Home » Poems & Poetry » Blogs » Questions About Member Contests

Questions About Member Contests - Laura Leiser's Blog

About Laura Leiser

(Show Details...)

I am a Californian, born and raised. My husband, Greg, and I Iive in San Diego, California. We have two grown sons, both married. Our older son, Eric, is an artist and filmmaker and our younger son, Jeffrey, is a film editor and composer. Their work is featured on their website, Albino Fawn Productions. We have two adorable grandsons, the younger just recently born in June, 2021! We also have an adorable granddaughter! I was an R.N. for many years, and chose to retire early. I am a Christian and active with the women's ministry at my local church. I love music, the arts, and have dabbled with poetry off and on for the last several years.

Home
Past Blogs
Poems
Photos
Fav Poems
Fav Poets

Questions About Member Contests

Blog Posted:5/27/2015 9:22:00 PM

As a newer PS member, I have a few questions about member contests that I hope someone can answer for me.

What is the usual time that it takes for a contest to be judged?

Why do I sometimes get an N/A on my contest status before the results are posted, and then it changes to a placing (unless I don't get a placing)?

If a contest is started with very vague requirements, does that mean that the title of the contest is the only thing we have to go by?

Why can't the "cancelled" contest posts be deleted right away, so it doesn't cause a lot of confusion?

Thanks in advance,

Laura :)

Post Comments

Please Login to post a comment

Constance
La France

Date: 5/28/2015 8:20:00 AM

Laura, I was sort of confused about those NA poems also until I was told what was happening, I noticed that many contests never get judged but don't delete because even after a long time sometimes they are, the cancelled contests are a glitch, don't get discouraged, just keep writing and entering

Laura Leiser
Date: 5/28/2015 12:08:00 PM

Thank you, Broken Wings, for your encouraging words :) Even with all the glitches, I still think this is a great poetry site and am very satisfied with it overall.

Roy
Jerden

Date: 5/28/2015 6:27:00 AM

About the N/A. Some judges mark their contests as judged before placing anyone and finalizing the contest. They do this so they can open another contest immediately. Then they go back and judge at their leisure, sometimes weeks later. Until they have done the final placements, all entries will show up as N/A. BTW, I wish they wouldn't do this, as many folks presume they actually didn't place in the contest.

Laura Leiser
Date: 5/28/2015 12:10:00 PM

Thanks, Roy, for your explanations about the N/A's. It's so unclear if one doesn't know what's going on behind the scenes. Hope they can clear this up.

Jan
Allison

Date: 5/28/2015 2:45:00 AM

Great questions Laura - i wish they would sort out the glitch with putting contests on the page - it has really put me off trying again:-( Hugs Jan xx

Laura Leiser
Date: 5/28/2015 12:09:00 PM

Thanks, Jan, for your comments. I agree, it would be great if the site could clear up some of these issues for us.

Debbie
Guzzi

Date: 5/27/2015 10:30:00 PM

When in doubt ask the judge your questions in Soup Mail and remember a judge is only 1 person and many. many times, the judges are not skilled poets in the forms required. Basically, the judge can decide on any basis he or she does or doesn't like your verse. Relitively speaking it means little BUT it does PROMPT us to write. Contests DO stimulate our muses!

Laura Leiser
Date: 5/27/2015 10:37:00 PM

Yes, I will try to remember to use my Soup Mail. I haven't really done that, yet. Thank you again, Debbie, for taking the time to answer my questions. :)

Andrea
Dietrich

Date: 5/27/2015 10:05:00 PM

Most contests fill up before the month is gone. (most people do it for one month, but they can extend the time anytime they want). If a contest is moving very slowly, I have seen it be extended. I think the average contest fills up in two to three weeks unless it is super popular. For a contest to be JUDGED is another story. if I am really busy, I might take a good week or two to get around to my judging. I try to do it as soon as i can though. I have entered many contests that NEVER got judged. It's sad. Months even years go by. They just never got around to it!! Does all this help you?

Laura Leiser
Date: 5/27/2015 10:36:00 PM

Thank you very much, Andrea, for helping answer my questions. I know that you and others take a lot of time to encourage and help others on this site, and for that I am grateful. Thanks!

