The obligatory Golden Heart score post

If you enter the Golden Heart, and have a blog, then you’re pretty much obligated to blog about your Golden Heart scores. Can I say that I’m a wee bit psyched that this will be my last Golden Heart post, ever? (The Golden Heart is for writers not published in novel-length fiction).

Your manuscript is read by five judges and they score you on a scale of 1 through 9, decimals allowed, with 9 being the highest, 5 average, and 1 illiterate. (Okay, I made that last part up. I’ve never met anyone who received a 1, but I do know someone who received four 9s and a 2. And yes, she made the finals that year.)

Below are the scores for Geek Girl’s Guide and Fine Art (MacKenna’s story).

The Geek Girls’ Guide to Cheerleading:
8.9
7.2
7.3
8
8.3
Average: 39.70, which put us in the top quarter (top quarter cutoff: 38.7)

Not bad, although really, what’s the difference between 8.9 and a 9.0? What was the one little thing we didn’t get right? Is it rude to ask that?

The Fine Art of Holding Your Breath:
7
8.3
9
9
6.8
Average: 40.10 (again, top quarter)

I’m really pleased with this set of scores. Both, actually. I’m guessing both manuscripts came close to making the finals.

And honestly, I’d mentally prepared myself for lower scores re: Fine Art. It’s edgier than Geek Girl’s Guide and has super secret double probation subject matter (nope, haven’t blogged about it, so you won’t find anything in the archives) that happens to be a hot button topic.

I expected a wider gap between the scores. Actually, I was expecting to dip beneath a 5. That I didn’t, along with those two 9s, has me extra pleased.

Now all I have to do is finish this draft.