HELPFUL TIPS FOR PUBLISHING BOOKS FOR THE MARY JO NETTESHEIM LITERARY COMPETITION DEFINITION OF FICTION AND ENHANCED PERSONAL NARRATIVE BOOKS Fiction includes stories that are invented by the imagination of the author including made up stories, fables, legends, myths, and fairy tales. Details and descriptive words paint a picture in the readers' minds that lets them live the story. Enhanced Personal Narratives are stories that centers on a particular event in the author s life, using details and description focusing on smells, sounds, tastes, sights and feelings that paint a vivid picture for the readers so they feel a part of the story. EDITING STUDENT BOOKS Students may have help with final editing just as any adult author has his/her work edited before publication. It is assumed the adult will not change the story content or sentence structure, but may help with grammar, punctuation or spelling. You may choose to include a statement to this effect in your own chapter s contest information. (This was taken from the original Handbook created by the Literary Competition Committee.) TITLE PAGE All books must have a title page. This includes the title of the book, the name of the author/illustrator. (Each book can only be written and illustrated by one person.) The title page may include an illustration, but it does not have to have one. The title page may include the name of a publisher. (If the student has made one up.)
WORD COUNT FOR BOOKS Count the words in the text only. Do not count the words on the title page, dedications, chapter titles, speech balloons or other words in the illustrations. (If book is a graphic novel words will be in speech balloons, so that is where words are counted.) CONTEST REQUIREMENTS Grade 3---------No more than 500 words Grades 4-5-----No more than 600 words Grades 6-8-----No more than 1000 words Grades 9-12----No more than 1600 words COMPUTER WILL COUNT YOUR WORDS Examples of word counts: The children were going to meet at 2:30 P.M. (9 words---count the time and P.M. as 1 word each) The children were going to meet at 2:30. (8 words---count 2:30 as 1 word) He was number 33 in line. (6 words---the number counts as 1 word) He was number thirty-three in line. (6 words---hyphenated numbers count as 1 word) It was a spur-of-the-moment decision. (5 words---hyphenated words count as 1 word) Show the drop-down or pop-up list. (6 words---hyphenated words count as 1 word) The cat sat by a rat. (6 words---a is counted as 1 word) You re returned to header/footer mode. (5 words---header/footer counts as 1 word) Mary Kate loves dogs. (4 words---mary Kate is counted as 2 words) ( Mary-Kate or MaryKate would be 1 word) *Computer word counts of text follow this format
When using holistic scoring for a book, the judge: HOLISTIC SCORING 1. Makes a single, overall judgment of the quality of the writing sample. 2. Reads the book usually only once. 3. Ranks the book based on the overall impact made by the writing, taking into account all the factors of good writing. (except handwriting) Organization Beginning, Middle, End Imagination or Creativity Choice of Words Sentence Structure Grammar Spelling Neatness FACTORS THAT DEFINE GOOD WRITING: A general criteria or guideline to keep in mind as you read through a book is: 60% - Creativity, originality, and following a logical sequence from introduction to conclusion 20% - Neatness, awareness of sentence structure 10% - Illustrations: How well they relate to the text 5% - Spelling 5% - Paragraphs
4. Does not give any one factor special attention. 5. Does not correct or mark books. Uses judging sheet to score1 to 4. 6. Evaluates books with at least one other reader. Each judge reads the books alone and then compares their score with the other reader s score. A one point difference between readers is permitted. If there is a larger variance, another reader should also score the book. 7. NOTE: Differences of opinion with the subject matter in a book and whether the judge likes or dislikes the subject written about should not affect the score of a book if it is creative and well written. 8. Handwritten vs. typed should NOT affect the judge s decision. 9. Several chapters have found it rewarding to leave notes to the students in their books on Post-It notes. This could be a positive comment, something that stood out or a contest rule that was omitted to make them ineligible. 10. Do NOT look at any of the contest page information. The books should stand on their merit alone! 11. Abstain from voting in the final judging if you are familiar with any of the books that are competing at any one grade level. RUBRIC USED FOR JUDGING LITERARY COMPETITION ENTRIES The Rubric shows the general criteria or guidelines used to judge the entries at the local and state levels. The four categories are Story Structure/Organization, Creativity/Originality, Conventions (spelling, sentence structure, grammar and punctuation) and Presentation/Illustrations. Keep in mind the story is the most important of the four categories.
RUBRIC FOR SCORING BOOK WRITING Story Structure/Organization 13 to 18 points 7 to 12 points 0 to 6 points 60% Creativity/Originality 20% *Very well developed beginning, middle, end *Excellent choice of words *Many interesting, varied sentences 5 or 6 points *Shows vivid imagination *Author s voice/emotional appeal is clearly evident *Uses unique ideas *Well developed beginning, middle, end *Good choice of words *Some varied, interesting sentences 3 or 4 points *Shows some imagination *Some use of author s voice/emotional appeal is evident *Some original ideas are present *Story is not adequately developed *Word choice is minimally effective *Sentences are not varied and interesting 0 to 2 points *Shows limited use of imagination *Little to no evidence of author s voice/emotional appeal *Uses few to no original ideas Conventions 10% 3 points *Indicates very accomplished spelling, sentence structure, and grammar 2 points *Exhibits good spelling, sentence structure, and grammar 1 points *Shows little success in spelling, sentence structure, and grammar Presentation/Illustrations 10% 3 points *Neat and well presented *Illustrations compliment the story *Visually appealing illustration style is used *Unique artistic techniques are used 2 points *Project is adequately presented *Illustrations are somewhat appealing *Some artistic techniques are used 1 points *Project presentation could be improved *Illustrations don t add to the story or don t match the story *Illustrator lacks use of artistic techniques