Yeah yeah I have like 3 pending chapters I promised to deliver but hey, when have I ever kept my promises? 😚

This chapter I am going to be sharing my knowledge on contests and how to properly host a commited contest. And just in case you're questioning my experience I've hosted a contest before, been a judge in 2 and participated in over 6.

Yes I am jobless.

These are filled mostly with mistakes that I have made in the past, but I put the word "you" so you contest hosts and judges can feel attacked as you should uwu

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1. CHOOSE THE RIGHT TIME SPAN

What I've noticed with a lot of contests is that we stretch out the time span, so for example we'd have a contest from like April to August.

And to this I tell you, stop.

This is not a reality show where the contestants sign a legally binding contract so they have to stick it out to the end; this is WATTPAD. In other words, no one is willing to stay so long for a contest, even if they claim to be committed in the forms. A lot can happen in the span of one month alone that can cause someone to drop out.

If you want to make sure the contest doesn't drag out, the contestants and judges don't get bored, people don't drop out and you as a host dont lose motivation, then keep your timeframe SHORT.

A month to two months is all you need. Stretching it out and making several rounds is wasted effort on your part.

2. Choosing the right time frame

By this, I mean what time in the year are you starting your contests and what time in the year is it ending?

Let's say, hypothetically, your contest is two months, and you decide it starts August. This means your contest is going to end October which is a terrible time frame because PEOPLE. HAVE. SCHOOL. AND. JOBS!!!!!!!

When someone starts school or work, BEST BELIEVE they aren't going to give a rat's ass about submitting a graphic to some contest that ain't even paying them in the end. As a host, you should pick a time frame that will be most suitable to most people, like I don't know....

S U M M E R

(In other words stop making committed contests right now. You will be greatly disappointed. )

3. Ask the right questions

By this, I mean when you make the forms stop asking irrelevant questions like what age are you or why did u choose this contest—it doesn't help anybody.

Also stop asking that shitty rate your graphics from 1-10 bullshit. YOU rate their graphics like the host you're supposed to be ffs 😭

Ask important questions. What software/app do you use? Are you currently in school or at work/Is it a holiday in your country? When did you start graphic designing? Send a link to your graphics etc etc whatever

4. Go through the forms VERY CAREFULLY

Yeah, picking random people is the worst idea ever because :

-you can accept random plagiarisers by mistake

-you could accept someone that will very obviously be eliminated first round (the giant gap between the scores will sadden everybody ESPECIALLY that poor human)

-you could accept someone who by all means, won't be online for the next 5 years

-you could accept an idiot

5. Be gradual in difficulty level of prompts

"Haha guys welcome to my contest anyways first round you guys have to follow this 17 page criteria word by word and also btw you cannot use your favourite genre or colour or model oR fOnT :)"

With all due respect, that is not how contests work.

Like, any single contest whether on television or off television follows the same simple algorithm :

EASY. TO. HARD.

?????why are you scaring everybody in the first round???? (It doesn't make you look like a mean badass judge or host. It makes you look clapped)

As a host or mentor or judge or whatever the fuck u wanna call yourself you need to remember that these designers have absolutely no obligation to stay in the contest and can leave whenever they want. So ease into it, don't scare or piss them off, make it harder as the contest grows thinner.

Just stop stressing graphic designers out for no fucking reason.

6. Be gradual in JUDGING CRITERIA

I realised this while I was going through all the contest servers I judge and I was like why tf am I so pressed in the first round.

I just think now that as the contest grows judging should be GAINING momentum, not losing it. Sometimes I burn out bc I spent so much time in the last round judging harshly so I have no willpower to criticize the next. And that's...not it lmao. As the contest gets tougher the judging as well should get tougher.

(Also there's no need to judge the newbies that will get eliminated first so harshly. I realised that they won't take it the right way and that's not their fault. They're new. Lay off them.)

Or Just. Don't. Accept. Them. In. The. First. Place.

7. Give scoring criteria for each round and make it different, and give an ALGORITHM

For judges like me that take off seven marks for one mistake yeah give me a fucking algorithm please.

The difference between some judges scores is fucking wild yo, I be here with 57/100 and another person with 78/100 and another with 20 like for fucks sake how the fuck are we supposed to score when the criteria is so vague.

Just—the disarray between some judges is so crazy because one judge is like "meh I dont like this cover bc it's too simple" but another judge is like  "but the simplicity is great tho" and another judge is yelling "hOW DO I EVEN SCORE SKILL WHEN THIS PERSON GAVE ME A SIMPLE COVER."

If the prompt is make a manipulation then stuff like SKILL, LIGHT/SHADOW, BLENDING, CREATIVITY ETC should be there.

If the prompt is make a cover about your favourite moment then try lessening the scores for SKILL or something bc some contestants enjoy going minimalist.

(Also, stop hating on minimalist graphics for no reason. I'm so sick of y'all.)

8. Make the prizes something worth fighting for

This speaks for itself. If the only prize you have outside of a follow, reading list and shout out is "I'll make u 2 covers uwu" then please, shift from this area.

Imagine, I'll have to go through 282828 battles just for someone to give me 2 covers when I can just request from a shop without stress

Give designers something they actually seek, like RESOURCES! ATTENTION! Maybe a sticker bc some graphic designers like me like stickers.

9. Do not extend the deadline so much.

I've mentioned it before. If you waste too much time on one contest bc some mfs  aren't submitting then EVERYONE, INCLUDING YOU, WILL GET BORED.

If someone doesn't submit, fine, kick them out. Stop wasting everybody's time and just get on with the contest. Follow your time STRICTLY else the damn contest will never end.

I know it sucks bc you wanna see everyone do it and u wanna see the contest go through the way you planned it, but the truth it the contest won't go the way you planned it and you must be prepared to improvise adapt overcome.

10. Prompts are fun, be fun with prompts

Give designers space for imagination and give them something to work with.

Eg. Don't give them a 202020 page description of what they're supposed to do. You are not paying them.

However don't be like "yo make a cover that is like, fantasy" bc???? That isn't a prompt

11. Do 👏🏾Not👏🏾Do👏🏾Collabs👏🏾

Yeah collab round was the stupidest thing us hosts could ever think of.

People drop out. People vary in skill level. People suck with communication. Dont make a collab round bc there will always be unfairness in it, especially with someone giving a CRAP BASE or someone doing a CRAP FINISH.

Just. Don't do it.

It's a stupid idea.

12. Don't give people poor quality pictures to use in their entry

STOP GIVING PEOPLE POOR QUALITY IMAGES WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU WHY WOULD U DO THAT WHAT THE FUCKING FUCK I'M–

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The end.