25-4-25 Score Sheet--This is How Your Entry will be Scored.
We include this for reference, but we do not share scoresheets with contestants.
Book Title_________________________ Genre_______________________
Scores range from 1-5 for each question. 3 is average, 5 is superior, 50 points maximum. One point will be awarded on each of the five components of the question for a maximum of 5 points per question.
1. Is the manuscript presented free of grammar and spelling mistakes? _____
2. Is there a sense of time and place? _____
3. Does the story have compelling characters and believable dialogue (if any)? _____
4. Does the story have an intriguing situation? _____
5. Point of view _____
6. Is the writing vivid and evocative? _____
7. Conflict? _____
8. Has the writer begun at an interesting place in the story?
9. Has the writer avoided any unnecessary details? _____
10. Do these three pages hook the reader? _____
Total Score _____
Comments:
We include this for reference, but we do not share scoresheets with contestants.
Book Title_________________________ Genre_______________________
Scores range from 1-5 for each question. 3 is average, 5 is superior, 50 points maximum. One point will be awarded on each of the five components of the question for a maximum of 5 points per question.
1. Is the manuscript presented free of grammar and spelling mistakes? _____
- Title on the first page
- Formatted correctly: 1 inch margins; 12 point font
- Free of spelling errors
- Correct punctuation and grammar errors
- Double Spaced
2. Is there a sense of time and place? _____
- Is the prose appropriate to the setting?
- Has the physical environment been established: time of day/month/year/season?
- Has the location been firmly established: indoors or outdoors?
- Is there a sense of the genre? Historical, contemporary, paranormal?
- Has the writer built a believable world?
3. Does the story have compelling characters and believable dialogue (if any)? _____
- Does the internal and or external dialogue fit the character(s)?
- Does the internal or external dialogue fit the genre?
- Are the characters’ actions believable?
- Are the goals and motivation of the character believable?
- Are the hero and or heroine compelling?
4. Does the story have an intriguing situation? _____
- Does the writer have an interesting set - up?
- Is the situation compelling?
- Is the situation believable?
- Is what's happening clear?
- Has the author planted the seed that ultimately drives the story forward?
5. Point of view _____
- Is the POV consistent?
- Is the POV smooth and logical?
- Does the writer use POV to strengthen character development?
- Is the scene in the right POV?
- Does the writer head hop?
6. Is the writing vivid and evocative? _____
- Has the writer used the senses (smell, touch, vision, etc.)?
- Has the writer overused adjectives and / or adverbs?
- Is there repetitive word use in the three pages?
- Does the writer effectively show versus tell?
7. Conflict? _____
- Is the conflict present or implicit?
- Does the character struggle with internal as well as external conflict?
- Does conflict stand in the way of the hero/heroine achieving their goal?
- Has the writer avoided contrived conflict?
- Is the conflict strong enough to carry the story?
8. Has the writer begun at an interesting place in the story?
- Is the opening sentence/paragraph strong?
- Is the pace appropriate for the genre?
- Does the pace draw the reader in?
- Has the author created characters readers will care about?
- Did the author begin the story in the optimum situation?
9. Has the writer avoided any unnecessary details? _____
- Do the characters go off on tangents?
- Has the writer avoided excessive use of backstory?
- Has the writer avoided a multitude of metaphors?
- Are descriptions of the setting/clothes/characters, etc. too long and detailed?
- Do the characters interact with the setting?
10. Do these three pages hook the reader? _____
Total Score _____
Comments:
