Being a shortlist judge for the Ada Cambridge Prize was a remarkable experience. As a writing student you can never underestimate the value of these sorts of opportunities. When I first heard about the offer it sounded like something that would really be great. But then I got cold feet. Being a mere student and nowhere near the level of a true professional writer I wondered whether or not I had the right to judge other people's work. I mean, in figurative terms, I’m basically in the same boat as the entries: all trying to get our laboured work out there, continually scratching through to the other side of that great brick wall where book deals and high paid writing jobs are just a skip and a jump away.
But luckily for me my thoughts soon settled when I realised that’s not what this writing thing is about. I’ve been told that if you’re a writer, a true writer, you write because you love to. Not because you want fame, money or a fan base of loyal subjects. If you’re a writer you're always continually going to be perfecting your craft, trying to be get better and better, and anyone can help you do that, writing student or not.
If your stories are good, they will shine through no matter what.
That thought eased me into the judging role. Of course I looked at the grammar and punctuation and all that technical stuff. But most importantly I looked at the story. And at the end of the day that’s the most vital thing.
Reading through more than forty short stories can be a tedious task, especially when you only have a couple weeks to do it in. So if the story caught your attention it usually was a good sign.
Each piece was given a grading from A to D, which was marked down for when we shortlist judges got together and made our final selection. When it came to that point I was amazed to see how one story I thought deserved a giant A rating received a horrid D from another judge. Luckily we had a score system in place that worked with the grading; otherwise we’d still be sitting in that small room, arguing away until the world’s ending.
It was a pleasure to read all the stories entered and to work alongside the other judges in determining who went forth to the final ten. It was an experience that not only enriched my own writing but also made me hopeful for the thriving writing culture we have.
Andrew Roberts
Novel 2 Student
Thanks, Andrew. That's a great post and a great point you make about judging other people's work. One thing we all forget is that we're all (well, most of us) experienced readers, but nonetheless it *is* hard making those judgment calls. It gets a little easier with experience, but only a little. Sometimes you can feel you're comparing apples and oranges, and who can say which is better? But reading a lot of stories sure helps you to find out which are working for you, and as you say show you the importance of a good story! I'm glad you enjoyed the experience -- and it's sometimes surprising, isn't it, to see how others react to the stories we love! It's something to remember with our own writing: we can never please everyone.
ReplyDeleteTracey