I write stuff for kids...and muse on writing, children's books, and the publishing industry in general

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Second Crusader Challenge

It's time for the Second Crusader Challenge, woot! Check out my original post if you haven't heard about my Writers' Platform-Building Crusade or if you'd like to come on board.

And the Challenge is:

Write a post beginning with the words, "You may not know this about me but..."

The rest is up to you. You can use the piece to introduce yourself, tell us about something that inspires you (writing-related or otherwise), tell a funny story, write a poem, or anything really. So be creative and let’s see what you come up with.*

And...a Crusader Challenge just isn’t the same without a grand prize. I've come up with three little incentives today:
  1. I'm designing a special Crusader Challenge Winner badge, for the winner (and Rachel Morgan, as winner of the First Crusader Challenge) to put on their blogs;
  2. in the spirit of platform-building, I'll be giving the winner the chance to be featured as an interviewee for The Insider Scoop on Rach Writes...(watch out for Rachel Morgan's interview this coming Monday); and
  3. just to make it a little more interesting (I'm blatantly borrowing this idea from Erica and Christy!), how about the non-winning entrants also put a post on their blogs referring their own followers to the particular Insider Scoop interview featuring the winner (I'll let you know when it's coming). 
Worth playing for???

“How do we pick a winner?” you ask.

Well...let’s work it on a points system:
  • I’ve written a Crusader Challenge post beginning with the words, "You may not know this about me but..." and I’ve commented in this post with a link to my own post (+100 points)
  • I’ve included the completely random words “umbrella,” “skeleton,” and “kartoffelpuffer” in my Crusader Challenge post (+40 points) – there has to be a bit of a challenge for you, can't wait to see what you do with "kartoffelpuffer"!!!
  • In my Crusader Challenge post, I’ve included a link back to this post and told everyone about the Crusade and the Crusader Challenge (+20 points)
  • I’m following all my fellow Crusaders (as listed on the Rach Writes... List of Crusaders page) on their blogs (+20 points)
  • I’ve included all my fellow Crusaders on my blog, in a blog roll / list / Crusader button linking back to the Rach Writes... Crusade pages (+20 points)
If it comes down to a tie, I’ll pop links to all the posts with the highest score (200 points) in a new post on Rach Writes... and call for votes on the winner. I’ll make the final decision if the voting is inconclusive.

Entries will close next Friday, October 29, so make sure you comment in this post before then and leave us the link to your Crusader Challenge post (plus how many points you earned). Make sure you give the exact link please, not just the link to your home page.

Have fun!!! Check out the other Crusaders’ posts and comment along. Can't wait to see what you come up with :)

* Hmm, kind of like the First Crusader Challenge, but we've got lots more people on board so it should be fun. Just you wait for the Third Crusader Challenge, that one will be totally different!!!

46 comments:

Denise Covey said...

Hi Rach, just letting you know I'm in for this one. I have lots to do yet. Just been randomly following crusaders but I need to do a check - (anyone reading this and I'm not following you - put it here in the comments and I'll rectify!)

I'll go away and do my homework (which includes maths no less + +) and get back with my the link to my post. Tarah..:)

erica and christy said...

For a really successful contest, you have to make it hurt to lose!!

Adina West said...

Hi L'Aussie, now that you mention it, I don't think you are following me - but I've noticed you around the traps! Come and visit me!

Rach, I'm going in this one as I was too disorganised last time - but I may not really be trying to win. I don't think I'll qualify for all the bonus points! Still haven't found time to do the list of Crusaders thingy on my blog though I'm usually good at following others given enough time to get my act together...

Will post a link here when I get my 'entry' up.

Unknown said...

Oooh, I like this one! Yay for challenges!

Adina West said...

A week? Pffft. Who needs it.

;-)

http://adinawest.blogspot.com/2010/10/humour-envy.html#more

160 points (not sure about whether I'm following everyone - and I haven't got around to the list of links to everyone's blogs yet...)

Rachael Harrie said...

@L'Aussie, great you can take part :)

@Erica and Christy, hmm, do I detect hands rubbing together in glee??? :)

@Adina, wow, very impressive!!! Just pop my Crusader pikky on your sidebar with a link to my List of Crusaders page. That would do the job and you could get the full points.

@Rachel, fantastic! Can't wait to see your post. BANG!!! :)

Adina West said...

OK, Rach twisted my arm a little - so I've now done the link thing (my first time to add an image to a blog sidebar...) and think I've followed everyone I can, so I think I get 200 points. Especially since I used skeleton twice.

:-P

Anonymous said...

Cool idea Rach!

PK HREZO said...

Great contest! I'll come back and participate for sure.

So glad you found my blog! Yes, I'm doing Sacha's mento program too. Great to meet you!! :)

Kittie Howard said...

Thanks for stopping by, Rach, and for following me. I'm now following you. Pleased to meet you *waves*!

