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Is anyone else having problems entering any contests? - Andrea Dietrich's Blog

About Andrea Dietrich

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Andrea Dietrich grew up in Iowa and now resides in Utah with a spouse and two cats. She has two grown children and six grandchildren. Having graduated BYU with a Spanish major/ESL minor, she has spent most of her adult life teaching. It wasn't until 2000 that she began writing in earnest and discovering her "niche" as a writer of lyrical poetry. The internet opened up a new world for her, and she has spent two decades now participating in poetry clubs, acting as a judge of poetry contests for various magazines, for the website Shadow Poetry, and for Poetry Soup.

Ms. Dietrich has won numerous awards, as well as the title Poet of the Year 2008, from the Yahoo group, Poetry For Thought. In addition, she has won prizes from the magazines Lucidity, Bell's Letters, Art with Words, Poets at Work and SP Quill, the magazine for which she wrote grammar and poetry articles as well as movie reviews and for which she acted as poetry editor for the head editor Marie Summers for six years. Many of her poems appeared in Shadows Ink, a yearly published series of chapbooks of award winning poetry as well as in numerous other anthologies. Her short stories appeared in many issues of SP Quill and much of her poetry was published in eight chapbooks (no longer sold online).

Since coming to Poetry Soup, Ms. Dietrich has been both contest sponsor and winner of numerous contests. In 2010, her poem "Cinder Girl" was first place winner of Soup's International contest (these contests are no longer held). A song was created from her lyrics "Honeymoon Serenade" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDWxc4cpHDc) and two movies have been made featuring the poetry of Andrea Dietrich: "A Tale of Fire and Ice" (a 4 min. Z-Film Fest Project, 2014) and the full length movie "Six Days of Sistine" in which 20 poems of Ms. Dietrichs serve as the thoughts of two characters played by Jamie Campbell Bower and Elarica Johnson (directed by Richard J. Perry, 2019) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7710360/

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Is anyone else having problems entering any contests?

Blog Posted:8/5/2024 12:28:00 AM

Yesterday it was SO slow for me to get my poem into a contest that I had to put letter A in front of my poem so that I could just enter on page 1. I was waiting and waiting and I could never get to the middle page where my poem was located. Somehow I finally got it entered from page 1 and I removed the "a" from the front. Today I got news that my poem is makiing people get system 500 errors,and it did the same to me today when I tried to comment on it myself. I was not able to withdraw it from the contest, so I went to member contest area, the only place where I could withdraw it. I think this particular contest is jinxed for me now. This kind of thing happened to me last year when I tried to enter a few contests of Emile's.

I have asked Soup for help. I sure hope they help me because they never were able to when I had the problems with Emile's contest. Is anyone else experiencing this weird stuff?

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Linda Alice
Fowler

Date: 8/8/2024 3:01:00 PM

I had trouble all (past) weekend and finally got a poem entered in Eve's contest yesterday, Wednesday. Internet was very, very slow. I pressed Enter Contest about 5 times without confirmation, Later in the day, it appeared in my list of Contest Entries. I haven't tried to enter anything since then.

Andrea Dietrich
Date: 8/8/2024 9:57:00 PM

Don't you just hate when that happens?

Hilo
Poet

Date: 8/5/2024 8:14:00 PM

THIRD—REMEMBER to stay on that window when you open another PS tab, then click “Refresh” and if ”Login” appears, then log back in, realizing that your editing time has been spent Now you’re good to go back to your “Edit” page and click “Submit”. Same scenario if your PS tab, after clicking “Refresh” and no login appears and that page is good to go, then go back to your editing page and click “Submit”. The process of trial and error, led me to this resolve.

Andrea Dietrich
Date: 8/8/2024 9:58:00 PM

I kind of got what you were saying. Yes logging out and going back on. Gotta try that sometime

Hilo Poet
Date: 8/7/2024 5:59:00 PM

That System/Application page whenever it's seen, places the propensity in high order, that the system logged you out--BUT, sometimes, if you SIMPLY hit the back arrow at the top left of your screen (not backspace or your directional arrows--usually, lower right of the keyboard) you might get your screen back, ... as if nothing happened--and Sys/App disappeared.

