Pennwriters Writing Contest
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Novel Beginning Judging Page
JUDGES- Enter your name & email here...in the event of questions
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Name
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First
Last
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Title of Entry
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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?
Comment
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Question 1
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5
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2
1
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)?
Comment
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Question 2
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5
4
3
2
1
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?
Comment
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Question 3
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5
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3
2
1
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?
Comment
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Question 4
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5
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2
1
U
se 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?
Comment
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Question 5
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5
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3
2
1
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?
Comment
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Question 6
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5
4
3
2
1
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?
Comment
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Question 7
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5
4
3
2
1
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?
Comment
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Question 8
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5
4
3
2
1
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?
Comment
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Question 9
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5
4
3
2
1
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?
Comment
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Question 10
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5
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3
2
1
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?
Comment
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Question 11
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5
4
3
2
1
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.?
Comment
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Question 12
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5
4
3
2
1
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?
Comment
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Question 13
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5
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3
2
1
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?
Comment
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Question 14
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5
4
3
2
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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?
Comment
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Question 15
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5
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3
2
1
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?
Comment
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Question 16
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5
4
3
2
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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?
Comment
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Question 17
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5
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3
2
1
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?
Comment
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Question 18
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5
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2
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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?
Comment
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Question 19
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5
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2
1
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?
Comment
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Question 20
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5
4
3
2
1
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?
Comment
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Question 21
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5
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3
2
1
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?
Comment
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Question 22
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5
4
3
2
1
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?
Comment
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Question 23
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5
4
3
2
1
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.
Comment
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Question 24
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10
9
8
7
6
5
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3
2
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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
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