Note from Starr:
All of this was compiled and written by the epic Sine during the July 2022 judging session (sunhats off <3) and then later edited for syntax/grammar and professionalism and updated with new information by me.

In this post I’ll be covering all of the basic elements of the writing competition and answering some FAQ.
Cntrl+f keywords if you’re looking for anything specific, or if you’re planning on entering, give the post a quick read! You might find some insightful information, or inspiration for your entry.

Direct any questions to the writing comp submission project, or a judge’s profile ^^

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TYPES OF WRITING

Short stories
Short stories are the most popular type of entry in the writing competition. Within 2,000 words, you can start and complete a plot, introduce characters, and develop your setting. If you’re thinking of entering a short story, just make sure that your plot doesn’t seem too rushed and that you’re not spending too much time ‘setting the stage’ - the pacing should be appropriate!

Excerpts (from novels, novellas, and larger pieces of fiction)
I’ve seen some reluctance when it comes to entering excerpts. Some people worry that excerpts will perform worse than other types of writing because the judges might not have enough context to understand what’s happening. For example, we might not see as much character diversity or plot development as we would in a short story.

However, most of these concerns are unfounded. Many excerpts I’ve read were almost indistinguishable from short stories; the latter, like excerpts, frequently have an open beginning and ending. You just have to make sure to pick the right scene in your novel! The excerpt you choose should be compelling. If you think context is missing, you can always edit the excerpt to include a few lines about the world, the characters, etc.

There are some mistakes to avoid with excerpts, though. Don’t choose Chapter 1 simply because you think it’ll provide a ‘clear slate’ that the judges can understand. If you genuinely think Chapter 1 is the most interesting part of your novel, go for it! Just don’t choose it for the aforementioned reason. Don’t choose a random part of your story that says nothing about your characters, your world, or your plot. Think about what you would do if you were trying to get your book published - which part would you send the publisher to convince them that they should accept it? In almost all cases, it’d be a particularly interesting moment - and ‘interesting’ doesn’t have to mean action-filled, it just has to provide insight into your plot/characters.

There are definitely exceptions to these rules, but if you’re unsure, that’s what I would go by!

Poems
Poems are cool! The majority of the entries may be short stories, but poems have been pretty successful in the past (see 1, 2). You can choose any poetic form (though if it’s particularly niche or you specifically want the judges to notice it, you can say that in your forum post/project description).

Essays

Argumentative
I’m going to have this include article-like opinion pieces because I can. (starr-note: you slay, twin bestie <3) Anyway, argumentative essays are a great way to show your debating skills - and in a writing context, you’ll be able to show how meticulously you can phrase your arguments (and how ruthlessly you can dissect counterarguments). You’ll still be exhibiting your writing style, and writing techniques and voice will still be present.

Narrative
Even though this is a type of writing we don’t often see in the writing comp, its rarity doesn’t in any way detract from how cool it can be. A narrative-argumentative style essay has made top 5 before - and so could yours! The fact that essays are so rare also lets you explore aspects of the genre that probably haven’t been seen before in this writing comp.

Expository
So - this might be the only style I’m not going to be super encouraging about entering. Entering an expository essay is risky because the creative or argumentative skills you may have wouldn’t exactly be highlighted. This kind of essay is often jam-packed with pure information - the type you might submit for a school assignment, but not necessarily in a writing comp - so make sure your focus is on dissecting/evaluating the information if you do choose to enter something like this. Expository essays can still get high marks, but honestly, you really have to ace it.

(I know expository essays are sometimes defined differently for some reason - I’m defining it as the kind of essay where you spend most of your time writing facts / describing something. For example, an expository essay would be: “What is climate change?”)

That’s it for the type-of-writing section! I know other types exist somewhere out there, but these are the most common ones.

