Serving as a Preliminary Judge means being part of the first and most important stage of selection. You will help shape the shortlist that defines the awards.
We are currently welcoming Preliminary Judges for our upcoming awards cycle.
What Does a Preliminary Judge Do?
Preliminary Judges read and score submitted entries within assigned categories. Your evaluations determine which works advance to the finalist round.
Each Preliminary Judge is assigned a balanced selection of entries. Most judges will read a mix of novels and shorter works. After reading, judges submit scores through our scoring system. Top-scoring entries become finalists.
Typical workload:
Approximately 8 total entries
Six-week reading period
Scoring submission at the end of the period
Who Should Apply?
We welcome Preliminary Judges from across the reading and writing community, including:
Avid readers
Book reviewers and bloggers
Indie authors
Librarians and educators
Literary influencers
Editors and proofreaders
You do not need professional publishing credentials to apply. What matters most is a commitment to reading carefully, scoring fairly, and meeting deadlines.
Applicants must not submit their own work to categories they judge.
Judging Timeline
Assignment of entries: November 1, 2026
Reading and scoring period: November 1 – December 13, 2026
Scores due: December 13, 2026
Finalists announced: December 14, 2026
Judging Standards and Integrity
All Preliminary Judges agree to:
Read all assigned entries fully
Score entries honestly and independently
Keep all digital copies provided strictly for judging use only
Maintain confidentiality of submissions and scores
Declare any conflicts of interest
Submit scores by the stated deadline
The Meridian Awards celebrate original human creativity and maintain a strict no-tolerance policy on AI-generated creative content. All submitted works must be created by a human author. Any entry found to be substantially generated by artificial intelligence in narrative, prose, poetry, or creative concept is not eligible for judging and will be disqualified. Judges are asked to evaluate originality and human authorship as core criteria in all scoring.
By reading assigned entries, you agree to uphold these standards and support the integrity of the Meridian Awards.
Why Join?
Support independent authors
Discover new and emerging voices
Build visibility in the indie literary community
Receive recognition as a Meridian Awards Preliminary Judge
Be part of the founding year of a new literary tradition
How to Apply
To apply, request a Preliminary Judge Application at:
themeridianawards@gmail.com