Dear Everyone,

This is David, chiming in. I think for someone less OCD about this, it shouldn't really take so long. Since the final judge need read only for that one winning ms., anything that won't make that final consideration for whatever reason needn't be read carefully all the way through. Especially first round mss. So, in fact there were about a dozen I read quite seriously, and about a half dozen of those I reviewed and re-read at various levels of attention to make the final decision. I had till New Years but finished by Dec 1. Remember, they're all about 3 hours, only if read closely all the way through. I wound up skimming many of the 50 I looked at in one way or another and reading a few that I knew weren't winner potential but which I just enjoyed, all the way through. 

A ruthlessly efficient handling of this would take an extra 4-6 hours a week for about 2-3 months, I'd guess. [I'm not that ruthlessly efficient but compulsively assiduous with anything I take seriously enough to consider--I want to be as fair as possible to needy aspirants... but I did this level of response with 35 my first year, this year about 15. Next year (but I won't do it again: not fair at all to repeat entrants, or to have my particular predilections be the controlling factor for 3 years in a row), maybe 10-2, I'd guess. 

You get the pleasure of helping a deserving writer get published in a difficult to place form--and even the runners up are grateful for the positive recognition. A karmic good deed. Good for the Press and the CW program, and eternal gratitude of the winners. And I enjoy making editorial suggestions on professional-level writing--sort of like cw teaching, but at a much higher aesthetic level.

I'm available for more detailed description of what this entails for anyone curious to know.

David

________________________________________
From: Miami University Creative Writing Faculty [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Goodman, Eric [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Friday, January 07, 2011 5:23 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Novella Prize Contest and Graduate Admissions

Dear Everyone,

     Keith has asked me to quiz everyone to see if one of you would be willing to serve as the final judge for next year’s MU Press novella prize competition.   He’s pretty certain there will be funding for the Press for next year; after that he’s not so certain, not because of anything that’s been said, but just because.....

    This year’s prizewinning novella, I’ve been told by both Keith and David, is truly wonderful.  If would be a shame, I think, to end the series at this time, but because AWP is coming up soon (first week of February), Keith would like to have a commitment as soon as possible, so that promotion of the competition can take place at the AWP book fair.

    Perhaps David can chime in on time commitment required.

   Please write and let me know.   If no one volunteers, perhaps we can cut for it at the poker game.

    As for graduate admissions, you’ll remember that graduate applications are due by January 15th, so I would assume that completed applications will be ready to read no later than the 17th (and possibly before).   Once I hear from Cindy regarding the meeting schedule for Graduate Admissions and Awards, I’ll let you know.


    Cheers.

    Onward into the semester.

   E