Once your contest starts to gain momentum, you will get an absolutely massive number of repetitive questions.  If you planned everything well, some 95% of the questions will already be answered in the text of your contest.

I know it's tempting to go off on the people asking stupid questions that you've already answered hundreds of times...  But don't.  It won't accomplish anything.  Instead → BE READY!

*Have 'canned answers' ready for a bunch of common questions that you anticipate getting.  Add more as you go along and notice trends*

Canned answers→ Preformulated answers to commonly asked questions.

Each answer can be adjusted as needed each time you use it.  But even having a basic template already typed out and saved in a word processing document, from which you can copy and paste, will save you a ton of time.

Here is the majority of the list I made for my own contest (please keep in mind that they were suitable for my contest, you will need to adjust them for yours):

I. Entrants

(1)

Question: Why did you tag me?  (To be used when people are confused by having been tagged, often when you use the 'secret weapon' technique described earlier.)

My canned answer: I tagged you myself because I was under the impression that you might be interested in participation based on your recent update(s) to a work of RPF.

(2)

Question: What is this? (When people have no idea what a password  required for a contest entry is.)

My canned answer: There is a spot on the entry form that asks for the Last Thing. The password is the last thing. It's designed to ensure that people actually read the rules.

(4)

Situation: This is not so much an answer to a question as a common remark you may need to have ready.  This is to be used if an entrant enters their work into what is very clearly the wrong category (whether on purpose or not).  In this example, it is specific to my contest, but you get the idea.

My canned response: That looks like it belongs in the __x__ category, not in the __x__ category. If it contains celebrities from multiple categories in major roles, then it belongs under 'Other celebrities/Combos.'

(5)

Situation: A potential entrant is hemming and hawing about whether their work contains mature content/doesn't think it's important or should matter.

My canned response: Regardless of what readers do in their spare time, I am not assigning any works with mature content to any judges that prefer not to read it or that are under 18. That is why I ask about whether something is mature or not.

(6)

Situation: In the event your contest has an absolute ban on certain kinds of content entering (as mine did), you will constantly get requests to be more specific or screen entries.  Firstly, do not agree to screen any entries.  If you do, it's not fair to others, as (once your contest picks up), you will not have time to screen the entirety of hundreds of entries.  Instead, have a chapter ready where you address the specifics of what is allowed versus what is not.  In my contest, the chapter was called, 'The banned topics.'

So- question: Is my stuff banned?

My canned answer: I don't have time to read every single entry to screen it for prohibited content. Please review the chapter titled, 'the banned topics' and make your own decision about whether you think your works are eligible to participate based on the guidelines I've delineated. Should it be determined that you were incorrect, and that your submitted entry contains inappropriate material, it will be disqualified.

(7)

Situation: When people apply to judge, you should check out their works to make sure they are capable of discerning what format the written word is supposed to take.  Unfortunately, it's very likely you will get some very kind-hearted people that apply to judge, but write so poorly it verges on incomprehensible.  This is a very delicate situation, and you want to tread carefully.  It's not necessary to hurt the feelings of people who want to be helpful.  Be tactful, whatever you say.

My base canned response: Thank you so much for your interest in judging! I checked out the book you mentioned, and while I'm sure you'll get everything all polished, for now I have to pass on having you judge, since grammar is such a major concern in the contest. The _premise of the story (or whatever)_ was really great, though!  Best of luck with your work!  (I tailored this heavily to every situation.)

(8)

Situation: Someone filled out the entry form, but didn't tag enough people.

My canned response: Tags are the primary way that word of a Wattpad user-run contest is spread. The point of tags is to draw the attention of other Wattpad users that might legitimately be interested in participating and glad that you tagged them.  Since you have _#_ followers, I'm sure tagging _#needed_ of them wouldn't be too difficult.  A contest with few participants isn't very prestigious to win a prize from, anywho.

(9)

Situation: Someone fills out their form incorrectly.  After a while, I stopped mentioning specifically what was missing on each one.  It was taking way too much time.

My canned response: You have until _date entries close_ to correct your form.

I will update this chapter later with section II (the canned answers for judges).  But I need to go get some stuff done.