Novel Beginning Judging Page

    JUDGES- Enter your name & email here...in the event of questions

    PLEASE CHOOSE ONE ANSWER FOR EACH QUESTION
    Hook:
    Question 1
    Does the novel open with a compelling hook that makes you want to continue reading?
    Use these Guidelines:
    5- Excellent-Ready for publication as is
    4- Very Good-Could still use a bit of polish
    3- Solid- Could benefit from refinement
    2- In Process-Needs work to meet its potential.
    1- Starting Point- Concept is there, needs substantial work to meet its potential
    Setting:
    Question 2
    Does the writer engage the senses making it easy for you to visualize the scene(s)? 
    Use these Guidelines:
    5- Excellent-Ready for publication as is
    4- Very Good-Could still use a bit of polish
    3- Solid- Could benefit from refinement
    2- In Process-Needs work to meet its potential.
    1- Starting Point- Concept is there, needs substantial work to meet its potential
    Question 3
    Does the author provide a sense of time and place, either evoking a real location or a well-constructed fictitious world? 
    Use these Guidelines:
    5- Excellent-Ready for publication as is
    4- Very Good-Could still use a bit of polish
    3- Solid- Could benefit from refinement
    2- In Process-Needs work to meet its potential.
    1- Starting Point- Concept is there, needs substantial work to meet its potential
    Characters:
    Question 4
    Are the main characters multidimensional, with evidence (or at least hints) that they have weaknesses as well as strengths?
    Use these Guidelines:
    5- Excellent-Ready for publication as is
    4- Very Good-Could still use a bit of polish
    3- Solid- Could benefit from refinement
    2- In Process-Needs work to meet its potential.
    1- Starting Point- Concept is there, needs substantial work to meet its potential
    Question 5
    Do the first few pages give an effective introduction to the protagonist and his/her goals, motivation, and conflict? Does the reader have a strong sense of the protagonist’s character?
    Use these Guidelines:
    5- Excellent-Ready for publication as is
    4- Very Good-Could still use a bit of polish
    3- Solid- Could benefit from refinement
    2- In Process-Needs work to meet its potential.
    1- Starting Point- Concept is there, needs substantial work to meet its potential
    Question 6
    Does each major character exhibit a unique voice and distinguishing personality traits?
    Use these Guidelines:
    5- Excellent-Ready for publication as is
    4- Very Good-Could still use a bit of polish
    3- Solid- Could benefit from refinement
    2- In Process-Needs work to meet its potential.
    1- Starting Point- Concept is there, needs substantial work to meet its potential
    Question 7
    Is the protagonist sufficiently interesting to produce empathy (or at least curiosity) in the reader?  
    Use these Guidelines:
    5- Excellent-Ready for publication as is
    4- Very Good-Could still use a bit of polish
    3- Solid- Could benefit from refinement
    2- In Process-Needs work to meet its potential.
    1- Starting Point- Concept is there, needs substantial work to meet its potential
    Conflict: 
    Question 8
    Does the conflict arise believably from the characters’ motivations and goals?
    Use these Guidelines:
    5- Excellent-Ready for publication as is
    4- Very Good-Could still use a bit of polish
    3- Solid- Could benefit from refinement
    2- In Process-Needs work to meet its potential.
    1- Starting Point- Concept is there, needs substantial work to meet its potential
    Question 9
    Is there sufficient conflict (internal and/or external) to sustain the reader’s interest?
    Use these Guidelines:
    5- Excellent-Ready for publication as is
    4- Very Good-Could still use a bit of polish
    3- Solid- Could benefit from refinement
    2- In Process-Needs work to meet its potential.
    1- Starting Point- Concept is there, needs substantial work to meet its potential
    Dialogue/Narrative/POV:
    Question 10
    Do the dialogue and narrative provide characterization and move the story and/or relationships forward?
    Use these Guidelines:
    5- Excellent-Ready for publication as is
    4- Very Good-Could still use a bit of polish
    3- Solid- Could benefit from refinement
    2- In Process-Needs work to meet its potential.
    1- Starting Point- Concept is there, needs substantial work to meet its potential
    Question 11
    Does the author present the work with a distinctive voice and an engaging style of expression? 
    Use these Guidelines:
    5- Excellent-Ready for publication as is
    4- Very Good-Could still use a bit of polish
    3- Solid- Could benefit from refinement
    2- In Process-Needs work to meet its potential.
    1- Starting Point- Concept is there, needs substantial work to meet its potential
    Question 12
    Is each character’s voice consistent and appropriate for his/her age, education, gender, ethnicity, etc.?
    Use these Guidelines:
    5- Excellent-Ready for publication as is
    4- Very Good-Could still use a bit of polish
    3- Solid- Could benefit from refinement
    2- In Process-Needs work to meet its potential.
    1- Starting Point- Concept is there, needs substantial work to meet its potential
    Question 13 
    Is point of view handled correctly?
    Use these Guidelines:
    5- Excellent-Ready for publication as is
    4- Very Good-Could still use a bit of polish
    3- Solid- Could benefit from refinement
    2- In Process-Needs work to meet its potential.
    1- Starting Point- Concept is there, needs substantial work to meet its potential
