Observations About Literary Contest Submissions, Part III

Copyright © 2019, Steven E. Houchin. All rights reserved.

Another new year, and another new round of literary contests. So, in celebration, I thought I might offer some behind-the-scenes hints for authors who are considering a contest entry.

Some quick background. I have entered the Pacific Northwest Writers' Association's "Literary Contest for Unpublished Work" about five times, was a finalist three times, and won once for a Mystery/Thriller novel. I have also read and critiqued manuscript submissions for this contest four times, which means I was among those who provided scores for entries I read. I've written two other blog postings on this subject, Part I and Part II, so I recommend starting with those.

In this posting, I want to give you an idea what the PNWA contest readers are looking for in your submission, and the process that goes on.

The PNWA contest organizers provide the readers with guidelines, scoring forms, and critique forms to fill out. The critiques focus on key elements of the manuscript, and each of these elements receive a score from 1 to 10. The author receives a copy of the critique, but does not see the scoring. The readers/critiquers are encouraged to be positive and constructive in comments, and not to make critiques sound accusatory, such as "You need to do XYZ ..." I try to include comments that teach a concept, rather than just say something was done badly.

Here are the key elements that are critiqued and scored:

1. Synopsis - Does it tell the story in a compelling way, and shows a plausible and original story? Does the ending feel satisfying? Does it introduce the main characters well?
2. Viewpoint - Does each scene have an identifiable character point of view? Does it remain consistent? Does the author intrude into the narrative somehow?
3. Characterization - Are the characters well developed, believable, distinguishable from one another, and sympathetic in some way? Are their motives clear?
4. Dialogue - Is dialog necessary and specific to a character? Does it sound realistic? Are dialog tags used properly?
5. Conflict/Tension/Pacing - Does the storyline keep moving forward, or does the author get mired in character backstory? Does the author show the reader rather than just tell? Do characters struggle, and is the tension raised often?
6. Hooks/Transitions - Do scenes/chapters end so the reader feels compelled to read on to the next? Are the scene/chapter transitions done smoothly, or do things abruptly jump in time or place with no setup?
7. Setting/Description/Narrative - Is each scene set up so the reader knows the who, where, and what of the scene? Are descriptions compelling and appropriate? Is the scene and its narration necessary to the story?
8. Voice - Does the narrator's voice seem right for the work? For example, a Noir genre sounds different than Romance.
9. Mechanics - Proper sentence structure, punctuation, grammar, spelling, and no typos. Does the manuscript look clean and professional?
10. Audience Appeal - Will the intended audience be satisfied with the work? Is the writing at the appropriate level for the audience?

Of all these, I have found that many new writers have trouble setting the scene (#7) at the start of a new chapter, and have trouble writing realistic and compelling dialog (#4). Many also make the mistake of filling their Chapter One with character backstory (#5) - often boring - rather than dropping the reader right into the main plot's action.

Once the contest reader evaluates all these elements, he or she gives each one a score, then totals them up. These scores ultimately determine if your manuscript makes the cut as a top-eight finalist in your category. If you do make the finals, your submission is read and evaluated by conference-attending agents and editors, who do the final scoring for winners.

So, if you plan to enter the PNWA contest in 2019 (deadline March 22nd), you might try your own evaluation of these key elements before sending it in.