Rubric for Science Fiction and Fantasy WritersCreated by Scott Ashton

scottmortonashton@gmail.com

WORKING DRAFT – May 5, 2014

Instructions.....................................................................................................................................................21. Assign each question in the rubric a score from 1 (worst) to 5 (best)..............22. Keep the following in mind:.........................................................................................................2

Not all questions are of equal importance...................................................................2 Questions will sometimes repeat, or be very similar.............................................2 The best writers sometimes break the rules..............................................................2 This rubric is meant to help writers, not artificially constrain or overwhelm them..................................................................................................................................3

3. Evaluate the submission by its intended audience, not your personal reading preferences..............................................................................................................................34. Focus only on the specific question asked.........................................................................3

Writing Submissions Rubric..................................................................................................................4Overall................................................................................................................................................................4Plot & Pacing..................................................................................................................................................4Beginning Chapter......................................................................................................................................7Beginning.........................................................................................................................................................8

Middle...............................................................................................................................................................10Endings............................................................................................................................................................10Contextual Scene Structure................................................................................................................13Scene Structure..........................................................................................................................................14Character........................................................................................................................................................16Long Term Character...............................................................................................................................18Setting.............................................................................................................................................................20Style 1 – Inner dialogue.........................................................................................................................22Style 2 – Dialogue......................................................................................................................................23Style 3 – Description................................................................................................................................26Style 4 – Sentence fluency & word choice...................................................................................29Style 5 – Plausibility, logical cohesion, and reader trust...................................................31Style 6 – Viewpoint & Tense................................................................................................................32Style 7 – Clarity, “flow”, and conciseness..................................................................................33

Fight & Action Scenes.............................................................................................................................35Genre Appropriateness..........................................................................................................................37Marketability................................................................................................................................................38Theme, Atmosphere, and Message.................................................................................................39English Grammar.......................................................................................................................................40Personal Habits Rubric...........................................................................................................................41Motivation Habits......................................................................................................................................41Writing Habits.............................................................................................................................................42Creativity Habits........................................................................................................................................43Learning Habits..........................................................................................................................................45Workshopping Habits..............................................................................................................................46

Instructions 1. Assign each question in the rubric a score from 1 (worst) to 5 (best).

Although you will have to assign a numeric score to each question, this isn't done out of a misguided notion that writing can be reduced to a number. The sole purpose behind the numbers is to make it easier for writers to get a quick at-a-glance summary of strengths and weaknesses readers have found in their writing. Ultimately, the test of your story will be your own opinion and that of the reading public, not a number.

2. Keep the following in mind: Not all questions are of equal importance.

For example, a question asking whether or not you enjoyed the submission overall is much more important than a question asking whether or not the author uses distracting synonyms for “said”.

Questions will sometimes repeat, or be very similar. This is by design. Oftentimes the question will be slightly different so as to focus on a different aspect of the rule.

The best writers sometimes break the rules. The items described in this rubric are more “guidelines” rather than actual rules. Most authors most of the time will want to adhere to them but there will be occasions when the story

requires breaking the rules. So if a story marks low on a specific criteria, it may ultimately mean nothing since the story required the rule to be broken.

This rubric is meant to help writers, not artificially constrain or overwhelm them. If you're the type of free spirited person for whom rubrics like this sap your creativity and motivation, then --please-- don't use it! The ultimate objective of tools like this is to help increase the total number of great stories in the world, but any given tool may work only for some writers and not for others. Try it out to see if it works for you, or even adapt it to fit your needs.

3. Evaluate the submission by its intended audience, not your personal reading preferences. For example, although a middle aged male would probably not personally enjoy reading Twilight, if he were to evaluate the book by the standards of its genre (e.g. escapist romance) and intended audience (e.g. women aged 12 to 50 looking for an escapist romance), we would expect him to give it high marks since from that perspective, it obviously succeeded wonderfully. If a submission requires you to adopt a mindset too drastically different than your personal reading preferences, then you're probably better off skipping that submission.4. Focus only on the specific question asked. Just because you like a piece as a whole doesn't mean that it's good in every respect. Don't be afraid to give good submissions low scores on a specific questions about areas they're weak on. Likewise, even the worst submissions may have good qualities to them. Giving specific, rather than general, feedback will help the author the most during the revision process.

Writing Submissions RubricOverall

1. Overall, I found the submission extremely well written and engaging.

2. I had a lot of fun reading this story and I want to keep reading.3. The story felt fresh and original, with a uniquely engaging hook I

haven't found elsewhere in the genre.

Plot & PacingRequirements: The reader has completed at least a third of the book, preferably from the beginning

1. Plot developments are interesting and surprising, not cliched or expected.

2. Plot developments feel inevitable and logical given what has happened previously in the story.

3. The central conflict of the novel intrigues me and makes me want to continue reading.

4. The overarching plot of the book feels fresh and unique.5. Throughout the novel, I felt genuinely worried that the

protagonist would not obtain their goal.6. The opposition (e.g. the villain, the forces of nature, etc.) is as

strong or stronger than the hero. 7. The story's stakes are high, with emotionally resonating negative

consequences if the protagonists fail (e.g. an extremely likable character will feel like a failure, the world will end, etcetera).

8. I feel emotionally invested in the success of the protagonist.9. The general arc of the plot doesn't deviate too much from genre

fiction's basic structure:1. Beginning – characters are established as sympathetic,

central plot conflict is introduced, and sufficient backstory is given

2. Middle – conflict is built and sustained 3. End – the stakes are higher than they ever have been before

and failure appears a very real possibility

10. The central problem of the novel could be summarized in a sentence or two.

11. Large developments in the plot, especially resolutions of conflict, are adequately foreshadowed (e.g. The dramatic arrival of a neighboring king's army to save the hero during the climactic moment has been hinted at in prior chapters).

12. Attempts at foreshadowing are neither too subtle (going unnoticed) or too obvious (ruining suspense).

13. Scenes always feel fresh, not repetitive or too similar to prior scenes.

14. At most points throughout the novel, I feel like the plot is heading somewhere and that it is progressing towards some definite end point, even if it's one I don't like.

15. The protagonist has no easy way to solve his/her problems or accomplish his/her goals.

16. At most points throughout the novel, there's some mystery or important piece of information that I don't know that keeps me reading (e.g. Will the protagonist be killed? Who is the murderer? Etc.)

17. When magic or technological devices play a large role in resolution of plot conflict, the author has either foreshadowed its role or has explained the rules of the magic/technology system, such that the resolution feels logical (e.g. When a novice magician calls down a thunderstorm for the first time at a pivotal moment in the story, the event is foreshadowed in previous chapters with the magician being taught to summon a single cloud by his tutor).

18. Mysteries are clearly identified as such, creating an air of mystery rather than confusion.

19. Interesting unanswered questions are raised throughout the novel, especially in the beginning without 1) producing a sense of artificial withholding of information, 2) leaving me confused, or 3) info dumping to raise questions that I naturally wouldn't think of.

20. Changes in viewpoint, location, and timeline (such as flashbacks) follow a reasonably logical structure and don't confuse me.

21. When characters play a large role in the progression of the plot, their role in the events has been adequately developed and/or foreshadowed (e.g. A romance novel shouldn't end with the heroine falling in love with a character introduced in the last chapter).

22. Most of the protagonists attempts to solve their problems fail and when they actually succeed, it usually causes more problems (except at the ending).

23. The novel never veers too far from its central conflict and when seeming tangents are introduced, they appear purposeful and have a strong promise that they will be eventually merged into the body of the book.

24. The author writes in distinct scenes or episodes, with each episode having a reasonably clear start and end point.

25. The protagonists are typically under great tension, and even pain, throughout the novel.

26. The protagonists occasionally experience catastrophic reverses (e.g. their entire army is destroyed).

27. There's variation between the intense and the more laid-back scenes, with not too many intense scenes in a row, nor too many slow ones in a row.

28. There is an interesting amount of variation between scenes (i.e., funny scenes, romance scenes, gritty scenes, scary scenes, flashbacks, etc.)

