Firstly, apologies from me! I haven’t written a blog for too long. I’ve been writing a novel and it was all consuming. It’s now winging its way to publishers via my agent, who loved it. So fingers crossed.
More on that soon. But here’s a question that came through to Dear Della recently, which might be of interest to you.
Q: I have been asked to judge a short story competition, having been a winner more than once in previous years. I am thrilled to be asked, but also nervous. Do you have a set criterion when you judge short story competitions yourself?
A: Yes I do. The following is my own personal criterion for judging a short story competiton.
- Is it a short story and not just an extract or anecdote?
- Does it begin well – was I hooked?
- Are the characters believable and convincing?
- Do I care about the story or do I get to the end and think, ‘so what!’?
- Is the dialogue realistic and/or convincing?
- Does the plot work or is it contrived and/or predictable?
- Is the ending satisfying or does it tail off or feel contrived or predictable?
- Does the title add to the story?
- Is the pace right or does it feel rushed or drawn out?
- Does this story have the X Factor?
As you can see most of my points are measurable. They will encompass factors like quality of writing, language and grammar. Number 10 is the one I use when I am trying to decide on a winner. If a story has the X Factor it can sometimes be forgiven other minor faults. It’s difficult to pin down whether a story has the X Factor. They are the ones that send a shiver down my spine – or prompt me to say, ‘Wow.’ I wish I’d written that. They might be clever or funny or poignant. And yes it’s a personal thing – one judge’s X factor may be another judge’s ‘not in a million years.’ But that is what makes a judge unique.
Have you ever judged a competition? I’d love to know your top tips.
Also on the subject of short stories – my next course is on Saturday 23 June, 2018 in Bournemouth.
Write a Short Story in a Day.
Venue: Kinson Community Centre.
Cost: £45
Please email me for further details.
Last but not least, you can unsubscribe from this email at any time by pressing the unsubscribe button or emailing me and I will unsubscribe you. Many thanks for reading.
All best wishes
Della
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