Contest | Cathy C. Hall Writes

And the Finding Something Friday answer is…a cool website that will increase your vocabulary while decreasing world hunger, AND a fun contest at a website I’ve recently discovered.

Like my smiling rice face? She’s happy because I visit FreeRice.com every chance I get. This website is simple and addictive, plus you’ll feel good about yourself for doing something positive to counter the world hunger problem.

Everytime you answer a vocabulary question correctly, you add 20 grains of rice to your pile. The longer you play, the more rice you earn. And if you’re a word lover like me, you’re bound to learn some new vocabulary in the process. Check it out here and see how much rice you can pile up (and how many vocabulary levels you can pile up, too!).

Then check out The Muse Marquee, a website I found from a fellow PG’er. I think the site was just named one of the Top Ten Most Useful sites by the Preditor and Editor folks for 2008 (and that’s a nice bit of Fame in the writing business). Go see why The Muse Marquee won that honor. And while you’re there, take a look at the current contest, BLURB IT! I’m all about writing fast and furious, so I know I’ll be coming up with some crazy blurb before the May 31st deadline.

Last question: “What scathingly witty writer achieved an awesome vocabulary level on the FreeRice.com site (thus causing a certain beneficent someone to sulk and turn off the computer)?” Modesty prevents me from saying. But the answer may show up in a future blurb.

What a difference a day makes, huh? Though, technically, it was Wednesday when I was in a bit of a state about contests. Let’s not nitpick. The point is today, I’m in a totally happy state about contests!

I opened my Inbox today to find my latest Premium Green issue and…I won a Fortune in cool prizes in a PG Contest! And when I get those prizes, I’ll tell you all about them. For now, let me just say thank you, thank you, thank you, PG! And not just for the prizes. I have PG to thank for a query tip that paid off for me, too!

Also in my inbox I found an email accepting my column for another market! (Though technically, it was the editor/publisher who accepted the column. Let’s not nitpick.) The May issue of Senior Living Magazine will be running one of my columns (um, I’m not sure which column; it’ll be a surprise for all of us!) It’s not that easy to get a column out there, even if you’re witty as all get out. Because in the world of freelance writing, if an editor isn’t grabbed by your query, he’ll never get around to reading your witty-as-heck column anyway.

So check out Premium Green here if you’re looking for markets, or great tips in the writing business. Oh, and contests, too! See the difference a day can make? (Though technically, it’s been 48 hours. Enough with the nitpicking).