The Confusion Of Contests And Score Sheets
I just received the score sheets from my contest entry in the FF&P contest. To say they're a bit confusing is an understatement.
Judge #1 gave me 143 out of 150 possible points. I received the highest possible ratings for formatting, grammer/punctuation (even though I'm a comma-whore), the use of the five senses, pacing, setting/worldbuilding, dialogue, voice ("very distinct"), and overall impression. Under characterization and motivation, she indicated that I have too much tell, not enough show. Plot and conflict needs some work, too. (Well, tell me something I don't know. I completely realize that I struggle--and sometimes struggle greatly--with GMC.) She felt my opening scene was weak and suggested I chop the first three pages. But all in all, a good score and very helpful comments on the manuscript.
Judge #2 gave me 141 points. Top ratings for formatting, grammar/punctuation, the use of the five senses, pacing, and dialogue. Got nearly perfect scores for opening scene, characterization and motivation, plot and conflict, setting/worldbuilding, voice ("you have a good, strong voice"), and overall impression. She indicated I had great use of the five senses and good, strong active writing. Liked my dialogue, felt there was a nice mix of dialogue and narrative throughout the story. She liked my opening scene. Characterization, motivation, plot and conflict had weaknesses. Unfortunately, she didn't return the manuscript with additional comments, but it was a good score with suggestions on the score sheet.
Judge #3 gave me 79 points. Ouch. She gave me top ratings for formatting and grammar/punctuation. That's it. Here's where she found fault: She, too, indicated I should chop the opening scene. It does nothing for the story. She found my writing to be very passive (lots of "was" and helping verbs, extraneous words like "that". Well, I'm a that-whore, too. What can I say?). GMC wasn't clear. (Okay, all right already. I know I totally suck at GMC. But I'm working on it!) She felt my pacing needed work, wrote that the scenes alternately dragged and sped. Thought I did a lousy job in setting/worldbuilding, dialogue needs work (his accent--Cajun--was too distracting), my voice was generic and the story was basically just a backdrop in order to string sex scenes together.
Do you see where the confusion comes in? Two judges said I had a distinctive, strong voice. The third said it was generic. Two judges liked the dialogue, the third felt it was distracting and/or didn't move the story forward. Two judges felt my pacing was strong, the third didn't. At least they all agreed on something that I know I struggle with: GMC. LOL
One judge didn't comment on passive/active voice, but the other two did. One commented I have strong, active writing. The other one indicated my writing was very passive.
Only two of the judges indicated if they were published. Judge #2 is published in books other than romance, Judge #3 is published in paranormal romance. Which should mean she knows of what she speaks. However... I refuse to believe that my writing is as bad as she said it is.
I know my writing isn't as bad as she said it is. It was good enough to win me the first place slot in the contest and a request for the manuscript from Kate Duffy. (I still haven't heard anything, by the way. When I let myself think about it, it drives me nuts. So I try not to think about it much. I don't need any more reasons for being crazy!) And my writing is good enough to have six books coming out (so far) next year.
Once the emotions are less fresh, I'll go back and reread her comments. I'll keep what I can use and apply it to my writing moving forward. And I'll toss the rest.
P.S. I'm blogging at Torrid Temptations tomorrow. Stop by and play with a hot, hunky Santa. One lucky winner will receive a home spa basket.
10 comments:
You've got the right attitude. Use what you can and get rid of the rest.
The problem with contests is that they are so subjective.
I had a contest judge years ago tell me if I didn't write a cowboy, or a baby or a bride book I would never sell, everything else was fine. This was a published author - I thought well, I normally don't do books like that. But I decided to try. Did 2 cowboy books - needless to say neither sold.
I've decided over the last 18 months to write what I want to write and heck with everyone else. I haven't entered any contests in the last 18 months either mainly because they don't have the right category.
No, erotic romance and because I write series books for Harlequin Presents, unless the judge likes Alpha Males - I get scored low because they don't like him (regarless of his motivation)
Hang in there with the GMC, I'm just starting to get a handle on it myself.