29. The “flavor” of scenes never veers too far away from the implicit promise of the novel's genre (e.g. A plot-focused thriller doesn't have a chapter focused solely on the protagonists discussing relationship problems, unless of course the scene also involves them dodging bullets as they flee from gunmen).

30. The protagonists react in interesting ways to forces beyond their control.

31. The protagonists experience substantial reverses, setbacks, and even moments of pain.

32. Only the most exciting and interesting events in the overall progression of the plot are given complete scenes. Other necessary-to-know but uninteresting events are concisely summarized.

33. Periods of time or activities that are secondary to the development of the plot or characters are summarized rather than given complete scenes with moment-by-moment detail.

34. The author resolves subplots he/she introduces. 35. When extremely striking images, characters, or situations

are presented to the reader, the author follows up on them soon, unless clearly promising to follow up later (e.g. “There's a gorilla in the phone booth” shouldn't be followed by a conversation about the weather unless the speakers acknowledge the presence of the gorilla before continuing their conversation on the weather).

36. There is a good sense of pacing throughout the novel, neither too fast or too slow.

37. There is a tangible sense of progression throughout the book (e.g. The protagonists are getting closer to the their goals, characters are experiencing personal growth, mysteries are being revealed, relationships are forming, the time bomb is ticking, etc.)

Beginning ChapterRequirements: The submission covers the first chapter of the book

1. The story begins at an interesting point in time that immediately establishes a hook.

2. The first several sentences of the novel clearly communicate at least one of the following: an unanswered question, a dramatic and vivid scene, an intriguing logical disconnect, a strong character voice, or a promise of interesting action to come.

3. The first scene presents an ideal opportunity for the protagonist to display some of his/her sympathetic qualities (e.g. A

protagonist supposed to be a great warrior has an epic fight, someone clever pulls a marvelous heist).

4. Within the first several pages the author accomplishes all of the following: 1. Establishes a three dimensional character with a strong voice2. Introduces the basics of the settings3. Conveys the basic premise of the plot4. Makes it obvious which genre the novel belongs to5. Raises an interesting unanswered question or conflict which I

must read to find out5. The opening paragraphs have a strong visceral component with

specific, compelling, and clearly visualizable details, rooting the reader firmly in a definite place and time.

6. The story has meaningfully progressed by the end of the first chapter.

7. If the novel has a prologue, it's addition seems logical since it is either disconnected in time or space from the bulk of novel or is seen through the viewpoint of someone other than a protagonist.

8. In the first chapter or chapters, the protagonists actively demonstrate sympathetic qualities (e.g. wit, wisdom, competence, goodness, unique interests, etc.), even when they're not “good” people in the traditional heroic sense.

BeginningRequirements: The reader has completed the first third of the book.

1. The major goals and motivations of the protagonists are established early in the novel.

2. The beginning of the novel has far more action and drama than it does background information on the characters and setting.

3. The story doesn't take too long to get to the central conflict of the novel.

4. The author makes strong promises in the early chapters about the tone, genre, and direction of the book (e.g. A relationship novel opens with relationship drama. An action book begins with

an action scene).5. Not too much time passes in the early chapters before I feel like I

have a good feel for the characters' immediate surroundings and the world at large.

6. Not too much time passes in the early chapters of the book before I feel like I care about the protagonists and their problems.

7. From the very start, the protagonists establish themselves as likable or interesting (although not necessarily nice), with strong personalities and unique motivations.

8. By the end of the early chapters of the novel, I feel like I've got a good idea of what I can expect from the rest of the book and the type of conflicts that will be resolved.

9. Intriguing, tough-to-fulfill promises are made early in the novel (e.g. Humanity will slowly die from a wasting disease unless an inexperienced and defenseless teen protagonist can find a way to cross into enemy lines and get the cure).

10. The author establishes the basic setting early on in the novel, including its fantastical elements.

11. Especially in the beginning chapters of the novel, the author avoids summary and info dumps.

12. The protagonist immediately establish him/herself as a strongly unique individual, with reactions different from what most people would have to the events occurring around him/her.

13. The beginning of the novel has a gentle learning curve (e.g. not too many new characters are introduced, unusual setting elements are not explored in depth, etc).

14. The first chapters of the novel don't feel like simply setup, but rather actively progress the plot.

MiddleRequirements: The reader has completed the first three quarters of

the book.1. The middle chapters never drag.2. In the middle chapters, definite progression seems to be being

made towards resolution of the plot.3. New nuances and depths to the characters are revealed in the

middle chapters of the book that the reader may not have suspected at the novel's beginning.

4. The character's problems keep getting bigger and bigger in the middle section of the book.

5. Multiple plot threads are developed in the middle of the book that will dramatically collide in the climax.

6. Conflict grows during the story's middle: tension rises, emotional intensity grows, obstacles become bigger, confrontations more dramatic, and the stakes larger than ever before.

7. Chapters in the middle part of the book especially are necessary to the overall progression of the plot, not tangential or unnecessary.

8. I don't feel a loss of momentum and interest during the middle chapters of the book.

9. I can easily identify at least one extremely memorable, semi climactic moment during the middle of the book.

EndingsRequirements: The reader has completed the book.

1. The ending of the book felt extremely satisfying.2. The ending of the book could not have believably occurred with

even one piece missing from the body of the novel. 3. The ending of the novel feels simultaneously like 1) an inevitable

consequence of everything that has gone before and 2) unexpected. In other words, unexpected but inevitable.

4. All my expectations for the ending of the novel were more than satisfied.

5. By the ending of the novel, the protagonists are different people than they were at the start of the novel, such as having become

more compassionate, more confident, etc. 6. The main message and theme of the story comes to a dramatic

and satisfying conclusion at the end of the novel. 7. All the central conflicts of the novel converge to a head in the

ending climax. 8. When the protagonists finally obtain the goal they've been

fighting for the entire book, it only comes at great cost and sacrifice.

9. The unexpected parts of the novel's ending were unobtrusively foreshadowed in the body of the book.

10. The ending of the novel is satisfying on multiple levels, not just one (e.g. The protagonist becomes a better person, a large mystery is finally made clear, the bad guy goes to jail, the potential lovers finally realize they're perfect for each other, and the holy grail is found).

11. In retrospect, I can see that the resolution to the central conflict of the novel was hinted at in its beginning.

12. In the novel's ending, the author subtly references earlier parts of the book in such a way that that the entire arc of the novel seems to converge on the final scenes.

13. The protagonists probability of failure in the final climactic conflict seems high, with no obvious way to obtain success.

14. The climax of the novel is more explosive and energy filled than any other part of the story.

15. The ending of the novel doesn't feel rushed, with an excessive number of last minute revelations.

16. The ending of the novel is driven directly by the protagonists actions during the novel, and is not a product of non-protagonist action, random luck, or deus ex machina. In other words, the ending could not have occurred the way it did without the body of the novel.

17. The decisions and actions of the protagonists matter. They make the end of the novel happen, and have to fight tooth and nail for the resolution that occurs (e.g. It would be very unsatisfying to have the hero fight through the demon horde, only to have another fighter suddenly appear at the last minute and kill the demon lord before the hero can get to him.)

18. There are important revelations near the novel's ending that make me see the body of the novel in a different light.

19. By the novel's climax, the main conflict of the novel is resolved, not avoided.

20. The ending of the novel doesn't stray too far from the conventions of its genre (e.g. a romance ends with the lovers getting together).

21. By the end of the novel, I felt as if the author had never broken any of his implicit promises to me as a reader (e.g. a novel that promised period romance in the early chapters doesn't end as post-modern horror).

22. The resolution of the novel isn't ambiguous or left to the readers imagination.

23. I was genuinely surprised but also pleased with the ending of the novel.

24. The conflict or antagonist dealt with at the conclusion of the novel was that promised at the beginning of the novel.

25. The climax of the novel isn't just characterized by intense action and plot resolutions, but also intense emotional feeling by the protagonists.

26. The climax of the novel is similar in tone and content to the body of the novel, but more dramatic and bigger in almost every way.

27. The ending of the novel has a satisfying sense of closure and all loose ends feel adequately resolved.

28. The “denouement” or brief section following the climax, adequately wraps up loose plot threads but is not so long that readers have time to forget the emotional impact of the climax.