Hilo Poet
Date: 8/7/2024 5:59:00 PM

NOW you know that the system logged you out, so just go to another PS tab, NOT, that one cause it'll take you back to Sys/App again. Just log back into PS on the other PS tab, then go back to your orig. PS tab and "Submit."

Andrea Dietrich
Date: 8/7/2024 4:54:00 PM

The day I posted, everything was unbelievably slow!

Hilo Poet
Date: 8/6/2024 7:39:00 AM

I forgot, reboot/restart, also clears that System/Application and sometimes when the screen has just computer jargon on it.

Andrea Dietrich
Date: 8/6/2024 6:31:00 AM

Hmmmm. Well, thanks, my friend. I just think I will avoid posting on super slow days. Thanks for the advice.

Hilo Poet
Date: 8/5/2024 8:19:00 PM

SECOND—You think that it’s that simple—don’t be surprised on your return to that “Edit” page after you log back in … whatever editing you performed will vanish … or worse … your entire “Edit” page will be blank and that your entire poem itself—wiped out. —iI you’re aware that your time on “Edit” mode is questionabl, simply go to another PS tab that you have open—->

Hilo Poet
Date: 8/5/2024 8:19:00 PM

FIRST—The window of opportunity has a timer, particularly when you’re in the “Edit” mode. If you’re editing over some lengthy periods—whatever the case may be, editing pics/changing/adding/deleted—and unbeknownst to you, the system logd you out and now you’re looking at “System/Application” screen and on top, the system will ask you to “Login”

Andrea
Dietrich

Date: 8/5/2024 2:31:00 PM

Thanks, Soup, if you are the reason the Error thing got corrected on the contest I contacted you about!!

Crystol
Woods

Date: 8/5/2024 10:51:00 AM

Yess! Actually, I keep getting the error message as soon as I click on "Contests" in the menu. So I was unable to see any contests for a few days. I sent PS an email and today I was able to get on there. I don't know if the issue resolved itself or if PS repaired something. We have awful internet service, cell service etc where we live. I always assume it's just our wifi issues. Xo

Andrea Dietrich
Date: 8/5/2024 2:30:00 PM

Maybe others had problems on Saturday.. It was so difficult to make a post on Saturday. I find that some days are worse than others. i finally managed to withdraw my first post from the contest and this afternoon my second post was able to be posted.

Mark
Toney

Date: 8/5/2024 9:35:00 AM

Andrea, have you gone to your Member Home (Member Admin Area) and tried to remove it from the contest in “My Contest Entries?”

Mark Toney
Date: 8/5/2024 2:40:00 PM

Glad to hear it, Andrea.

Andrea Dietrich
Date: 8/5/2024 2:28:00 PM

yes, that worked, just not at the contest site. Guess what? This afternoon, for some reason, I just got on and was able to enter my second post I made of the poem. I guess the problem is with the pictures the sponsor showed us. I heard that some people who copied and pasted certain pictures are having problems in the contest or with people seeing their work. I reposted my poem and finally was able to get it through to the contest. I wonder if Soup helped me. iIf they did, they did not let me know, but thanks, Soup, if you corrected the problem for me.

Beryl
Edmonds

Date: 8/5/2024 5:30:00 AM

After several attempts I have managed to enter my poem into Eve Roper’s contest… Beryl

Beryl Edmonds
Date: 8/5/2024 4:16:00 PM

I have included the picture Andrea… Beryl

Andrea Dietrich
Date: 8/5/2024 2:29:00 PM

Did you post the picture, Beryl. That may have been the source of the problems.

