Poetry Platinum

[Deb Porter]

I hope you're not located near any of the floods in Australia.

Thanks for asking. No, we're fine down here. It's up north they're taking a battering. Huge disaster to property, livestock and crops. The people who have been hit by this need our prayers and support. Many have lost everything, and for some farmers, it is the cruelest blow after years of drought, to lose bumper crops.

The Australian irony of living in this "sunburnt country" is that we can so quickly move from long term devastating drought to widespread devastating flood. Yet, those floods will ultimately bring the renewal needed to our river system after years of drought. It's just the extreme swings that always take our breath away.

Love, Deb

[VirgilY]

One of the judging criteria relates to the suitability for publication of the submission. Does that mean publication in the FW EC winners annual book or any/all other commercial venues?

How, specifically, is this topic graded? The highest grade for "Sure Thing" and the lowest for "No Way, Jose?" and a sliding scale in between? Or is it simply pass or fail, suitable or not suitable for publication, based on the judges opinion?

Any illumination on this judging criteria will be helpful and appreciated.

Virgil

[Deb Porter]

Hi Virgil. It's the publishability for both the FW books and generally. This category is rated on a a sliding scale of 0.0 to 5.0 (and everything in between). Of course, if someone wrote something from a non-Christian view, then as the entries are meant to be from a Christian view, we would automatically rate the publishability factor lower. However, the entry may have great appeal in the secular world.

That would be the only reason where a good piece of writing may be marked down in that category; however, we don't see too many entries like that.

The other thing that may impact the rating for this category would be if an entry had potential, but just wasn't ready quite there yet (a bit too raw and unpolished). It would still be rated middle of the road for this category because of the potential.

One category being rated a little low isn't a big issue if the other ratings are strong.

Love, Deb

[VirgilY]

Thanks Deb. Your comment "...if someone wrote something from a non-Christian view, then as the entries are meant to be from a Christian view, we would automatically rate the publishability factor lower" corrects a misperception on my part.

I thought writing to any genre, providing it did not conflict with a Christian viewpoint, had equal footing. It appears that writing with an overt Christian message is preferred over a piece without a distinct Christian message that may otherwise be "family friendly" and not offensive to Christian values.

The Challenge is great fun and I'm looking forward to the next go-round.

Virgil

[glorybee]

Virgil, I'm not sure if you got it quite right.

Entries do NOT have to be overtly Christian, and those that are written from a Christian wolrd view (but do not specifically mention God or faith or anything spritual) are equally likely to do well.

It's the non-Christian entries that are rated lower; for example, those that are graphically violent or otherwise sinful (without showing consequences of those actions), those that make reference to supernatural elements not generally considered Christian (we've had, for example, some ghost stories where the dead come back and communicate with the living). Those are the ones that Deb is concerned about.

There have been many, MANY entries that have done well without being specifically Christian. But they are, as you said, family-friendly and wholesome reading.

[lish1936]

It appears that writing with an overt Christian message is preferred over a piece without a distinct Christian message that may otherwise be "family friendly" and not offensive to Christian values.
Virgil

Hi VirgilY,

Personal opinion here... I think glorybee gets it.

Deb can speak for herself, but I'm not sure your use of the words "overt Christian message" effectively characterizes Deb's "from a Christian view." I'm somewhat uncomfortable with " overt message." I prefer to use principles or point of view. Many EC winner entries, including my own, do not always have an obvious Christian message, but are family friendly.

As I see it, Challenge entry winners are acceptable because, rather than espouse or spout the Christian message, they do not compromise Christian principles or denigrate Christian values. If there's a Christian message weaved in, all the better.

Lillian
Fortunate500
www.oursilverstrands.com

Seniors in Bloom

[VirgilY]

Thanks, Jan.

I guess I just don't have a comfortable understanding of entry grading in relation to being acceptable for publication, if publication in other than the FW book is included in the mix. But that's okay. I enjoy the writing challenge and I appreciate the judges hard work.

Virgil

[Deb Porter]

I thought writing to any genre, providing it did not conflict with a Christian viewpoint, had equal footing. It appears that writing with an overt Christian message is preferred over a piece without a distinct Christian message that may otherwise be "family friendly" and not offensive to Christian values.

Virgil, that's not necessarily correct, and not actually what I meant (sorry). I just meant the very few entries that have no Christian world view, and actually present almost the antithesis of a Christian view, aren't going to do well in the Challenge because they will fall outside the rule about writing from a Christian viewpoint.

We have had some entries in the past where a really dark story remained really dark. It may have been an abuser getting away with abuse, and absolutely nothing to show any consequence for the actions or hope for the victim. That's just an example.

So entries that are just fun or good family reading have as much chance as those with strong Christian messages. (Honest.) When it comes to really heavy handed, overt Christian messages, that can actually work against an entry by coming off as too preachy. Believe it or not, that will also impact the rating for publishability.

I just meant don't go so far out of the box that the Christian attitude is lost.

(Edited in: Just noticed Jan jumped in before me with exactly the same comment. Virgil, we're looking for material suitable for Christian publishers, in keeping with being FaithWriters. So if something is written for a secular market, that's okay, as long as it reflects a Christian view of life. It definitely doesn't have to be overtly Christian, as mentioned above. However, if someone is writing something better suited to a secular publisher looking for the next James Patterson, then it definitely wouldn't be in keeping with the rule of writing from a Christian viewpoint. Hope that helps.)

Love, Deb

[VirgilY]

Thanks, Deb.

I appreciate the explanations. Now, I just need to oil up my keyboard tonight and get ready for the new topic tomorrow. I'm raring to go.

Virgil

[CatLin]

Hi Virgil - I was just looking at my EC stats for another thread, and wanted to share here that only 3 of my 11 EC's were "overtly Christian". The other 8 are marketable to a variety of secular OR Christian audiences. That's the great thing about the Challenge - it isn't biased.

[theanointedpen]

I'm just real happy to be here...if what I write is from the Lord, it doesn't matter much to me if it places. I'm just having fun. I'm always looking for ways to improve my writing, so if anyone finds mistakes, misquotations, etc, in my writing I want to know...that one reason I enter the challenges...God bless and thanks for this forum...