29. If a novel is one in a series, the ending feels emotionally satisfying in the sense that some definite and permanent victory has been won but there is still room for sequels.

30. The length and intensity of the novel's climax is proportional to the length and intensity of the book itself.

31. During the climax, the protagonist is forced to confront his/her greatest fear and risks losing what he/she wants most.

32. The characteristic emotion of the novel is evoked strongly during the novel's climax (e.g. an epic fantasy ends epically, a romance ends romantically.)

33. The very last paragraph on the last page of the story just feels right and emotionally satisfying, and seems to somehow summarize or symbolize the novel as a whole.

Contextual Scene StructureRequirements: The submission covers a complete scene AND the

reader has read the book up until the scene1. Compelling conflict, or promises of conflict, can be identified

even during scenes not particularly relevant to the development of the plot (e.g. character development scenes, or scenes to establish backstory).

2. When action or events are summarized, the events summarized are secondary to the story's development as a whole.

3. The scene drives forward the overall development of the plot.4. The scene has no unnecessary twists or irrelevant sections

distracting me from its larger purpose.5. The protagonist is never completely at ease in the scene but has

some goal or unresolved tension to be overcome. If such tension is not present, then the scene can be clearly identified as a “breather” scene which follows an extended period of high tension (e.g. the heroes taking a breather at the Elvish haven of Rivendell after being relentlessly chased for the past 10 chapters).

6. Large developments in the scene, especially resolutions of conflict, are adequately foreshadowed and no unexpected benefactor or occurrences arrives to solve the character's problem (e.g. the dragon is about to eat the protagonist, but then with no hint of warning, the protagonist's long lost brother arrives and kills it).

7. When protagonists attempts to solve their problems go horribly wrong (or right) in a scene, the development has been adequately foreshadowed such that it feels natural and logical.

8. The author has shown me what's at stake in the scene, not told me (e.g. showed me in detail the maiden tied to the railroad tracks, instead of simply telling me she was tied to the tracks).

9. Action heavy scenes or extremely tense scenes are typically characterized by shorter sentences (both in description and dialogue), very few “panoramic” descriptions, a strong of sense of being in the viewpoint character's head, and few adjectives or adverbs.

10. Scenes with exceptionally low degrees of conflict, or “breathers”, are characterized by non-threatening action (e.g. a conversation between friends, a horseback ride in the hills), panoramic descriptions, longer sentences, relatively more description, and more relaxed, expansive dialogue.

Scene StructureRequirements: The submissions covers a complete scene

1. During the scene, I felt genuinely worried that the protagonist would fail at reaching their goal.

2. Each scene has an interesting amount of variation between action, thinking, and talking

3. At nearly every point throughout the scene, I want to know “what will happen next?”

4. At nearly every point in the scene, there is some conflict in the process of being resolved.

5. I can easily identify the central conflict of this scene.6. Within the first several paragraphs of each scene, sufficient

background is given to remind the reader of location, time of day, and immediately preceding events.

7. Early in the scene, the author anchors the reader on the physical surroundings.

8. Within a scene, the actions and style of writing supports rather than hinders the predominant emotion the scene is meant to convey (e.g. A scene that describes a character coming to terms with their grief for a lost loved one would describe depressing things in her environment and use verbs or nouns with depressing connotations such as “collapse”, “black velvet”, “burial casket”).

9. Some conflict or unanswered question is introduced and resolved within each scene, giving each scene a satisfying sense of closure.

10. The scene strengthened the novel in multiple ways, not just one (e.g. showed me new nuances to the characters, advanced the plot, and showed me an interesting new facet about the setting).

11. Within each scene, I experience a satisfying vicarious winning experience as the protagonists face challenges and overcome them.

12. There is a smooth cause and effect flow to the scene, with paragraphs and sentences naturally leading to the next one (e.g. A story should first describe the feeling (cause) of the protagonist getting angry followed a description of the action (effect) of him

destroying furniture).13. During the scene, the protagonist faces significant

challenges and reverses en route to his/her goal.14. The scene has a key moment, not necessarily plot related,

that previous paragraphs build up to (e.g. a triumph, a conclusion, a momentous decision, a large reversal signaling a change in direction).

15. When logical inconsistencies come up in a scene, the author “hangs a lantern” on the issue, clearly promising to resolve the inconsistency at a future time.

16. The author create a sense of conflict and anticipation throughout the scene.

17. The scene begins strong and grabs the reader's attention with at least one of the following1. A promise of danger2. A conversation full of conflict, humor, or intrigue3. A promise hinting at life changing events4. A extremely unique or interesting description of setting

18. The end of the scene was satisfying, with some sort of conclusion or concluding event.

19. Several developments in the scene were unexpected but logical.

20. Within the scene, the protagonist has more than two options which he/she is forced to choose between.

21. Each paragraph in the scene was necessary and could not be understood fully with the removal of any of the prior paragraphs.

22. The action of the scene progresses in a definite order rather than going in circles.

23. Within a scene, conflict is deftly foreshadowed through dialogue or description before it happens. (e.g. An attempted rape scene is preceded by a tense conversation where the villain hints his intentions and asserts physical dominance over the protagonist).

24. The author avails him or herself of opportunities to drag out the suspense without unduly slowing the progression of the plot (e.g. Before the protagonist can open her admissions letter from

wizarding school, she is forced to deal with lesser demon her little brother has accidentally summoned).

25. The action keeps up a good pace throughout the scene and never seems plodding

26. The author delivers on promises about the nature of a coming scene. (e.g. A scene that begins with explosions, intense combat, and no hint of relationship drama shouldn't evolve into a relationship scene)

27. By the end of the scene, the protagonist doesn't get exactly what he/she wanted but something else instead (a new challenge, an unexpected reward, etc).

28. The characters don't achieve their goals too easily during scenes, but truly have to work for their successes.

29. Inasmuch as the author made promises in the scene, I feel like they were kept.

30. The author provides just enough hints about where the story is headed next to keep me wanting to keep reading.

CharacterRequirements: Varies by question, but most questions can be applied by any reader to any writing submission

1. The author establishes the personality of characters through actions and specific sensory details, not bare statements of fact and personality. (e.g. Instead of saying “a grumpy old man”, the author describes the man's age spot, wrinkled skin, and the way he shouts at passing nurses.)

2. Every character has a strong and unique voice.3. The protagonist doesn't feel like a genre trope who I've read

many times before. 4. I gain a deeper understanding of the protagonists through their

interactions with other characters.5. I want to know more about the characters.6. I like the way characters interact with each other.7. The characters seemed unique and multi-dimensional, even the

minor ones or the villains.8. Named characters, even minor ones, are introduced through

some memorable action or conversation that makes them easy to remember.

9. The motivations given for characters' actions are sufficiently developed, or self-explanatory.

10. The author shows the protagonists demonstrating at least

one of the following sympathetic attributes during the scene:1. Being really good at something, even if not consciously aware

of it.2. Being a genuinely good person.3. Being very relatable or understandable.4. Being extremely unique, like no other character I've ever read

about. 5. Having other people like the protagonist, even if the

protagonist himself isn't extremely likable.11. I don't completely understand the protagonist and am

curious to discover more of their past, short term goals, and motivations.

12. The characters feel like real people, not stiff story puppets.13. Characters intended to be likable actively demonstrate at

least some of the following attributes: wit, charm, wisdom, relatability, friendliness, empathy, authenticity, optimism, emotional stability, or emotional vulnerability.

14. The protagonists are larger than life and do things you wouldn't expect a regular person to do.

15. Character is established through the character's choices in clothing, personal grooming, and living quarters.

16. The character's physical appearance is well thought out, complete, and regularly described (or at least referenced), with my mental picture of the protagonist never becoming “fuzzy”.

Long Term Character Requirements: The reader has read at least a third of the book

1. I have a sufficient understanding of each characters personality and capabilities.

2. Unusual or exceptional character capabilities are adequately motivated and explained (e.g. Exceptional swordsmanship is explained by an aristocratic upbringing).

