WINTER 2015 SHORT STORY CONTEST

[Nazi Flower Power]

I guess that's true. But, for me, I don't really see a good solution as I'm cautious over increasing the bonus. How about this for a new rubric?

Code: Select all

[b]Characters:[/b] /15
[b]Plot:[/b] /15
[b]Setting:[/b] /15
[b]Creativity:[/b] /15
[b]Style[/b]: /25
[b]Grammar and Spelling:[/b] /5
[b]Bonus:[/b] /10

[b]Total:[/b] /100

With style referring more to tone, word choice and control of language, and the bonus the approach and how the story feels holistically?

It's pretty good, though I still feel like the "break it into bits and score them individual" mentality is less-than-ideal.

OK.

What are other people's thoughts about ditching the rubric and having a score out of 100 with comments to explain the reasoning?

I really do not like the multiplier idea, but I would be willing to try just having one score. My only concern would be the quality of the critique. For example, "67/100 it's OK, but not very original," doesn't tell you what worked and what didn't. I think the rubric does serve some purpose in forcing judges to think about different aspects of the story and consider why they liked it or not. But I'd be willing to try just having an overall score and see how it goes if people want to try it.

[Respubliko de Libereco]

I really do not like the multiplier idea, but I would be willing to try just having one score. My only concern would be the quality of the critique. For example, "67/100 it's OK, but not very original," doesn't tell you what worked and what didn't. I think the rubric does serve some purpose in forcing judges to think about different aspects of the story and consider why they liked it or not. But I'd be willing to try just having an overall score and see how it goes if people want to try it.

There could still be a rubric as a guideline, requiring the judges to comment on each aspect of the work even if the final score is determined holistically.

Now that I think about it, though, this introduces another problem regarding whether the judges agree on what different scores really mean - that is, whether 50 is average or below average, whether 86 is "pretty good" or "amazing," and so on. Of course, that's still somewhat present in the current rubric, but it would probably be magnified if the scores were given all at once.

In general, uniformly and quantitatively scoring works based on qualitative differences is tricky.

[Forsher]

Perhaps a poll. The multiplier doesn't appear as it hasn't fared well in the battlefield of ideas. I think I have all the other suggestions mentioned

Option 1) The Current

Code: Select all

[b]Characters:[/b] /20
[b]Plot:[/b] /20
[b]Setting:[/b] /15
[b]Creativity:[/b] /15
[b]Style[/b]: /20
[b]Grammar and Spelling:[/b] /5
[b]Bonus:[/b] /5

[b]Total:[/b] /100

Option 2) Bonus Increased

Code: Select all

[b]Characters:[/b] /15
[b]Plot:[/b] /15
[b]Setting:[/b] /15
[b]Creativity:[/b] /15
[b]Style[/b]: /20
[b]Grammar and Spelling:[/b] /5
[b]Bonus:[/b] /15

[b]Total:[/b] /100

Option 3) Style Heavy

Code: Select all

[b]Characters:[/b] /15
[b]Plot:[/b] /15
[b]Setting:[/b] /15
[b]Creativity:[/b] /15
[b]Style[/b]: /25
[b]Grammar and Spelling:[/b] /5
[b]Bonus:[/b] /10

[b]Total:[/b] /100

Option Four) Holistic Scoring with Rubric As Guide

Code: Select all

[b]Characters:[/b]
[b]Plot:[/b]
[b]Setting:[/b]
[b]Creativity:[/b]
[b]Style[/b]:
[b]Grammar and Spelling:[/b]

[b]Total:[/b] /100

Perhaps even have the poll in another thread, I am not sure... we need the broadest audience possible.

[Nazi Flower Power]

Perhaps a poll. The multiplier doesn't appear as it hasn't fared well in the battlefield of ideas. I think I have all the other suggestions mentioned

Option 1) The Current

Code: Select all

[b]Characters:[/b] /20
[b]Plot:[/b] /20
[b]Setting:[/b] /15
[b]Creativity:[/b] /15
[b]Style[/b]: /20
[b]Grammar and Spelling:[/b] /5
[b]Bonus:[/b] /5

[b]Total:[/b] /100

Option 2) Bonus Increased

Code: Select all

[b]Characters:[/b] /15
[b]Plot:[/b] /15
[b]Setting:[/b] /15
[b]Creativity:[/b] /15
[b]Style[/b]: /20
[b]Grammar and Spelling:[/b] /5
[b]Bonus:[/b] /15