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BEST ___ CATEGORIES

(Note from Starr:
With Best ___ categories, the judges choose to highlight a specific aspect of an entry - that doesn’t mean the entry doesn’t perform well in other aspects, or necessarily outshines all the other entries in that aspect. The Best categories fall between the Top 5 and Honourable Mentions - the judges choose the tiers first. Then, depending on which entries make it into Bests, we assign each a specific category, considering what that entry - unrelated to other entries - might have done notably well on.)

Best style
Relatively self-explanatory - we judge you based on your style. This doesn’t mean we simply judge you on how good your metaphors or similes are! Structure, voice, and flow play a huge part in this as well. For essays, this also includes how you phrase your argument, how you handle fallacies, etc. (starr-note: this is also Sine’s favourite best category <3)

Best plot
This used to be best concept, which in turn used to be best plot. It’s back! Best plot isn’t reserved only for short stories. It’s quite a flexible category that can be bestowed on excerpts, poems, and even some essays as well (though essays are admittedly unlikely to win this one - unless you want to change my mind? ;') ).

Best character
This used to be called ‘best character representation’ and ‘best character development’. We decided that those things are part of what makes a character anyway, so we made it more concise. It’s best character now! This doesn’t mean we’re judging the character as an isolated person. Their relationships to other characters, their surroundings, and the role they play in the narrative are all still important, and things we heavily consider. Additionally, ‘best character’ may not necessarily be awarded to the protagonist of your piece.

Adaptable category
This ‘adaptable category’ (though there may be more than one) has several purposes. One, we get to award it to entries that excel in aspects other than plot, style, or character; two, it makes up for the fact that best character and best plot are less likely to go to pieces of certain styles (like essays). This adaptable category could become pretty much anything: best worldbuilding, best argumentation, etc.

I’ve talked about this category making up for the more fiction-based bests by including non-fiction. This doesn’t necessarily mean that a non-fiction piece will win this adaptable category. It’s designed to make sure that if the judges find a piece that is at this level, but does not fit the plot, character, or style categories (like an essay might), we can give it the award it deserves.

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Frequently Asked Questions
(thanks Zai for many of these! <3):

If I enter juniors, will I still be eligible for the regular prizes?
Yep. You’ll be considered for all other prizes before you’re considered for juniors, actually ^^ A longer explanation is in the description of the writing competition project.

I asked for an extension before the deadline but haven’t received an answer back. Now it’s past the deadline and I don’t know if I’ve received my extension; what should I do?
Just wait for the judges to answer. We’ll usually be checking our profiles during competition time for these types of questions. So unless you posted this question in a really obscure place where the judges won’t be notified, we won’t take very long! Feel free to keep working on your entry before we answer - just stay aware that your extension might not be granted and therefore your work might have been for naught.

There was something wrong when I was posting my entry right near the deadline. Now it’s a few minutes late; can I still submit it if I don’t have an extension or is it too late?
If something happened that prevented you from submitting right before the deadline, you will have to post this 10-15 minutes after the deadline passes and explain to the judges why your entry is late. Just try not to procrastinate! There won’t be many exceptions - though valid reasons might include widespread outages you have proof for, like what happened in Canada, or if the Scratch servers are down for an extended period of time while the deadline passes.

I’m not comfortable sharing my writing. Can I privately share it with the judges?
Not entirely privately. However, if you want to post it on the judges’ profiles a little further down, you can do that. If you win something, the link to your entry will be in the results project description - so if you’re not comfortable with your writing being shared at all, please keep that in mind.

What are valid reasons for asking for an extension?
There have been a few questions about this and I understand that sometimes the judges’ decision might seem cryptic. There’s no ultimate list of reasons to get an extension, though. Serious personal circumstances are usually a valid reason; major academic milestones that aren’t limited to one day, such as university interviews, might also be - it depends on when it is. Keep in mind that the judges' answer depends on how much time it seems like you’d have ^^

I’ve received an extension, but I’m planning on doing both a fanfic and main entry. Does this extension apply to both my entries, or just one of them?
It applies to both entries!

