ENTER ONLINE* -- APEX 2013 FAQs --
*You'll be able to fill out the Easy Entry Form online, upload your entries online and pay online.
APEX 2013 Call for Entries Brochure

Entry deadline (online/postmark/shipping): April 10, 2013

FAQs About APEX 2013

The 25th Annual Awards for Publication Excellence
Competition
Sponsored by the Editors of Writer's Web Watch,
published by Communications Concepts, Inc.
Best Practices in Print, Web & ePublishing

Which categories are new or revised this year?
New and revised categories include:

• 'Green' Annual Reports
• Blog Posts
• Apps
• 'Green' Social Media
• WordPress Sites
• Google+ Pages
• Drupal Sites
• 'Green' Websites
   

APEX Sponsors
What is APEX and who sponsors it?
APEX is the Annual Awards for Publication Excellence Competition. It is open to communicators in corporate, nonprofit and independent settings. This is the 25th annual APEX, which began in 1988.

APEX is sponsored by Communications Concepts, Inc., and by the editors of Writer's Web Watch, the online newsletter for communicators who write, edit and manage publications, and the Writing That Works Archives. Both are published by Communications Concepts, Inc., which has provided problem-solving information to professional communicators for more than a quarter of a century.

What does Communications Concepts, the APEX sponsor, do?
Communications Concepts, Inc. advises publishing, PR and marketing professionals on best practices to improve their publications and communications programs.

Concepts has published Writer's Web Watch, the Writing That Works Archives and their predecessors since 1984. Writer's Web Watch is an online newsletter advising professionals on practical writing, editing and communication strategies. Subscribers include corporate, nonprofit, agency and freelance communicators.

Concepts also publishes reports on business writing and communications, and provides consulting services to organizations in the field.
 

Can I download the APEX 2013 Call for Entries Brochure? And the Easy Entry Form?
Yes. Download the Call for Entries Brochure (pdf) here. The brochure includes a paper entry form, but we suggest you use the online Easy Entry Form instead. It's just a lot more convenient.

Can I fill out the Entry Form entirely online?
Yes. You can do everything online.

You can fill out the Easy Entry Form online, you can upload your entries online, and you can pay online. There's no need to fill out entry forms by hand, or to mail or ship your entries and payment.

Will the online Easy Entry Form save the data I enter?
Yes. If you start to enter online, but don't finish, you can return later to complete your entries. Whatever data you entered will have been saved, so you won't have to start over from scratch.

If you have multiple entries, you'll only have to enter your contact information once. Then just add additional entries. When you're finished, the Payment Screen will show the total amount due for your entries.

Note: Entering online -- using the online Easy Entry Form -- is your best choice. It's much easier than filling out the paper Entry Form that's part of the printed Call for Entries brochure. And if you enter and pay online, you'll receive an immediate email receipt.

(Of course, you may use the paper entry form included in the Call for Entries brochure instead. It's less convenient, since you'll have to fill it out by hand, or find a typewriter, and you'll have to pack and ship your entries, but it also will work.)  

If you have multiple entries, you'll only have to enter your payment information once.

Do I have to include written descriptions of my entries and what I was trying to accomplish with them?

No. Additional written documentation is not required. (If you do enter additional comments in the Comments field on the Online Entry Form, the judges will read them, but they are not required.)

Can I enter more than one category?
Yes. You can enter as many as you like. Each entry requires a $99 entry fee.

Can I enter the same publication in more than one category?
Yes. There is no restriction. You'll need a separate entry form and entry fee for each category in which you enter the same publication.

What does "Custom-Published" mean?
"Custom-Published" refers to a publication customized to the specific needs of a client by an outside agency or firm. The outside agency produces the entire publication, including editorial, design and printing. Client staff participate by setting goals for, and evaluating progress of, the publication. Client staff also may provide content ideas, and in some cases, a limited amount of editorial content.

We qualify for the Small Office designation on the Easy Entry Form. Should we check it?
Yes. If you qualify for the Small Office designation, you're entitled to check that box. That designation is intended to provide a more "level playing field" for entries from organizations -- whether nonprofit or for profit -- with smaller publication staffs. If you check Small Office, your entries will be evaluated in relation to other Small Office entries in your category.

"Small Office" only refers to the number of publications staff in your organization.

You are considered a Small Office if your organization has 1 to 5 publications staff. 

How many copies should I upload of each entry?
Upload one copy for each entry. When uploading a periodical, such as a magazine, upload the single best issue. When entering a writing series, upload a maximum of four (4) articles in the series.

How should I enter articles?
Upload just the article, rather than the entire publication. 

What should I upload for "Most Improved" entries?
For Most Improved and Best Redesigns and Best Rewrites categories, upload one sample of the old publication, project or article, and one sample of the new publication, project or article.
"Old"-- from January 1, 2009 on
"New"-- from January 1, 2012 on.

For Most Improved periodicals (newsletters, magazines, journals, magapapers and newspapers), upload one issue of the old periodical, and one sample of the new periodical.
"Old"-- from January 1, 2009 on
"New"-- from January 1, 2012 on. 

Why does the online entry form ask for the code on my mailing label?
It helps us track results from mailing lists that we rent. The code -- or no code if your entry form has no code or label--does not affect the judging in any way. The judges pay zero attention to the code. Truly.

If you received a printed APEX brochure or envelope with no code above your mailing label, type "N/A" for "no code" in the space asking for the mailing label code. If you trashed the envelope, no problem, just type "N/A".

Any tips for filling out the entry form?
YES! Your very best choice is to use the online entry form. You can complete the online entry form, upload your entries and handle payment -- all online.

