I’ll be the judge of that

Nottingham poet Aly Stoneman delves into the murky world of judging and poetry contests. Read on and see what she finds there…

Judging a writing competition is potentially more stressful than actually competing. Last year I was on the panel for The Charnwood MiniWords Competition, and didn’t realise what I’d let myself in for until a bulging wad of 2000 50-word stories thudded onto my desk. ‘Who the hell am I to be judging anything anyway?’ I wailed. By the time I reached the 2000th story however, I felt qualified by experience, if nothing else, to evaluate which three stories worked better than the other 1,997. I also realised I’d gained valuable insight into tight editing skills – never underestimate the value of reading for improving your own writing.

The Nottingham Poetry Society Performance Competition (Saturday 22nd May 2010), promised to be a briefer affair. Running since 2004, the event is an opportunity for performance poets to demonstrate their work and performance skills and to have the chance of winning a cash prize. Competitors sign up on the door and have a three-minute slot to perform. Those who are successful go through to Round 2 and have another three minutes in which to impress the judges – and the audience.

Read more on Aly Stoneman’s website