Will fanfictions of fandoms that the judges know/have heard of get an edge over lesser-known fandoms the judges never heard of?
Generally, no. A winning fanfiction should be a great work in its own right, and shouldn’t be tethered to its fandom to the point where it’s entirely impossible to understand without that context. Try to keep the worldbuilding and characterisation like you would in a completely original story - there has to be enough for anyone to understand what’s going on.

English is not my first language; am I allowed to submit my writing comp entry in a different language and try my best to have a translated version for the judges? Will my deficiency in English be counted against me?
Yes! If you choose to write your comp entry in another language, you are encouraged to 1) ask all of the judges if they speak that language, as they might be able to translate it for you (this might be more likely than you think). 2) If the judges don’t speak your language, ask the leaders and co-leaders if they’re willing to do it. 3) Ask one of your fellow campers who speaks both languages fluently to translate for you (they might say no, of course, as it’s a difficult job). Finally, if you can’t find anyone, please provide the judges with a translated version that you have put through a translator or translated to yourself, but your original (in your first language) should still be attached for reference!

I don’t feel comfortable with a link of my entry on the results. If I win anything, can I request for it to not be included?
Sure - links haven’t always been in the results project desc (I think). The name of your entry and your username will still be in the project, though! And perhaps consider that more people might seek out your entry if it can’t be found in the desc because idk, intrigue? Mystery? Reverse psychology?

How do you fairly judge between poetry, non-fiction, fiction, and other forms of writing? Are the standards for these mediums different from each other?
The standards for these mediums are the same! In the first part of this guide, I explained how these forms of writing are mostly on equal footing when entered, and gave some examples of successful entries.

I wrote an author’s note at the end of my piece, and I’m afraid the bad grammar in it will be counted against me. Will any notes after my piece is over count against me?
Chances are that if your author’s note is over your word count, the judges won’t read it anyway. However, if your author’s note is included in the word count, we will probably read it - and you’ll want the grammar and spelling to be good!

Will things like stylistically typing in lowercase, etc. be counted against me?
Nope!

My writing comp entry contains censored words. Would that still be okay to submit, or should I revise my writing to remove them altogether?
Unfortunately, even by censoring these words, you might be putting yourself at risk of an alert, mute, or ban. Try to find scratch-appropriate alternatives!

I keep worrying about my title. How much does my title impact the judge’s review?
It will impact the judge’s review, but the extent of this? Depends on the specific piece. A title is the first thing we see: a huge chance to make an impression on the judges. Take a piece called ‘moonlight’. In this piece, a character escapes through a thick forest by moonlight, but the moon doesn’t hold any meaning. The title doesn’t do much for me here, except maybe introducing me to the mysterious/ominous ‘vibe’ before I read the piece Sooo - you won’t get any plus/minus points for this.
However! There are ways to make an objectively good impression (and earn the judges' undying admiration) through your title.

Amazing titles: Some of the best titles are the epiphany-inducing ones. Where you (as a judge) look at the title and you’re like: “Hm. I have no idea how this connects to the entry.” You start the piece, and there’s no obvious connection to the title - but at some point, usually near the end, it suddenly makes complete sense why this piece had that specific title (hence an epiphany). It’s SO COOL. But it’s hard to pull off entirely.
Other amazing titles are usually those that really make you want to read the entry.

Decent titles: Usually the ones where the title is a word (lol) that has an obvious connection to the piece. For example: “The Chair” (your story is about a magic chair).

(This still applies if you’re writing non-fi or any other genre. For example, @theniqhtsfall’s ‘i like mayonnaise’ had a really intriguing title!)

In terms of worrying about a title, though - don’t. You’d have to try pretty hard for your title to cause you to lose points.

I’ve written a larger piece of writing, but it doesn’t fit the word requirement. I’ve submitted an excerpt, but am I allowed to include a link to the full piece of writing? Will the included link affect the judges’ reviews?
The judges won’t read your full piece of writing, so nope, it won’t affect our reviews! You can have the link there, though, since it might be nice if you win something and others want to read all of it.

