CONTEST: Winner Gets 90 Days of Free Coaching

Back in 2008 when I started my first blog, Procrastinating Writers, with the goal of writing one blog post a week for a year (and writing the first draft of my novel), I had no way of knowing where I would land all these years later. In the beginning, I just wanted to learn how to be consistent as a writer, and to put my voice out into the world.

There have been a lot of twists and turns in this journey of mine, but it’s all led me right here, where I am now. A writing coach. And more specifically, a fiction-writing coach.

My mission in this world is to serve and support novelists in writing publishable stories.

With that, I give you my new website. It’s chock full of everything you need to write better stories.

And to celebrate the launch of my new site, a contest.

The Prize

The winner of the contest gets a 90-day Idea to Draft coaching program with me. This program will help you take the story idea in your head and turn it into the first draft of a novel.

The Rules

Here’s what you have to do: Grab your iPhone, Flip camera, whatever you’ve got, and shoot a quick video of yourself (Two minutes or less) telling me:

1. Who you are–name, location
2. What your story idea is–pitch it to me like you’d pitch an agent or editor at a writing conference
3. Why you are so ready to finally write this story–why should I pick you?

Upload your video to YouTube or Vimeo (be sure to set the video to “public” so I’ll be able to view it). Then email me a link at: Jennifer(at)JenniferBlanchard(dot)net with the subject line: Pick Me, Jennifer.

The deadline to submit your video link to me is Thursday, January 1, 2015 at 10 p.m. EST. Submissions received after that won’t be considered (so no procrastinating!).

I’ll announce a winner on January 5, 2015 (and, of course, notify the winner via email).

So Much Gratitude

I am so excited and thankful to be able to launch this new website, and I had the best team helping me out. I’m so thankful for the work I get to do in the world. And mostly I’m so grateful to you, for being here with me.

This contest is a little way for me to say thank you.

(And now for all the boring legal stuff…)

Legal Disclaimer

Jennifer Blanchard, its staff and owners reserve sole and final judgment as to all matters concerning contests and interpretation of contest rules. By entering any contest run by Jennifer Blanchard, you agree to abide by the following terms:

How To Enter/Eligibility 

No purchase necessary to enter our contest. Only one (1) contest entry per person. Contestants DO NOT need to be Jennifer Blanchard affiliates or associates.

Entries must be sent to the correct email address, using the format listed above. If we cannot contact you by email, you forfeit your winner’s status. Make sure your email filters do not prevent us from contacting you.

Contest Deadlines

All entries must be submitted on or before Thursday, January 1, 2015 at 11 p.m. EST.

Winner Selection and Notification

The odds of winning vary from contest to contest due to the number of entrants and the quality of entries.

The winner will be notified by email only.

The decisions made by the judges regarding the contest are final and binding.

Winner Disqualification

If a winner cannot be reached after a reasonable amount of effort has been made to notify the winner of the prize, the winner forfeits his/her rights to the winning prize.

If winner does not get in touch with the prize sponsor within 21 days of winning, the winner forfeits his/her prize.

If an email returns undeliverable, the winner forfeits his/her rights to the prize.

While we do send emails requesting follow-up information to each winner, Jennifer Blanchard, assumes no responsibility to ensure winner a response.

General Conditions

No purchase necessary. Making a purchase will not increase your chances of winning a prize. Void where prohibited by law. All decisions of Jennifer Blanchard, are final. By entering, participants warrant and represent that they agree to be bound by these contest rules and the final decisions of Jennifer Blanchard.

All taxes on any prize won are the sole responsibility of each winner, including, without limitation, any federal, state, or local taxes, which may be deemed applicable in such winner’s jurisdiction of residence. Winner(s) shall be solely responsible for the reporting and payment of all taxes incurred by acceptance and use of the prize(s) (or any portion thereof), if applicable.

Jennifer Blanchard reserves the right to substitute alternate prizes of equal or comparable value.

Prizes are offered “as is” with no written, express, or implied warranty. Jennifer Blanchard is not responsible for replacing prizes as a result of events beyond the control of Jennifer Blanchard.

Jennifer Blanchard. is not responsible for late, lost, illegible, misdirected, mutilated or incomplete entries.

Anyone using fraudulent means to participate and/or win the contest will be disqualified. ANY ATTEMPT BY AN ENTRANT TO UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE CONTEST MAY BE A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS. SPONSOR RESERVES ALL RIGHTS, INCLUDING THE RIGHT TO SEEK REMEDIES AND DAMAGES (INCLUDING ATTORNEYS’ FEES) FROM ANY ENTRANT ATTEMPTING TO DO SO TO THE FULLEST EXTENT OF THE LAW, INCLUDING REPORTING SUCH ACTIVITIES TO THE APPROPRIATE AUTHORITIES WHICH MAY RESULT IN OR LEAD TO CRIMINAL PROSECUTION.

Jennifer Blanchard. reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to cancel, modify or prematurely conclude a contest should any computer virus, malfunction, fraud, tampering, unauthorized intervention or other cause beyond their control corrupt the administration, security or proper operation of the contest.

In the event a contest is canceled prematurely for any reason, Jennifer Blanchard. will use reasonable efforts to pick an alternate winner, but in the event an alternate winner cannot be determined, the prize(s) will not be awarded.

Contestant Releases

Acceptance of prize constitutes permission to use winners name, city, state, and winning entry for promotional purposes.

Contest entry constitutes permission to use winning submissions on Jennifer Blanchard’s  website and its affiliated websites without further compensation. Furthermore, entry constitutes permission to archive your winning entries indefinitely on any webpage on this website.

Contestants agree that the sole and final judgment as to all matters concerning contests and interpretation of contest rules are at the sole discretion of Jennifer Blanchard, its owners, and its staff.

Contestants agree that the American Arbitration Association shall have jurisdiction over any dispute or litigation arising from or relating to the contests sponsored by Jennifer Blanchard, should any part of this agreement not be legally binding.

Releases/Hold Harmless

Jennifer Blanchard, its owners, its staff, its affiliates, its advertisers, and its prize donors are not liable or responsible for:

•any claims, damages, losses, injuries, or death including any third party claims, arising from or relating to, in whole or in part, any contest, including entry and participation in any contest and acceptance, possession, use or misuse of the prizes.

•entries that do not follow guidelines.

•entries and responses to winner notifications that are illegible, incomplete, late, lost, mis-delivered, marked postage-due, or undeliverable.

•any technical or human errors, malfunctions, failures, etc. resulting in participation of contests.

Prize Releases

Jennifer Blanchard, its owners, staff, affiliates and its advertisers are not liable or responsible for:

•donors (sponsors) who do not follow through with delivery of prizes.

•prizes lost in the mail, arrive damaged, are defective, or have other unforeseen problems.

•substituting another prize in lieu of the original prize.

Privacy

We will not sell your personal information ever.

Image courtesy of mpclemens