F.A.Q

I have been running The Spooky Award for nearly 4 years. During this time I have received hundreds of submissions, and along with them, literally dozens of questions. In fact, the Spooky Award has become bigger and more popular than I ever expected. For this reason, I decided it was time for an FAQ page. I never thought of actually making an FAQ page before, but I've been asked so many questions now that it just seems natural to have one. All of these questions are based on actual comments and queries I have received. It covers the questions I get asked most often, but if you have a question that has not been addressed, just drop me a line at spookysquall@hotmail.com.

Q: My site doesn't have anything to do with the X-Files or science fiction. Can I still apply?
A: Yes. I've awarded sites about pets, music and movies, just to name a few. As long as your site follows the general rules listed on the Spooky Award main page, you're welcome to submit it.

Q: I don't have a site, but there is one I really like, and I think you should give it an award. Am I allowed to nominate it?
A: Yes, but before you do so, I would recommend checking with the site owner. Some people don't want their sites linked without approval, and I respect that. But if you know the owner won't mind, your next step is to check the Winners' List to make sure the site has not already won. If it's not there, then nominate away!

Q: How many entires do you normally receive?
A: It varies from month to month. I have received as many as 25, and as few as 1.

Q: How many sites do you normally give awards to? A: That really depends on how many submissions I receive. Most of the time I try give out 3 per month, but I may give out more or less depending on the number of entries I get. Realistically though, I can't give out 20 awards just because I receive 20 entires that month. There's not enough space on my server for that. Unfortunately, I do have to be extra picky when I receive many submissions at once.

Q: What do you normally judge sites on?
A: Well first, your site must follow the general rules to be considered. After that, basically anything goes. I mostly look for originality and creativity. But keep in mind that looks aren't eveything. Just because you don't have fancy graphics or a college degree in web design doesn't mean you can't win the award.
NOTE: for hints on some of the things I'm looking for, you may want to browse a few of the winning sites and get some ideas.

Q: Are there any sites you won't give an award to?
A: Yes. Any site that does not follow the rules listed on the Spooky Award main page simply cannot win. That's basically the criteria in black and white.

Q: My site didn't win. What's wrong with it?
A: Well, if you've followed the basic rules, then most likely there is absolutely nothing "wrong" with your site. To be honest, there have been very few that sites that I absolutely did not like. But as I said, it is impossible for me to award every site I review, especially when I receive so many entires.

Q: I've applied for your award once before, but I didn't win. Can I apply again?
A: Of course! You may have applied at a time when I received a lot of submissions, and I had already reached my "award quota" for the month. Also, on a rare occasion, I may have accidentally skipped over your site. In any case, you may re-submit it. There's no penalty for trying again.
NOTE: if you're re-submitting your site, PLEASE wait at least 2 weeks after you first submitted it. This is further explained in the next section.

Q: I applied for the award a few days ago, but I haven't heard anything back from you. Should I re-submit my site?
A: NO. As I mentioned on the Spooky Award main page, I have a tight schedule and I no longer have a chance to review sites on a daily basis. Please allow me about 2 weeks to respond. Also if you've applied for the award early in the month, I like to wait a week or two just to see how many entries I get (that will help me determine how many awards I'm going to give out for that month). But, if I haven't replied within 2 weeks time, you can re-submit your site. But please, don't keep repeatedly resending your site. Give me some time to get back to you.
WARNING: bombarding me with emails asking me "did I win; did you look at my site yet; when are you going to look at my site?" will NOT make me respond faster. In fact this annoys me, and as I result I may choose not to award your site at all.

Q: How do I know if I won the Spooky Award?
A: I'll send you an email telling you what to do next :-)
Q: I won your award, but I don't see my site listed in the Winners' List. Why not?
A: I probably haven't received your correct site information. Alternatively, your site is not listed because it has recently moved and you haven't told me about the URL change. In either case, please resend all your information, including a brief explanation of the problem. I'll make the proper corrections.
Q: Help! The award graphic won't load on my page. What do I do?
A: Before you panic, check these things first:
1. Make sure you haven't linked directly to the award (external linking). Geocities does not support external linking, so in order for the image to load properly, it is absolutely imperative that you copy it to your own server first.
2. Make sure you have the name of the image copied down correctly. If you've renamed it, make sure you use the same name which you saved the image under when you add it to your page.
3. Try uploading the image again.
If all this fails, then email me and I'll see if I can help you out.

Q: I won the award and you have it listed with the winners, but I never got an award graphic. What should I do?
A: Resend your site information, indicating that you already won but you still need the award. I'll make sure you get properly set up with the graphic and the correct links.
Q: I think I won your award before, but I've applied for so many I can't remember now. Should I apply again?
A: Before you apply, check the Winners' List to make sure your site is not already listed. If you don't see it, go ahead and apply. But If your site is listed, I already have your information and you don't need to apply again.

Q: My site is listed in the Winners' List, but I never applied for your award and I don't want my site linked. How did my site get there, and how do I get my link removed?
A: Although I never give out an award or link to a site without permission, I have had situations where other people have submitted an entry for a site they like and accepted the award on the owner's behalf--but without telling myself or the owner that the have done this. If this has happened to you, just email me I'll make sure your site is removed.

Q: I won your award, but my site is moving to a new address/shutting down. Do I need to tell you?
A: YES! I remove all broken links from the list. My server space is limited and I can't afford to have it cluttered up. If you don't tell me about the change and your old URL becomes innactive, I will remove your site. Please, please keep me informed about all changes to your site, whether it is moving URLs, shutting down, changing titles, or changing owners. Thanks.

Q: I have several sites. Am I allowed to submit all of them?
A: Of course! Just send in a separate entry for each site.