Pennwriters Writing Contest
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Short Story Judging Page
JUDGES- Enter your name & email here...in the event of questions
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Title of Entry
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PLEASE CHOOSE ONE ANSWER FOR EACH QUESTION
Hook:
Question 1
Does the story open with a compelling hook that makes you want to continue reading?
Comment
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Question 1
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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
Setting:
Question 2
Does the setting provide a believable, appropriate and/or natural framework for the story?
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
Characters:
Question 3
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 3
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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 4
Is the protagonist sufficiently interesting to produce empathy (or at least curiosity) in the reader?
Comment
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Question 4
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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 5
Does the conflict arise believably from the characters’ motivations and goals?
Comment
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Question 5
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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 6
Is there sufficient conflict (internal and/or external) to sustain the reader’s interest?
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
By the end of the story, does the reader have a strong sense of satisfaction that the conflict has been resolved and that the character has grown and changed?
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
Dialogue/Narrative/POV:
Question 8
Do the dialogue and narrative provide characterization and move the story and/or relationships forward?
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
Does the author present the work with a distinctive voice and an engaging style of expression?
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
Question 10
Is each character’s voice consistent and appropriate for his/her age, education, gender, ethnicity, etc.?
Comment
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Question 10
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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 11
Is point of view handled correctly?
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 the dialogue natural, not stilted or overly narrative?
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
Pacing/Flow:
Question 13
Does each scene have a clear and necessary relationship with the scenes that precede and follow it?
Comment
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Question 13
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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 14
Does the proportion of
showing
versus
telling
produce an active and engaging story flow?
Comment
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Question 14
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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 15
Is the necessary backstory and exposition presented in an artful and well-balanced manner via narration and/or dialogue?
Comment
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Question 15
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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 16
Is the pacing appropriate for the unfolding story – does it move rapidly enough to sustain interest?
Comment
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Question 16
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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
Mechanics:
Question 17
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 17
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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 18
Is the story told in a clear and focused manner without annoying overuse of adjectives and adverbs?
Comment
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Question 18
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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 19
Is the work without grammar errors; or, if errors exist, are they necessary for the story’s atmosphere?
Comment
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Question 19
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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 20
Candidly assess the total impact of this short story. Realistically evaluate its likelihood of enticing a successful editor to publish it.
Comment
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Question 20
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10
9
8
7
6
5
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3
2
1
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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