Vent: That writing prompt contest I entered turned into a total disaster

I signed up for this local library's flash fiction contest last month. 50 bucks prize, 500 word limit, theme was "unexpected visitor". I spent 3 days on my story, got it to where I was actually proud of it. Turned it in. Then found out the judge was a retired English teacher who hated horror elements. My whole story had a twist ending with a ghost. Didn't even get an honorable mention. Has anyone else had a contest judge kill your vibe with their personal preferences?

2 comments

2 Comments

wadea532d ago

Bro judges be wild, last contest I entered got snubbed for having too much dialogue.

blair_davis2d ago

Seen it happen way too many times. One contest I helped judge for a local writing group, a kid submitted a story that was basically nothing but back and forth dialogue for like 10 pages straight. No setting, no action tags, no nothing. Just two names and quotation marks over and over. Judges ate it up because it was "edgy" and "fast paced." Meanwhile another story had actual description, a scene where someone was cooking breakfast and having a conversation at the same time, but they docked it points for "wasting time on description." Makes zero sense. Judges are just people with their own pet peeves half the time.