of high school).
sf
January 13, 2012 at 9:57 am
debmayhew
Okay, I’ll admit, I recently entered a contest like this, too, thinking that the voting part was only a fraction of how they selected the book. After reading some of the entries at the top of the list (due to high number of votes) I realized some of these writers hadn’t worked on their craft at all. Then I found out that after round one, those chosen moved on to round two where the final choice is completely based on popular vote. And Tara, you hit the nail on the head – it’s one thing to click a “like” button, and another entirely to purchase the book. I’m chalking my contest entry up to a learning experience, confident it will make me a better, smarter writer who won’t make that mistake again!
January 13, 2012 at 9:57 am
angelapenadahle
I have to agree with you also Tara. I have never entered this type of contest because I would rather know I wrote something of quality than having won something because it was voted for. I like knowing the professional(s) see promise in my work and help me to develop it further.
On the other hand I have voted only in one of these contests for a story I felt deserved it based on the writing itself and not the person or how many votes it already had or didn’t have. I will always tell a person I’ll vote for it if I think it is written well. I also read as many of the others as I can before voting to see if I those are more deserving of my vote.
January 13, 2012 at 9:58 am
Sue Heavenrich
I agree completely, Tara! I hate the “voting” or “liking” that is nothing more than a popularity contest. It smacks of junior high all over again.
Writing should be judged on the quality of the writing, not how many friends a writer has. Because when it comes time to plunk down $16.95 for that book, are all those “likes” gonna open up their wallets?
And, seriously, there’s a whole buncha folk who are not facebookies or twits… so won’t vote.
January 13, 2012 at 10:04 am
angelapenadahle
But I think my official stance now as my career further develops and I am finding it so hard to be the writer that am striving to be (gosh is it hard to write well)…after so many revisions, and the querying process never being over…yet, my stance this year is that I will not vote in these contests anymore. It really is an uncomfortable feeling even if you are trying to choose the best one by reading as many as you can. It is time consuming to even read them all (especially for us writers who don’t have a lot of time to spare) to be FAIR to everyone who entered. There are just too, too many!
January 13, 2012 at 10:05 am
Kate Higgins
Tara, I agree completely. Contests for artists/writers exploit the craft, the artist/writer and cause many false results. The internet can still be manipulated to misrepresent results so If no one participates maybe these will go away.
January 13, 2012 at 10:07 am
Lori Grusin Degman
Awesome post – it’s about time someone said it!! Thanks so much for writing this!
January 13, 2012 at 10:22 am
Lynn
Tara, what a wonderfully whimsical new look! 🙂
I agree with you, although I had not thought about it before reading your post. Admittedly, I have voted a few times before, but if I have to keep going back to vote every day, for anything, it is not likely to happen.
I’ve often thought how unfair it is to those who deserve to win in something other than writing but because of a popularity vote they can’t hope to come close.
Really, it’s not fair to anyone, is it? this voting. I personally would not have a chance because I don’t have many friends to vote for me .. or even many who even know I write. I’m quite secluded and private in that way.
Thanks for bringing this issue to light and making me think.
January 13, 2012 at 10:43 am
Eric - Happy Birthday Author
I recently had an experience with a writing contest that had online voting. On one hand, I was overwhelmed with how my friends, family, and colleagues supported my work. People I hadn’t talked to in years were rallying their friends and families to vote. Support came from people I never expected. This gave me confidence as a writer.
On the other hand, I felt very uncomfortable asking for someone to vote for me. It was very unnatural. Therefore, I tried to get support in other ways by posting youtube videos and flickr photos that explained why I wrote my manuscript.
In the end, I was not chosen as a winner, but the experience did allow me to feel like an author for the first time.
January 13, 2012 at 10:47 am
Hannah
Just to stir the pot a bit… I think social media contest can be good for:
1) the closet writer, who learns that sharing her work isn’t so scary after all. It might even motivate her to join a critique group.
2) the rejection shy author, who builds up her confidence in the process. Every writer faces rejection at some level, at some time. The better you get at dealing with it, the less likely it is to hold you back.
3) the winner, who has her first taste of success as a published author.
Of course, I fully agree with you and haven’t entered one myself. But it got me thinking. Could there be a value in social media contests?
January 13, 2012 at 11:14 am
Tara
Good points, Hannah. Curious to see if others have ideas about the positive side.
January 13, 2012 at 10:57 am
Christina Rodriguez
I agree 100%. I’m pretty tired of seeing contests for everything these days – from getting a book published, to designing a tie or logo, or even creating a cocktail recipe. It’s spec work at no cost to the company.
I say this as someone who did win the aforementioned cocktail recipe contest via social media. The company paid me for the recipe, and I do love their product, but part of me feels like a sham. Was my recipe really quality? I may never know.
