<p>@cecewithapen writing isn’t like math/science. There’s a reason why many famous writers may get noticed for just a couple of their works while the rest of their works receive minimal or less recognition; unless you’re some crazy genius or very lucky, it’s impossible to constantly win awards. Writing quality is a highly subjective thing, and stories/works can vary greatly, even if written by the same autjor around the same time.</p>
<p>Got an Honorable Mention for my short story. Very happy about it since I had to cram it in 4 hours LOL</p>
<p>@Apdenoatis okay, fair enough, although writing is more like math than most expect in terms of creativity. In the National awards, the stories posted online do differ in quality IMO (but I think they don’t judge middle school entries against high school ones). Congrats on the award! </p>
<p>@cecewithapen regardless, there are way more factors that go into whether a piece of writing is considered a masterpiece or not. While you can typically tell if your math was correct, you can’t really do that with a piece of writing. As for creativity, in all seriousness, almost every single story/trope possible has already been written. It’s really just about your presentation. </p>
<p>I haven’t dug around the National awards much aside from some of the short stories. I personally feel that some of them weren’t necessarily deserving of the awards they got, even among the same age group, but it’s probably more of a matter of personal tastes and expectations.</p>
<p>And thanks lol. </p>
<p>@Apedonoatis actually, a math proof can technically be “right” and still be awful. Math requires elegance and sophistication. Same with answers. The solution can be bashed, which is clunky, time-consuming, and ugly, but works, or there may be a very nice, simple way to get to the answer. Math isn’t about a bunch of exercises in a textbook.</p>
<p>And when I meant creativity, I didn’t mean necessarily plot-wise, although it is arguable that every single person’s life experience is different and therefore what they come up with is always going to be different than what someone else writes, because in the end fiction is about reflecting on life. By presentation I assume you mean style, and I will agree that requires more creativity than plot.</p>
<p>National awards are announced tomorrow! Has anyone else been getting a lot of emails reminding them to check to see if they’re won? I think I just got like my third or forth one about it from Scholastic.</p>
<p>@WriterReader, so have I 
They’ll be announced in an hour! Good luck, everyone!</p>
<p>T - 45 minutes! Good luck, all. I have one chance to go to NY again…crossing fingers. </p>
<p>They’re up early! Three national medals - one gold for short story and a silver each for portfolio and poetry!!!</p>
<p>Congrats @mickyleib !</p>
<p>I didn’t win anything. Sigh. I think sophomore year was a fluke. :P</p>
<p>Didn’t win anything! Oh well, there’s always next year! Congrats to everyone who won!</p>
<p>I did NOT win!! >:( >:( >:( >>>>>>>>>>RAGE<<<<<<<<<<<</p>
<p>Congrats to those who won btw
=D> </p>
<p>@bodangles Hey, don’t be like that. I had to enter for many years before getting another medal</p>
<p>My D won a silver medal. Last Chance as she’s graduating yey!</p>
<p>D won an American Visions!!! So pumped!! Senior year has been good! :)</p>
<p>My D won a gold and is only in seventh grade. For those of you who have already gone to the ceremony–is it worth making the effort to get there? Can’t believe how expensive it is to be there. Maybe she’ll have another chance, but don’t know. . .</p>
<p>If it causes you strain or hardship, don’t go. She’ll get the medal in the mail, and you can watch it live-streamed online. You could get her materials for her art or have a nice dinner that night if you want to do something less expensive to commemorate it. I won in middle school and then a bunch of years later, so if she keeps at it, she definitely will have other chances. But make sure your D is on board with not going/going/doing something else special. Congrats to her!</p>
<p>How important is the media they ask you to send in? (Photo, video, audio message). I sent in the photo, and could do the audio message, but I don’t really have the resources or motivation (ugh, last quarter senior) to construct a video message as nice and formal as the ones they provide for example.</p>
<p>They say the media may be used for the online gallery, promotional uses, yada yada. However, if I fail to send in a video it won’t bar me from going to the Carnegie Hall ceremony etc, right?</p>