[b]Total:[/b] /100

Option 3) Style Heavy

Code: Select all

[b]Characters:[/b] /15
[b]Plot:[/b] /15
[b]Setting:[/b] /15
[b]Creativity:[/b] /15
[b]Style[/b]: /25
[b]Grammar and Spelling:[/b] /5
[b]Bonus:[/b] /10

[b]Total:[/b] /100

Option Four) Holistic Scoring with Rubric As Guide

Code: Select all

[b]Characters:[/b]
[b]Plot:[/b]
[b]Setting:[/b]
[b]Creativity:[/b]
[b]Style[/b]:
[b]Grammar and Spelling:[/b]

[b]Total:[/b] /100

Perhaps even have the poll in another thread, I am not sure... we need the broadest audience possible.

I don't think we need a formal poll. I might be biased since I get to make the final decision if we don't do a poll, though.

[Respubliko de Libereco]

I don't think we need a formal poll. I might be biased since I get to make the final decision if we don't do a poll, though.

But if you make the wrong choice, people might be unhappy enough to create new, competing contests, and before you know it there'll be a Short Story Contest Contest, and we'll need to figure out a rubric for that as well.

[Nazi Flower Power]

I don't think we need a formal poll. I might be biased since I get to make the final decision if we don't do a poll, though.

But if you make the wrong choice, people might be unhappy enough to create new, competing contests, and before you know it there'll be a Short Story Contest Contest, and we'll need to figure out a rubric for that as well.

Yes, that would be a problem.

I really think the current rubric works pretty well if we are going to have a rubric at all.

[Vancon]

Battle of Rhodur, Janeris- The High Lords

Characters: 13/20
Not very fleshed out, predicable, but not that bad. Nothing to write home about, but nothing super bad about them either.
Plot: 13/20
It was ok. I haven't seen anything like this in a while, but even then it's been done before and done better. I did like the selflessness of the MC at the end though, that was nice.
Setting: 9/15
A bland old war flick set in some kind of alt earth in some random forest without any hit as too it's importance. Ehh.
Creativity: 7/15
It was a mixtape of generic ideas creating another generic idea. Apart from the little black, mysterious, box, there was nothing outstanding in my book.
Style: 17/20
Pretty good. Excellent sizing of the paragraphs, but there were a few mishaps here and there.
Grammar and Spelling: 4/5
Assorted small issues here and there.
Bonus: /5

Total: 63/100
A generic story, but a well assembled generic story.

The Fate of the Theresa Wilburne- Respubliko de Libereco

Characters: 16/20
Mr. MC felt very fleshed out, and there were very few asspulls in terms of the main character. He also felt very human, and in turn, very relatable.
Plot: 18/20
The plot was rather simple, but it was done very well. Especially the eeriness of the whole thing. Shivers went up and down my spine constantly.
Setting: 12/15
The last and only other stories I've seen with Alexandria in it are the one about the great lighthouse and the events surrounding it, and something from Asterix.
Creativity: 12/15
Excellent on the idea work, and on it's delivery. I've seen stories that kinda went the same way, but the unexpected happened; or rather, nothing happened. In a story like this, you expect bad things to happen. I was expecting zombies or something, what with the setting. But nope. It didn't happen.
Style: 17/20
Excellent formatting and no real problems with the paragraphs, save for them getting a little too big at times.
Grammar and Spelling: 4/5
Very few problems, and some debatable things such as the use of double negatives.
Bonus: 1/5
For the eeriness.

Total: 80/100
Great work! I enjoyed reading this, and I look forward to your next work.


On that note, the Winter 2015 Short Story Contest has completed it's judging.

[Nazi Flower Power]

Battle of Rhodur, Janeris- The High Lords

Characters: 13/20
Not very fleshed out, predicable, but not that bad. Nothing to write home about, but nothing super bad about them either.
Plot: 13/20
It was ok. I haven't seen anything like this in a while, but even then it's been done before and done better. I did like the selflessness of the MC at the end though, that was nice.
Setting: 9/15
A bland old war flick set in some kind of alt earth in some random forest without any hit as too it's importance. Ehh.
Creativity: 7/15
It was a mixtape of generic ideas creating another generic idea. Apart from the little black, mysterious, box, there was nothing outstanding in my book.
Style: 17/20
Pretty good. Excellent sizing of the paragraphs, but there were a few mishaps here and there.
Grammar and Spelling: 4/5
Assorted small issues here and there.
Bonus: /5

Total: 63/100
A generic story, but a well assembled generic story.

