Effectiveness/Reader Response:
NonFiction- The Judges Questions
Nonfiction & Creative Nonfiction Questions by Category
Opening/Pacing:
Construction/Organization/Development:
Effectiveness/Reader Response:
Mechanics:
Opening/Pacing:
- Is the opening compelling? Does it make you want to continue reading?
- Is the pacing appropriate for the unfolding article or story? Does it move rapidly enough to sustain interest?
Construction/Organization/Development:
- Does the writer use interesting facts, examples, opinions, anecdotes and/or explanations to develop the piece?
- Is the necessary background information presented in a concise and well-balanced manner?
- Is the piece organized effectively, with strong transitions and a conclusion that ties it all together? If it is the beginning of a book-length work, does it provide the reader with a strong sense of the protagonist's character and the conflict he/she faces?
- Is there a satisfying tie between the opening of the piece and its resolution? If it is the beginning of a book-length work, does each scene have a clear and necessary relationship with the scenes that precede and follow it?
Effectiveness/Reader Response:
- Candidly assess the total impact of this nonfiction piece. Realistically evaluate its likelihood of enticing a successful editor to purchase it.
- Does the author provide a sufficient amount of information (or narration) to hold the reader’s attention and to answer any questions that may arise from reading the entry?
- Does the opening section provide the reader with confidence that the author knows this topic well?
- Does the piece inspire the reader to think or feel strongly about the subject matter?
- Is the writing free of extraneous details that do not contribute to the overall effectiveness of the piece?
- Is the writing fresh, clear, and focused?
Mechanics:
- Is the entry presented professionally and following the format required by the contest?
- Are the writing style and vocabulary appropriate for the intended audience
- Is the work without errors in grammar or logic?
- Does the author use a variety of sentence structures and sentence lengths?
- Is the manuscript free of typographical, spelling, and punctuation errors?
- Is the writing clear and focused without an annoying overuse of adjectives, adverbs, or passive verbs?
