Judging Opportunity

I think Ben has said it all.

Poetry, or actually the whole website, its design and how it functions are all subjective matters. Everyone has their own opinion and see things from their own point of view.

I don't always understand the debate regarding the weekly contest. Poetry contests on local/international levels are regularly held, and great poets always come forward and take part in them. Not all people will be fond of the set jury, regardless of their background/experience. And P & Q is a poetry website, why would the weekly contest cause any harm to the "concept" of what poetry is? Featuring 3 poems for a week on the front page doesn't really harm the integrity of poetry and has always been a part of how this website was initially designed. We are members who decided to sign up here and enjoy the features provided by the site admin.

Personally, why would it upset me if someone nominated my poem? I don't care if they do win or if they do actually receive a nomination, but I surely do not feel upset when a reader passes by my work and feels like "hey...that poem should be nominated" and simply promotes it to the weekly contest. Actually, it does make me feel warm and brings a smile to my face to feel that someone has really admired this personal piece I've written. The key point, however, is that I don't write to compete in the first place, I write because I want to write, whether no one read my piece or a 100 person did. I will post my poem whenever I write it, be it Monday, Sunday, Tuesday, doesn't really matter, but I won't force myself to post on certain dates to prove that I don't write for the competition. Months could pass without me writing a single poem, and sometimes I write in the same week, others write on daily basis. ...Let's just enjoy the beauty of words and not pay so much attention to these matters, it's impossible for all of our diverse opinions to meet.

The judges are not the same people all the time, and yes, anyone has the chance to be a judge, no one can really judge if these people have less/more experience than we do. We ain't an academy, after all, some extra fun features won't harm <3

Well ...all you members who say "I really don't care if I get nominated...that's not what it's about for me"...I've noticed a decline in the amount of poems posted in the time frame I highlighted a couple of weeks ago but...if you still insist that you 'really' don't care then the solution is quite simple and will take away the stress of you having to check the p&q clock...simply write at the bottom of your poem..."Please do not nominate this poem" or words to that effect. Once again..I will be watching the apparent 'nonchalant' members we appear to have to see if they're willing to put their claims to trial...

Watch if you want. I think you are misunderstanding the meaning of I don't care. I write when things are slow or when I have free time. On the weekends I am busy. But I took time out of that schedule to post something for the members who are keeping an eye out for members like me. Hope you enjoy. Keep "watching."

Well said Hellon

I think the facts are clear. The competition will remain, some will like it, others dislike it. Some will like the choices, others not. But all of us are free to post as and when we choose, be it for the competition or not.
Here's my personal take on posting. I post multiple poems a week - on any given day - and don't place any thought into the competition. However, I am aware that if I post later in the week, I am less likely to be nominated as people are often low by then; but that doesn't stop me posting. I won't lie and say I don't like being nominated; like Rania, it is flattering and it's nice to know that you have touched someone enough to be nominated by them. And do I like it if a poem wins? Of course I do - because that means at least more than one person (the nominator) has enjoyed it. BUT, I do not write for the competition, or to be nominated or to win. There have been poems I have won with and wondered how on earth it was chosen over other, better poems. Equally, there have been weeks I have been dissappointed - but that's all down to opinion and art being subjective again.
The weekly is a bonus that we should all enjoy and not take too seriously because, as soon as we do that, we forget the point of writing to begin with and the sincerity and honesty of people's work becomes compromised.

100%

Ben and Rania, you guys are right too.

Could not have said it better myself Ben.

From personal experience!

I took on the role of a judge with the stipulation that "if I was needed and no one else would come forward I would step in". Thinking being that there were far better qualified than I.

Of all of you! throughout the entire world! I became the 5th and I fulfilled a full term. I missed one week while on my jollies.

Me! A judge?

Roughly 2 weeks after I took on the role as a judge I was able to nominate. This was a total git and a twist I wasn't prepared for.

If you love a poem so much that you want to nominate it you do so knowing you cannot vote for it.

If you cast a vote in favour of one of your favourites you have to question yourself. Am I voting on merit or content. Am I voting due to a biased opinion

Judging is not easy! You have to balance everything. Personal preference. Artistic content, vision, articulation. Everything comes into play. You have to read everyone's joy and everyone's sorrow.

It's not easy! It should not be easy!

If you are to accept this role then know that it's fantastic but you will question and critique yourself more than the authors.

I know I fulfilled my time without bias or allegiance.

I was honored to be a judge, and I took a massive sigh of relief once my term was over. It still feels like an honor to have been part of that process

Will I do it again? YES! When I feel that others have contributed enough. My interaction is minimal compared to that of others. My comments and replies short and sweet. My comments and appraisals as a judge were far more lengthy

So

Give judging a go. Keep an open mind, keep an open heart, prepare for joy, prepare for sorrow and sometimes to giggle your arse off

You will read everything and way more than you normally would.

You have nothing to loose.

Craig

P.s.

As the message says "you have a new power"

Use it wisely

Wise words, sir.

Why couldn't you vote for your own nomination? I did not read that in the rules. It just said not to vote on something you had a hand in writing.

Being an old member and a former judge, I do understand this. I can't deny that, 10 years ago, weekly contests were a reason (out of many) why I posted my poems here. However, I've always had a tendency towards browsing random poets' profiles on the website and reading their poetry. I always thought that everyone should be given the opportunity to be read for and receive constructive criticism.
Also, as the years went by and I came back after such a long break, I don't find weekly contests a thing anymore. I don't mind the idea; to the contrary, it might be a good motivation for someone who wants to get really better in poetry, by practice, but I don't take it as a sign/proof of my good writing.

If you're good, you're good. Nothing nor anyone can get in the way of your good writing.

Make a open voting system.

Rules...

1. Voter should have atleast a golden c or platinum f to be eligible and to limit the audience.

2. Like I nominated three poems and hireath nominated three poems and Jane nominated three poems. So while voting the three of can't give points to any poems nominated by us. Like, for this week, I nominated three poems...

A. Butterflies
B. Healing kiss
C. Tale of darkened wine.

So I can't give my vote or points to these three poems as I have nominated them.
But hireath can or silvershoes or any other candidate with voting status I mentioned above.

3. People can't give vote to their own poem on the nomination list nominated by others. Like, I nominated three poems and the same week two of my poems are nominated too. So I can't give my votes to these 5 poems.

4. Suppose I vote and give my first 10 points to Ben's poem, then I can't give my 7 or my 4 points to one of Ben's another poem in the nomination list. I will have to give my 7 to Andrea's poem and 4 to some other poet's poem.

5. Rest of the things will be same as usual. Like nomination open window and close window. Once nomination closes, a moderater will open a new thread for just 24 hours mentioning open voting(such an such date) with rules so that people can read and vote. Eligible candidates will give their three votes to three poems they think deem worthy of winning on basis of points from 10,7,and 4.

Suppose 10 people vote, so after 24 hours when the thread will be lock again to prevent further voting. we will calculate which three poems gets the highest points. Those three poems will show up on the front page. In case of tie between the two or almost three poems get the same points so those three poems will become front page winners.

The rest of the next and best 6-8 poems which will be left according to the points will get HM's.

Nothing will be anonymous anymore so their will be no controversies or questions will raise regarding the judges decision and all that other stuff. Anyone can open the thread and see who is voting and which poems are getting the highest votes.

I think it's easy to implement, I don't think Janis should be here to do this. The moderators can try it for a week. I think we should try it next week.