After starting the Writing Contest, I've talked to some people who are afraid to participate because doing poorly in a contest would prove that they are not 'good authors'. I can understand the feeling but since I am hosting the contest I would like to make my feelings known about this.

I believe that individual creativity and talent cannot be judged. The contest rubric can only evaluate how effectively you have executed that particular story (the contest entry). While the score reflects your writing skill to some extent, it cannot define where you are or who you are as a writer.

This is my personal opinion.

But I like contests because they encourage you to be at your best. Admit it, you usually put in extra effort in your contest entry, even if it's a little. And that extra effort can make a huge difference.

However, you shouldn't let contest results discourage you, or define you as a writer. A bit of healthy competition is always good, but don't let it get the better of you. I'm not saying you should completely disregard contests, but if the results are not in your favor, don't let it get you down. Learn from the winning entries. And always, keep trying.