During the month of July, enter to win Beliefnet's summer blogging contest. All month, we invite you to post interesting, provocative, moving, and humorous entries in your personal Beliefnet journal. At the end of the month, Beliefnet staff will narrow the contest entries to five and let the community vote on the winner. The winner will be featured on Beliefnet's homepage and in our newsletters.

Here's how to participate:

1. Not yet a member of Beliefnet Community? Click here to create your account.

2. Officially enter the contest by posting a comment below these instructions (click on "Leave a Comment") or send a message to me, Rebecca, by visiting my profile.

3. Start journaling! On the left side of your home or profiel page, click on the Journal tab, then choose "Add Journal Post" to start a new post.

4. Keep going. Journal throughout the month to be considered as a finalist.

What makes a great blog or journal?

-Update it frequently. The more you post, the more your journal is likely to show up in the auto-updating areas of Beliefnet Community--and that means more people are likely to read it.

-Choose a theme: Great journals often stick to one primary topic (though that doesn't mean EVERY post needs to be about the same topic). You might create a prayer journal, write a Bible study journal, post frequently about your weight loss journey or a health issue, share your political views, or write about what it's like to be a parent, a caregiver, a Quaker, a teacher, a scientist, a friend, a singer, or any other aspect of yoru identity. Become an expert voice on your chosen topic.

-Get people talking: Ask questions and invite comments on your journal, and then respond to those comments in future posts.

-Share your posts: Let your Beliefnet friends know when you've updated your journal, and send links to your posts around to non-Beliefnet members as well. (If you use the "Share" button on blog posts, please be sure to edit the default text if you do not want your email address displayed.)

-Get creative: Our journal tool allows you to insert photos and videos into your entries, so feel free to use media other than text when you're expressing yourself on your journal. You can also creat your own polls by clicking "My Polls" under the Journal tab.

Need inspiration? Check out some of our most popular member bloggers:

-RevDorris

-Red Feather

-Serenity1552

-Drdeb

Or get some hints from Beliefnet's professional bloggers here:

www.beliefnet.com/blogs/index.aspx

Questions? Feel free to post comments and questions below. If you already have a journal on Beliefnet, please note that only entries in July will be considered in the contest.

We're looking forward to reading your journals--and to crowning a winner later this summer!