The Fate of the Theresa Wilburne- Respubliko de Libereco

Characters: 16/20
Mr. MC felt very fleshed out, and there were very few asspulls in terms of the main character. He also felt very human, and in turn, very relatable.
Plot: 18/20
The plot was rather simple, but it was done very well. Especially the eeriness of the whole thing. Shivers went up and down my spine constantly.
Setting: 12/15
The last and only other stories I've seen with Alexandria in it are the one about the great lighthouse and the events surrounding it, and something from Asterix.
Creativity: 12/15
Excellent on the idea work, and on it's delivery. I've seen stories that kinda went the same way, but the unexpected happened; or rather, nothing happened. In a story like this, you expect bad things to happen. I was expecting zombies or something, what with the setting. But nope. It didn't happen.
Style: 17/20
Excellent formatting and no real problems with the paragraphs, save for them getting a little too big at times.
Grammar and Spelling: 4/5
Very few problems, and some debatable things such as the use of double negatives.
Bonus: 1/5
For the eeriness.

Total: 80/100
Great work! I enjoyed reading this, and I look forward to your next work.


On that note, the Winter 2015 Short Story Contest has completed it's judging.

Yay! Lemme go tally scores.

[Nazi Flower Power]

Congratulations Respubliko de Libereco!

Thank you everyone who participated.

I need to go put my laundry in the dryer and figure out what's happening as far as scoring, but should have the next round ready to launch either tonight or tomorrow. I do want to try just having an overall score and a guideline for critiquing. If it isn't a success, we can always bring back the rubric.

EDIT: New thread is up.

http://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=344486

[Old Tyrannia]

Awww man, second again? Oh well.

[The High Lords]

It's kind of interesting how the setting is described as set in a random forest or a woodsy landscape and all - but I thought the first part, in the very beginning, was set to be in a no-mans-land... Wonder who caught onto that...?

But yeah, writing a short story in a world that otherwise has no history may not have been the best idea XD

[Rhinumehr]

I think the current rubric or the one with extra bonus points would be best.

[Conserative Morality]

Thanks for all your work, judges!

[Vancon]

Thanks for all your work, judges!

I think I learned my lesson.

[Nazi Flower Power]

I think the current rubric or the one with extra bonus points would be best.

I decided to try not having separate scores for the different categories, but it's an experiment and if it doesn't work then we can always go back to the current rubric.

Hopefully the OP for the new thread isn't too clunky. It was late when I put it up, and it does take more thought to put together when there are changes from the previous contest, but I wanted to go ahead and get it started ASAP.

[Old Tyrannia]

Thanks for all your work, judges!

I think I learned my lesson.

Don't beat yourself up, Vancon. Sometimes things happen and we don't have the time we expected to have. It's frustrating for us as contestants but it's not necessarily your fault.

I'd personally have preferred to keep the existing rubric, but I guess it's worth trying a different take. I just hope it doesn't lead to judges simply awarding points to stories they like rather than stories which are well-written and interesting.

[Shaggai]

Honestly, I did a lot better than I expected.

[Respubliko de Libereco]

Congratulations Respubliko de Libereco!

Yay!
Plus, I think I learned a lesson about entering at the last minute, so you could say I won in more ways than one.

[Nazi Flower Power]

I think I learned my lesson.

Don't beat yourself up, Vancon. Sometimes things happen and we don't have the time we expected to have. It's frustrating for us as contestants but it's not necessarily your fault.

I'd personally have preferred to keep the existing rubric, but I guess it's worth trying a different take. I just hope it doesn't lead to judges simply awarding points to stories they like rather than stories which are well-written and interesting.

That is a concern I had too, but I thought it was still worth a try. Having multiple judges should prevent it from being too big of an issue.

[Peterrobinson]

I will try to get the next one stickied to make it easier to find, but I am not sure if the mods will do it or not.

[Luminesa]

I feel awful for not being able to finish judging for these stories...I got busy, and life happened...

But since now it's summer, if I am needed I will absolutely be available!