3. The protagonist's problems are strong and compelling.4. I care about the main characters, even those who aren't

necessarily “nice” people. 5. I understand enough of the character's past, motivations, and

short term goals to feel a connection with them.6. I'm genuinely fascinated by the characters in the story. They're

unlike any I've read before in this genre. 7. Characters are proactive in the sense that they actively make

their own decisions instead of having decisions forced upon them.

8. Even when the protagonists are reacting to problems created by external forces, they still have goals of their own, independent of the external forces, which they actively work towards.

9. I understand clearly why the protagonists wants to accomplish their goals, even if the reason is simply that they're a good person.

10. The degree of emotional investment held by the protagonists in solving the conflict of the novel seems believable and realistic, not just assumed.

11. Before unsympathetic character qualities are dwelt on at length, the character is clearly established as sympathetic (e.g. Before we are shown the protagonist lonely and depressed, we see him/her being extremely funny).

12. The characters' personalities are consistent and believable enough that it's easy to imagine similar people in real life.

13. I feel like the characters have a larger life story than just the parts I have been exposed to in the course of the story.

14. The protagonists are consistent in their tone, personality, and objectives throughout the novel, creating a strong sense of continuity.

15. Characters irrelevant to the plot are described with no more detail than is necessary.

16. I don't despise any of the protagonists, even when they do demonstrate unsympathetic qualities such as acting in a morally reprehensible manner or being extremely incompetent.

17. None of the major characters simply “fulfill a role” (e.g. A one dimensional love interest with no purpose in their life other than to be the love interest, or a villain of pure evil who has no emotions of his own or relatable desires).

18. The central characters have an interesting degree of internal conflict in the form of some sort of negative emotion they are forced to deal with and possibly overcome. (e.g. self doubt, dislike of some aspect of themselves, ambivalence about the correctness of some course of action)

19. The protagonists have multiple desires that sometimes conflict (e.g. A strong ethical desire conflicting with a desire to save the world, since the world can only be saved by killing people).

20. The protagonists grow and change during the story, both internally and externally (e.g. going from novice to expert, rich to poor, etc).

21. Deeply flawed characters demonstrate at least some redeeming qualities while “super man” characters demonstrate relatable flaws.

22. At times I'm genuinely surprised by hidden aspects of a character's past or personality. Once revealed though, the hidden aspect seems to “fit” the character.

23. Dramatic changes in character's personality are “earned” in the sense that I understand the character's deepest motivations and I've seen the character undergo a convincing strings of events that could plausibly lead to such a dramatic change (e.g. Ebenezer Scrooge only changes into a kindhearted man after we've learned about his past and seen him undergo a series of intensely emotional experiences).

24. Behaviors atypical of normal human action are adequately foreshadowed through explanation of the characters motives and personality (e.g. A person who rejects a billion dollar reward is established as extremely ascetic and philosophically minded)

Setting Requirements: The reader has completed at least a fifth of the book

1. The setting captures my imagination2. The setting is distinctive and original, with an appealing “flavor”

to it. 3. The setting doesn't feel generic to the genre4. The setting isn't just a lifeless box where action and dialogue

takes place, it is an essential part of the story in itself5. Fantastical setting elements are internally consistent and have

plausible consequences in the world at large. 6. The implications of unique setting elements seem well thought

out and logical. 7. No matter the fantastical setting elements introduced, human

nature feels true to life. 8. The setting is described in specific detail and without hand

waving, producing a sense that the world is larger than just the parts exposed to the reader.

9. The world and setting has a life of its own beyond the story (e.g.

References are made to interesting things happening in parts of the world unrelated to the plot of the story).

10. Magic and/or technological inventions are interesting and original.

11. The various locales within the book are unique and distinct, each with a particular look and feel.

12. The world and the setting is integrated into the entire novel, not just parts of it.

13. In fantastical settings, the magic/technological systems fit in perfectly with the larger novel, and when appropriate truly capture my imagination.

14. I experience a sense of immersion in the setting while reading the novel.

15. The author not only explains the what of the setting but also why things are the way they are in the world. And when such explanations are delayed, it feels purposeful and temporary, creating a sense of mystery.

16. There are no distracting impossibilities in the world's geography and physics, unless adequately motivated (e.g., a river almost never splits into two rivers, you can't travel 500 miles on horseback in 10 days).

17. Settings elements like technological innovations or magic systems have interesting limitations that force the characters to truly struggle for their victories.

18. In fantastic settings, extremely powerful magicks or technologies have a price proportional to their benefits (e.g. using magic makes you slowly go insane).

19. There are many unique setting elements in the world, not just one or two, which includes but is not limited to items found in the following list: 1. Physical

1. Geography of the world2. Laws of nature3. Geologic makeup of the world4. The cosmos5. Flora and fauna6. Weather patterns7. Day/night cycle, days in a year8. Climate

2. Cultural1. Time period

2. History3. Religion4. Language5. Castes6. Government7. Religion8. Gender roles9. Food10. Fashion11. Economy12. Occupations13. Pop culture14. Pets15. Social structure/caste systems16. Recreation17. Levels of education18. Transportation19. Architecture20. Arts21. Polite behavior22. Attitudes toward environment23. Deference to authority24. Sexual mores25. Familial structure and conventions26. Taboos27. Ethics28. Etiquette29. Subcultures

3. Fantastic1. Sci-fi technological innovations 2. Magic systems3. Fantastic creatures

20. The author focuses only on several unique setting elements (the number of which is proportional to the length of the book or series), and leaves other aspects of the world largely unexplained or generic to the genre.

21. The author doesn't focus on uninteresting or irrelevant details about the cultural or physical setting.

22. I don't only see the setting, I have a sense of the character's attitude towards it.

23. There's an inherent conflict between the setting and the goals of the protagonist, both literally and metaphorically (i.e. a snow storm that threatens to kill the protagonist, a flower garden in a slum, a bedroom in a conservative high society house plastered in goth rock posters)

24. The immediate setting around the characters hints at backstory such as family background, personality, or past history (e.g. The protagonist has three swords strapped to his back, implying he's probably pretty skilled with the sword).

Style 1 – Inner dialogueRequirements: The submission isn't written in 3rd person omniscient perspective

1. I enjoy the way the author communicates the viewpoint character's thoughts and emotions through inner dialogue or other actions.

2. I have sufficient access to the viewpoint character's inner thoughts that I feel like I'm inside their head, not watching them as a third party observer like in a movie.

3. The characters thoughts reflect their circumstances and seem appropriate given the time and place.

4. The characters don't think about things they already know, making their thoughts feel like an info dump, unless they have a good reason to do so (e.g. A skilled wizard wouldn't think about the basic mechanics of the magic system unless he had a reason like teaching a class).

5. Except when interesting in its own right, irrelevant mental deliberations within character's minds are avoided (e.g. an irrelevant and boring list of actions the character could have taken but didn't).

6. The viewpoint character only thinks about one thing at a time and reaches some conclusion before moving on.

7. I rarely have to guess what's going on inside the viewpoint character's head since it is made explicit through their thoughts and/or actions.

8. The character's unique voice comes through not only in their spoken dialogue but in their internal mental dialogue also.

9. The author communicates the viewpoint character's emotional state through the type of things they think about, not explicitly (e.g. “I hate Malone” is less effective than “My mind flashed back to 1st grade, the time Malone ground my face into the playground

cement.”)

Style 2 – DialogueRequirements: The submission contains substantial dialogue between characters

10. I enjoy listening to the characters interact with each other through dialogue

11. During dialogue, the characters don't feel like talking heads in space but are firmly anchored in a physical setting.

12. The dialogue reveals the character's personality without forcing the character to spell it out explicitly.

13. The characters talk like real people without veering into childish sounding “mall speak”.

14. The dialogue helps develop the characters.15. The dialogue and, if present, narrator voice is consistent in

tone and style throughout the novel. 16. The dialogue is appropriate to the story's setting and tone

without being distracting to modern sensibilities (e.g. Replacing the phrase “Where's the restroom?” with “Whither is the privy?” would be distracting even if the story takes place in a medieval setting).