Andrea
Dietrich

Date: 5/27/2015 10:02:00 PM

Laura, I am wondering also why the cancelled contests are not immediately taken care of. I can tell you why I think they are happening. I did a blog about it the other day if you care to go see. The judges CAN post their contest if they just try it again, but I think some of them have not figured out the trick to it. Soup seems to have a glitch and I can't understand why it is not taken care of yet. About N/A, I think maybe some judges are doing it that way so they can post two or more contests at the same time and then later they come back and put a score! I am not sure if N/A shows up on MY contestants before I finalize judgement. Not sure how that works. I gotta use another box now!!

My Past Blog Posts


A Stirring Poem Date Posted: 5/26/2022 8:35:00 AM
My Grievance Date Posted: 12/20/2021 8:57:00 AM
PS Team please HELP! Problem with Comments coming in! Date Posted: 11/26/2018 12:07:00 PM
My Absence Date Posted: 7/25/2018 1:41:00 PM
Do you enjoy Independent Films? Date Posted: 3/8/2017 12:02:00 PM
Confusion over Heroic Crown of Sonnets contest Date Posted: 6/5/2016 9:23:00 PM
Out Of Commission! Date Posted: 5/18/2016 9:27:00 PM
A Special New Poetry Soup Member! Date Posted: 5/12/2016 1:21:00 PM
Eternity Contest Judged Date Posted: 9/15/2015 5:20:00 PM
Been Gone! Date Posted: 9/14/2015 9:27:00 PM
Let's Get Philosophical Date Posted: 9/2/2015 8:14:00 PM
Colloquilisms Contest Judged Date Posted: 7/31/2015 12:20:00 AM
Colloquialisms- My FIRST Contest! Date Posted: 7/1/2015 11:38:00 AM
Questions About Member Contests Date Posted: 5/27/2015 9:22:00 PM

