The Subjectivity of Judging

The Entrant
Why doesn’t the judge like my story? I worked hard on it and I thought it was better than the other entries, but I still didn’t win. Not even an honorable mention!

The Judge
Why are they complaining so much? It’s hard work to judge entries. I do my best to set criteria and be objective, but it’s still not good enough. Sometimes I wonder why I do this!

This article will address the difficulties of judging – both being judged and being a judge – and some options you have to handle it. The key to remember is that judging is subjective.

Disclaimer: The below is based on my observations and opinions, but then that’s the nature of subjectivity.


How to handle being judged.

Don’t give up! Just remember, the judge of that contest is human. After all the technicalities of the entries are judged, the choice of who wins is subjective. It’s all about what the judge likes or doesn’t like. When there’s only one judge, it’s that person opinion all the way.

So what can you do about it?

If your goal is to win, then get to know your judge. Pay careful attention to their judging criteria. Read items in their port. Figure out what they like to write and read and then you’ll have a better idea of how to tailor your entry to their tastes.

If your goal is to write, then don’t be focused on winning or losing. Focus on the process of writing, of using the contest to further your goals. This isn’t easy. We all want recognition and praise for our hard work. Just remember, you have won because you wrote.

Another option is to ask if you can guest judge for a round. This will give you insight into how they judge, what they are looking for and an appreciation for how difficult it is to judge. It will also give you the opportunity to get to know the person.


How to handle judging

Judging isn’t an easy task. At some point, you will have to make a choice based on your likes and dislikes. If this makes you uncomfortable, there are a couple of things you can do to ease the tension.

Be very clear in the contest description what the requirements are for the entries. Also define what you do and don’t like. If this is a fantasy contest, give your definition of fantasy. Does it include Sci-fi? Does it have to have a certain fantastical element such as elves or unicorns? Or do you want uncommon fantastical creatures? The more you define what you want to see, the more likely you’ll get entries that you’ll like. Be careful not to over define or people will feel too stifled by the rules and not enter. It is possible to have a lot of rules and still have an engaging contest, but it’s a tricky balance.

Ask yourself why are you doing this? Do you want to reward or promote others’ writing? Do you want to read some good stories? Again, clearly write out your reasons for hosting this contest. This will also help entrants choose whether or not to enter your contest.

Another way to reduce subjectivity of judging is to ask for guest judges or find someone willing to be a co-judge all the time. Just be clear in your rules for the other judge to ensure that you are both (or all) judging based on the same criteria. Creating a forum specifically for the judges will give you a private place to discuss criteria and winning choices. Since you probably have a group already established for receiving donations, have the judges join so you can make the forum group-only. Once the guest judges are done, you can remove them from the group.


The above is based on my observations and opinions. If you have some advice or comments you’d like to add, please email me or include it in your review below. You will be given full credit for your advice.


Please check out my other articles:

ID: 1573385   (Rated: E) Preparing to Write  Techniques to prepare yourself to write a long piece. by Silva Shado

ID: 1573372   (Rated: E) Write Every Day  Writing every day will improve your writing skills and lead you to your goals. by Silva Shado

ID: 1573381   (Rated: E) Revise, Revise, Revise  Techniques to help you revise. by Silva Shado