2012-2020 Judge's Award goes to Kalifer Deil

[Jot]

I would like to say thanks and congratulations to Kalifer Deil for placing his initial vote for 27 of the 98 champions of the Science Fiction Microstory Contest, giving him the title of Best Judge of the 2010's.

Going forward, I would like to recognize the best judge from year complete year of the contest:

2013 Judge Winner: Bill Fix
2014 Judge Winner: Andrew Gurcak
2015 Judge Winner: Kalifer Deil
2016 Judge Winner: Kalifer Deil
2017 Judge Winner: Justin Sewall
2018 Judge Winners: Chris Nance & Greg Krumrey
2019 Judge Winners: C. Lloyd Preville & Tom Olbert
2020 Judge Winner: Jot Russell

[Tom]

Congratulations, Kalifer.

[Justin]

But can he pick the winning Power Ball numbers? :) Way to go Kalifer!

[Kalifer]

I had no idea. I thought I ranked towards the bottom.
My criteria are simple:
1) It has to be scifi and not fantasy
2) I'm turned off by overly florid writing.
3) The story has to have some punch.

[Tom]

I'm with you on 1 and 3. But, "florid writing?" Hmmm....'hard to know how to define that one. Or, where to draw the line on it.

[Kalifer]

Let's see. This does cover a bit of territory, maybe three more subrules for rule 2.
2.1) Too many adjectives
2.2) Descriptive information that doesn't really advance the story.
2.3) Setting a stage that is too elaborate and making the reader (me) impatient. (I'm not a patient person and want the writer to get into the story.)

[Jot]

I'm the same way, Kalifer. The quicker you can bring me into the meat of the story, the better. However, I see my impatience as a reader as a failure first in my part and the story second. Sometimes a painting has to be looked at twice.

[Kalifer]

I agree Jot. However, there are only so many seconds in life so I want to condense parts that could be irrelevant. I'm not a speed reader and that's probably antithetical to being a programmer and logic designer. I am what I am, but still learning.

[Tom]

It's never easy. Sometimes, detail helps suspend disbelief by giving the created world some texture, so the reader feels he or she is actually there. That's where sensory perception comes in. The trick, I guess is to do it on the fly, so action and description flow together, keeping the reader entertained.

[Kalifer]

I just go back to Hemmingway's legendary six-word story, "For sale; baby shoes, never worn." It paints a probable tragedy on three levels and raises many questions. You want to know more but are afraid to ask. I'm just pointing out that a lot can be compressed into a single sentence or two. You don't have to write a book to set the scene for volume II. That's why, after a few pages, I dropped J. J. R. Tolkien and never picked up J. K. Rowling.

[Kalifer]

Tom, the short response is, I agree, if necessary, best to do it on the fly, if possible.

[Tom]

Kalifer wrote: "I just go back to Hemmingway's legendary six-word story, "For sale; baby shoes, never worn." It paints a probable tragedy on three levels and raises many questions. You want to know more but are af..."
Sad. You missed a lot.

[Kalifer]

Not really, I was compelled to watch the movies with grandkids.

[Paula]

Readers of course vary in their aesthetic preferences, but certainly we would not wish all the stories here to be written in the same style--e.g., the concise and story/plot-driven Hemingwayesque style. For this reason, contests selecting outside judges usually try for persons interested in a wide range of styles and open to many viewpoints.

[Kalifer]

Paula. I'm not saying others should use my criteria and we are not important enough to have outside judges. Furthermore, outside judges are not always selected on the basis of having divergent styles. Also, outside judges want to be paid so those "contests" normally have an entry fee. More importantly, if you want to have a story published you have an editor to convince. If you've ever seen an editor's overflowing in-box you know what a challenge that is.

[Jot]

I agree Paula. This world needs diversity. Let none feel they need to conform, especially when it comes to art.

[Kalifer]

Jot, we are all judges so I don't know where this is coming from. I just game my criteria. I am only one of many and not a literary light. I'm an engineer and generally read for content and not for the flow. However, I do appreciate the beauty of the flow and my wife says I write better poetry than prose. There's not much of a place for poetry with a science-fiction bent.

[Kalifer]

"game" was supposed to be "gave".

[Jot]

Sorry Kalifer, I wasn't trying to belittle your method, because by this thread, you are the one who picks the overall winner most times, and your method is very close to mine. But everyone has the right to judge in their own fashion.

My agreeance with Paula has to do with "we would not wish all the stories here to be written in the same style." And it is the stories here and there diversity of style, content and quality which I believe is the group's greatest strength.

[Kalifer]

Got it also. Freedom of expression in writing and judging.