January 13, 2012 at 11:23 am
Joanna
Thank you for putting yourself out there and writing this. I am totally supportive of these views, Tara, and believe you have expressed them well and with restraint! Love your final paragraph. Following a writer’s comp. with a strong voting component for the first time in December, underlined strongly for me that I wouldn’t want to expose myself to a system like that (not that it wasn’t a great learning curve for those involved, as it was).
Another issue is one often has several writing friends in one competition, so how do you vote then??
I would be interested to know for those who have felt buoyed by the experience, would you do it again?
January 13, 2012 at 11:38 am
Deborah Underwood
Amen. And this applies to all popularity contests masquerading as art/photography/writing/whatever competitions. If I go on and vote for my friend’s photo (which I’ve done, by the way), it’s not fair to the other competitors unless I look at EVERY PHOTO on the site and decide I really like his best, and I’ve never put in that time. Thanks for helping me rethink even my participation in these things.
January 13, 2012 at 11:43 am
Tracy
Completely agree. These contest are just a way for publishers to use authors to get traffic to their websites.
January 13, 2012 at 11:48 am
Tara
One thing I didn’t say in the post because I couldn’t get it to flow well….is that the public doesn’t necessarily know what makes a good children’s book (unless that person has children or is familiar with the genre).
January 13, 2012 at 11:48 am
Marsha Diane Arnold
Thank you for your voice of reason! I am SO tired of this type of exploitation. It exploits all of us. Thanks so much for stating this so well.
January 13, 2012 at 11:52 am
Heather
Excellent post. I would rather have my work judged in a competition by professionals in the industry instead of what amounts to a popularity contest. It seems to me that if people are clicking “like” for a friend or family member, they’re not likely to be reading all of the entries.Not an accurate way to judge the success of the book when published. Thanks for writing about this!
January 13, 2012 at 12:09 pm
Sue Ford
Good post. Yes, good writing, good stories–not popularity contests.
January 13, 2012 at 12:13 pm
Julie
Tara, I’m so glad you wrote this post. As you know, I recently learned this lesson the hard way by entering the same contest that others have mentioned. I didn’t love the idea right from the beginning, but I did it anyway for a host of reasons. I would never enter such a contest again. You wear out your network and you wear yourself out too. Meanwhile, there was a niggling in my mind the whole time that wondered, even if I won, whether it was because my story was good and worthy of being published, or just because I was able to get a lot of votes.
I will say, however, that I am not sorry I did it because I learned some important lessons. One is just how difficult and time-consuming it is to market and how much courage it takes. I also learned a whole bunch of tactical ways to market effectively, which I will put to good use later on.
Having said that, I would prefer that writers find other ways to learn about those things. From now on, the only contests I will enter are ones that are judged 100% by a professional editorial team.
January 13, 2012 at 12:14 pm
Lisa
Amen to not having social media “vote” for the best story. However, I found a side benefit (for myself, and, no, I hadn’t entered) to a recent picture book competition — I pretended I was an editor and this was my slush pile and read as many as I could. What an eye opener! When an editor says, please no rhyming pb or please no more themes of baby sibling comes home , I understand why!
January 13, 2012 at 12:23 pm
Tara
Lisa, you are so right. I learned this when I regularly attended first-page sessions. We would read 30 or so first page submissions and listen to an editor and agent comment on them. You learn so much about what they’re looking for (and NOT looking for)…and what your peers are writing about.
January 13, 2012 at 12:30 pm
Elizabeth McBride
Here, here!!! Thank you!
January 13, 2012 at 12:31 pm
Stephanie Shaw
Thank you, Tara! I totally agree. I realize the publishers do this to expand their client base, but don’t they also end up with poor quality stories that have been voted in by friends and family? Seems like that would hurt their reputation in the long run.
January 13, 2012 at 12:51 pm
Bethany Telles
I, too, agree about the popularity thing not being the fair part. I felt like I was a pain in the arse for all my friends this past November/December. I wish I would have known how awful the feeling really was to beg and beg and beg. However, in that particular contest (the one which we shall not speak of) there was the opportunity to be chosen by the editors and staff to go to the next round. So that’s why I entered. I was hoping that maybe I’d get noticed by “real talent seekers”.
In the end, I hope I am not thought any less of by entering the contest.
I have definitely learned a lesson. I also know that if I am asked to vote in the future for fellow writers, I will only vote for those that are truly good. I wouldn’t want to contribute to further pain that writer might endure. Great job, Tara!
January 13, 2012 at 2:07 pm
Rebecca Fyfe
I absolutely agree with this! It shold be on merit; otherwise winning the contest has nothing at all to do with how well a story is written but rather with how well the author plays the social media game.
