Profile Guide

Judge Application Form

Here at the guild, we are invested in providing a positive experience for our judges as much as we do for our participants. We offer consistency, communication, and a constructive environment where you can thrive, whether as someone new to the judging scene, or a veteran looking for stability and community.

As we have a number of awards running, we keep a permanent judges panel as well as a reserve roster for new judges who are interested in testing their steel. We've found this method allows for our awards to run smoothly and with as little stress as possible for everyone involved. 

For this reason, if you decide to sign on, you may be waiting in reserve for months at a time. We will keep in touch with you during this period to be sure you are assigned to an awards that works with your schedule and interests.

Our current awards that you may be assigned to if you apply are: The Okami Awards, The Kirukkan Awards, and The Sea Glass Awards.

Upon application, you will be asked to undergo a trial. No prior judging experience is necessary. The trial will entail scoring a single chapter of a book based on a rubric from one of our awards and writing a short review, as well as submitting a chapter from one of your own books to exhibit your skill as a writer with an understanding of the fundamentals.

It is highly recommended that judges follow this community account for updates and add the awards book(s) they are assigned to judge for to their private library.

Form

Username:
Willing to judge Mature/LGBTQ+?:
Will you join our discord server?:
Book Submission for Judges' Reading List:
Which of our awards would you be most interested in judging for?:
What genres are you interested in judging?:
Why do you think you would be a great addition to our team?:

New judges to the guild are identified as Tempered Blades. Our permanent staff are the Kirukkan Blades. You may receive an offer of a permanent position on the judges panel if the awards overseers are impressed by your work ethic. Permanent judges are able to become Arena Awards judges or Kat Reviwers and given first access to new projects and positions, as well as bonus rewards for other awards work they do.

If you are interested in attaining the Kirukkan Blade rank, keep the following in mind as what to strive for:

Consistency - Be on time. Give the work your best. Be thorough, reliable, and invested.

Communication - If you need more time for judging, say so. If you have questions, ask. If you think the admins were unclear, made a mistake, or forgot something, tell them. Communication is key and we would rather navigate small bumps in the road than mountains later on.

Constructive Community - We're here to build, not tear down. Whether in judging, reviews, or interacting with other team members, we value speaking the truth in kindness. On the other hand, don't just pour sugar all over people. Too much sugar is bad for teeth ... and it's sticky. We're all writers in different stages of our journey and we're human. Extend a helping hand when others stumble--be humble and take their hand when it's your feet that falter. Don't throw rocks at people. Build something beautiful together instead.