FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
ABOUT THE DIXIE CONTEST
2007

QUESTION ANSWER
I'm published with an electronic publisher that's not recognized by RWA.  Can I enter the DIXIE Contest?.   It's up to you.  Many authors who are published electronically take RWA's definition of published, which means that the publisher must be recognized by RWA.  Other authors wouldn't dream of entering an 'unpublished' contest.   MSRW does not make this decision for you.  Nor do we do background checks on entrants.  J

 
My first chapter is not 25 pages.  Should I enter exactly 25 pages, which means entering a few pages of Chapter Two? A good rule of thumb for contests and proposals is to end with a 'zinger.'  Maybe a cliff-hanger, maybe an exciting discovery, maybe a ta-dah!  If this means your entry is only 19 pages but the last paragraph is gripping and makes the judge or editor want to read more, that might be the best way to go.  But you are allowed 25 pages, so again, it's up to you.

 
I have a prologue.  Does that count in the 25 pages? Yes.  Your entry is "up to" 25 pages, formatted as indicated in the rules.  Whether it's prologue and Chapter One, or Chapter One and part of Chapter Two, the upper limit is still 25 pages.  

 
Please explain disparity and disparity judges. (NOTE some people use the word discrepancy judge.  This is misleading and I apologize if it has been used inadvertently by MSRW)   Occasionally, an entrant's entry will come back from preliminary judges with very different scores.  When those scores vary by 30 points or more, MSRW utilizes a third judge, a disparity judge, to independently judge the entry.  This judge does NOT see the other entries or the scores.  S/he only knows there was a 30 point difference in scores.  The disparity judge is usually a multi-published author with years of judging experience.  When the disparity judge turns in his/her score, the two higher scores are kept and the lower score is 'thrown out.'  Here's an example. 

My Great Romance by Jane Doe.
Judge 1  scores it 99
Judge 2 scores it 69
Since there is a 30 point difference, a disparity judge is called in.  The disparity judge scores the entry at 79.  So the two scores which are averaged for Jane are 79 and 99.  NOTE:  It's not the two closer scores that are used... it's the two HIGHER scores.

My Greater Romance by Sue Smith
Judge 1 scores it 99
Judge 2 scores it 70
This is only 29 points difference, and would NOT go to a disparity judge.

 
Why does it take so long to hear back on my entry? Each entry requires two preliminary judgings.  We generally have between 150 and 200 entries.  That means finding enough competent, trained judges to judge 400 entries of 25 pages each.  MSRW members never judge our own members' entries, there are judges who ask for specific categories and judges who ask NOT to be sent specific categories.  Sorting all this out is a nightmare!

The entries are recorded, numbered, double-checked for the above, packaged in priority mailing envelopes and sent to judges all over the country, with a deadline for returning the judged entries.  Sometimes judges are late returning entries.

After all the judged entries are returned, each entrant's scores must be tabulated and recorded and double-checked, disparities must be handled, and finalists are chosen (the top 3 overall scores in each category.)

A clean manuscript for each finalist is sent to the appropriate finalist judge (an editor or agent) with a deadline for judging and returning.  As you can imagine, sometimes these busy people are late returning entries.

During this time the non-finalist entries are sorted, double-checked, and sent back to the non-finalists.

Once the editors/agents have returned the finalist manuscripts, the final scores must be tabulated, recorded, double-checked and the entire packages for the finalists are sent back to them with a congratulatory letter.  The prize(s) and certificates may or may not go in the same package, but are sent to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners in each category.

Contests are grueling for the coordinators and for the judges.  But MSRW loves doing the DIXIE contest and we love seeing our entrants, finalists and winners go on to become published writers.  It is so rewarding. 

 
I can't decide which category is best for my entry.  What do I do? If you are unsure where to enter your manuscript, you alone must decide.  For instance, if your manuscript is set before 1900, and could be historical or inspirational or romantic suspense, only you, the author, can make that decision.  Please be aware that the judge who judges your manuscript will be judging for the particular category in romantic fiction, and enter with that in mind. 
   
   
   
   

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