January 13, 2012 at 2:24 pm
Kayleen West - Children's Book Illustration
in one word: BRAVO!
January 13, 2012 at 2:26 pm
Dorina Gilmore
I totally agree, Tara. I’ve been seeing more and more of these contests and they really make me nervous. You make some excellet points in this post. I see that audiences may actually shrink if we just keep getting people to vote on social media sites instead of examining the true value and marketability of a story. Thanks for putting this out there!
January 13, 2012 at 4:16 pm
MissieK
And it’s not just the kidlit competitions either. I refuse to vote for people to keep asking me for votes in competitions, and don’t enter them either. They are a marketing tool for the publisher, nothing more. Great post, well done.
January 13, 2012 at 5:03 pm
Terri DeGezelle
I would like to think we are beyond 7th grade and could have a mature kidlit competition not a popularity contest where really no one wins especially our young readers. thank you for starting the conversation.
January 13, 2012 at 6:23 pm
Stacy S. Jensen (@StacySJensen)
Glad you wrote about this. I’ve voted for people in these contests. I do it gladly. I’ve learned a lot by watching some of the efforts.
January 13, 2012 at 6:28 pm
tammi sauer
Agreed!
Great post, dude.
January 13, 2012 at 7:10 pm
Cindy
Tara, thank you for taking a brave stance on this topic. I haven’t entered any of these vote-a-day contests myself and feel overwhelmed when people ask me to vote for them. I did, however, relent when a school in our town was looking for votes for corporate funds in order to build a new universal access playground. (And they made it!)
I have been part of a similar popularity contest as an artist at a conference and it was dismaying to not win AND get no feedback. If there was some way for people to receive feedback for their hard work (be it stories or art) rather than make the process an all-or-nothing popularity contest, I’d approve.
Basically, when you’re new to the children’s book world it’s gratifying to receive some sort of recognition or input. So, I understand the appeal despite the annoyance to others.
January 13, 2012 at 9:44 pm
Joanne Fritz
You are so right, Tara! Good for you for being courageous enough to say it. Those vote-every-day contests are the worst.
January 13, 2012 at 9:57 pm
Helen Ross
I agree wholeheartedly Tara. Popularity contests don ‘t necessarily award the best written stories. Bit like ‘Dancing with stars’-the best dancer or most deserving, doesn’t always take out the major prize. Skill is what should count.
January 13, 2012 at 11:49 pm
stephseclecticinterests
I’m with you, Tara.
January 14, 2012 at 7:35 am
Beverly Lyle Patt
It’s a different thing but I felt a bit this way about scbwi’s crystal kite award, which is voted on by members. You don’t vote more than once and it IS a vote from your peers, not your social media group. However, the more marketing buzz a book got, the more likely a person were to have read it and possibly vote for it. Also, the more well known the author, the more likely members were to vote for that person’s book. A bit like a popularity contest?? Though, I do not have a suggestion as to how to do it better, so I guess I shouldn’t complain. And it IS nice to have a book recognized by other writers as opposed to reviewers. It would be interesting to compare the two lists….
January 14, 2012 at 12:59 pm
KAthy Higgs-Coulthard
I do think that the Crystal Kite award is for books that have been published while many of the vote to win contests are for unpublished manuscripts. That may make a big difference between the two contests–SCBWI’s only involves those that an editor has already judged to be good enough to publish.
I also think Beverly’s comment hits on what someone earlier said about public opinion vs. those of us who know literature. It all comes down to who is judging and their knowledge and motivation.
January 14, 2012 at 8:12 pm
Janice Green
I recently entered my book The Creation in an Independent (IPPY) book publishers’ competition. They use online voting to arrive at the winners. I raised the question before I entered the competition and was told that entering the contest would bring the book to the attention of a lot of readers who would buy the book. I hope they are right. If not I wasted some money on an entry fee.
January 15, 2012 at 12:50 am
Sandi Hershenson
Tara this was very well written! After my first experience in a contest like this, I couldn’t agree with you more. I had no idea that I would have these feelings afterwards, and I don’t think that I would participate in it again. I felt like I was probably annoying my friends and family members begging for votes. I hope that I haven’t exhausted opportunities for them to help me out in the future for other things. Since I am not a FB member with a few thousand friends, I didn’t even stand a chance from the minute the polls were open. Thank you for saying what many of us have been thinking.
January 15, 2012 at 11:41 am
Diana Delosh
YAY! I’m glad you wrote about this phenom. I am personally against crowd sourcing as a way to do business -whether it’s to decide which t-shirt or book bag design get’s picked to be produced and even worse which book get’s published. It is 1 thing to be judged and rejected by an editor/art designer/professional committee that decides on the merit of the piece and another when the decision is based on how many friends, followers etc.they have on the internet. I think the whole ideal is very unprofessional.
