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Judge's Score Sheet
Writing Contest Application

Age Group:❏10 and under ❏11-14 ❏15-17 ❏ Adult (18+)

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Writing Categories

  • Poetry (Not to exceed 32 lines)

  • Inspirational/Religious/Spiritual (Not to exceed 1,000 words)

  • Fiction: Genre (fantasy, sci-fi, romance, mystery, historical fiction, etc.) or mainstream short story (Not to exceed 1,000 words)

  •  Non-Fiction: Current issue, informational, historical non-fiction (Not to exceed 1,000 words)

  •  Memoir (Not to exceed 1,000 words)

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Please be sure to read and satisfy ALL Participant Guidelines:

*To enter, applicant must be an enrolled member of a federally or state recognized American Indian tribe and currently residing in North Carolina, or live in another state but are enrolled in a North Carolina state recognized tribe. A copy of tribal enrollment card must be attached with application. Youth under 18 who do not have a tribal enrollment card but participate in an Indian Ed program may attach proof of a complete, active 506 form from their Indian Ed program. Entry will be disqualified if no proof of tribal membership in a federally or state-recognized tribe (card or 506) is provided with application.

* NC state recognized tribes: Coharie Indian Tribe, Haliwa-Saponi Indian Tribe, Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, Meherrin Indian Tribe, Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation, Sappony, Waccamaw-Siouan Indians. Federally recognized tribe(s) in North Carolina: Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.


• Completed application form and proof of tribal affiliation must accompany each writing entry.
• Only original unpublished writings will be accepted.
• Do not submit any entry from previous years.
• Entries are limited to 3 pieces per writer.
• Title of writing, author’s name, number of words (be sure of word count), age, and category must appear on
the top right-hand corner of the writing entry. If this does not appear, work will be disqualified. Must be submitted in Microsoft Word or pdf format (no jpg).
• Entries must be typed, double spaced, one side only on 8 1⁄2 x 11 paper. Page numbers on the right hand bottom corner.
• Entries must be submitted online by midnight Friday, February 6, 2025.
• No late entries accepted. Late entries will be disqualified. Please plan ahead to ensure your entry is emailed by midnight, February 6, 2025.
• Winners will be announced during the Awards Breakfast on Saturday, March 8, 2025. Please plan to attend!
• All submitted entries may be published in Unity Conference program books or United Tribes publication.

For questions, please contact Writing Coordinator: Rebecca Locklear at rlocklear75@yahoo.com or Jessie Jacobs at JLJacobs100@gmail.com

Sample of Judge scoring sheet

Age Group:
❏10 and under
❏11-14
❏15-17
❏Adult (18 up)
*Tribal Enrollment: ________________________________
*NC Federally- and State-recognized tribes: Coharie, Eastern Band Cherokee, Haliwa-Saponi, Lumbee, Meherrin,Occaneechi, Sappony, Waccamaw-Siouan.

❏A copy of entrant’s tribal enrollment card has been provided.

Writing Entry Title: _______________________________________________________
Writing Entry Category: __________________________________________________


The higher the points, the better the writing. Points: 1 (low) - 10 (high)

 

Writing entries are judged on: 


1. Did the writer follow contest directions? (No=0, Yes =10) (Formatting, word count, etc.)
2. Beginning - Was it a great opening?

  • Did it grab your attention and draw you in? Make you want to keep reading?

3. Writing Foundations

  • Is the point of view consistent or structurally sound?

  • Is it age appropriate for the genre category?

  • Is the style/tone/voice/approach appropriate to the genre and well done?

4. Structure

Fiction: Story Elements - Can you identify the

  • Beginning, middle and end

Non-fiction: Organizational Structure - Can you identify the

  • Purposeful organizational structure (main idea/details, compare/contrast, chronological, etc).

  • Is the organizational structure effective?

Poetry: Structure – Is the

  • Flow, use/not use of verse or stanza effective?

  • Use/not use of rhyme effective and/or consistent?

  • Line breaks and word structure on the page effective?

5. Writing Craft

  • Did the piece hold your attention overall?

  • Was the pacing, character development, concept development and tension effective?

  • Was it intriguing?

  • Did the writer use evocative descriptive language?

  • Was the concept clear?

  • Did it make you want to read more from this writer?

6. Ending

  • Was it intriguing, satisfying, or believable?

  • Did it provide resolution (or was it written clearly if the intent was to NOT provide resolution)?

7. Writing Conventions (Many errors=0, No errors=10)

  • Spelling, punctuation, grammar

 

Grand Total out of 70 total possible points: _______

Comments or suggestions for storyteller:
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