    Question 14 
    Is the dialogue natural, not stilted or overly narrative?  
    Use these Guidelines:
    5- Excellent-Ready for publication as is
    4- Very Good-Could still use a bit of polish
    3- Solid- Could benefit from refinement
    2- In Process-Needs work to meet its potential.
    1- Starting Point- Concept is there, needs substantial work to meet its potential
    Question 15
    Is the voice of the major character distinct enough that not every line of dialogue needs a dialogue tag?
    Use these Guidelines:
    5- Excellent-Ready for publication as is
    4- Very Good-Could still use a bit of polish
    3- Solid- Could benefit from refinement
    2- In Process-Needs work to meet its potential.
    1- Starting Point- Concept is there, needs substantial work to meet its potential
    Mechanics:
    Question 16
    Is the entry presented professionally and following the format required by the contest? Is the manuscript free of typographical, spelling, and punctuation errors?
    Use these Guidelines:
    5- Excellent-Ready for publication as is
    4- Very Good-Could still use a bit of polish
    3- Solid- Could benefit from refinement
    2- In Process-Needs work to meet its potential.
    1- Starting Point- Concept is there, needs substantial work to meet its potential
    Question 17
    Is the story told in a clear and focused manner without annoying overuse of adjectives and adverbs?
    Use these Guidelines:
    5- Excellent-Ready for publication as is
    4- Very Good-Could still use a bit of polish
    3- Solid- Could benefit from refinement
    2- In Process-Needs work to meet its potential.
    1- Starting Point- Concept is there, needs substantial work to meet its potential
    Question 18
    Is the work without grammar errors; or, if errors exist, are they necessary for the story’s atmosphere?
    Use these Guidelines:
    5- Excellent-Ready for publication as is
    4- Very Good-Could still use a bit of polish
    3- Solid- Could benefit from refinement
    2- In Process-Needs work to meet its potential.
    1- Starting Point- Concept is there, needs substantial work to meet its potential
    Pacing/Flow:
    Question 19
    Does each scene have a clear and necessary relationship with the scenes that precede and follow it?
    Use these Guidelines:
    5- Excellent-Ready for publication as is
    4- Very Good-Could still use a bit of polish
    3- Solid- Could benefit from refinement
    2- In Process-Needs work to meet its potential.
    1- Starting Point- Concept is there, needs substantial work to meet its potential
    Question 20
    Does the opening scene show promise that the reader has entered an original but plausible world filled with inherent conflict and great emotional appeal?
    Use these Guidelines:
    5- Excellent-Ready for publication as is
    4- Very Good-Could still use a bit of polish
    3- Solid- Could benefit from refinement
    2- In Process-Needs work to meet its potential.
    1- Starting Point- Concept is there, needs substantial work to meet its potential
    Question 21
    Does the proportion of showing versus telling produce an active and engaging story flow?
    Use these Guidelines:
    5- Excellent-Ready for publication as is
    4- Very Good-Could still use a bit of polish
    3- Solid- Could benefit from refinement
    2- In Process-Needs work to meet its potential.
    1- Starting Point- Concept is there, needs substantial work to meet its potential
    Question 22
    Are the necessary backstory and exposition presented in an artful and well-balanced manner via narration and/or dialogue?
    Use these Guidelines:
    5- Excellent-Ready for publication as is
    4- Very Good-Could still use a bit of polish
    3- Solid- Could benefit from refinement
    2- In Process-Needs work to meet its potential.
    1- Starting Point- Concept is there, needs substantial work to meet its potential
    Question 23
    Is the pacing appropriate for the unfolding story – does it move rapidly enough to sustain interest?
    Use these Guidelines:
    5- Excellent-Ready for publication as is
    4- Very Good-Could still use a bit of polish
    3- Solid- Could benefit from refinement
    2- In Process-Needs work to meet its potential.
    1- Starting Point- Concept is there, needs substantial work to meet its potential
    Effectiveness/Reader Response:
    Question 24
     Candidly assess the total impact of this novel beginning.  Realistically evaluate its likelihood of enticing a successful agent or editor to request to see the entire novel for consideration.
    Use these Guidelines:

    Use this section to give the piece a holistic assessment, with 10 being incredible, evocation, spectacularly skillfully done, ranging down through 1 being that the entry did not work at all and made no impression (or a bad impression for the wrong reasons).

    10- Excellent-Had a strong impact

    1- Starting Point- Concept is there, needs substantial work to meet its potential

    Instructions on Returning the Entry File

    Save the entrant's file by performing a "File... Save As..." then click on the beginning of the file name and add the word REV_ in front of the file name then click SAVE.  Next... click on the upload file to send back their file with your comments/suggestions in it. Remember...our entrants want to see your comments. If you did not add any comments to the entry file, then please make your general comments about their work in the field below. Your comments are the entire reason the entrant entered the contest... to receive a qualified industry critique.

    Thank you
    Max file size: 20MB