I usually give contests a pass but yours had enough twists and challenges to entice me to participate. (Including those words did it!)

A bit of archeological fact: On this side of the world I'm a computer fossil. Please give me BABY instructions as to how to put your linky badge to the followers on my sidebar.

And I like what L'Aussie commented above...anyone reading this, drop a comment and follow and I'll do the same.

Okay, gotta work on those words...fun!

Anonymous said...

Scheduled my post for Monday (since it's Wombat Day today!)

Here's the link: http://kangaroobee.wordpress.com/2010/10/25/2nd-crusader-challenge/

Marieke said...

I'm in for sure! Just need to think of the post... Kartoffelpuffer?! You evil you :P

Joanna St. James said...

Hi thanx for following me I am still trying to understand the crusade my brain ticks slowly. I am following you now.

Kittie Howard said...

Just posted! Drop by if you've got a sec!

Grandpa said...

Hi Rach! We sure can rely on you to put up clever and tempting stuff like this one! All the best to those participating.

One question: I find that my latest post is not updated in the blogroll list of other crusaders (the few that list my blog on their sidebar anyway), why do you think that is - internet problem?

I also notice that we have a number of new Crusaders - time to update my Blogroll!

Denise Covey said...

Hey Rach, I've just completed the marathon of loading everyone's url onto a special blog roll then I've visited everyone and followed the few I'd missed - hey Adina - I am a follower now. So Joanna needs to be added, but I'm following her anyhows.

I'll get my story written and I'll be back with my link..:)

Rachael Harrie said...

@Adina, well done you! Our first Crusader to reach 200 points, woohoo!!!

@PK, thanks for dropping by. Can't wait to see what you come up with :)

@Kittie, hiya! Great post and thanks so much for taking part(http://kittiehoward.blogspot.com/2010/10/fun-challenges-lion-lives-in-oak-tree.html#comments). I particularly loved your description of "autumnal skeleton..."

@Kangaroobee, can't wait to read your post when it goes up :)

@Marieke, tee hee :)

@Joanna, thanks for visiting :) Let me know if you want to find out more about the Crusade.

@Grandpa, sounds like it might be an RSS problem (the behind-the-scenes feed that updates those blog-links). I had a similar problem when I changed my blog address/URL. You haven't done that recently have you? Otherwise, there are a few other reasons, but they're getting a bit beyond my understanding I'm afraid :( Fingers crossed it might be a Blogger problem and will sort itself out soon :)

@L'Aussie, woot!! Well done you. Can't wait to read your story :)

Hart Johnson said...

Okay... so I've GOT the post and the link back...

http://waterytart23.blogspot.com/2010/10/sneaksy.html

(Totally FORGOT the special words! *headthunks*)

The following all and blogrolling all is in process... I'd probably get 15 of 20 points on the first and 5 of the 20 on the second at the moment, but since we have until Friday... so I think that means 160 points... (by Friday... that is only 140 now... *shifty*)

Marieke said...

My post is up! http://www.mariekenijkamp.com/musings/?p=454

I'm following everyone I think (do let me know if I missed someone) and I will update the blogroll tonight. That amounts to 200 points! :D

Joanna St. James said...

I read Marieke's post and will get cracking. I have till friday right? am sure lazy brain can whip something up.

Ishta Mercurio said...

Hi Rach,

Cool idea! I'm not doing it - I've missed it anyway, I think, and I don't want to put blogs on my blogroll that I don't actually read every day, so I'd never win it - but I wanted to let you know that it sounds like fun. I've started composing a poem anyway just for the fun of sticking to the meter and including "skeleton" and "Kartoffelpuffer."

Have a great week!

Jenny Beattie said...

Fabulous. I'll do my best to enter.

Grandpa said...

Hi Rach, my blog is still not updated as the latest entry in the blogrolls, but it didn't matter I guess as long as you guys keep dropping by!

I have to rush this entry before going back to The Farm. Will update Crusaders list too before I go.

http://fruitofmylabour.blogspot.com/2010/10/common-cold-cure.html

Thanks!

Megan K. Bickel said...

Okay, my post is up, my list of Crusaders is updated, I'm following everybody and I got those sneaky words in! I think that gives me the full 200 points. : )

http://megankbickel.blogspot.com/2010/10/crusade-challenge-2.html

Joanna St. James said...

Here is mine
http://joannastjames.blogspot.com/2010/10/you-may-not-know-this-about-me-but-i.html

Sarah*G* said...

Here is my attempt. Wrote it on very little sleep. Spent too long last night emailing myself! See my other post for today to explain why!
So glad I joined this Crusade!

http://wordsinwriteorder.blogspot.com/2010/10/2nd-crusader-challenge.html

Grandpa said...

Hi Rach, I think I've followed all Crusaders, and updated the blogroll (including Kittie Howard) as per your latest list

Jessica Stanford said...

