tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7981315063491687057.post2876613719164602866..comments2023-05-12T06:37:48.238-04:00Comments on Manuscript Mavens: The Other Side of Contests: JudgingErica Ridleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05511276393455961757noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7981315063491687057.post-12283265010117490712007-09-25T23:23:00.000-04:002007-09-25T23:23:00.000-04:00I haven't judged any contests yet. I can imagine, ...I haven't judged any contests yet. I can imagine, though, that it's a time-consuming task! I do send thank-you notes to my judges, at least I do when we're given instructions on how to send them.Tessa Darehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10495576426757281297noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7981315063491687057.post-29788201696421562832007-09-25T20:45:00.000-04:002007-09-25T20:45:00.000-04:00I judged one contest. It was everything described ...I judged one contest. It was everything described above -- especially the educational part. I admit to having a pretty weird taste in my mouth about contests after that. I've entered two since, but one was a milestone event for me and the other was at gunpoint. I'm trying to decide if I want to run my new ms through a wringer, but have yet to make that final decision. New mss go through so many revisions between contest entry and return that it can be more frustrating than helpful to get non-positive feedback.<BR/><BR/>Or it's sour grapes. Whatever.lacey kayehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04748864831060027009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7981315063491687057.post-91755640085466353682007-09-25T19:33:00.000-04:002007-09-25T19:33:00.000-04:00I just judged my first contest and found it to be ...I just judged my first contest and found it to be a very educationl and rewarding experience. I read some great entires and some pretty green entries, but they all showed promise in one way or another. I tried to be as encouraging as possible and hope that they will feel they are on the right track. Anyone courageous enough to enter a contest is in this for the long haul, I think.Darcy Burkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14819984559001912841noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7981315063491687057.post-39956518754148176192007-09-25T14:23:00.000-04:002007-09-25T14:23:00.000-04:00I won't judge a category I've never read. I was h...I won't judge a category I've never read. I was huge into short contemporaries and single titles long enough to know what works even though now I stick to historicals. I've learned to be open minded about a story. Especially GMC and plot stuff. If it's a plot I'm not particularly interested in reading, you don't necessarily get penalized for that. If the story is well written and I can see a reason others might love a story like that, just because it's not a book I would pick up in the store doesn't mean that it's not good. I recently judged a super romance kind of story. Those have really never appealed to me, all that home and hearth stuff. But it was very well written, the prose was lovely and I could see other readers liking it even though it's not my thing. It got my highest score of the six I judged.Beverley Kendallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09175915580179121447noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7981315063491687057.post-58237362740816859952007-09-25T13:50:00.000-04:002007-09-25T13:50:00.000-04:00I learned a TON when I started to judge contests. ...I learned a TON when I started to judge contests. It's amazing what being on the other side of that relationship teaches you!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7981315063491687057.post-84853039228898290792007-09-25T12:10:00.000-04:002007-09-25T12:10:00.000-04:00I've judged once--but I didn't have specific instr...I've judged once--but I didn't have specific instructions like you. I did write lots of comments about what I thought on the entries though. This was several years ago, so I was more...unbending about rules and such. Now I tend to go for "good story" content and worry less about formatting, the word 'was', and historical inaccuracies on the first page. I at least wouldn't give a failing grade...I'd still probably comment that while I loved her setting in 1305 England, and the fanciful idea that the heroine's bastard child (of whom she is not punished or ostracized about) is eating chocolate--that chocolate actually didn't make it to England until roughly the 1500s. The late 1500s.<BR/><BR/>Then I'd give them a 3...maybe a 4, because as I said, love the setting of 1305.<BR/><BR/>It's really better I'm not a judge.<BR/><BR/>I have entered contests; and I did value the comments most of them gave me. Some were very insightful. Some were slightly bizarre (I had scripture quoted at me, and I wasn't even writing an inspirational). Most of the comments were well-deserved and made my writing better. Many of them made me feel good about my writing.<BR/><BR/>I do send Thank You Notes as often as I can. I'm not great about mailing things...but I think Thank You Notes are courteous and professional.Hellie Sinclairhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03933713255844695337noreply@blogger.com