Response to CRMA Judging

After reading the little blurb about the judging on the syllabus, I wasn't sure what to expect. The magazines were all of a very high level, one I wouldn't have thought many city magazines would be at.

Speaking as someone that's never wanted to live in New York, I was glad to see so many outstanding regional magazines.

As for the judging, it's always harder than you expect. Especially with overall excellence, there are so many variables in determining the 'best'. Some had phenomenal features, but I wasn't crazy about their departments. Others, which didn't stay in the running too long, had exceptional covers, but the inside never lived up to what the design sold on the front.

I worked at the SSND competition last year and was able to see judges critique a lot of my work. Of course you hope they'll have nothing but glowing reviews, but either way it's always (well usually) constructive.

As Jan said Tuesday, we'll all be entering VOX stuff this year. If you want to get an idea of what it's like, you can check out the liveblog from last year. There are some judge tips and links to winning pages, etc... Check it out here.