My Recent Poems

Date Posted	PoemTitle	Form	Categories
4/25/2024	Dream of Dreams	Rhyme	dream,heaven,
4/25/2024	Who Will	Rhyme	death,god,hope,
1/4/2024	When Winter Sleeps	Free verse	winter,
12/10/2023	To Where You Are	Abecedarian	conflict,eve,youth,
12/6/2023	Bells	Rhyme	christian,music,
10/31/2023	Hart Island	Sonnet	death,halloween,
9/30/2023	Quiet Masterpiece	Free verse	angel,music,sad,winter,
9/19/2023	Witch	Pleiades	dark,scary,woman,
9/14/2023	Piano	Pleiades	music,
9/12/2023	Firefly	Pleiades	insect,light,
8/30/2023	Journey	Free verse	god,love,nature,
7/28/2023	When Doves Cry	Rhyme	bird,grief,
7/28/2023	Longing For You	Rhyme	faith,longing,love,
6/9/2023	Rock Me	Free verse	adventure,boat,sea,
5/7/2023	Melancholy Mood	Free verse	blue,lost,sad,
4/18/2023	Clouds	Free verse	beauty,earth,sky,
4/17/2023	Warriors On Our Knees	Dramatic Monologue	america,care,character,ju
4/16/2023	Released	Rhyme	death,life,missing you,
4/7/2023	Unveiling	Haiku	spring,tree,
3/25/2023	In the Grass	Rhyme	child,nature,
3/20/2023	When Memories Slip Away	Free verse	emotions,memory,
3/16/2023	A Baa Baa Feed Fest	Rhyme	animal,funny,
1/7/2023	The Cardinal and the Rose	Free verse	bird,flower,grief,
12/5/2022	Mystique of the Mojave	Free verse	earth,nature,
11/29/2022	Questions	Free verse	analogy,life,
11/18/2022	The Forgotten Path	Rhyme	celebration,christian,chr
10/27/2022	Autumn Celebration	Free verse	autumn,celebration,nature
10/18/2022	Keeping Watch	Free verse	blessing,sunset,
10/5/2022	Zipper	Pleiades	clothes,fun,
10/5/2022	Yesteryear	Pleiades	age,life,
10/5/2022	Xebec	Pleiades	boat,nature,
10/4/2022	Wilderness	Pleiades	nature,
10/3/2022	Valleys	Pleiades	nature,
10/1/2022	Umbrella	Pleiades	rain,
9/30/2022	Train	Pleiades	travel,
9/29/2022	Shepherd	Pleiades	devotion,father,
9/29/2022	Ripe	Pleiades	fruit,senses,
9/29/2022	Quail	Pleiades	bird,
9/9/2022	Summer Fun Rains	Light Verse	fun,rain,senses,sound,
7/26/2022	In Pursuit of Love	Lyric	longing,love,
7/11/2022	Farewell Friend	Rhyme	death,life,
6/29/2022	When Love Flies Away	Rhyme	loss,love,
6/28/2022	Whirling Watermelon Ride	Rhyme	fantasy,fun,
6/7/2022	Old Man	Rhyme	history,life,mirror,
5/18/2022	Love That Lasts	Abecedarian	care,character,love,
5/16/2022	Mysterious Trees	Rhyme	mystery,nature,tree,
5/13/2022	To the One	Sonnet	child,prayer,spiritual,
5/10/2022	A Little Drama	Free verse	nature,water,wind,
5/5/2022	The Clothes Line	Rhyme	fun,joy,
3/18/2022	Cormorant	Haiku	bird,sea,
3/17/2022	Kingfisher	Imagism	bird,sea,
3/7/2022	Ukraine	Free verse	imagery,peace,war,
3/6/2022	Port To Port	Free verse	friendship,sports,togethe
3/3/2022	Sunflower Dreams	Haiku	flower,nature,
2/23/2022	Hairpins	Free verse	age,beauty,
2/9/2022	Bubble Dreams 2	Couplet	dream,fantasy,
1/16/2022	Hidden	Haiku	animal,winter,
1/12/2022	On a Prayer	Rhyme	angel,spiritual,
12/29/2021	Respite	Haiku	bird,winter,
12/28/2021	Lord of the Skies	Rhyme	power,weather,
12/24/2021	Morning Revival	Rhyme	nature,
12/18/2021	Crickets	Rhyme	anti bullying,care,emotio
12/14/2021	Silent Soliloquy	Verse	butterfly,flower,nature,
12/13/2021	Zephyr	Free verse	baby,blessing,love,
12/12/2021	Angel	Acrostic	angel,
12/11/2021	A Simple Winter Wish	Rhyme	christian,christmas,
12/11/2021	Reverie of Wintertime	Quintain (English)	christmas,winter,
12/1/2021	Hear the Word	Lyric	christian,hope,
11/7/2021	Zen Garden	Abecedarian	garden,
11/4/2021	Tucumcari	Free verse	history,usa,
11/1/2021	To Kiss a Rainbow Goodbye	Free verse	child,loss,love,
10/30/2021	Escape	Free verse	change,peace,places,
10/26/2021	Sounds of the Subway	Rhyme	city,sound,
10/26/2021	Blessings To Share	Tanka	blessing,giving,thanksgiv
10/26/2021	Illuminate My Heart	Rhyme	christian,prayer,
10/15/2021	Only Him	Lyric	song,spiritual,
10/14/2021	Bird of Prey	Haiku	bird,
10/13/2021	Ghost Bride	Rhyme	dark,scary,
10/11/2021	Islands of Rest	Free verse	christian,
9/26/2021	Moods of October	Free verse	autumn,seasons,
9/23/2021	Jubilee	Couplet	fantasy,happy,joy,
9/2/2021	Guardian	Haiku	nature,
8/28/2021	Drifter	Free verse	adventure,feelings,freedo
8/27/2021	Black As Black	Enclosed Rhyme	dark,death,
8/23/2021	Hypnotic	Free verse	beauty,feelings,ocean,
8/13/2021	Breakthrough	Free verse	flower,hope,
8/3/2021	The Void In My Heart	Free verse	death,grief,sad,
6/15/2021	The Charm of the Woods	Free verse	nature,solitude,
6/13/2021	Her Shape	Free verse	beauty,water,
6/9/2021	Love Always Sees	Free verse	5th grade,happy,love,
6/7/2021	The Arbor	Free verse	nature,
5/29/2021	Wildflowers and Tangled Memories	Rhyme	childhood,emotions,memory
5/28/2021	Smitten	Free verse	love,romance,
5/21/2021	A Rose Is Like No Other	Ode	beauty,flower,
5/19/2021	Giving Godly Grace	Acrostic	christian,spiritual,
5/19/2021	Sunflower	Acrostic	beauty,flower,love,
5/15/2021	The Valley	Free verse	beauty,earth,
4/4/2021	Omnipresent	Pleiades	christian,easter,spiritua
1/17/2021	Psalm To the Artist	Free verse	beauty,creation,sky,soulm
11/24/2020	The Little Things	Verse	friendship love,giving,

