I don't know where you're getting "considerable time and effort" from, but it's wrong.
Consideration is something of value given by both parties that induces them to enter into a contract. The consideration may be trivial; many contracts define the value as a dollar, or a peppercorn. It might also be an agreement to do/not do something. It can be almost anything that a party values – though not a past action, or a legal duty (you can't enforce a contract where you promise not to murder someone).
There are a couple of legal theories as to whether consideration should involve benefit for both parties or merely the intent to enter into a bargain. The trend has been to focus on intent to bargain, as courts do not wish to be in the business of deciding whether the exchange is reasonable.
This contract meets both tests. Anthrocon valued the right to publish art and stories, and intended to trade the chance to win a supersponsorship for that right; the purpose of the form was to exchange such rights. Similarly, submitters benefited from that chance, and were willing to exchange a license for it. There was no way to enter but to "send us artwork and/or writing submission(s) according to the conbook guidelines (i.e., properly formatted, signed release form, &c.)".
Your argument about considerable time and effort for a signature is nonsensical. I can sign a promissory note for $1000; the thing of value is not the signature, but what it signifies – that I have promised to give $1000 in the future (presumably for something of value now, like $1000). The things of value here are the license to use the work (even if Anthrocon chose not to execute it) and the chance to win a supersponsorship.
The fact is that Anthrocon changed its policy in 2011 to no longer require such licenses to enter its contest. The simplest explanation for this is that Anthrocon found it had a lottery, and wished to change that.
I don't know where you're getting "considerable time and effort" from, but it's wrong.
Consideration is something of value given by both parties that induces them to enter into a contract. The consideration may be trivial; many contracts define the value as a dollar, or a peppercorn. It might also be an agreement to do/not do something. It can be almost anything that a party values – though not a past action, or a legal duty (you can't enforce a contract where you promise not to murder someone).
There are a couple of legal theories as to whether consideration should involve benefit for both parties or merely the intent to enter into a bargain. The trend has been to focus on intent to bargain, as courts do not wish to be in the business of deciding whether the exchange is reasonable.
This contract meets both tests. Anthrocon valued the right to publish art and stories, and intended to trade the chance to win a supersponsorship for that right; the purpose of the form was to exchange such rights. Similarly, submitters benefited from that chance, and were willing to exchange a license for it. There was no way to enter but to "send us artwork and/or writing submission(s) according to the conbook guidelines (i.e., properly formatted, signed release form, &c.)".
Your argument about considerable time and effort for a signature is nonsensical. I can sign a promissory note for $1000; the thing of value is not the signature, but what it signifies – that I have promised to give $1000 in the future (presumably for something of value now, like $1000). The things of value here are the license to use the work (even if Anthrocon chose not to execute it) and the chance to win a supersponsorship.
The fact is that Anthrocon changed its policy in 2011 to no longer require such licenses to enter its contest. The simplest explanation for this is that Anthrocon found it had a lottery, and wished to change that.