I’ve written a larger piece of writing, but I’m only submitting an excerpt of one of the sections. How much does context matter to the judges? Should I rewrite this excerpt to take into consideration the lack of context?
Don’t entirely rewrite it! But if you think it’s needed, you can add in some pointers as to the characters/worldbuilding/plot. If you’ve chosen your excerpt well, you probably won’t need to do much.

My style of writing isn’t like the entries that I see commonly win. Do judges have a bias towards certain styles of writing? Will my lack of complex vocabulary due to my style be used against me?
We aren’t biased towards/against any style of writing. You only run a risk with expository essays because those are extremely difficult to write well.
Your lack of complex vocabulary will not be used against you in any way! It’s more important that your entry reads/flows well than for it to be filled with complex words (the latter might even work against you - avoid purple prose!). Consider whether someone in your target audience would understand your writing, and if yes, you’re fine.

I’ve submitted my entry, but I’ve received critique and have edited my piece. Should I let a judge know that I’ve revised my piece, or does it not matter anymore?
Let a judge (or preferably all judges) know - obviously only if it’s before the deadline. It’s a lot easier for everyone if you get the critique first and then enter, though, so please try to do that!
If you're editing a spelling mistake or something small, you don't have to notify the judges ^^ But add in a warning on your forum post/project description so they know why you've edited the piece.

I’m rewriting my writing comp entry from a past session. I’m not resubmitting the same piece, but reusing the concept. Is that okay?
This is a difficult one. If it’s really just the concept and you’re not using the plot or any of the characters, it’s okay unless you won something in the past writing competition with your original piece.

My writing piece utilizes quotes from other forms of writing. Will this count as plagiarism if I don’t cite where I took these quotes from?
You can attempt in-text citations. We understand if you can’t do full citations because of Scratch guidelines, so don’t worry too much.

I’m doing a song-fic for my writing comp entry, but it’s not based on a fandom; it’s only based on the lyrics. Does this count as a fanfic?
Nope, it counts as your original piece unless the lyrics are narrative - as in, they’re pretty much detailing your entire story and you’re just writing it out in a more elaborate manner.

I want to submit a song for my writing comp entry. Is that allowed, and what would be considered for it (will judges listen to the song or will they only account for the lyrics)?
It’s allowed, and only the lyrics will be judged (but we’ll probably listen to the song anyway because song :yum.

I wrote a spoken word poem for my writing comp entry. Will judges listen to my recording, or will they only account for the actual writing?
This is a difficult one - it depends on what the judges of your specific session decide. Some judges might listen, and some might not - in the end, the recording won't impact the mark they give your entry.

I’m scared to ask any of the judges for an extension; what if they judge me pun not intended? Can I ask somebody else (a host or leader) to give me an extension?
Only the judges, sorry! And dw, the judges aren't too bad - I promise they're all nice people.

I think my question on the project has been ignored; the comments around it have been answered, but not mine. It’s been a few days. Should I recomment my question?
If it’s an urgent/important question, sure. Maybe ask one of the judges on their profile if you'd like a quicker response.

How will I know that the judges have seen my entry? I haven’t received any sign that they’ve seen it!
We’ve seen it, don't worry! <3 We see everything. That wasn’t supposed to sound creepy (starr-note: mwehehehe *waves hands creepily*) , but seriously, we just don’t reply to entry comments and don’t comment in forums/on projects with entries. If we loved, favourited, or commented, that might give away what we think about the project (or forum post), which sort of defeats the point and could lead to false hopes.

The word counters I’ve been putting my piece in keep giving me different numbers. What should I do?
If possible, find out why (and ask a judge if it’s unclear). If not, take the higher word count. It might be because hyphens are connecting two words and it’s being counted as one, count two words, etc.