My Photos

ps_0e4f7ad9-0031-489a-b31f-f08be8a50dbe.jpeg

Fav Poems

PoemTitle	Form	Categories
Love In the Silence of the Soul	Narrative	death,love,sorrow,
A Song For Pansy	Rhyme	history,
Slow Walking Talker	Rhyme	adventure,baptism,beautif
The Nightingale Lost Her Lamp	Free verse	courage,life,lost,love,pa
Just Before Dark	Rhyme	dark,imagery,imagination,
Hand Puppets- For Contest	Free verse	introspection,
Without Lament	Sonnet	introspection,
The Journey	Rhyme	appreciation,child,daught
Mirror of Memories - For Contest	Free verse	family,fear,
We'Ll Always Have San Andreas	Alliteration	depression,relationship,s
Love One Another	I do not know?	death,depression,hate,hop
Abandoned Flowers	Sonnet	allegory,death,flower,sad
Christmas With Christ To Look Upon His Face	Quatrain	angel,baby,inspirational,
A Thawing of Hearts - For Contest	Haibun	animal,death,friendship,
One Green Leaf	Verse	color,green,holiday,image
The Skeleton Coast	Free verse	sea,
A Leash-Led Life	Free verse	animal,autumn,dog,nature,
Before Birth	Free verse	christian,faith,heaven,
Chasing the Sun	Couplet	angst,
The Tears of Stars	Couplet	imagination,stars,
An Ebony Tether	Sonnet	beautiful,imagery,imagina
The Mariner	Free verse	adventure,
All I Am	Free verse	longing,
Reality Slumbers	Blank verse	beautiful,color,imagery,i
Still In Love	Verse	dance,happiness,love,marr
The River of No Return	Epitaph	absence,beauty,destiny,fa
As Father Is To His Daughter	Free verse	father,introspection,word
A Cathartic Weave of Three	Free verse	break up,celebration,devo
Doorway To Dreams	Verse	dream,myth,psychological,
Grounded	Sonnet	identity,
Moonlight Lanyard	Free verse	moon,passion,soulmate,tru
Melodies of the Heart	Free verse	analogy,love,music,romant
Oh How I Adore Thee	Pantoum	god,love,
Asp of Grief	Rhyme	beauty,death,grief,
Crystals of Starlight	Sonnet	beautiful,hyperbole,image
Falling From the Heights	Sonnet	death,
The Light of Day	Quatrain	beautiful,beauty,imagery,
Haiku - Bashful	Haiku	day,metaphor,nature,sea,w
Bring To Life- the Clothes Peg	Rhyme	humor,
The Astonishing Serenity of Eventide	Rhyme	beauty,nature,
Haiku	Haiku	summer,
Solitude By the Reverie	Free verse	dream,solitude,
Melancholic Tree	Free verse	analogy,assonance,deep,sa
sea song -	Free verse	analogy,appreciation,beac
Another Time	Dramatic Verse	age,identity,
Rainy Days and Mondays	Free verse	color,memory,pain,rain,
Faithful Mcgee	Light Verse	humor,humorous,
The Glory of the Eastern Edge	Free verse	appreciation,beauty,image
Love Kiss	Quatrain	lust,passion,romantic,sen
My Destiny, You	Haibun	longing,love,
All That Was	Sonnet	introspection,life,
Wind Song	Blank verse	write,
Fragmented Thoughts	Free verse	bereavement,loss,wife,
The Wind and Sea	Tritina	sea,wind,
The Red Leaf	Free verse	death,emotions,grief,hear
Night Shoes	Iambic Pentameter	night,
Of Mountain Things	Rhyme	mountains,people,
Beneath a Blanket of Snow	Rhyme	christian,god,gospel,grie
Island Aloha	Rispetto	animal,beautiful,memory,p
This Is Love	Alliteration	passion,romantic love,tru
The Maker of the Stars	Lyric	destiny,meaningful,prayer
The Night Grandma Broke Wind	Rhyme	funny,humor,humorous,
Silent Reverie	Free verse	analogy,deep,life,
The Cross	Sonnet	christian,love,
Fragility of Fate	Free verse	death,love,love hurts,
Drama of the Day Star's Demise	Imagism	beauty,day,image,nature,s
Gray Silence	Prose Poetry	love,
The Whip of Your Selfish Whims	Free verse	desire,emotions,longing,l
The Butterfly Nebula	Rhyme	beauty,nature,sky,stars,
Winter Wonderland	Sonnet	imagery,magic,snow,symbol
Not My Choice	Rhyme	simple,words,
The Thunder Rolls	Imagism	anxiety,dark,storm,
A Million Fairytales	Rhyme	beautiful,imagery,
For the Sparrow	Rhyme	beautiful,bird,flying,fre
Against the Ashes of the Fire	Pantoum	autumn,earth,environment,
Nested In the Umbrage	Free verse	cancer,death,friend,
Those Who Dream	Free verse	angel,dream,evil,fantasy,
- Up In Flames -	Free verse	emotions,lost,missing,poe
Amid the Jagged Shadows	Free verse	dark,fear,
Single Flower, In Winter's Grip	Haiku	art,bereavement,dark,deat
The Wall	Rhyme	birthday,character,child,
Cityscape	Free verse	art,city,night,perspectiv
Sherlock Holmes and the Mysterious Case of Appundicitis	Rhyme	friend,
A Strange Galaxy	Free verse	stars,
Goodbyes	Verse	extended metaphor,goodbye
Folly of Autumn's Fog	Free verse	age,autumn,life,nature,ol
Colors of My Day	Lyric	color,love,romantic love,
Seagull Semantics	Pantoum	beach,bird,conflict,ocean
Free Verse Fever	Free verse	appreciation,inspirationa
The Starlings Descend	Free verse	poetry,
To You Alone	Lyric	god,jesus,prayer,
A Dream Once Forgotten	Free verse	dream,longing,
Time	Rhyme	time,
Petals - Silence of Heartbeats	Free verse	assonance,love,sensual,
The Mustard Seed	Couplet	children,earth,flower,nur
Quietus	Free verse	angst,conflict,dark,depre
On Feminine Wings	Free verse	appreciation,dance,endura
Canyon Reverie Constanza	Rhyme	autumn,nature,wind,
Aubade	Free verse	life,love,wisdom,
Induced Interludes	Free verse	fantasy,metaphor,surreal,

