I would like to start by saying Thank You to all the Challenge Hosts and their DT's for all the work they put into challenges. I am awed and inspired by DT projects and I have purchased many products based on those projects. I appreciate the time you take to comment on my little projects, you are truly uplifting and encouraging even though I am obviously a novice.
I hope that my comments will be read in the spirit in which they are offered. An explanation of sorts. I am directing my comments to Challenge Hosts and DT's in case there are some out there that have been offended by the number of challenges I enter for a single project.
I stumbled onto a discussion the other day regarding the number of challenges people enter and I was a little taken aback by the tone of the discussion. I am one of "those" crafters lol. I LOVE to enter challenges and since I usually have 1 card per week, I try to enter my card in as many challenges as I can. Not because of greed, I enter challenges where there are no prizes offered. Of the Challenges that do have a prize I have only won a handful and of those, I can't recall any one card winning more than one challenge, regardless of the number of challenges entered. I enter because I love the feeling of participating with all the real artist out there. You are my peers. The fact that any of you take the time to look at my little contribution is a joy to me.
During the discussion regarding challenges, one DT said she didn't even want to leave a comment on one project because of the large number of challenges entered and she didn't feel the project met the criteria. Personally, I have tried to be more careful about reading guidelines. In the past, I too have missed something that disqualified my card. I never intentionally want to waste any ones time. It takes a LONG time to link all those challenges and I truly only want to participate in the ones my project qualifies for. And please, regardless of your DT obligations, if you are offended by the number of challenges I enter or anything else about my project, do not feel obligated to comment, in fact I would rather you didn't.
I am in no way advocating that all challenges be open without guidelines. To the contrary, I think participants should be good guests and read and respect the rules. There are some challenge blogs that place limits on the number of combined challenges and those limits should be respected.
I could never get a straight answer as to why entering multiple challenges was considered "ridiculous" and I asked nicely. Why is it wrong? Why is it a problem? Why is a certain number "too many"? I was really curious about their opinions, but no one would give me a direct answer. I got "Well..you do it your way and I'll do it mine" or "It's my Opinion" or "Personally, I think it's too many". But that never really answered my question.
It was never my intention to become one of "those" crafters. I thought people put challenges out there because they wanted participants. Many of the themes are exactly the same. I truly fail to see the harm or why it is so frowned upon. I will continue on my merry way entering in those challenges that will have me LOL. To the Challenge Hosts and their DT's, if I have not told you before, let me say now I TRULY appreciate each of you. Thank you for inviting me and other crafters of all skill levels to your blog home, offering us a chair at the table and letting us share with you.
Thanks for reading my very long post and as always.. Thanks for looking.
Debra, I have no idea where your discussion was, but I will put my neck on the line and put in my 2 cents worth :)
ReplyDeleteIf each challenge blog requires 2 DT members to comment on your entry, and you enter 20 challenges, that is 40 comments. If each comment takes 1 minute to load, comment, sometimes do word verification, etc, that's 40 minutes.
If someone is on a lot of DT's, lets say 6, if the challenges are getting 400 entries each, and they are required to comment on 20% (that works out to the 2 comments per entry), then they need to leave 480 comments that week! At a minute per comment, that's 8 hours of commenting! I don't know how some of the girls out there still find time to create!
While some challenges will get less than that, some will get more.
Anyway, that's just my thoughts on the subject. Unfortunately, time is a limited, nonrenewable resource.
PS- No offense was meant by any of that, I just wanted to give you another perspective to see it from, since you said that no one answered the 'Why it is a problem?' question. Hugs!
ReplyDeleteI am on the DT for 2 companies that run challenges, was a Guest Designer for a Challenge in January AND I Own/Run my Own challenge...I personally enter most of my cards in 4 or more challenges every time I post for multiple reasons...they fit the challenge, I get more blog traffic, more people see the stamps I use from my Design Team companies and because as a Challenge Owner I like to see people enter my challenge! :) That being said, if any of your cards fit the Cupcake Inspiration Challenge in any given week Link it Up!!!! :D http://cupcakeinspirations.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteAWE Sweetie... you enter as many challenges as you want!!! Remember, opinions are like butts... I'll just leave it at that. My design teams share in the commenting, so there is usually only one or two days per month that I'm devoting to high volume of commenting and it doesn't take me 40+ minutes. And honestly, that shouldn't be YOUR problem or perspective when entering the challenges. These design team members know what they are getting into when they join and if they themselves join too many DT's and have to devote 8 hours to commenting, well, then maybe THEY are "entering too many", if you know what I mean. Challenges are a way to get feedback, experience, exposure, and lets face it, prizes. What a brilliant way to EARN free goodies to offset the costs of having this hobby. Saying that entering to many challenges that your projects qualify for is like saying you bought too many lottery tickets. It just doesn't make a lot of sense to me. But then again, when I play, I play to win and if it takes 100 challenges to enter... I LIKE WINNING!!! So I guess I'm one of "those" too! LOL!
ReplyDeletethere will always be complainer out there. lol I don't care how many you enter, I wish I could do that. lol enjoy entering many challenges you want.
ReplyDeleteGood for you Debra for voicing your opinion.
ReplyDeleteThis is your blog, done your way and if people dont like it then they can always leave!
I cant see what difference it makes for you to enter one card per week into as many challenges as it fits when we all know plenty of people out there who enter several most days.
Keep doing what makes you happy, life is too short!
Keryn x
Debra - I'm so glad you wrote this. Ditto to Rachel and a few extra 2 cents. ;) As someone who just started a challenge site, I'd just say, having too many entries to comment on would be such a wonderful problem to have. I never resent anyone who enters. Even if they didn't read all the instructions, God love 'em for trying. I really don't think there's anyone out there who intentionally "spams" their projects across blogs. I made my Catered Crop challenge really, really easy to enter because I wanted to make it about interaction - like a virtual crop. I don't put any limits on the number of entries either to a single challenge of mine or to other challenge sites. Link up and link often - it's all for fun.
ReplyDeleteyou go girl! its all about the fun, right?
ReplyDeleteNicely put Debra. Does it matter how many entrants are in one particular challenge? It's not like you are entering twice. I get the lack of time issue but in that case maybe a challenge blog should limit entries so it' easier on their DT members.
ReplyDeleteDebra. I am on 5 DT's right now and I completely agree with you and your point of view!
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry you even had to take the time to write a post like this and I hope the ones who SHOULD see it DO!!
And obviously, since I'm hosting the "Choose your Challenges Cheerfully" on the Latte Lounge, you KNOW I encourage people to enter as many as they can!! I LOVE participation!!!
{{Cheers}}
Stacie (hestia's helper)
Hi Debra..I am only new to my very first DT, that said I can't provide you with a reason as to why people would be offended with you entering so many challenges, as I do not have the experience. I KNOW it takes a lot of work to co-ordinate a card to fit a large number of challenge blog requirements. Personally, I usually enter maybe three or four with one card sometimes less. This is purely because I find it too difficult to constantly ensure that I meet the criteria, so if you can manage it more power to you girl!! Post away to your little hearts content and forget the naysayers....remember there are always those around. Thankfully, I tend to find that there are not too many in this hobby as we all love to share and it is through seeing everyone's creations that we grow and learn as a crafter. I for one am not offended, just be happy and do what you love..I don't think it hurts anyone. If people don't like it, well they simply don't have to comment or worst comes to the worst they will ask you not to post, in which case I doubt you would want to anyway, just don't take it personally, its their problem not yours and move on. Hugs :-)
ReplyDelete