TJP Contests and TJS giveaways

[clay]

BuddhaGeo in the shoutbox suggested:

Clay, have you thought about having user-created lessons, with awards being prescribed to the best submitted ones?

Wagawiki is kind of like that. Everyone can contribute.

But you brought up an idea I've been wanting to do for some time: Some sort of TJP contest.
The winner(s) could get gift certificates from TheJapanshop.com or...? I wouldn't mind having a grand prize of $100 or several smaller $50 prizes. (granted not a huge grand prize, but we are a very small business )

I thought I'd made a post asking for ideas for a contest.

BuddhaGeo's suggestion is a good one, but any others? Something that would enrich the TJP community. Graphic art, poetry, or some other member created content? (Eventually once we get the video site moved over, that could be a fun contest medium.)

[monkeykoder]

You could do 3 different contests. One for best video one for photography and one for best manga. Or just do a contest for best short manga and have someone write a whole story.

[BuddhaGeo]

More diversity in contests always implies and guarantees more people interested in participating.
In Lamen's terms, I'm sure there a bunch of artists studying Japanese for the mere beauty of its calligraphy, so why not give them a chance to unveil their artistic abilities for the good of the site? Let them draw Japanese-themed wallpapers and hand out prizes to the best! Or what about those poetry lovers? Why not give them the chance to experiment with writing poetry in Japanese? Who knows how many beautiful lines they can blurt out? Or what about short-stories? There are ought to be many people, including myself, that are interested in writing stories in Japanese, thus writing stories and developing their Japanese simultaneously!
Why not give them a chance and see the result?

[phreadom]

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/laymen

[BuddhaGeo]

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/laymen

In Laymen's terms, I made a typo.

[clay]

So far here are the ideas:

1) Articles written by members on Japanese or Japan (would need to be knowledgeable on the subject of course!)
2) Photography (what subjects? only related to Japan or in Japan?)
3) Manga creation and Artwork
4) Calligraphy
5) Japanese-themed wallpapers
6) Best Haiku/poetry
7) The first annual 'Yuki Award' for the best short story

This is getting interesting. Right now, I think I would enjoy #7 the most since it is very language oriented and almost everyone ((upper) beginners to advanced) could participate.

Haiku contests would be interesting too. My mother-in-law is a haiku freak; maybe I could get her to write criticisms.

Any thoughts?

[chikara]

.... In Lamen's terms ....

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/laymen

In Laymen's terms, I made a typo.

I thought it was a clever word play on "ramen" but I guess that would be レイマン rather than ラーメン

[becki_kanou]

.... In Lamen's terms ....

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/laymen

In Laymen's terms, I made a typo.

I thought it was a clever word play on "ramen" but I guess that would be レイマン rather than ラーメン

Although 冷麺(れいめん) is pretty yummy too!

[clay]

Phreadom, now look what you have done!

[chikara]

Sorry

I think 1, 2 and 7 are good ideas.

I enjoy reading haiku but I'm not much good at writing them.

[richvh]

I'd like to see illustrations for scenes from Yuki no Monogatari (or even manga treatments of it), but then I'm biased.

[becki_kanou]

I agree with chikara. I think 1,2 and 7 are the best ideas.
How about a translation category as well? Translating your favorite short story, poem etc from your native language into Japanese?

[clay]

That's ok Chikara. It was absolutely and totally Phreadom's fault.

1) Articles written by members on Japanese or Japan (would need to be knowledgeable on the subject of course!) **
2) Photography (what subjects? only related to Japan or in Japan?) **
3) Manga creation and Artwork
4) Calligraphy
5) Japanese-themed wallpapers
6) Best Haiku/poetry
7) The first annual 'Yuki Award' for the best short story **
illustrations for scenes from Yuki no Monogatari
9) Translating your favorite short story, poem etc from your native language into Japanese

I'll add these to a poll at some point.

[Harisenbon]

I personally like 2 and 6.

I would also like 3, as I would really like to see something like オタリーマン be put up, but it also has the greatest possibility of being filled with ORLY jokes and thus being incredibly painful. :/

[BuddhaGeo]

So far here are the ideas:

1) Articles written by members on Japanese or Japan (would need to be knowledgeable on the subject of course!)
2) Photography (what subjects? only related to Japan or in Japan?)
It would be out of place to have pictures of Siberia or Canberra on a japanese page, so I'd say keep it strictly related to Japan.
3) Manga creation and Artwork
That would surely attract a bunch of manga-freaks that want to showcase their talents.
4) Calligraphy
5) Japanese-themed wallpapers
This could go under artwork.
6) Best Haiku/poetry
This would look quite promising.
7) The first annual 'Yuki Award' for the best short story
Now this is truly interesting. I myself would love to take participation as I adore writing short stories. Never tried to do so in Japanese but I would give it a go undoubtedly.