Fav Poets

Poet	Country
Silent One	United Kingdom	Read
Viv Wigley	United Kingdom	Read
Gregory Richard Barden	United States	Read
Craig Cornish	United States	Read
Carrie Richards	United States	Read
Constance La France	Canada	Read
Connie Marcum Wong	United States	Read
Eileen Manassian	_Not Listed	Read
Nette Onclaud	Philippines	Read
Susan Ashley	United States	Read
Kim Rodrigues	United States	Read
Laura Leiser	United States	Read
John Watt	United States	Read
Chris Green	United States	Read
James Inman	United States	Read
Richard Lamoureux	Canada	Read
Frederic Parker	United States	Read
Lu Loo	United States	Read
John Hamilton	Canada	Read
Sandra Adams	United States	Read
Anthony Biaanco	United States	Read
Quoth Theraven	United States	Read
Rob Carmack	United States	Read
Regina Mcintosh	United States	Read
David Mchattie	Canada	Read
Andrew Crisci	United States	Read
njv Tomcatx	United States	Read
Susan Woodrow	Fiji	Read
Rhonda Johnson-Saunders	United States	Read
Sam Kauffman	United States	Read
Joseph May	United States	Read
Paul Callus	Malta	Read
Mark Massey	United States	Read
John Gondolf	United States	Read
Suzanne Delaney	United States	Read
Dale Gregory Cozart	United States	Read
Tom Cunningham	United Kingdom	Read
Evelyn Judy Buehler	United States	Read
Beata Agustin	Philippines	Read
Joanna Daniel	India	Read
Michelle Faulkner	United States	Read
Mystic Rose Rose	Canada	Read
Greg Gaul	United States	Read
Gary Radice	United Kingdom	Read
Eve Roper	United States	Read
Jeff Kyser	United States	Read
Anne-Lise Andresen	Norway	Read
Susan Lawrence	United States	Read
Brian Sambourne	Canada	Read
Daniel Turner	United States	Read