If you decide to use the paper Entry Form, print clearly if you're hand-writing the information. Double check that your address is correct, including any room or suite numbers, mail stops, etc. And be sure to fill in the category name and number of your entry, and clearly write or type the title of your entry. Then mail or ship your entry form with your entry [1 entry form for each entry] and payment to the APEX Awards in Springfield, Virginia, USA.

Accuracy counts! Should you win an award, you'll want your name and/or your organization name correctly spelled!!! Double check that your address is correct, including any room or suite numbers, mail stops, etc.

Finally, give your entry forms a quick check to make sure no important information is missing. And be sure to type the title of your entry.

Will the judges nitpick my entry forms?
No. When we receive your entries, we'll make every effort to check them to make sure your publications are entered in appropriate categories. (They almost always are.) In the very rare cases where they are not, the judges will move them to more appropriate categories (where you'll have a better chance of winning). We won't simply disqualify them.

If needed information is missing from your entry form (again, a rare event), we'll try to contact you. We won't just disqualify your entry and move on.
 

ENTRY TIPS 
only for Mail-In Entries using the paper Entry Form

Note: It is much easier to enter online. The following tips only apply if you decide to use the paper Entry Form and postal mail in or ship your entries. However, we recommend that you use the ONLINE Easy Entry Form. It's much simpler -- especially if you have multiple entries. And the ONLINE Easy Form is much easier if you're entering Web, Electronic or Video entries (as you can see from the tips below). With the ONLINE Easy Entry Form, you can simply upload your website urls, electronic files or videos.

Printed publications and materials:
Send a printed sample of each item. (For printed entries, you do not need to provide a URL or send an electronic copy.)

Electronic publications and websites:
Type or clearly print your electronic publication's (ePub) or site's URL (e.g., www.apexawards.com) on the entry form.

Be sure to give us your EXACT, correctly-spelled URL, with any necessary spaces, dashes and underscores as it appears when you type it into your browser. If you give us an incorrect URL, the judges can't access your site!

Note: If your URL is extremely long or complex, shorten it with TinyURL.com or bitly.com. (But if you use the online Easy Entry Form, there's no need.)

--If you're using the paper Entry Form to enter a website, please also attach a screen shot or printout of the site's home page (so we'll make sure we've accessed the right site).

--For Most Improved websites, list the URL for your new site, and send representative printouts/screenshots (or a PDF) of your old site.

If a URL won't work for your site or ePub (i.e., it's firewalled, not viewable by the public, or simply hard to access), you can send:

1. A printed copy of your ePub. For your website, send hardcopy printouts/screenshots of your home page and representative sub-pages. Or, you can send:

2. A PDF or a Web Archive on a disc.

--To create a Web Archive, open your site's home page and select 'Save As' from your browser's file menu, then select the 'Web Archive' format, save it and copy it to a disc.

--To create a PDF of your site or document, select 'Print' from your browser's file menu, then choose 'Save as PDF' from the PDF pop-up menu. Save the file and copy it to a disc.

Note: These steps may vary somewhat depending on your browser. If so, check your browser's help menu for instructions.

Videos:
For Web video, type or clearly print your video's URL (e.g., www.apexawards.com/video) on the entry form.

--If your video is not posted on the Web, send it on disc or videotape (1/2" VHS).

Other Tips:
Using the paper entry form?
Please type or print clearly. Obviously, it helps if we can read your handwriting! (Another reason to use the online Entry form! It really is easier to use than the paper entry form.) 

What should I enter for "Most Improved" entries?
For Most Improved and Best Redesigns and Best Rewrites categories, send one sample of the old publication, project or article, and one sample of the new publication, project or article. Label one as "old" (January 1, 2009 on) and the other as "new" (January 1, 2012 on).

For Most Improved periodicals (newsletters, magazines, journals, magapapers and newspapers), enclose one issue of the old periodical, and one sample of the new periodical. Label one as "old" (January 1, 2009 on) and the other as "new" (January 1, 2012 on). 

How should I send article entries?
Send article entries as tearsheets, rather than sending the entire publication.

Why does the paper Entry Form in the printed Call for Entries brochure ask for the code on my mailing label?
It helps us track results from mailing lists that we rent. The code -- or no code if your entry form has no code or label--does not affect the judging in any way. The judges pay zero attention to the code. Truly.

NOTE: If you pay by credit card, using the paper Entry Form, and have more than one entry, just enter your credit card information for the total amount of all your entries on the first entry form, and leave that section blank on the remaining entry forms.

We double-check your math and make sure your entries are in order before we charge your card.

To whom should I make the check payable?
To Communications Concepts, Inc. - APEX 2013 Awards.
 

Of course, your cancelled check or credit card statement also will confirm your entries were received. (In most cases, our office will not be able to confirm receipt of your mailed/shipped materials due to the volume of entries we receive. [However, if you enter online, you'll receive an automatic email receipt for your online entries.]) Please note that you do not have to use expensive overnight or courier services. You may use First Class Mail or non-rush versions of the above shipping services.
 

Note: Again, the above tips only apply if you decide to use the paper Entry Form and postal mail in or ship your entries. However, we recommend that you use the ONLINE Easy Entry Form. It's much simpler -- especially if you have multiple entries. And the ONLINE Easy Form is much easier if you're entering Web, Electronic or Video entries (as you can see from the tips above). You can simply upload your website urls, electronic files or videos.

Category Tips:
1. Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+ and YouTube entries include corporate, nonprofit, agency and freelance pages.
2. Apps may be entered in any appropriate Electronic or Social Media categories.
3. Forums & Wikis may be entered in any appropriate Website or Electronic or Social Media categories.
4. Public Safety & Emergency materials may be entered in the Government categories, and any other appropriate categories.