How to Enter the 2011 International Fake Journal Month Contest—Part 1: Publishing Your Fake Journal Pages

Left: The three prize books for the three parts of 2011's celebration of International Fake Journal Month. All books are handmade by me (Roz), with hand-painted decorative paper on the covers. Book A is 3-1/2 x 4-1/8 inches and contains 90 lb. Winsor & Newton HP Watercolor paper. It will go to the winner of the participation (i.e., posting/publishing) portion of this year's contest described in today's post. Book B is 3-1/4 x 4-3/8 inches and contains Gutenberg paper. It will go to the winner of the promotion contest, details of which will be posted tomorrow. Book C is is 3-1/2 x 4-1/8 inches and contains 90 lb. Winsor & Newton HP Watercolor paper. It will go to the winner of Project Journal Infiltration Phase Two in IFJM. Details for that contest will be posted in a couple days. All books have a value of $18.00. In the event of some unforeseen incident and destruction equal value items will be substituted as determined by the contest coordinator, that's me (Roz). Click on the image to view an enlargement.

The instructions for IFJM contests are a bit involved, i.e., I can't resist having multiple parts and ways to participate. Therefore, I have broken the contest into three searchable posts. This part is for people who want to participate in the 2011 International Fake Journal Project and publish their work electronically.

There are two ways to enter the publishing portion of the 2011 contest.

A. Post your fake journal pages on YOUR OWN BLOG during the month of April. You must post a minimum of 8 (eight) journal pages or spreads (depending on whether your dated entry is the page or the spread, i.e., some spreads may have two dated entries on them and that spread would then count as two entries. (People who try to game the system by putting 8 entries on one page spread, please think again and join in the spirit of the contest—a spread will never count for more than 2 dated entries, even if so labeled.)

Next, you will need to send me a link to your blog EACH TIME you post an fake journal image on your blog. Send me a link to your POST not your blog.

The email should go to rozjournalrat@gmail.com. Subject line: IFJM MY BLOG Post # (and list the number, 1 through 8 as appropriate). You need to provide a link to your blog in the body of your message. Include your postal address with your first entry so that I can mail your prize if you win.

Please don't wait to send me notification until the end of April, as I will be putting up a weekend update with any links provided. In this way, people who arrive at this blog will find your blog and your journal pieces as you are working.

OR YOU CAN DO THE FOLLOWING:

B. Send me at least 8 jpgs (of pages or spreads; entries as defined in item A) from throughout the month of April. They need to be 500 pixels wide and 72 dpi. (DO NOT send larger files, you will go in the trash folder. Each file sent must be smaller than 1.3MB and sent attached to a separate email.) The emails should come to me at rozjournalrat@gmail.com, with "IFJM YOU POST #" in the subject line (the number being which entry you are up to, 1 through 8 of course).

Include your mailing address in the first entry so I can send your prize if you win.

People participating in part B have until May 3 to send me their fifth image (this assumes they might have created that image on April 30 and not had time to scan and send it).

The drawing for the prize for "Contest Post" will be held as soon as I have 1. checked all the links sent me by people following option A, and 2. posted all the images received by May 2 (I don't know how quickly I'll be able to post things if there is a large participation in the contest).

Everyone posting his or her fake journal entries from April 2011 in either of these two ways will become eligible for the drawing for journal A in the photo at the top of this post. (Journal A is copper fabric covered journal.)

(And just in case you are worried, I will not use your postal addresses for anything or give them to anyone. I ask for them in your first entry because in past contests I've sometimes had difficulty tracking down the winners. I'd like to simply pop the books in the mail when the drawing is finished!)

There you have it. Two ways to share your fake journal work with the world and participate in the journal give away.

I hope you'll consider helping me spread the word about International Fake Journal Month by joining Contest Promotion too! (Details for promotion participation appear in tomorrow's.)

Note: you do not have to live in the U.S. to enter. I will send these prizes out overseas.

VERY IMPORTANT SUBJECT MATTER RESTRICTIONS:
Here's the deal: My taste in art is pretty wide, in styles and subject matter. If you are sending links and images for the contest that include excessive or gratuitous violence, child abuse, or pornographic elements I would rule against listing and including them on this blog. I made a distinction in 2009 about nudity that bears repeating: If your character is spending all his time in life-drawing sessions those pages would probably fall within the guidelines (and there are many other instances where nudity would also fall within the parameters of posting), but if your character is involved in X-rated sexual behavior and sketching those events—probably not.

I know someone could make a fabulous fake journal about the latter, and indeed, about some of the other excluded topics—but I think to be valuable, that artist will need to explore those things in private first. Many fake journals are best not published. I feel an obligation to protect the creator who might rush to show work in the context of the month-long project, before considering aspects of exposure and privacy. That breach of the artist's personal boundaries defeats many of the positive effects of fake journaling.