Musings on Contests
During the past couple of months, I did something I have never done before: I served as a first round judge in two writing contests. Writing contests fascinate me. You actually pay money for the privilege of having an anonymous stranger critique your work. Sometimes you get good feedback, a few ego strokes, maybe you even win a prize. Other times, you get smacked down, although one hopes it's done gently.
As I think I have mentioned at least once, I did enter a contest last year, before I had the faintest clue what I was doing. Thankfully, one of the judges took the time to explain some of the things I didn't know, and to tell me how I could improve. I learned a lot from that experience. I decided to serve as a judge so that, perhaps, I could help a newbie as I was helped. Pay it forward, and all that.
The organizers of the contests I judged had no reason to suppose that I had any idea what I was doing, and my willingness to do it may have been my biggest recommendation. I think, though, that I am qualified to judge, despite a distinct lack of publishing chops. I was an English major, I have taken all kinds of courses on writing in the last couple of years, and I read A LOT. I also had the time and the patience to go over each entry with a fine-toothed comb. Some of them were simply wonderful. Others, not so much.
I knew nothing about any of these authors. Had they been writing forever, or were they still wet behind the ears? Was this their first contest, or their 50th? Were they published or unpublished? No idea, but it didn't really matter. I was able to find something good in each of their entries, and something in need of improvement.
Apart from the satisfaction I took from the experience, I also learned quite a bit about my own writing. I was looking over my WIP earlier this week, and I came across a passage not unlike something I had found wanting in a contest entry. I started looking at my own work with a more critical eye, following some of my own suggestions for improvement.
So, here are the questions for you: have you ever entered a contest? Judged a contest? How was your experience? If you are a writer and you haven't entered or judged a contest, consider doing so. I can't say whether it will be a good or bad experience, but I can almost guarantee you'll learn something new.
Marin
4 comments:
I have spent the last couple years doing the contest circuit, although not with any great thought put into it. I also have judged the Golden Heart and our Ohio chapters' contests. This year, I did take the time and carefully looked at each contest, their criteria, who the final round judges were, that type of thing. To my satisfaction, I have finaled in two contests, and have received great feedback from the others. It's a great training device to find your writing's weaknesses and strengths.
Congrats on finaling! I agree that contests can be wonderful training, and even if you don't final, the feedback can be so beneficial.
I have judged several contests. I enjoy doing it if I have the time. It is definitely eye-opening. I've read a few gems, and one is now published.
I love judging contests. Last year, as Gateway coordinator, I judged for every call out, hoping I could call in the favor later. (evil grin)
But my writing got better as I saw what other people were writing and what worked, and what didn't.
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