Yay! I did it! I wrote short story including the words skeleton, kartoffelpuffer, and umbrella.

Check out my story. Please. I'm going to Twitter about it now.

http://jessicamstanford.blogspot.com/2010/10/you-may-not-know-this-about-me.html

Jessica Stanford said...

Oh, and I have the link on the side FINALLY!

Jessica Stanford said...

Is there anyone out there that I'm not following? If you come to my blog jessicamstanford.blogspot.com and post your blog site under my entry, I'll be sure to pop over and click "follow".

Rachael Harrie said...

@Hart, great naked post, thanks for taking part :)

@Marieke, woot, love it!!!

@Joanna, really great you could join in :)

@Ishta, hey thanks :) Can't wait to read your poem, would love to see how you work kartofflepuffer in - can you make it rhyme though??? ;)

@Jenny, hope you can get an entry in :)

@Grandpa, great post, glad you're feeling better now. Sorry I can't help with your blogroll issue, my only thought is that it's an RSS issue (wouldn't know how to fix it though) :(

@Megan, loved your post, so many different jobs!!!

@Sarah, really interesting story, thanks for sharing :)

@Jessica, woot!!! Love the umbrella fetish, and I think you worried a few people too ;)

Denise Covey said...

Hi, just posted my story. Here's the direct link:

http://laussieswritingblog.blogspot.com/2010/10/tall-tale-from-queensland-bush-writers.html

Oh and I'm always anal - I've done EVERYTHING you asked of me so I should be 200 points. I'm going now to check if there's been other crusaders since I got up to 43. Phew, but once you have your blogroll going it's not so bad..:)

Su said...

Here it is, for full marks: http://cheekyness.blogspot.com/2010/10/mrs-malaprop.html

Bast said...

Here's my entry. Full points.

http://seeingdreamingwriting.blogspot.com/2010/10/skeleton-in-meat-dress.html

Bast said...

Rachael, that post was mt challenge post. I started with the phrase you gave and included the three random words. Plus I linked back to the crusade and explained it.
I've commented on some of the others' posts, but not all of them yet.

Rachael Harrie said...

Hi Quinn, cool bananas :) Glad you could enter.

Rach

Rachael Harrie said...

Hey Denise and Su, well done both of you :) Great you could take part.

Rach

kar_took said...

http://kartook.blogspot.com/2010/10/second-crusader-challenge.html

Challenge done on time (just) and full points I do believe.

Julie Hedlund said...

Is the deadline any time today? I'd like to participate but might not get to it until this evening. I already have my idea for my post though...

Rachael Harrie said...

@Kar_Took, well done! Will pop over and check it out :)

@Julie, I'm pretty relaxed about the deadline. Cause we all live in different timezones, as long as your own post says "Friday," that will be fine. Can't wait to see what you do :)

Unknown said...

All done!

http://rachelmorganwrites.blogspot.com/2010/10/crusader-challenge-2.html

Following all 45 crusaders on the list and they're on a blogroll and.. etc. etc...
So, full points!

Rachael Harrie said...

Woot, glad you made it Rachel!!! :)

Julie Hedlund said...

Nothing like the last minute! Here's my post:

http://writeupmylife.com/2010/10/29/julie-an-american-girl/

I've provided a link and mentioned the crusade, used all three words, I follow all of the crusaders and have them all listed on my blog (except for one or two where the links to their blogs were broken). So - full points for me too!

The Weed said...

Aaaaaand, finally, the home-stretch of bloggerdom has ended for The Weed! Just signed up to follow all the peeps and put up my button and all that jazz! I think, if I'm not too late, I got all 200 points.

Oh, and here's the link!

Whew. This was kind of like a marathon. I feel like I should be panting. Except I've been sitting in a chair. And reading lots of good posts. And I don't need to shower or anything. And I've been intermittently watching TV. But other than that it was JUST like a marathon.

Can't wait to have more time to go through and meet all the fellow crusaders!

Thanks a ton for doing this Rachael. It really is a great idea!

Rachael Harrie said...

Well done @Julie, glad you made it :)

Hey @The Weed, well done you!!! And thanks, glad you like the idea. Consider yourself the proud recipient of 200 points and an extra credit for such diligence at the last minute :) Now you can kick back and relax (until judging time for the winner at least!!!) LOL

BTW, everyone, Julie mentioned some of the links are broken in my List of Crusaders. I must admit I haven't checked all of them, so please let me know if I need to fix any specific link. Tks.

Rach

A Pen In Neverland: Angela Peña Dahle said...

Aww. I missed the challenge as I have been away from my blog....so many reasons. I'll have to tune in for the 3rd challenge. Good luck to all who have entered this one! I'm looking forward to reading the entries. If I'm not following any newbies, let me know. I'll find my way to your blog soon.

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