HELPFUL TIPS FOR PUBLISHING BOOKS FOR THE MARY JO
NETTESHEIM LITERARY COMPETITION
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
HOLISTIC SCORING
When using holistic scoring for a book, the judge:
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)
FACTORS THAT DEFINE GOOD WRITING:
Organization—Beginning, Middle, End
Imagination or Creativity
Choice of Words
Sentence Structure
Grammar
Spelling
Neatness
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 FICTION WRITING
Story Structure/Organization
60%
13 to 18 points
7 to 12 points
0 to 6 points
*Very well developed beginning,
middle, end
*Excellent choice of words
*Many interesting, varied
sentences
*Well developed beginning,
middle, end
*Good choice of words
*Some varied, interesting
sentences
*Story is not adequately developed
*Word choice is minimally
effective
*Sentences are not varied and
interesting
5 or 6 points
3 or 4 points
0 to 2 points
*Shows vivid imagination
*Author’s voice/emotional appeal
is clearly evident
*Uses unique ideas
*Shows some imagination
*Some use of author’s
voice/emotional appeal is evident
*Some original ideas are present
*Shows limited use of imagination
*Little to no evidence of author’s
voice/emotional appeal
*Uses few to no original ideas
3 points
2 points
1 points
*Indicates very accomplished
spelling, sentence structure, and
grammar
*Exhibits good spelling, sentence
structure, and grammar
*Shows little success in spelling,
sentence structure, and grammar
3 points
2 points
1 points
*Neat and well presented
*Illustrations compliment the story
*Visually appealing illustration
style is used
*Unique artistic techniques are
used
*Project is adequately presented
*Illustrations are somewhat
appealing
*Some artistic techniques are used
*Project presentation could be
improved
*Illustrations don’t add to the story
or don’t match the story
*Illustrator lacks use of artistic
techniques
Creativity/Originality
20%
Conventions
10%
Presentation/Illustrations
10%