EVERYONE PLEASE READ!!!

Hey Guys!!!
Please please please please PLEASE come over to the keystonewrites.weebly.com site and post all of your previous works!! The forum here is no longer available, but Dvora and I both would love to get the blog up and running again!!

***IMPORTANT NOTICE***

Hello everyone!! As you know the forum is no longer available. Instead of having to pay for the forum we have moved the Keystone Writes! Blog! We now have a fully functioning website complete with a new forum! Sadly the works that were in the forum are not on the new site so please please please come share your works there!!! The new site is: keystonewrites.weebly.com

Hope to see you guys there!!! :)

Jen and Dvora

Forum Malfunction

Hey guys! I'm sorry we have just learned that the company that we used to create the Forum is now charging to use them when the content is classified as an adult site. We apologize for this inconvenience and are working on getting a new and improved forum back up and running as soon as possible!
Thanks for your patience!
Jen and Dvora

Winning Contest Idea!

Hey Guys! So we have the winning contest idea now!!!!! Thank you to all who voted! I apologize for this being so late, it has been extremely difficult trying to keep up with everything that has been going on, but here it is!

The winning contest idea for the very first ever Keystone Writes! writing competition is De Ja Vu Dreamer! It was a close call between this and mystery text, but De Ja Vu dreamer one by a single vote!


The De Ja Vu Dreamer contest is to write a descriptive piece about a dream, either good or bad, as if it came true. This can be a poem, short story, song, etc. Please remember there is a twenty-five (25) word minimum, and there is no maximum, but be reasonable please! Don't forget to take a look back at the Contest Rules and Regulations post before submitting any stories! As of right now we have three contest judges, but we are looking for another, so if you are interested in judging this contest instead of participating please send me an email at JenniferLeigh96@gmail.com!

Lastly, please send any and all submissions to keystonewrites@aol.com. In the subject bar please include your name, the title of your piece and the email, you wish to be reached at. Thank you and Good luck!
I can't wait to read what everyone will write!!!

Happy Writing!!!
Jen :)

Contest Final Votes!

Hey Guys!
It has been utterly silent around here lately! :( but we are starting to get more votes for the contest! I have re-opened the poll, but it will close once and for all on Wednesday, June 19 2013 at 11:59pm EST. On Thursday June 20 2013 I will post the winning contest idea and we will then officially begin the contest!!! *Excitement* Can't wait to see your stories!!!!!
Happy Writing!
Jen :)

Top Three Contest Ideas; Time to vote!

Hey everyone!

The following contest ideas were the top three chosen by Dvora and I for the very first Keystone Writes! writing contest! *excitement* :D Please read over the basic description of each contest, then vote for the contest you would prefer to participate in. The poll will be posted in the next day or so! You can look over the descriptions and begin brainstorming! The poll will include only the name of the contest (the names are in quotations. Good luck and Happy Writing!

1. “De Ja Vu Dreamer”: Write a descriptive piece about a dream, either good or bad, as if it came true.

2.  “Mystery Text”: You just purchased an old/ used book. As you are flipping through the pages a mysterious sheet of paper falls out. Write a short story or poem that illustrates the above prompt. Maybe describing the paper? What happened when you saw it? Or the experience of getting the book? Is it a mystery thriller? Or just an old sheet of paper? It’s up to you!

3. “New Life”:  write a monologue for an original character. 200 word minimum. 

Keystone Writes! Contest Rules and Regulations

Hello Everyone! Now that we have reviewed and selected the contest ideas, we have put together the basic rules and regulations for ALL future contests. They are outlined below:

Contest Ideas/Submissions/ Voting

1. All contest ideas will be reviewed by me and Dvora. We will select a minimum of 3 ideas that we feel will present the most creative and challenging contest. The top three ideas will then be posted in a poll on the home page and for a period of at least one week all members will be allowed to vote for the idea that they like the best. The idea that gets the most votes will be used for that months challenge.

        - For the first challenge, we will be posting the poll by April 22^nd and the idea that receives the most votes will be presented in early May.

2. All contest submissions should be sent to the following email address: keystonewrites@aol.com. For the first contest, Dvora and I will review all submissions (along with one - two other judges, pending selection). For the following contests, the top four that receive 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd place as well as the one honorable mention, will be given the opportunity to act as judges for the next contest, in addition to either myself or Dvora. The two of us will alternate as contest judges. The password to the email account will be changed after each contest so that only the current contest judges will have access to the submissions. Those acting as judges will be unable to participate in the contest in which they are judging. This is to maintain an unbiased vote. The contest judges reviewing the submissions are only a preliminary voting committee. The contest judges will select the top 4 submissions (each of which will receive a prize).

3. After submissions have gone through the preliminary judging, the top four submissions will then be posted on the blog under the Contest Submission sub-forum. Another poll will be set up listing each of the submission. All members will then have the opportunity to vote on which submission they believe deserves 1^st place. There is a limit of ONE vote per member. After a period of a minimum of 1 week the member with the most votes will be given the first place prize and so forth in descending order (1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd and honorable mention) will be recognized and receive their prize.

4. The first place winner’s submission will be posted on the home page of the blog, as well as on the Keystone Writes! Facebook  page.

