JUDGING ENGAGEMENTS

With a number of years working in the industry I have become fortunate to be recognised as a Judge for various Writing Competitions across the world.

This has brought me great joy as it gives me an opportunity to offer constructive advice and suggestions to help aspiring and developing writers take their first steps into the writing world.

Writing Competitions benefits all writers regardless of their level of expertise, even practiced and published authors as it helps keep the mind active and gives you an incentive to achieve success in a different way to just sitting and writing your story.

Word count, dedicated themes and deadlines all help us to hone our craft which is why as a Writers Mentor I suggest you try to write something that is outside your comfort zone. This way you are challenging yourself to achieve and aim for that higher level of success.

Whenever I judge, and wherever possible, I will try offer some objective suggestions that I feel with aid the competitors future writing career. I find that most entrants appreciate this approach as it shows that someone who is a stranger is showing appreciation for their attempts. This often results in my receiving, albeit anonymously, some wonderful comments.

If you haven’t entered a writing competition then please try it, at least once. And preferably do one that is something you have never tried before; such as poetry, children’s stories, etc.

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If you need a judge for a competition you are running then please feel free to contact me.

COMMENTS FROM COMPETITION ENTRANTS

I was thrilled to hear your words of encouragement and that you enjoyed the story.

Thank you so much for taking the time to mark up my manuscript. You have shown me where my faults are and how to rectify them which is so much better than just being told that you are wrong.

When I read your amended copy it was so much stronger with a few word changes. I was very lucky to get you as a judge. You were there to help not criticize and it makes a world of difference to the writer. * * * is lucky to have you. Thanks.

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Thank you for your reading of my entry. I especially value your mark ups! I had never considered this for a longer story or manuscript so it is something I will bear in mind. I really appreciate the encouraging tone of your feedback too.

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Thank you so much for taking the time to read and critique my story. I appreciate you sharing such great feedback as well as the notes to improve the story. I have used them all and the story is all the better for it. For me, it was a challenge to do in 3,000 words what usually takes me 80,000 words to say and I really do like your idea on expanding it into a full story. Thank you again, your feedback and notes mean the world to me. I have never entered a competition before, but now I have the confidence to do so again. I hope you have a wonderful 2023.

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Thank you so much for taking the time to read and critique my story. I’m so glad you liked the story and I appreciate you sharing such great feedback.
This piece is part of the opening chapter of my next book and I’m currently writing the first draft but I’m finding it interesting how Jana and Daniel find their way back to one another.
Thank you again, your feedback means the world to me. This is only my 2nd competition, but now I have the confidence to keep going.

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