The second annual literature competition on wissen.de, running in partnership with BÜCHER magazine, has been collecting entries since early April. Participants have until June 7 to submit their stories focused on the theme of “water”. We caught up with Jens Poggenpohl, the editor-in-chief of BÜCHER and a jury member, for a mid-competition update.
wissen.de: Mr. Poggenpohl, this is your second time serving as a jury member for the wissen.de literary contest. Based on your experience, who tends to participate? Are there specific demographics? For instance, is it skewed toward men or women, or older versus younger writers?
The demographic shift in digital storytelling competitions
The old stereotype about male reading habits took a hit at the recent premiere. I expected a sea of men. Instead, the turnout was surprisingly balanced. That was just the launch party, though. Looking at the submissions so far, the trend has flipped hard. Women are dominating the inbox.
It isn’t just gender, though. The mix is genuinely eclectic.
You have teenagers side-by-side with retirees. Professional writers rubbing shoulders with complete amateurs. It’s a messy, vibrant ecosystem.
Genre fatigue and the charm of variance
When asked which genre was winning—thrillers, romance, or sci-fi—the answer was a flat no. None of them.
Why? Because relying on one genre gets boring fast. Predictability kills curiosity.
The quality of the work? It’s all over the map. Some pieces are polished gems. Others are rough drafts that shouldn’t see the light of day. But that variance is the point. It’s the charm.
“It is beautiful to see how many people want to tell a story.”
The goal isn’t a uniform standard of excellence. It’s the sheer volume of human voices trying to be heard.
What makes text worth reading?
Defining a good story is subjective. There’s no formula.
For me, it’s about surprise. It’s about having your sense of what’s possible sharpened by a new perspective. It’s not about cheap thrills or plot twists. It’s atmosphere. It’s point of view.
I look for risk.
I want to see an author willing to break grammar, bend syntax, or create a voice that feels entirely their own. Safe writing is boring. I want the text to bleed a little.