Look, Darlin', you are a damned good PUBLISHED author. And I'm pissed at the person who scored you so low. She obviously isn't well informed.
Don't get freaked on these contest scores. We've all got bad ones but many times it was from judges who didn't know the genre or their ass from a hole in the ground.
I entered one contest in the erotica category. Two judges marked me well and added excellent comments that later helped the mss. The third judge was grossed out by the love scenes. I took it as a sign I'd written the scene to perfection.
Read over the comments your judges wrote and be selective on changing your mss based on their negativity. In most cases it won't be necessary.
I have to wonder if the one that scored me so low doesn't like erotic romance. I hear it happens that way. Give an erotic romance to a judge who doesn't like it or has preconceived notions about it, and she'll score it low every time. I don't know if that's what happened with this one or not. (And unfortunately it does happen, a judge gets assigned to a category they don't like and/or don't understand, so they mark down. A LOT.)
It's all okay. I have six contracts to validate my talent. But it is confusing as to the disparity.
The disparity is confusing. But I fear that its always going to be there.
I entered a contest because it was said that the judges were judging for the series line I was targeting. As I mentioned earlier, Harlequin Presents. It was obvious that the 1 judge didn't like alpha hero's, had never read a Presents and had no clue about the line.
What was worse that judges score kept me out of the finals.
The same happens with the GH & the RITA's - people judge categories that they have no knowledge of or even like, which makes it hard for the people entering. They are being judges on what they write and not the quality of the writing.
And you have plenty to be proud of, Sherril. You're making sale after sale and that's what counts. Not what any contest judge says.
Depending on the contest, it may be difficult to find judges that are as close to perfect for the category as possible. Ideally, if someone is judging short contemporary, for example, one would hope that they actually read short contemps. Same thing ESPECIALLY when it comes to erotic romance. This seems to be an area where people either love it or they hate it.
No middle ground. And if this judge said, use me wherever you need me (but really meant, use me wherever you need me except in erotic romance) the contest coordinator wouldn't have been able to foresee that.
Don't get me wrong. I don't use contest scores to validate my existence as a writer. I do, however, think they can provide invaluable insight into my writing strengths and weaknesses.
GRRR. You SAID you won first place. Are you gonna stare the gift horse in the mouth and say no? (My God, Sherrill, the horse's breath would knock down an elephant at 200 paces! )
You won first place. ONE judge didn't like your stuff.
I think you should be dancing on the rooftops. I'm PROUD of you, you're selling work all over the place, and while you might not have seen any checks yet, at least you got contracts! That's the ONLY criterion to use on an author - Did You Get A Contract? YOU did.
Now if you really want to worry about getting better, go back and read what you wrote, six months down the line. It'll be cold enough then to give you the emotional distance you need to see what it REALLY is - GOOD WRITING. And you instinctively know what's good and what's not so good, what's your voice and what's an aside. Trust yourself. You have so far, and you're doing wonderfully.
Thanks, Forrest. The thing that confused me the most was the great chasm between the scores. I mean, a 143 and a 141, then a 79?!? There's scoring lower, then there's scoring LOWER.
Whatever. I will go back and re-read it in a few months (maybe). Or I'll just wait to hear back from Kate Duffy and see what an editor thinks.
I agree contests are good for getting feedback on strengths and weaknesses. That's all I'll use them for anymore. Especially if I'm trying something I haven't done before, like paranormal, a contest will help me see if I'm on the right track.
Hopefully, when you read this judges comments in a month or so, it might have a gem in it.
I say the 3rd judge was jealous that your heroine was getting laid while all she can do is read about it. lol But seriously, I have a theory about submissions, whether for contests or for publication: I swear a lot depends on timing and luck. If your MS reaches someone on a sh*tty day, you get a sh*tty rejection. If they're having a great day, your MS is just what they were looking for. ~Su, *disclaimer: This theory comes to you courtesy of someone who hasn't submitted a novel anywhere yet...* ;^)
Su, you may be right about moods affecting scoring. Guess I got two happy judges and one not-so-happy judge. :)
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