Andrea Dietrich
Date: 8/5/2024 7:37:00 AM

It sounds like you had problems getting into it too. I had a horrible time entering, but once I withdrew and re-entered with a new post of the poem, it's now give me error sign, so looks like I am screwed unless Soup takes care of it for me

Tom
Cunningham

Date: 8/5/2024 2:33:00 AM

I alway get that 500 error message when leaving a comment on Valsa's work, it doesn't happen with anyone else. Tom

Andrea Dietrich
Date: 8/5/2024 7:36:00 AM

I had that problem too, but then when I went back later, I saw that my comment had actually posted!

Ink
Empress

Date: 8/5/2024 2:07:00 AM

I think its cus of the picture prompt being pasted or something like that? Maybe try without the picture? Silent one also had some issue and i think he was advised to not paste the picture by admins i think; ask him. Hope it gets sorted sweet andrea

Andrea Dietrich
Date: 8/5/2024 7:35:00 AM

I had it entered with the picture, but I thought maybe Eve would not see it entered because it had been so difficult to get it entered, so i withdrew it from my member area (It would not let me withdraw from the contest page) I re-entered my new post of the poem, and now it says server error. It's literally impossible for me to enter it now. I am bummed.

Beryl
Edmonds

Date: 8/5/2024 1:50:00 AM

Can’t enter my poem into Eve’s contest… Beryl

Andrea
Dietrich

Date: 8/5/2024 12:31:00 AM

Is there any advice for me by anyone with tech skills when the contest entry goes to Server Error in '/' Application.

My Past Blog Posts


A question Date Posted: 6/1/2025 12:20:00 PM
Judging my haiku contest finally/ what I am noticing Date Posted: 5/26/2025 3:35:00 PM
Foodie Pleiades Contest Finalized Date Posted: 4/28/2025 12:15:00 PM
My Contest Finally Judged Date Posted: 3/22/2025 3:59:00 PM
That's Life! GREAT JOB, Contestants Date Posted: 3/2/2025 1:21:00 PM
Congrats to Winners of my Second Chance Pleiades Challenge Date Posted: 1/1/2025 8:28:00 PM
Happy Birthday to a New Year Baby Date Posted: 12/31/2024 12:33:00 PM
About my Current Contest Date Posted: 12/23/2024 11:41:00 PM
Alouette Me - Finally judged - Congrats to ALL my Winners Date Posted: 12/2/2024 4:41:00 PM
Regarding my Pleiades Contest - Please Read if you are a Contestant Date Posted: 11/1/2024 4:14:00 PM
WORD CRIMES - Short, fun music video on common grammar mistakes Date Posted: 10/14/2024 12:04:00 PM
Thanks & Congrats to Published Poets: A Special thanks to Emile Pinet Date Posted: 10/7/2024 4:03:00 PM
MISSING SOUPERS Date Posted: 9/15/2024 10:17:00 AM
Been Away/ Hope to get contest placements up by weekend Date Posted: 8/29/2024 1:15:00 PM
Is anyone else having problems entering any contests? Date Posted: 8/5/2024 12:28:00 AM
Is it true...? Date Posted: 8/1/2024 1:03:00 PM
Tankacrostic examples for those having difficulties understanding how it goes Date Posted: 7/10/2024 1:37:00 PM
As I Wait for my Contest Results to Post Date Posted: 6/30/2024 4:43:00 PM
Is anyone having these problems? Date Posted: 6/20/2024 1:11:00 PM
Contestants - Poofread your Andaree Date Posted: 4/29/2024 12:14:00 AM
Please EDIT before I judge my contest: ONE LINE ONLY Date Posted: 2/25/2024 2:51:00 PM
Congrats, Sijo Winners Date Posted: 2/4/2024 11:28:00 AM
In Need of Clarification on putting info underneath poems Date Posted: 2/4/2024 9:09:00 AM
Note to Those who entered my Sijo Contest - blog slightly revised Date Posted: 2/3/2024 12:52:00 PM
About Sijo Date Posted: 1/14/2024 1:44:00 PM