17. Each character has a distinct way of speaking18. Abstract words are rarely used during dialogue, unless

adequately motivated by the character's personality.19. Colloquialisms, jargon, and character accents are

interesting, not distracting20. Characters don't discuss things both already know, making

the dialogue feel like an info dump (e.g. when the maid and butler of the manor reveal backstory through “As you know...” type statements)

21. The dialogue has a definite progression and doesn't go in circles.

22. All dialogue is directly relevant to the plot or development of the characters, with uninteresting parts summarized (e.g. initial greetings).

23. There is unambiguous identification of the speaker during dialogue via tags, beats, or alternating dialogue paragraphs.

24. Especially in long dialogue sentences, dialogue tags marking the speaker are used as early as possible.

25. In dialogue tags, there is appropriate variation between “he/she said”, alternating paragraphs, and descriptive beats.

26. When possible, dialogue tags and beats are avoided altogether in favor of alternating paragraphs.

27. Characters perform interesting incidental gestures during the dialogue that establish tone and hint at setting.

28. Distracting flowery substitutes for “said” in dialogue tags are typically avoided, also known as “said-bookisms”.

29. Occasional character movements or “beats” give the reader a sense of location and movement within dialogue.

30. Character beats during dialogue aren't so frequent as to become annoying or distract from the dialogue itself.

31. When appropriate, the story, and especially the dialogue, makes me smile and occasionally even laugh out loud.

32. The author has no failed attempts at humor.33. The dialogue sounds natural and includes contractions, run

on sentences, contradictions, non sequiturs, and abrupt changes in the direction of the conversation

34. As appropriate during conversation, we hear the viewpoint character's thoughts about the conversation

35. Dialogue is written in standard English, not phonetically, even with characters intended to have strong accents (e.g. “Love is like the sea” shouldn't be written “Love is lak de sea”).

36. Distractingly strong dialects are avoided in major characters.

37. Appropriate linguistic variation due to personality & background is demonstrated across the characters through differences in vocabulary, word choice, grammar, and idioms.

38. When present, characters are consistent in their usage of unique modes of speech such as dialects or regional variations in language.

39. The author does not excessively use idioms, non standard grammar, or jargon in character's speech, distracting the reader from the story itself.

40. Dialogue between characters sounds true to life: speakers alternate frequently and most sentences are relatively short.

41. Character interrupt each other occasionally during dialogue.42. During dialogue, characters occasionally revisit earlier

dialogue.43. Non-verbal communication replaces spoken dialogue when

possible (e.g. stubbing out a cigarette and walking out the door, playing with hair, characters leaning towards each other).

Style 3 – DescriptionRequirements: Varies by question, but most questions can be applied by any reader to any writing submission

1. I like the description.2. Description is specific and visual rather than general and

abstract. (e.g. A description of a custom like gruesome facial tattoos is more specific, compelling, and visually appealing than a description of “a fierce, wild people”.)

3. Details about the world are worked seamlessly into the story through relevant action and detail, not through info dumps.

4. Learning about the world and the characters occurred naturally, without info dumps

5. Information dumps are minimal and, if present, both short and densely packed with relevant information.

6. The writer is good at “showing”, not “telling”.7. Backstory is established indirectly in the novel's natural

progression, not directly stated.8. By the end of the chapter in which the protagonists are

introduced, I have a reasonably clear picture of their physical appearance.

9. Description of the character's immediate setting doesn't only paint a picture of a single place in time, but evokes a sense of the larger world setting.

10. The characters reveal their personality through their actions, dialogue, thoughts, and interactions with other characters.

11. Uninteresting details irrelevant to the progression of the scene or the flavor of the world are omitted from description UNLESS I have a strong suspicion that the specific detail will prove to be important later on (e.g. When a gun on the mantelpiece is described in detail in act 1, it seems likely that the gun will be fired in act 3).

12. Even when nothing particularly exciting is occurring, the story still has a strong visual and action-oriented component to it

(e.g. a philosophical discussion shouldn't feel like a conversation between talking heads in space).

13. When used, metaphors and similes are original and relevant, not cliché.

14. Metaphors and similes in description are typically avoided. 15. The length of descriptions is proportional to the importance

of the detail to the story as a whole (e.g. a plot focused thriller novel shouldn't have half a page devoted to a vivid description of the clouds without good reason)

16. Description is kept in viewpoint, never veering into an omniscient perspective or crossing unconsciously between characters.

17. The author does not try to paint an exhaustive and minutely detailed picture of each scene's setting, but rather focuses on specific details that evoke a sense of the setting as a whole.

18. When possible, back story and visual descriptions are communicated unobtrusively through action, dialogue, or thoughts rather than plain description (e.g. “Bruce kicked the puppy” is more effective than simply saying “Bruce hated puppies”).

19. Character habits are not repetitively described and other unimportant, uninteresting, or repetitive character actions are not included (e.g. The protagonist's habit of adjusting their glasses doesn't need to be repeated every chapter).

20. The physical context for the scene is established seamlessly without interrupting the flow of the scene.

21. I can almost always picture the setting immediately surrounding the characters

22. The author doesn't use too many adjectives in description (e.g. beautiful, lithe, brazen)

23. The author doesn't use too many adverbs in description (e.g. beautifully, lithely, brazenly)

24. When possible, objects in the setting are described with active verbs (e.g. “Pages from a newspaper cart wheeled down the street and banked against curbs and the cements stoops of cheerless row houses. Gang slogans were spray painted on brick fronts.”)

25. The author uses all five senses in descriptions26. Objects are described using sensory language rather than

bare statements of fact. (e.g. “He cradled a guitar in his arms” vs “He had a guitar”)

27. The details and description create immediate and strong visual images.

28. The author doesn't use descriptions of character emotions to tell the reader what they should be feeling about the character's situation, but rather evokes that feeling in reader through character action and selection of detail.

29. Emotion is shown through action, dialogue, thoughts, and body language; never through bare statements of fact or adjective use (e.g. “He was morose” or “He hung his head sadly” are both less effective than “John idly considered what it would feel like to slit his own wrists”)

30. Description is interspersed appropriately with action, dialogue, and other story elements.

31. The author gradually unfolds the world and the characters, revealing neither too little or too much at a time.

32. Complex setting elements such as intricate magic systems or complex technologies are gently introduced, producing a smooth learning curve.

33. There is a smooth progression of information about the setting and characters, with just the right amount of information provided at just the right time.

34. Protagonists are sufficiently described in terms of their physical appearance, predispositions, temperament, and backstory.

35. Characters are described through the reactions of other characters to them (e.g. Showing many guys going after a girl is more effective than saying “the girl was gorgeous”).

36. Pure sensory description is typically kept to short snippets and interspersed throughout the scene as a whole. Instances of extended sensory description (e.g. an elaborate description of a painting in the castle) are believably motivated by the personality and thoughts of the viewpoint character (e.g. he's an artist).

37. I can picture action easily as its occurring

38. Prosaic, everyday details about characters actions and habits are described.

39. Even when not explicitly described, I have a good idea of the character's bearing and mannerisms.

40. I have a good idea of where individual characters are located in relation to each other and the setting within scenes – in other words “blocking”.

41. In scenes involving action and movement, the author doesn't just tell me what happened, but creates a compelling visual picture of the scene as it occurs.

42. Unless used as a dramatic device to build suspense, actions are described in chronological sequence (e.g. “Before shooting the man, Will took a drag on his cigarette” is less effective than “Will took a drag on his cigarette. Then he shot the man.”)

Style 4 – Sentence fluency & word choice Requirements: Varies by question, but most questions can be applied by any reader to any writing submission

1. The author's style and choice of words is never distracting.2. When the prose turns poetic and richly descriptive, it doesn't feel

distracting or emotionally manipulative, but natural and easy to read.

3. Word choice feels natural and unpretentious, not distractingly flowery or fancy, as if the author is trying too hard.

4. Unfamiliar words and terms are introduced slowly and only used when necessary (e.g. A fantasy novel shouldn't start with many unusual new words that have no meaning in standard English, like “The griknak swept down the Groblek raider”).

5. The names of people, objects, and customs are not consistently distracting, or excessively idiosyncratic.

6. Precise verbs and nouns are used in place of modified ones. (e.g. “he heaved the box upwards” is more effective than “he threw the box upwards with all his strength”)

7. The author avoids cliches and melodramatic prose.8. The author varies the sentence structure and is not stylistically

repetitious.9. The author does not repeat words, phrases, and, to a lesser

extent, sentence structure across sentences in close proximity.10. Not too many sentences begin with the words “I”, “the”,

“it”, or “this”, especially when the sentences with this opening word are after each other.

