Judges questions and answers
| lesfic_judges_application.pdf |
You may need to download Adobe for free here.
PLEASE DOWNLOAD THE ABOVE PDF OF THE FOLLOWING:
Each year, the committee selects judges from all over the world to judge in the various award categories. Judges submit an application EACH year, and based on their credentials, are chosen to read the various works submitted. Judges can be published writers (but not entered into the contest for that year), and in some cases, are past Finalists or Winners. Judges can also be editors (but not with any Lesfic publishing group), proof-readers, beta-readers, with knowledge of literary works. Some may be experts in their field such as literary critics, librarians, and booksellers.
Why do you feel you would be a good judge of Lesbian Literature?
What do you feel qualifies you to judge Lesbian Literature?
Have you judged Lesbian Literature before?
If so, where and for whom?
Are any of your books entered in this competition for this judging year? If so, please state where and what?
Is there a category, or categories, that you feel you would be better at judging or that you would prefer we send to you? (Please circle the category, or categories you would like to judge. Keep in mind if you choose more than one category you may be required to read a lot of books).
- Action/Adventure
- Anthology
- BDSM
- Children's/Young Adult
- Drama
- Erotica
- Fantasy
- Fiction
- Historical
- Memoir/Biography
- Mystery
- New Author
- Nonfiction
- Paranormal/Occult
- Romance
- Science Fiction
- Horror
- Studies
- Cover
Are you comfortable reading each and every book we send you and judging it on its merits? Giving it a point system (0-10)?
Do you think you could handle approximately a book a week, perhaps forty books in the span of a year?
All judges with The Lesfic Bard Awards are anonymous, would you have any problem with this?
HOW OUR JUDGING WORKS AND WHY IT IS DIFFERENT. WE HAVE CHOSEN TRIPLE-BLIND JUDGING.
Please read-on:
What is the difference between single-blind judging, double-blind judging, and triple-blind judging:
The argument comes down to bias. If you are reading a book by a well-known author, is it possible for you to be objective? Basically, you know who the author is, what to expect, and what the subject is. That would be an open judging of the book.
Single-blind judging would be if you know who the author might be, but not necessarily the subject matter.
Double-blind judging is where you don’t know the author might be or their title, or the subject matter, so you don’t have any expectations.
Triple-blind judging is where you don’t know who the author is, or the name of the book, and no one knows who the judges are.
Why we chose triple-blind judging:
If you do not know definitively whose book you are reading or what to expect, you can’t be biased or have preconceived notions regarding the author; you can’t prejudge. The work presented to the judges may give a synopsis, which provides a general outline of the book, but you still do not know who wrote it. This way you can’t be intimidated by a big name or by the publisher. You, as the judge, are simply reading a story.
Another plus of triple-blind judging is that judges are reading a variety of authors’ works. If one stands out, it’s not because of the author, but because of the author’s story.
This is how books should be judged—on their own merit. It’s the most honest form of reading. Why did it stick with the judge? Did it meet all the judging criteria? Did it tell the story it was intended to tell?
Triple-blind judging rarely results in extreme opinions on either the positive or negative side as judges usually don’t want to go out on a limb with books they know nothing about and since the readers or judges of these books are anonymous, their scores reflect true and honest opinions of what they have read.
HOW DO WE DO THIS?
All authors entering into the contest(s) are assigned a number. This is used on any and all correspondence regarding their entries.
All books entering into the contest(s) are assigned a number. This results in no one knowing who the books are by, or what the title of the book(s) are.
All judges are assigned a number. No one will know who these judges are, but will see after the awards are released, on our website, what judge (by number) gave what score, on what book number. All authors can go to see their number, their book number, and see the scores assigned to them by the judges. It will remain anonymous, but visible.
Example:
If an author is assigned #25 (a number is assigned for each entry), the book is assigned a random number like #84 (rather than -1, -2, -3 in case said author’s ‘style’ or book is recognized and judges may look for other books entered in the contest).
The judge is also assigned a random number.
So, the entry may look something like this: #25-84-17. The first number is the author’s randomly assigned number, the second the book’s randomly assigned number, and the third the judge’s assigned number which is the only number that will change as several judges will be judging the book.
Do you think you can remain impartial, even if you come across an author whose work you may know?
How do you think you could remain impartial if it’s an author you enjoy/hate?
At the end of January, we will submit an additional judging opportunity in the form of covers which you will see the title and the author’s name, will you judge these impartially?
Disclaimer and Signature
I certify that my answers are true and complete to the best of my knowledge.
If this application leads to judging of The Lesfic Bard Awards, I understand that false or misleading information in my application or interview may result in my release/banning from judging Lesfic for these awards.
Signature
Date
After your application of interest of the above PDF has been sent to the Lesfic Bard Awards, and accepted, a contract will be sent.