5. After a member has placed in a contest, they cannot be considered for a winning submission for at least two additional contests. This is simply to ensure that everyone has the chance to win.

6. Each contest will be unique. Therefore each contest will have a special set of rules when chosen. These rules will be left up to the member who invented the contest. However, all unique contest rules most comply with the rules stated here as well.

Acceptable Conduct

1. These contest are meant to encourage writing, and are meant to be friendly. Everyone will have an equal chance at winning. If anyone feels that the contests are unfair, or feel they have not received the same chance as others, please contact either myself or Dvora and we will look into the issue and attempt to resolve the problem.

2. Please present positive constructive criticism. Any negative, disrespectful or inconsiderate comments will be removed and the user responsible will be warned and if they continue the user will be blocked and will not be allowed to continue participating on the blog.

3. The contests are a competition and there will be winners, not all participants will win. Just because you do not win one contest does not mean that you will not win another, and it definitely does not mean that you are not a great writer! Ever member has exceptional writing skills and it will be very difficult to select winners!

4. If at any time participants begin to act in a negative or disrespectful way due to the contests and the issues cannot be resolved, the contests WILL be discontinued. Please be respectful of everyone’s work. Everyone works very hard to perfect their work, and just because one does not necessarily like someone else’s work does not mean that that persons work is bad. Any words that downgrade someone’s writing should NEVER be used. Words such as: bad, terrible, unintelligent, horrible etc should never be used. Acceptable phrases such as: different, unique, well-thought out etc are encouraged.

If you disagree with any of the above contest rules and regulations please, please, PLEASE send me an email so that we can work out any necessary revisions before the contests begin. If anyone feels like they will be hurt if their work does not receive the same number of votes as others, we can reconsidered a more private voting system. However, this will make it much more difficult to keep the voting process a democratic arrangement. However, if you feel this way please let me know and Dvora and I will reconsider the voting process.

If you have any questions please email me at JenniferLeigh96@gmail.com 

Happy Writing and Good Luck! 

-Jen 

Contest Idea Deadline: April 19th, 2013 11:59 E.S.T

Hey Guys!! 
Now that we have received enough contest ideas to get started, we have decided to start setting some deadlines so that we can get our first official Keystone Writes! contest started!! 

So here is the first deadline; all contest idea submissions most be posted in the Weekly Wednesday Writing subform by 11:59 pm E.S.T on April 19th, 2013. Any submissions made after this date will not be considered for this contest. 

Dvora or I one will be making a post before April 22nd to outline, the contest rules, and process for sumbissions! 

If you want your contest idea to be considered for the upcoming contest please, please, PLEASE get your ideas submitted no later than April 19th, that is ONE WEEK from today. If your ideas are posted after the deadline they will not be considered for the first contest, however they may be considered for following contests. 
BE CREATIVE! and HAPPY WRITING! 
-Jen :) 

If you have any questions feel free to send me an email at JenniferLeigh96@gmail.com

One Day Without Shoes

Hello my Keystone writers!

A fellow Keystone Writes! Member brought to my attention a movement called “One Day Without Shoes”. Here is a little information to get the wheels turning in your brain:

Millions of kids around the world do not own even a single pair of shoes. What’s the big deal about shoes? Shoes are just a simple accessory right? WRONG! Shoes are a form of protection from a dangerous parasite, known as hookworms. Hookworms are soil transmitted parasites that attach to a host (aka us humans with bare feet) and feeds off of it. They can cause serious damage to the host including, but not limited to, malnutrition, anemia, and stunted growth. Hookworms affect over 740 million people worldwide. Something else that you may not know is that not having shoes can cause a lesser education. Nuts right? I’m sure you have seen the “no shoes, no shirts, no service” signs in many public places. This is true for many schools as well. Schools often require a uniform, or have certain clothing regulations and without shoes children will not be allowed to enter. Now are you ready for this? For every year of school that a child attends there is a 10% increase in their future earnings. One pair of shoes could be the difference between living on the streets, and being the next Bill Gates all because a child will be able to attend school.

I’m sure you’re wondering what the point of this post is, so I’ll get to the point. A shoe company known as TOMS, partners with other organizations to help kids who do not own shoes in order to help them have healthier todays and brighter tomorrows, by giving a pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair of shoes someone buys. TOMS puts together an annual event each year called “One Day Without Shoes”.

 It is a pretty straightforward event. On April 16^th, 2013 spend the day not wearing shoes. Just 24 hours without the comfort of shoes, no matter where you need to go, be it errand running or sitting in your house. It will not cost you a penny, yet the moment you walk out of your home without shoes, your act will yield curiosity, curiosity will yield question, question yields conversation and conversation yields action! If one pair of shoes can make a difference, can you imagine what kind of difference just the 70 of us could make? Please join me and Rene in this simple action of spreading the word to help those in need! If you will participate on April 16^th please post a comment on this post to let us know!

If you want to read some more information please visit the site: onedaywithoutshoes.com 

Word of the Day: Troubadour

Troubadour
(n.)
Definition: 
1. One of the poets from the medieval time period who wrote poetry that was mostly about love
2. A wandering singer
Parent language: French
Sentence: Henry was a troubadour for Halloween, singing ridiculous love songs to every woman he encountered.