11. Each sentence leads naturally to the following with a seamless logical cohesion.

12. The passage has a good mix of longer and shorter sentences, emphasizing different parts of the prose.

13. Important new information is never hidden in the middle of complicated sentences, and is usually placed at the end of sentences for emphasis.

14. The author doesn't use the same words over and over.15. The words used by the author are not distracting from the

story (e.g. because they're stylistically weak, melodramatic, cliché, grammatically incorrect, etc).

16. The story is not overly reliant on a particular flavor of prose, (e.g. containing only dialogue, only action, only description, etcetera)

17. Individual sentences are neither too simple nor overly convoluted, but clear and easy to follow.

18. The author mostly uses active verbs instead of passive ones.

19. The author typically uses “said”, or nothing at all, to tag their dialogue

20. The author doesn't use inane substitutes for character names such as “the blacksmith”.

21. The author doesn't use inane or flowery substitutes for words (e.g. describing a bonfire as a “conflagration”).

22. The author avoids subjective, interpretation heavy words, letting the reader see the action for themselves and make their own decisions. (e.g. “She had an awful childhood” vs “She was locked in the closet as a child”)

23. The author uses precise verbs and nouns to communicate meaning, and very few adjectives or adverbs.

24. The author doesn't unnecessarily describe actions clearly implied (e.g. the underlined parts are unnecessary “'Lets leave this place' he said, urging her to leave.”).

25. The level of diction is appropriate to the genre and setting26. The author writes strong active sentences where nouns do

things (e.g. Billy slammed his hammer against the table) rather than having things done to them (e.g. The hammer was slammed against the table).

27. Sentences describing feelings often precede sentence describing action in order to provide readers with an understanding of character's motivations for their actions.

28. Within sentences, actions typically precede reactions (e.g. “He slammed his fist down. The vase crashed to the floor.” vs “The vase crashed to the floor as he slammed his fist down”).

29. Abstract nouns are generally avoided (e.g. energy, sacrifice,

curiosity, dedication, determination, faith, fear, friendship, hope, relaxation, satisfaction, success, trust, warmth).

30. Verbs expression are not abstract, but rather concrete and sensory (e.g. “She felt a hot dampness” is less effective than “Steam clung to her skin”).

31. Verbs are concrete, sensory, and specific (“She traced the lines of the map with her fingers. She would never see any of it.” is more concrete than “She longed to travel”).

Style 5 – Plausibility, logical cohesion, and reader trustRequirements: The reader has completed at least a third of the book.

1. Every result in the story has a clear and present cause and doesn't just happen randomly (e.g. The lovers only get together after a heart to heart conversation resolving the issues that separated them).

2. Little details about the world and plot are realistic (e.g. waste is thrown into the streets in a city without sewers, characters have to have sufficient food on long journeys)

3. In the story, there are no anachronisms (e.g. an electric lightbulb in a Western) or distracting out-of-place setting elements (e.g. silk sheets inside an army barracks), unless compelling reasons are given.

4. Character's emotional reactions to external events and other character actions make sense, especially in light of their personality.

5. There are no glaring internal contradictions or logical disconnects within the story that aren't obviously intentionally placed there by the author.

6. The central conflicts of the novel seem genuinely intractable and difficult to solve, and not artificially generated or dragged out by the author.

7. The manner in which the protagonists resolve their problems seems plausible (e.g. You don't have a 10 year old go head to head with a Navy Seal and win).

8. The details of the story are accurate inasmuch as they overlap with the real world, either current or past (e.g. There is no steel in Bronze age Greece).

9. The protagonists have to work for their successes, and only obtain them when it seems their actions have plausibly merited it.

10. Unexpected acts of exceptional altruism or hatred towards

the protagonists are foreshadowed, producing a sense of logical plausibility.

11. The motivations and actions of the character seem plausible given their age and educational background.

12. No matter the fantastical setting elements introduced, human nature feels true to life.

13. The setting somehow feels true to life, even when it takes place in a completely fantastical

14. I never feel like the author is trying to emotionally manipulate me with melodramatic terms or character actions.

15. The style of prose stays consistent throughout, without abrupt shifts in the level of diction.

16. The story feels like it could really happen, apart from any sci-fi or fantastical elements.

17. The action and dialogue seem plausible. 18. The plot seemed realistic and plausible.19. Character actions are adequately informed by character

motives, personality, and history.20. The results of characters’ actions are plausible.

Style 6 – Viewpoint & TenseRequirements: Varies by question, but most questions can be applied by any reader to any writing submission

1. In 1st or 3rd person limited stories, viewpoint is rigorously maintained, with no digressions into other character's minds or the viewpoint of an omniscient narrator.

2. I gain a sense of the viewpoint character's personality, and emotions through the type of details they notice (e.g. a mason notices details about a castle's stonework).

3. Details in the prose are colored by the viewpoint character, and no do details are included that would not plausibly be noticed by the viewpoint character.

4. The prose makes me feel as if I'm inside the viewpoint character's mind.

5. When the viewpoint character raises questions about themselves in the reader's mind, it feels natural and logical, not artificial (e.g. “He had a nose like that of a man she had once killed. Odd that.” is better than “Jane briefly thought back to the days when she had been an assassin. But she couldn't think about that right now.”)

6. Oftentimes in 3rd person limited stories, when a character does

something truly exceptional or performs an action that creates a particularly arresting mental picture, the person in viewpoint during the scene is NOT that character (e.g. When a swordsman single-handedly defeats thirty combatants at a time, the scene is scene from the viewpoint of a street urchin watching the scene, not the swordsman himself).

7. When viewpoint switches, the name of the viewpoint character is typically the first name encountered after the switch.

8. Description is kept rigorously in viewpoint, never veering into an omniscient perspective or crossing unconsciously between characters.

9. The author describes character's mental reactions to events that occur.

10. If the viewpoint character is describing events that happened in the past, the story reads with appropriate “distance”.

11. The setting is deeply colored through the subjective lens of the viewpoint character.

12. Description is written in the way that a real person might think about the objects in their surroundings. (e.g. Most characters would not have melodramatic or richly detailed descriptions).

13. When subjective words denoting a value judgment (e.g. beautiful, enchanting) are used in description, such description is kept solidly in character viewpoint.

Style 7 – Clarity, “flow”, and concisenessRequirements: Varies by question, but most questions can be applied by any reader to any writing submission

1. I rarely feel confused and when I do it feels purposeful and temporary creating a sense of mystery rather than confusion.

2. Pronouns are never ambiguous.3. Irrelevant and uninteresting actions and details are omitted from

scenes (e.g. initial greetings, getting a glass out of the cupboard for a drink).

4. If I don't understand something, I feel confident that eventually the author will make it clear.

5. The author doesn't repeat themselves or describe obvious or uninteresting details.

6. The prose is concise and easy to follow.

7. The author uses words that precisely convey meaning.8. I don't have to go back and reread sections to understand what's

going on.9. The author uses no more words than necessary.10. There aren't large boring blocks of description.11. There are no unnecessary words.12. I can classify any randomly chosen sentence within the

scene as accomplishing one or more of the following: 1) moving the plot forward, 2) deepening my understanding of the character's emotional landscape, 3) providing essential plot relevant information, or 4) giving the novel flavor and mood.

13. My eye flows down the page easily and I'm not tempted to skip reading certain paragraphs or sections halfway through.

14. The author's sentences are so economical that there are no words I could eliminate or sentences I could remove without reducing clarity.

15. The following words or types of words are avoided when possible:1. It2. That3. Just, very, rather, began to, started to, some, “of the”,

suddenly4. Tried to -verb-, started to -verb-, began to -verb- (e.g. “He

tried to lift himself up”, etc.)5. Passive voice and “to be” verbs6. Said bookisms (e.g. “She exclaimed”, “Bob blurted”, etc).7. Inner dialogue tags (“He wondered”, “She thought”, etc). 8. Excessive body language (Such as brow wrinkling, lips pursing,

eyes narrowing, eyes crawling up walls, etc.)9. Exclamation points10. Adjectives11. Adverbs12. Transition words such as “meanwhile...”, “while...”, “Later

on...”, “then...”.

