Pam, that sounds like a reasonable way to use the Merriweathers. Many FoLCs already complete their stories before posting so they don't frustrate or cheat readers who are anxiously waiting for the next part. But with a finished story, the writer could use the two contests to make the best story. The writer could submit it to the Merriweathers to get a solid critique from several judges. After evaluating the comments and making any changes that seem to strengthen the story, the writer could post it so it would be eligible for the Kerths.
As a worst case scenario, it would be like having a reader service provide a free critique before submitting the work for "publication" on the archive. And in the best case, it could mean two awards--a Merriweather (which would be like getting 5 star reviews from all the critics) and a Kerth (which would be like making the NY Times bestseller list)!