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6/15/2025	Like an Autumn Leaf	Rhyme	autumn,
6/14/2025	Butter Love	Rhyme	food,
6/13/2025	AI	Monoku	writing,
6/13/2025	a fall hiku	Haiku	autumn,
6/13/2025	Time For Champagne	Abecedarian	drink,
6/12/2025	In His Empty Room	Sonnet	brother,
6/11/2025	My Inner Voice Told Me	Sonnet	dark,youth,
6/11/2025	Zoo Baboon	Limerick	animal,
6/9/2025	Intrusive Thoughts	Sonnet	sleep,
6/9/2025	By Accident	Rhyme	humorous,
6/8/2025	Not On A Monday	Choka	day,
6/8/2025	rain hiku	Haiku	rain,
6/7/2025	Ride Your Wishing Star	Lyric	dream,
6/7/2025	An Old Decrepit Car	Sonnet	car,
6/7/2025	vagabond hiku	Haiku	love hurts,
6/6/2025	I Loved Your Heart	Rhyme	love hurts,
6/5/2025	a fall hiku	Haiku	autumn,
6/4/2025	Leave My Kitten Alone	Lay	cat,
6/3/2025	a hiku	Haiku	woman,
6/3/2025	Hermit	Shadorma	people,
6/3/2025	Led by Dawn Bringer	Sonnet	day,
6/2/2025	a sunset hiku	Haiku	sunset,
6/1/2025	Autumn and Its Passing - Edited	Rhyme	autumn,
6/1/2025	Where Silence Listens	Rhyme	silence,
5/31/2025	A Mating Dance -revised	Free verse	animal,
5/30/2025	wildflower	Monoku	metaphor,
5/30/2025	At the Point of No Return	Rhyme	inspirational,integrity,
5/29/2025	woeful	Senryu	angst,
5/29/2025	As We Metamorphose	Rhyme	spiritual,
5/28/2025	Deep in Greenwood Cemetery	Sonnet	anniversary,death,
5/28/2025	Of Crayon Box Dreams	Sonnet	fantasy,
5/27/2025	a sweet hiku	Haiku	romantic love,
5/27/2025	Of Memories Buried	Rhyme	memory,
5/26/2025	Lad Humpty Dumpty	Rhyme	humorous,
5/26/2025	White	Free verse	color,
5/25/2025	Breathless He Left Me	Acrostic	romantic love,
5/25/2025	grapes	Haiku	fruit,
5/24/2025	Along with the Thunder	Rhyme	abuse,
5/23/2025	budding pear hiku	Haiku	tree,
5/21/2025	Walk in the Light	Rhyme	evil,light,
5/20/2025	Abandon Shadows: Embrace Sun	Rhyme	life,
5/19/2025	My Hairied History	Other	growth,hair,
5/18/2025	All This Summer Day	Quatrain	romantic love,
5/18/2025	Yummy Food Makes Me Smile	Couplet	food,
5/17/2025	Unintended Innuendo	Rhyme	cheer up,
5/16/2025	Jean-Jacques Rousseau	Clerihew	philosophy,