13. Subjective words (unless clearly in viewpoint)14. Obvious, unnecessary detail (e.g. Underlined words could be

omitted: “She stood from her chair”, “He clapped his hands”, “They all stood to their feet”, “She stumbled because of her awkward run”)

15. Words that overtly describe emotional states (angry, sad, glad)

16. Dialogue that doesn't advance the story (initial greetings like hello, small talk, etc)

17. Flowery synonyms for commonplace words

Fight & Action ScenesRequirements: The writing submission contains substantial fighting and action and the reader is not the type of one who prefers to skip fight scenes.

1. The action scenes engaged me, with fast paced action and high tension.

2. When appropriate, fight scenes are described in terms of general trends and results rather than minute blow by blow detail.

3. During fight scenes I have a good sense of the physical location of combatants in relation to each other – in other words “blocking”.

4. Fight scenes are intensely emotional and unless extremely compelling, usually over quick.

5. Action scenes (fighting, lovemaking, etc) don't focus exclusively on the visual elements of the scene and ignore emotional details or unresolved plot tensions.

6. Thoughts and strategizing during fight scenes are described in sufficient detail.

7. I hear the thoughts and emotions of the characters during fight scenes, not just the bare visual description.

8. In fight scenes, sentences are short and have simple direct structure.

9. Paragraphs are much shorter in fight scenes.10. In fight scenes, characters' thoughts focus relentlessly on

the fight at hand, not abstract things.11. Fights are goal based, and produce a sense of progression

as the protagonist makes progress towards or away from their goal.

12. Given the genre and story tone, the fight feels appropriately realistic and believable.

13. Fight scenes are internally consistent and logical (e.g. Untrained combatants will fight entirely different from trained ones).

14. In fight scenes, needless embellishments and punctuation that might slow down the action are eliminated.

15. Fight scenes are characterized by terse and occasionally broken sentences.

16. Character's actions in fight scenes have clear responses from other combatants, producing a cohesive sense of cause and effect.

17. There are no distracting errors in terminology or logical implausibilities within fight scenes.

18. Exposition and advancement of the plot is avoided until the fight scene is over.

19. I gain a deeper understanding of the character's personality and motivations through the fight scenes.

20. During fight scenes, I can feel extreme emotion and passion just underneath the surface.

21. The fight scene has an emotionally charged, final climactic moment usually near the scene's end.

22. Especially in action scenes, there are no unnecessary words, descriptions of irrelevant character actions, or complex sentence structures.

23. The fight scene accomplishes more than one thing (e.g. shows character, reveals setting, etc).

24. Action scenes feel fast and intense: extraneous information is limited, gritty sensory details are focused on, and sentences are kept short and utilitarian.

25. The most exciting parts of the fight are described in detail, the rest summarized.

Genre AppropriatenessRequirements: The reader has completed at least one third of the book.

1. Readers of this genre and age group would connect emotionally with the characters and their problems

2. The content is genre and age appropriate (e.g. no excessive profanity in a middle grade book).

3. Middle grade: The setting is interesting and maybe a little bit whimsical. There is very little adult intervention within the plot of the book

4. Middle grade: The content and word choice seems appropriate and easily understood for kids between 8 and 12 years old

5. Middle grade: The book isn't larger than roughly 60k words. 6. Middle grade: The plot is relatively straightforward and simple,

with few nuances or sidetracks. 7. Middle grade: Adults never intervene to solve the problems

facing the protagonists.8. Middle grade: The book has an exceptionally gentle learning

curve in the beginning. 9. Middle grade: There is no objectionable content in the book.10. Young adult: There is lots of action, a heavy psychological

component, and some type of romantic element. Adults are rarely helpful, and often antagonistic.

11. Young adult: The content and word choice seems appropriate and easily understood for people older than 12 (including adults).

12. Young adult: The book is in the neighborhood of 70k to 80k words.

13. Epic: The book is in the neighborhood of 120k to 150k words.

14. Military: There are awesome military tactics and cool weaponry

15. Hard SF: There is cool technological gadgetry that seems solidly grounded in actual science. Also, there is some type of philosophical element to the story.

16. Space Opera: The story could be described as “fun people having fun in space”.

17. Science Fiction in General: The book is in the neighborhood of 80k to 100k words.

18. Urban: There are cool fighting scenes and it feels somewhat gritty and dark.

19. Urban: It is in the neighborhood of 70k words. 20. Humor: It's actually funny21. Mystery: The central mystery of the book is compelling, not

cliché.22. Romance: Romantic tension is believably maintained (e.g.

there are two or more viable love interests)23. Horror: I am genuinely horrified by this story24. Historical fiction: Inasmuch as I know my history from this

era, the story seems plausible

Marketability Requirements: The reader has completed the first third of the book.

1. I can easily categorize this novel into an established genre. 2. I can easily think of a target demographic who would potentially

like to read this book.3. Given the conventions and tropes of the genre, the central

premise of this novel feels immediately fresh and intriguing.4. I personally can think of a large number of people who would be

interested in this book, or a book like it, were it to be written well.

5. There is NOT a glut of books within the genre similar to this one. (e.g. If it's a paranormal romance, it's not at all similar to Twilight)

6. The book doesn't feel like a knock-off of some well known book 7. Although not derivative, I can think of a novel within the genre

that this story could be profitably compared to.8. The story is not disturbing, vulgar, or offensive - especially

judged in light of its genre's conventions (e.g. Adult horror will have entirely different content standards than middle grade).

9. As a book coming from a first time author, the novel is on the shorter end of acceptable lengths for its genre.

10. I personally wish there were more good books in the marketplace like this one. I think it likely that there are many other individuals who feel the same way.

Theme, Atmosphere, and MessageRequirements: The reader has completed the story

1. The author explores important moral questions throughout the book in a manner I find insightful.

2. The moral issues confronted by characters in the book don't feel artificial or un-relatable, but rather genuine and relevant (e.g. What moral dilemma do you find more compelling and true to life? “Should or shouldn't I unleash a viral plague upon humanity in order to obtain a chocolate bunny rabbit?” or “As the newly made CEO of a large corporation, should I vengefully retaliate against former tormentors?”)

3. I feel as though the book communicates something true and significant about the world.

4. I feel more alive after reading this book, more human.5. The overarching moral message of the book resonates with me.6. Although not necessarily a large part of the novel, by the story's

end I feel I've gained some moral insight. 7. The novel has a theme or larger purpose to it. It doesn't feel like

just another story the author wrote to make a couple bucks.

English GrammarRequirements: The submission IS NOT from the writer's first draft of the story.

1. There are no errors in the novel's grammar.2. There are no spelling mistakes.

3. The authors does not misuse words or appear to be unaware of their definitions (e.g. he doesn't use “illusion” when he means “allusion”, “compliment” when he means “complement”)

4. Punctuation is correctly used.5. Dialogue is punctuated correctly6. Parallel sentence structure is maintained. 7. All the conventions of good English grammar and diction are

maintained.

Personal Habits Rubric(Note: This section is included because personal qualities are changeable and in fact are essential to success as a writer. For example, unlike commonly believed, creativity can be learned.)Motivation Habits

1. I feel confident that I'm capable of coming up with cool, creative ideas that other people will enjoy.

2. I'll get published one day if that's really what I want.3. I've learned through experience that I typically produce good

writing even when I'm not feeling particularly inspired. 4. I rarely get anxious or negative about whether or not my story is

any good. It will work out. 5. I allow myself to write terrible first drafts. 6. My inner censor is typically an ally in my writing, not a crushing

thief of productivity and motivation.7. I can honestly say I'm writing first for myself, second for

everyone else. Although I would like success, the prospect of a story not being particularly successful doesn't scare me.

8. Although I want to improve, I don't worry if my writing will be good enough.

9. It's easy for me to take criticisms of my work and not take it personally.

10. Although I love all my stories, I'm more confident about my ability as a writer than I am about the success of any one of my stories.

