Showcase

I think that would be a great idea.

Having just started my blog this week, I'd be ecstatic. How would we submit entries -- by email or comment post?

Allow me to vomit on the optimism here-I think a competition is a bad idea. Although it would help the winner, I think the new blog owners might feel bad.

And I hate it when people feel bad.

Plus, my dear, think about the logistics that you will have to deal with :)

See-I am always only thinking of you, babe.

I think the idea is neat but you're talking a goodly amount of manual labor. The logistics are wonky, too. You might have an entry that's been up for a week comparing to one that's been up for a day. Bear's contest had this too. A way around that would be to put up the week's entries at the same time but then you've got a shitload for readers to process all at once instead of the handleable sporatic posts you've got now.

Essentially I'm saying that I have nothing constructive to add here.

Please don't make it a contest based on something like links. How about the best post using 2 sentences or less? Or the best post that combines historical analysis and pop culture references? Or the angriest post that doesn't use profanity? Or best ongoing "Watch"-style posts, ie Kurd Sellout Watch, Kerry Suckup Watch, etc.

Give us something creative to shoot for.

I did a contest on my blog, and everybody won, so I'm in trouble! I have alot of pictures to draw now, so next week I'm gona do another contest to pick who I'm drawing first, hope they don't all win again!

Oh yeah, hi!

Here's what I'm thinking...

Post new entrants Monday through Thursday, late submissions get rolled over into the next week. I say Thursday instead of Friday, because some folks depend on their day job for internet access. This give 3 days for voting.

Then Monday morning (or Sunday night), count the UNIQUE trackbacks and announce the winner. Followed by the next clump of entrants.

Of course, this assumes you've got LOTS of time on your hands on Sunday/Monday and are willing to possibly forego posting to your own blog. That's your call on whether the extra work is worth it.

The only downside is that some bloggers don't have trackbacks. Sure, they're easy to get (and free) via Haloscan, but this might discourage participation from the less tech-savvy, more casual-blogging crowd.

I assume that the purpose of the Showcase is to give as much attention as possible to new bloggers. I'm not really sure that adding voting will increase the exposure, or if it will do so by a large enough factor to make it worth your effort. But again, that's your call.

As an alternative, you might consider whipping up a nice logo, which I (and I'm sure other bloggers, too) would be willing to put in my sidebar to give you more exposure.

Well, if Simon wants to be plied with gifts, briberies and beautiful young virgin bloggers then I'd say maybe.

If he wants to be entertained by the knock-down, drag-out, blog-envying and muck-flinging that might ensue I say
"yeah man"! It'll make for some interesting blogging to read.

If he wants to simply be a facilitator, a sort of Master of Blogging Introductions, and he makes the site all about the reader following their own interest, taste and style, then this is where I'd cast my vote!