5/15/2025	Claude Monet	Clerihew	art,
5/14/2025	Flashbacks	Verse	lost love,
5/14/2025	An Ode To My Three Strong Traits	Ode	psychological,
5/13/2025	Memorial Day	Sonnet	war,
5/12/2025	supplanted	Haiku	spring,
5/12/2025	a sunflower hiku	Haiku	flower,
5/12/2025	Four Seasons of Love	Rhyme	lost love,
5/11/2025	a spring monoku	Monoku	spring,
5/11/2025	the forest	Free verse	nature,
5/9/2025	To Fly	Verse	flying,
5/9/2025	Emotional Shrapnel	Free verse	abuse,
5/8/2025	honey bee hiku	Haiku	flower,
5/7/2025	a summer haiku	Haiku	allah,summer,
5/7/2025	Road Trip	Verse	travel,
5/6/2025	On Ecclesiastes 9:10	Rhyme	bible,
5/5/2025	The Three Primary Colors	Quintain (English)	color,
5/4/2025	Behind the Clown’s Big Smile	Rhyme	angst,
5/3/2025	peak hiku	Haiku	nature,
5/2/2025	Casualty of Your Cruelty	Etheree	hurt,
5/2/2025	An Interview with the Color Purple	Narrative	color,
5/1/2025	PET	Acrostic	pets,
5/1/2025	Our Spirits Sing	Rhyme	music,
4/29/2025	Leaf	Verse	death,flying,
4/29/2025	Deprived	Etheree	lost love,
4/28/2025	Dear Sweet Lucy Loo	Sonnet	dog,
4/27/2025	Runner	Narrative	race,
4/27/2025	spring hiku	Haiku	flower,
4/26/2025	a hiku for spring	Haiku	april,spring,
4/24/2025	A hiku	Haiku	flower,
4/23/2025	When Summer Comes Along	Rhyme	summer,
4/22/2025	meadow haiku	Haiku	green,
4/22/2025	Popcorn: My go - to Snack	Epulaeryu	food,
4/22/2025	Plagued by Memories	Etheree	health,
4/21/2025	God's Radiant Light	Rhyme	god,
4/21/2025	Johann Sebastian Bach	Clerihew	music,
4/20/2025	An Easter Poem	Rhyme	easter,
4/19/2025	Your Life Review	Rhyme	life,
4/18/2025	Oh, Mother	Rhyme	mother daughter,
4/17/2025	Once Visited by Death	Rhyme	dream,pain,
4/17/2025	a hiku	Haiku	world,
4/16/2025	My Chocolate Easter Tradition	Rhyme	easter,
4/16/2025	Mozart Clerihew	Clerihew	music,
4/15/2025	Arrival of a Goddess	Free verse	morning,
4/14/2025	graveyard hiku	Haiku	moon,
4/14/2025	In Playground of Imagination	Rhyme	imagination,
4/13/2025	Surrendering to the Cold Embrace of Death	Etheree	death,
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My Photos

