Challenge Info:

Contact Info:

Writer's Box:

Judge's Box:

Start Judging:

Round Aftermath:

Questionnaire

Stories/Evaluations

Past Rounds:

Other Links:

To help the writers get the most benefits of this challenge it is important that you do your best as a judge to give the writers your opinions and comments along with the number score.

By giving a number score you are helping the writer see where you place them in that category on a scale from 1-10 (or 1-5 since some categories are only worth 5 pts.). The number score is important, because it is how we determine a winner, but the number score is not enough to help the writers get the feedback they want. Since your comments are the most important to the writers I ask that you write at least (but are not limited to) two sentences under each category, even for the ones that you scored high. It is just as important for the writer to know what they are doing right, along with what they are doing wrong.

Remember to explain any comments you make. Each writer will be receiving many evaluations and there is often conflicting opinions. An explanation of your comments will help the writer to understand why you said what you did and give them the information they need to make decisions on changes.

It also helps if you use specific examples from their stories when commenting on the categories. An example of this would be if you felt the dialogue was not flow like natural speech would. Do not just say that the dialogue is choppy. Instead point out a place in the story where you noticed it the most and/or give the reason you do not feel it flows. Don't forget to give examples for things that the writer did right as well, even if it is just pointing out a scene that best shows that element. Giving examples will help you if you are having trouble writing at least two sentences of comment for each category.

Writers need to know the good and the bad about their stories. It is up to you to fill out the evaluation sheets in a manner that is helpful not hurtful. If you see an area in which you feel they need to improve then point that out, not by saying it sucked, but by pointing out the reason you think it needs works or what parts of it needs work.

Also I ask you to give positive comments to go along with those things that need improving. If a writer gets back an evaluation sheet with only negative comments they are most likely to go into defense mode and ignore what you said. If you spend time reading the stories and filling out evaluations don't you want it to be a useful tool to the writer? We are not here to put down people nor are we here to only tell them the good things about their writing. If you find a happy medium between the two and give them all the information you can about how you feel about their writing and how it uses the categories on the evaluation sheets, you will helping each writer out greatly.