What I Learned in My Year as an Edgar Judge

My Year as an Edgar Judge

I’ve judged contests for most of my writing career. Sometimes they’re for unpublished authors, sometimes for published ones. Some are for local writing groups, some are for bigger organizations. Over a year ago, I answered a call to be an Edgar Judge from the Mystery Writers of America.

The Edgars are the equivalent of the Oscars in the mystery writing world. I figured I’m a fast reader, I read and write mysteries, but I didn’t have high expectations of being selecte...