Re: Authenticity & competitions

["S. M. Thorson" <smt2@st-andrews.ac.uk>]

Poster: "S. M. Thorson" <smt2@st-andrews.ac.uk>

Master Daniel sensibly remarked:

> People running competitions should always make sure that the name blind
> period is as short as possible and that clearly written name cards,
> including name of home base (barony, shire, etc.) are placed prominently
> by the items asap.  Names also help people who want to commission work
> to know who has what skills.

May I make an additional suggestion?  It would also help, I think, if the
top 3-5 finishers (and their entries) in a large competition were paraded
in court when the prize(s) are awarded.  This serves 2 purposes - it makes
the runners-up feel good, because they get a little public pat on the back
(even if no prize is attached), and it helps attach both names AND faces
to the entries on the table.  I'm neither a Pearl nor a Laurel, but what
I've heard about the polling procedures in both those orders suggests to
me that the members are very leery of voting in a new person if they don't
have a fairly secure idea of whom s/he is, and that this caution goes
beyond merely "I haven't seen his/her work." 

Obviously this would have to be managed with some tact - if there are only
4 entries in a competition, parading the top 3 while the guy who came in
fourth sits in a corner would not be especially encouraging.  On the other
hand, with a small number of entries you could conceivably parade everyone
and then announce the winner without hurting the others' feelings.

Alianora
*****************************************************************************
Stephanie M. Thorson			|  SCA: Lady Alianora Munro
Dept. of Scottish History		|  Clan White Wing
University of St Andrews		|  Tarkhan, Khanate Red Lion

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