Things to know
As a contest submission reader, you must be unbiased and objective when reading and considering these pieces. Any evidence of foul play, bribery, or unfair judging will have you immediately terminated from the contest and blacklisted from any other TYWI services or events in the future.
Therefore, judges MUST be willing to download Discord.
As a contest submission reader, you will be reading pieces and giving a few feedback depending on your assignments. You'll be selecting pieces that will move on to the Judges. Your work and efforts are the backbone of the Contest Department, and the feedback you give is immensely important for our submittors.
We will be busy during contest submission season, but the contest submission readers are only tasked assignments during the four months of the year that our contests are active.
You may judge and submit to the contest, but your submission can not be submitted to the category you are judging in.
If you are no longer able to judge DURING the judging period, you must give us a three-day warning (there can be exceptions) in order to not get blacklisted from future TYWI activities.
Judges will judge 10-20 entries during their month-long period of judging.
Volunteers are required to complete a two to three week bootcamp.
CATEGORIES
You can only judge one category out of the eight listed.
Fiction and prose, and Poetry.
If you ever wish to judge a different category, please contact us at [email protected]
Fiction and prose, and Poetry.
If you ever wish to judge a different category, please contact us at [email protected]
FAQ
Am I allowed to submit an entry to the contest if I am a reader for that contest?
As long as the work you are submitting is NOT in the category you are reading for, you may submit your work to this contest.
What if I can't handle the workload after I come on?
We understand that things happen, and we prioritize our volunteers above all. If you truly feel like the workload is too much, or that you can not uphold your responsibilities, please tell us three days prior when you’re planning to leave unless there are dire circumstances. Then we can work out either lessening your workload or finding a replacement. We would prefer not to do this, so please reserve this case for special circumstances.
How many pieces will I be assigned at once?
Pieces will be assigned on a rolling basis, but we don't expect to assign more than 10 to read and 2 to give feedback on in a week.
What if I need to take a short break?
If you need a temporary break but intend to finish your duties, let us know so that we are aware and won’t pester you during the week. A short break does imply that you will finish your work, though.
What if I don't know what to do for the piece?
You won't be the only person that's judging the piece. If you're unsure what to give it, we'll help!
What if I do not understand how to judge something or are doubtful about a category?
Ask us! We love to help, especially our Directors, Mikaela Koehler, Sydney Hamilton, and Natalie Miller. We will answer your inquires and help you sort things out.