Can my writing comp entry be on paper? I’ll take pictures and put them in a project. Or should my writing comp entry by typed up?
Technically yes, but if you want to be 100% sure the judges will be able to read it (lighting/handwriting might make that difficult), type it up.

This writing comp entry is highly dependent on structure and form. It works well on paper, but now that I’ve typed it up, the structure and form is messed up! What can I do?
A project will probably let you edit it to look a similar way (you can use scroll code to simulate a piece of paper). If you don’t want to do this or aren’t able to, you can submit a photo of your paper(s).

The writing comp entry has ended and I didn’t win anything. Will any of the judges be willing to give me feedback for improvement?
This depends on the specific session. This session (July 2022) I’m willing to give you feedback just for being dedicated enough to read this entire post. (But also because I love giving feedback.) (starr-note: <3) In other sessions, judges might declare whether they are or not - and you're welcome to ask them if you like!

The results are in, and I just found out one of the winning entries is plagiarized! What should I do? There’s nothing that I can do about it now that results are in. // I’m reading through the writing comp entries, and I see one that’s eerily too similar to past winning entry. Should I tell a judge? What if I’m wrong? I’ll just be embarrassing myself.
Let one of the judges or hosts know - we’ll look into it! Plagiarization is a pretty big thing, so even if you're not certain, don't hesitate to let your worries be known.

Will judges change the points earned from the writing comp after the deadline?
Maybe. :yum: (you’re so cool sine)
In all seriousness, I think we may have done this once for a reason I can’t remember, but it probably won’t happen again.

I wrote a memoir/narrative that may contain some minor personal information. Should I still submit it?
Depends! If the personal information is that you went to a camp, then that’s fine (because a lot of people did). If it’s the specific name of the camp - change or omit it. Another example - if it’s your sibling doing something annoying, that’s totally fine. In general, just think of whether you (or any person involved) could be identified/located based on this information, and whether you’re abiding by the scratch guidelines.

Can I get feedback from others on an entry?
Yes - from anyone within and outside of SWC, except for the judges. Feedback is great as long as they’re not rewriting huge parts of your entry for you! Commenting on individual sentences, pointing out mistakes, etc. is fine.

I just realized my entry was over the word count due to a miscalculation, but I’ve already submitted it. What should I do?
If the deadline has not passed, let the judges know and fix it. If it has passed, let the judges know, but you can’t fix it (don’t worry - it won’t lead to disqualification or anything like thatl! It’s just good for us to know).

I submitted my entry, but the project/post it was submitted on just got taken down! What should I do?
First, consider why it was taken down - if it was your own post/project, then your entry might not have been appropriate for Scratch, so you might want to edit it. If the SWC Writing Competition project was taken down, we’ll have made another one (though this probably won’t happen) (starr-note: CRYING BYE SINSI WHAT’S WITH THE SMILEY FACE) If it’s before the deadline, you can make another project/post with your entry and re-submit it on the judges’ profiles! If not, let the judges know your specific situation and they'll help you sort it out.

May I use Grammarly or other programmes to help find grammar mistakes and improve my writing?
Same rule as for feedback ^^

Could I write an entry taking inspiration from an entry that won in a past session?
Make sure to be hyperaware of the line between inspiration and plagiarism - taking too many ideas from another entry could end up disqualifying your own. (Read through Linden's workshop on inspiration vs. plagiarism for a more thorough guide: https://scratch.mit.edu/discuss/topic/525392/ ) Additionally, if you really want to use someone else's concept/characters/etc, consider entering your piece as a fanfic! Remember to ask them for permission.




Meow, thanks for reading! <3

Exemplar entries by, in order of appearance: ArcticWolf28, Elvin_Wonders, theniqhtsfall.

thank you starrnut! <3

Ooh this is so helpful!! Thank you :D

Thanks

woooo writing comp =00 this is so helpful! <3

SO helpful thank you <33 (reading through all that was… fun )

tysm, this is RLLY helpful