ps_2009 vacation.jpg

Fav Poems

PoemTitle	Form	Categories
The Stone	Elegy	death,love,
A Winter Night	Lyric	imagination,nature,
Violin	Personification	death,love,rose,
Just Wait and See	Free verse	nature,science,space,
My White Lace Tablecloth	Narrative	family,forgiveness,friend
A Limerick Christmas Three (3) .	Limerick	funny,seasons,thank you,c
Always Mothers Day	Rhyme	funny,mother,thank you,me
A Pirate Jay	Light Verse	animals,
Divine Splendor	Blank verse	introspection,nature,scie
Brother - Billy	Narrative	brother,childhood,family,
Umbrella	Personification	confusion,devotion,life,l
You Played Me	Personification	confusion,imagination,mus
Concept of Time	Free verse	nature
Jingle	Free verse	funny,life,music
An Ever-Changing Universe	Narrative	mysterylight,light,univer
Transcendence	Tanka	fantasy,imagination,natur
Spaces .... the Earth Moved .....	Imagism	love
December Sun .	Rhyme	naturewinter,sun,winter,
A Whisper On the Wind	Personification	nature,
Footsteps	Free verse	fatherme,me,
If Ever	Free verse	love,
Dreams Like Light-Waves	Prose Poetry	imaginationautumn,
A Fantsy World	Haiku
September Song (Triple Tanka)	Tanka	nature
Where the Sycamore Grew	Narrative	autumn,family,house,life,
Perfect Nature	Haiku	nature
Wild Love	Narrative	garden,love,rose,sweet,
Positive Perspective	Tanka	inspirational
My Pilot Light	Verse	inspirational,introspecti
Love's Echos	Free verse	lovevoice,love,me,voice,
For Wifey	Rhyme	loveme,love,me,i love you
Alabaster Night	Free verse	nature,planet,sea,
Causalities of War	Elegy	death,war,
" Ike and Jane "- Sequence 2	Light Verse	funny,love,wifeme,me,time
Pretty Orchids	Free verse	caregiving,happiness,hope
Even a Sparrow Soars	Free verse	animals
My Piano Knows	Verse	devotion,happiness,holida
Dancing With the Stars	Free verse	nature,scienceblue,
The Unrequited Mantra	Free verse	devotion,hope,lost love,l
Fig Tree, New Year's Day	Narrative	naturewinter,winter,new y
Poets At-Large	Free verse	life,
To Know You	Free verse	devotion,husband
Moved To Tears By Josh Groban	Verse	music,on writing and word
Sequence-Sonnet	Lanterne	life,love,on writing and
Reflections	Free verse	happiness,life,lovesun,
Somber Is the Color of the Day	Free verse	day,light,me,winter,words
A Winter Rose - a Sonnet	Sonnet	rose,winter,
The Word Weaver	Free verse	introspection,lifeme,
Each Day a Gift	Free verse	inspirational,introspecti
Contrary Kisses	Free verse	inspirational,introspecti
She Waits...	Free verse	art,hopelonging,
Blue Heaven	Haiku	nature
A Death In the Sun	Free verse	hope,seasons
My Reason For Living	Free verse	husband
Terra Firma	Haiku	nature,science,time
How Could I Have Known	Free verse	husband,love,mystery
True Poetry In Motion?	Free verse	inspirationalmay,
Frozen In Time	Free verse	seasonssnow,snow,
Whiteness	Acrostic	tribute,
Forgotten Treasure	Light Verse	adventure,art,beauty,enco
Putting On Makeup	Rhyme	introspection,sad,
December 21, 2012	Limerick	business,funny,holiday,ph
Desire	Light Verse	butterfly,flower,life,los
Purple Flowers of My Adolescence	Free verse	allegory,angst,urban,
The Ghost of My Lonely	Kyrielle	dream,me,mystery,
Love Like a Mighty Oak	Haiku	love,nature,tree,me,me,
Love? Bah!	Rhyme	lost love,lovelove,
Andrea Dietrich	Rhyme	friendship,inspirational,
Cloud - Recited	Free verse	me,nature,
Real Life Shoe Fable	Clerihew	husband
The Return	Free verse	childhood,
Black and Blue	Rhyme	abuse,funny,husband,me,
Foreboding	Haiku	mystery,nature
Fireflies	Haibun	love,nature,me,light,ligh
A Song At Sunrise	Couplet	faithsong,song,
Fickle-Foolish-Footles - Man's Best Friend	Footle	animal,dog,funny,
Beat Out the Rhythm	Rhyme	funny
The Farewell Performance	Free verse	lifefilm,
Love Embraced	Tanka	love,autumn,
What Do the Stars Tell a Lover's Heart	Free verse	adventure,fantasy,happine
Darkness	Rhyme	love,
Picnics and Sand	Quatrain	beach,humorous,
The Green Checkered Face	Free verse	food,happinessheart,heart
Your Single Glance	Rhyme	romance,
Nature and I	Free verse	creation,earth,nature,
A Lovers World and Dreamers Dream	Rhyme	fantasy,love,heart,dream,
The Loss of the Rose	Free verse	goodbye,rose,
Touching Me	Free verse	love,passion,
Play It	Free verse	inspirational,love,music,
Melting Into You	Free verse	how i feel,romance,
O'Er the Battlements I Do Roam	Dramatic Verse	war,home,home,
The Spilling Over of Me	Free verse	emotions,father,
Twilight's Fading Light	Free verse	life,nature
My Farewell	Prose Poetry	lost,love,nostalgia,pain,
Maggie	Free verse	beauty,love,me,smile,
Marble In Columns On Green	Couplet	brother,daughter,father,h
Amethyst	Free verse	color,nature,romance,
Sun and Moon	Dramatic Verse	beauty,devotion,heart,
Woopa Foss	Dodoitsu	nature,
Andrea Dietrich	Clerihew	friendship,