If a publishing co. uses crowd sourcing as opposed to a professional editorial dept to make their “editorial decisions” – we as writers and illustrators have to ask our selves why attempt to publish with them? We might as well bring our wares directly to the crowd and self-publish or POD and put our energies into creating the piece and selling it vs getting stupid votes.
This is a not at all like voting for a published/produced work. Contests/awards for published works are akin to the Oscars or peopl’s choice awards for movies/TV shows. These are additional accolades and recognitions for a job already well done.
January 15, 2012 at 12:33 pm
Jennifer Rumberger
I agree with your post, too. The biggest problem, I think, is the best story doesn’t win, just the most popular. People who vote in these contests, vote for their friend or family member, they don’t read all the stories and actually pick the best one, most don’t even know how to evaluate the “best” one. I think unpublished writers put so much pressure on themeselves to be published “now” that they jump at any chance, rather than perfecting their craft.
Writing is hard work that takes lots and lots of patience, not a stroll through the park!
January 15, 2012 at 5:36 pm
Marcie Colleen
Well said! Here’s to the person who never was popular enough to run for Student Council…or was always picked last in gym class!! Let the stories and craft be the deciding factor…and only true professionals can deem that.
January 15, 2012 at 6:34 pm
Penny Klostermann
I came very close to –
January 15, 2012 at 6:49 pm
Penny Klostermann
Oops! I accidentally hit something 🙂 As I way saying….I came very close to entering a contest recently, but felt my manuscript wasn’t ready. I am not published, but work very hard on improving my craft so that I will feel ready to submit. The manuscript I was going to submit to the contest has been revised and revised and revised. Then critiqued by my wonderful, competent critique group. Then revised and revised…you get the picture. Anyway, I read the entries that were getting the top places in the contest. I, also, read random ones. I was shocked! I felt as if it was like cheer leading tryouts back in the day when it was strictly popular vote. I don’t mean to be rude, but I wondered if the voters were reading the stories or just voting for their friend??? I am really hoping that the staff favorites will be some of the better manuscripts and that really outstanding manuscripts end up published….because there were some great ones. Anyway, I’m kinda repeating things others have said. Tara, thanks for posting this. You did nice job with the post. I love this part-
“As a kidlit enthusiast, I want to see good stories published for children to love. The public voting process does not ensure that. Like a Student Council election, it ensures that the most popular person wins. But the most popular isn’t always the most qualified or the most deserving.”
Well said, Tara!!!!!
January 16, 2012 at 5:52 am
Juliet Clare Bell
Thanks, Tara. Really glad you said it. Social media savvy-ness or willingness to ask everyone to vote isn’t an indication of proficiency of writing at all. They’ll be some great stuff in competitions that doesn’t get looked at because the writer doesn’t know many people. It’s so hard to break into traditional publishing that people are seduced into thinking it’s a way in. My guess is that publishers wouldn’t be impressed by having won such a competition… Anything published by a relevant judge will have much more credibility for anyone wanting to break into the market, I reckon.
January 16, 2012 at 6:43 pm
véronique robigou
Tara, Thanks for your courage to even bring this issue up for discussion. These social media contests started with the best intention ( All should have a say, right? And a chance to contribute. All opinions should be expressed. Isn’t this the basis for democracy?) end-up turning into “popularity” contests. And unfortunately, leading to the selection of what is average rather than a shining, well-crafted, well-written, and well-researched exception that can inspire the next generation of great writers. But… the issue is wide spread and a systemic aspect of social media.Isn’t popularity part of what we are all experiencing in the brave, new, social media world that we are all drawn to or entrained into, responding to and contributing to?
January 20, 2012 at 9:28 pm
Christie Wild
I totally agree. Several months ago a friend asked me to vote on his story with Storybird. (It’s a cool site. I’ve voted before on lots of stories by people I didn’t even know.) I read all the entries. I didn’t just vote for his. Actually, I didn’t vote for his. I didn’t think it was the best, but he still won. I was a bit disappointed because I totally thought another story was way better. Popularity definitely does not mean it’s the best. Great post, Tara!
January 22, 2012 at 2:25 pm
Beth MacKinney
Agreed.
January 23, 2012 at 12:04 pm
Patricia Tilton
Thank you for taking a stand on this subjet. Your’re courageous. Always feels like buying votes, but not necessarily buying quality books.
January 30, 2012 at 9:44 am
Brenda
I’m so glad you wrote this article. There are so many contests out there. I’ve felt guilty not joining in, because I do want to be supportive. Your article has helped me understand why this craze is happening. Thanks Tara. 🙂
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