Judgment Day

Smack in the middle of life, I volunteered to be a judge for a writing contest. Yeah, right. Who am I kidding? Coerced is more like it...though I did manage to wheel and deal a few concessions in exchange for my time from said coercer.

So with a looming deadline (this weekend), I figured I should pull out these contest entries and start judging away. Wow. What a can of worms that opened emotionally. Who am I to judge? What if I scar these vulnerable little author-wannabes? Is it wrong to want to beat someone over the head with a grammar book?


I've entered exactly two writing contests in my life. Each time I was sure I'd win. I bundled off my baby and mailed it in, expecting some well-known, advanced and highly experienced author and/or editor would read my entry and be wowed. In the end, no one offered me a contract. I didn't win the contest. I was depressed. So bummed, that for a time, I set aside my writing.


I don't want to do that to some hopeful soul, but the writing in a few of the entries I'm currently reading is...well...let's just say my creative writing high school students have a better grasp of basic writing elements than a few of the contestants.

Now that I've been on both sides of the contest fence, I've got a few things to say.


Top 3 Nuggets of Advice For Those Entering A Writing Contest


1. Grow up first.
Don't enter too soon in your writing career. Newbie writers pretty much all make the same mistakes. Save yourself hours of weeping by learning what those bugaboos are and work them out of your system. 


2. Put on your big girl/boy pants before you get your results.
The feedback you'll receive from a time constrained judge isn't going to be fluffy and pretty, at least it shouldn't be. It should be honest. Before you enter a contest, self-evaluate your confidence level. Are you ready for criticism? Not that a judge should rake you over the literary coals, but if they're trying to help you as a writer, they'll point out bloopers.


3. Understand that your final score isn't a judgment from God.
There are 3 possible outcomes. You'll rack up some fan-freaking-tastic points, you'll be lumped in with the mediocre middle crowd, or your total will be better off as a golf score. Whichever scenario plays out for your contest entry, realize that judges are human. Contests are subjective. Don't get a big head or slump into the dumps based on your scores.


Whether you're an entrant or a judge, there's one more tidbit of advice that applies to all (and penned by one more learned than me)...

"It is impossible to discourage the real writers ~ 

they don't give a damn what you say, they're going to write."

Sinclair Lewis