11. The prospect of the satisfaction I'll feel after finishing my story is more motivating to me than the prospect of any external reward I might obtain.

12. I genuinely look forward to my time writing. It's just fun to write.

13. I don't get distracted by fear, frustration, or self-doubt while writing my story.

14. I don't read into rejections, interpreting them as a sign that I lack talent or that I'll never get published.

15. I don't have “slumps” at predictable times when writing my stories, such as starting a story with a great burst of enthusiasm then getting bored with it during the middle.

16. I view rejections as temporary setbacks with any number of possible explanations, many of which have nothing to do with my skill as a writer.

17. When I'm not sure how to progress a story or what to do next, I don't freak out. I just keep writing.

18. I'm good at taking each day as it comes, and not getting overwhelmed with the enormity of any given writing project.

19. I don't get annoyed or frustrated when it takes me longer than I initially thought it would to achieve some desired goal (e.g. to become a better writer, to hear back from an editor).

20. I don't get “writer's block”. During times when I feel less motivated and inspired, I'm still able to write and consistently produce output, even if it's not my best work.

21. I'm a pretty happy person and bounce back relatively quickly from setbacks in life.

22. My love relationships are deep and satisfying, and I get a lot of support in my writing goals.

23. I have sufficient free time in my life to meet my writing goals. It's just a question of actually doing it.

Writing Habits1. I'm good at finishing stories I start. 2. I have a time set apart for my writing. 3. I am in the habit of regularly putting down words to a page.4. I'm typically satisfied with the amount of writing I accomplish in

an average week. 5. I am able to push through my boredom when doing those

aspects of writing I don't particularly enjoy (e.g., editing, query letter writing).

6. I have a specific place where I write regularly.7. I don't allow myself to get distracted or lose focus while writing

(e.g. internet memes, story research).8. When I start a story, I'm good at focusing on it and not allowing

myself to get distracted by new story ideas. 9. I have a notebook or document of some type that I consistently

add new ideas to. 10. I keep track of how many words I write on a daily basis.

11. I have a daily word count goal that I consistently reach. 12. I'm very motivated by the prospect of finishing a story. It's

easy for me to focus relentlessly on that end goal and not get distracted from it.

13. I have writing group that gets together on a weekly basis and which motivates me in my writing.

14. I almost always have a general idea of what I'm going to write before I sit down to write.

15. I'm good at revising my work and thinking critically about my writing decisions.

16. I revise regularly.17. I have hard non-negotiable deadlines for my writing, self-

imposed or otherwise.

Creativity Habits1. When developing stories, I often draw on a diverse set of

unrelated ideas and experiences (e.g. A plot that is informed by Zen philosophy and a vivid image of a garbage truck in a New York slum).

2. I'm not content with just one or two cool ideas in a story, but stretch myself to incorporate many imaginative ideas.

3. When presented with striking images or ideas in life, I will often consider how they might fit into an existing story even when the image or idea seems completely unrelated.

4. I will sometimes try to combine two or more completely unrelated stories in my mind to see what stories may emerge (For example, Moby Dick + Pride & Prejudice + a John Grisham legal thriller + a medieval fantasy setting)

5. I regularly record striking images and ideas in an idea journal6. I regularly think through ways in which images and ideas in my

idea journal could potentially fit together in interesting ways. 7. I will sometimes take a known situation or story and modify

isolated pieces of it in my mind to see if anything interesting emerges. Most typically by 1. Substituting an element in the story with another one (e.g.

Arthurian legend taking place in Stone Age England instead of medieval England)

2. Combining elements (e.g. Instead of king Arthur having an

entire group of knights he just has one near invincible super knight)

3. Modifying elements to non-standard uses (e.g. Making Arthur's round table a group of wizard-assassins, not knights)

4. Adapting elements to fill non-standard roles (e.g. Guinevere isn't just Arthur's wife but also the nation's Prime Minister)

5. Magnifying or minimizing elements (e.g. Minifying Merlin to not be a great wizard, but rather a stage magician who decides to put his talents to use in order to create political stability for the country)

6. Eliminating elements (e.g. Eliminating the sword Excalibur, forcing Arthur to gain monarchical legitimacy some other way)

7. Reversing elements (e.g. Instead of Merlin being Arthur's biggest supporter, he is the magician king of a rival kingdom intent on stopping Arthur's rise to power)

8. I'm regularly ask “What if?” questions.9. I am not content with the status quo inside genres (e.g. generic

Medievaldom in fantasy) and don't rest with a story till I feel it's truly adding something fresh and new to the genre.

10. I often question the fundamental conventions of my genre in a quest to understand why the conventions exist and what need they fulfill in the reader. (e.g. Asking what need it fulfills in the reader that the hero in epic fantasy invariably has a unique special power or ability.)

11. Before generating ideas for a plot, character, and story, I first generate a relatively comprehensive list of questions I'd like to have answered about them (e.g. What is their profession? What is a dark past secret from their life?). Note that these questions should typically not be the same for every story, since the overall focus of any given story will require a different set of questions in the first place.

12. I record exceptionally intriguing “what if” questions in my idea notebook when they occur to me (e.g. What if only despicable human beings were given super powers?)

13. I like to regularly travel and get exposed to places different from those I'm accustomed to in my day to day living.

14. I regularly read in my genre.15. I regularly ask why readers enjoy certain books, especially

ones I don't. 16. I look for potential stories in everything, even mundane

things, and record my ideas.17. I regularly talk to people more creative and interesting than

I am.18. I often talk to people with extremely different world views

from my own (e.g. extremely different politically, from a foreign culture, people who hate my genre).

19. Some of my closest friends (including writing friends) are extremely different from me in background, politics, worldview, gender, and other qualities.

20. I try to continually learn new things in disciplines completely unrelated to writing (e.g. Russian history, bio-engineering, the Israel-Palestine conflict, etcetera) or new skills (e.g. snowboarding, gunsmithing, etcetera)

21. I have a writing group or core group of friends who I can get together with to discuss interesting new story possibilities.

22. I attend many conferences and meet new people regularly such as for lunch, especially with people interested in writing also.

23. I regularly analyze stories I read to discover why they were successful and interesting.

24. I sometimes write short stories simply to test out an idea, even when I'm not sure it will work.

Learning Habits1. Several times per year, I attend writing classes, workshops,

conferences, and/or writing retreats.2. On each writing project, I try to choose an area of focus that

takes me out of my comfort zone as a writer (e.g., characterization, humor, etc).

3. I don't worry about other people “stealing” my ideas but am more interested in getting diverse feedback from many people.

4. I have a writing group whose members I respect tremendously and whose input I take seriously.

5. Most of the members of my writing group are writers themselves whose opinion's I take very seriously.

6. I read a lot in the genres I like to write in.7. Especially on my more mature drafts, I get feedback from a

diverse group of people beyond my writing group, including non-writers.

8. I occasionally do small writing exercises to practice a specific area of my craft (e.g. a flash fiction prompt).

9. I regularly get feedback from people very different from me: culturally, religiously, gender, etcetera.

10. I consistently analyze my own writing and consider how it could be better.

11. I am able to create “space” between myself and my writing, and analyze it with an objective eye.

Workshopping Habits1. I rarely speak while being critiqued and don't give in to the urge

to defend or even explain my writing. 2. I am genuinely eager to receive friendly but unflinchingly honest

criticism of my story that will help it improve.3. I attempt to gain further clarification when receiving feedback,

even if it means asking painful follow-up questions.4. Although I appreciate feedback and critiques, I am able to keep

my story my own. Both me and my writing group understand that during my revisions I will only use some of the critiques I'm given.

5. I give both positive and negative feedback when critiquing.6. I am descriptive in my critiques of others writing, not prescriptive

(e.g. “This character bored me” is better than feedback like “You need to make this character have a cool hobby, like motorcycling”).

7. My critiques are extremely specific, directly linking my emotional reactions to specific sections of the prose (e.g. “On line 22, when the protagonist said 'Please? Pretty please?', the protagonist instantly lost all credibility as an authentic teenager for me”).

8. I ignore small unimportant details when giving initial feedback on a story, instead focusing on essentials like their general prose style and the story's plot, character, and setting.