Judges, please read the following info and judge based on that. At least 10 chapters should be read (the more, the better though).
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You must leave at least 5 long (5-6 sentences) or 10 short (2-3 sentences) constructive comments in the first 10 chapters, all with the tag #tsc22. More details about this will be given later in this chapter.
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If a book meets every point mentioned below, it is considered 'flawless'. While judging, try to spot the strengths, but also the weaknesses. There is always room for improvement— even if minimal— but sometimes you have to look harder than you usually would. This guide can help you pinpoint those weaknesses. Just because a book is flawless in one aspect (i.e. grammar, pacing) it does not mean there is no room for improvement.
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❖ Title, Cover and Blurb (10 points)
• The title is attention-grabbing and memorable, while simultaneously relevant to the story and genre.
• The cover includes the title in a legible font.
• The cover reflects the genre of the book.
• The cover is aesthetically pleasing.
• The picture/theme of the cover is relevant to the story.
• The blurb reflects the main plot of the story.
• The blurb does not give away any unnecessary spoilers.
• The blurb is short and hooks the reader.
❖ Opening Chapter (10 points)
• The first chapter or prologue is intriguing.
• It leaves the reader hanging and wanting to read more.
• The chapter builds up to the introduction of the story's main conflict (in case of a prologue that takes place in the past, it is suspenseful).
❖ Pacing and Fluidity (20 points)
• The story is not too fast-paced, or too slow. If the writer drags out or rushes past certain scenes, it is done purposely and with good reason.
• Each chapter has a role in the story. There are no unnecessary fillers that do not serve a purpose to the storyline.
• The transitions from chapter to chapter and from one scene to the next are smooth. No big time jumps are made unless absolutely necessary.
• The story does not move too slowly. Interactions between characters are happening frequently, and there is action often in the story.
• Themes and events aren't repetitive. If there is repetition at any point, it is done purposely.
• Dialogue and descriptions find a good balance, so there isn't too much of one and too little of the other. This means there are no info-dumps—necessary information is revealed little by little, not all at once which can be overwhelming and boring for the reader.
• Sentences flow well together. They are not too short or too long (unless it's done purposely).
❖ Character Portrayal (20 points)
• All characters are three-dimensional; their reactions to events that take place are reasonable.
• Emotions are described in depth, especially at critical points in the story.
• The characters are not shown as perfect; they all have their flaws like any person does. Some flaws may be eliminated or diminished as the story progresses, but it happens gradually and because of different events that take place.
• The characters have their own unique personalities, which are consistent throughout the story. Their actions reflect their personality; there are no out-of-character reactions to events that take place.
❖ Plot Development (20 points)
• After the end of each chapter, the reader is inclined to continue reading the story.
• The story steadily builds up to the climax, where tension and suspense are at their peak.
• The plot is unique; it may occasionally touch on cliche topics, but the author has made it stand out.
❖ Vocabulary and Mechanics (20 points)
• The author presents a diverse vocabulary, never repeating the same words too often. There are some uncommon words woven into the narration, which enhance the descriptions.
• The structuring of sentences is proper.
• Typos are nonexistent.
• Homophones are not mixed up.
• Punctuation is used correctly.
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Tips and Notes
❖ COMMON GRAMMATICAL ERRORS
• Comma Splices
- A comma splice is when two complete sentences are linked with a comma.
✗ My favorite animal is a dog, dogs are very cute.
✓ My favorite animal is a dog. Dogs are very cute.
✓ My favorite animal is a dog—dogs are very cute.
✓ My favorite animal is a dog; dogs are very cute.
✓ My favorite animal is a dog, because dogs are very cute.
• Fused Sentences
- A fused sentence is when two complete sentences are put together without any punctuation.
✗ Anna is a nice person she has many friends.
✓ Anna is a nice person. She has many friends.
✓ Anna has many friends because she is a nice person.
• Homophones
- Homophones are words that sound the same, but are spelled differently. (you're/your and their/they're/there are the most common ones).
✗ You're food is getting cold.
✗ Your welcome.
✓ Your food is getting cold.
✓ You're welcome.
(you're = you are, your = possessive pronoun)
• Comma vs. Period Inside Quotation Marks
- When a dialogue tag follows after the quotation marks close, there should be a comma and the first letter should be lowercase (NOT including 'I', of course). When a complete sentence follows, there should be a period before the quotation marks close and the first letter should be uppercase.
✗ "Hello." he said, smiling.
✗ "Hello." He said, smiling.
✓ "Hello," he said, smiling.
✓ "Hello." He smiled.
(dialogue tags = she said, he exclaimed, they yelled etc.)
• Consistency in Tenses
- While reading, make sure to watch out for the tenses. If a book is written in past tense, there shouldn't be instances where present tense is used and vice versa.
✗ My name is Emma, and I am 20 years old. I had brown hair and blue eyes.
✗ "Hello," I greeted my friend. She replies with a hug.
✓ My name is Emma, and I am 20 years old. I have brown hair and blue eyes.
✓ "Hello," I greeted my friend. She replied with a hug.
❖ HOW TO SCORE A BOOK
• Constructive Criticism
✓ When leaving feedback on a book, make sure to point out both the negative and positive aspects. Showering the author with compliments all the time won't help them improve. And remember that there is always something positive to point out in a book.
✓ Make sure to let the author know about the faults that will cost them points while scoring. Don't reveal any scores, but point out weak points and comment on ways to improve.
✓ You must leave at least 5 long comments OR 10 short comments (2 short = 1 long). Every long comment should be at least 5-6 SENTENCES LONG. Every short comments should be at least 2-3 SENTENCES LONG (depending on the length of the sentences). Be as detailed as possible while giving feedback.
✓ Think of this almost like a review of the book, but one that is split so that constructive criticism is given in different parts of the book. Give as much useful feedback as possible.
✗ Don't be rude. Even while giving tips and suggestions, always be polite.
✗ Refrain from leaving meaningless comments of praise. Write helpful comments, pointing out specific instances where the author could improve/has done a great job and justify each point made.
✗ Do not be generic by just commenting 'I like this' or 'this chapter was really nice' or anything along those lines. If you're going to say something like this, include why you think it's nice. Same goes for criticism. Always include a detailed explanation for each point you make.
• Points Scale
✓ Deducting 1-2 points means there were one or two instances where the criteria mentioned above was not met.
✓ Deducting 3-4 points means there were a few instances where the criteria mentioned above was not met.
✓ Deducting 5-9 points means there were plenty of instances where the criteria mentioned above was not met.
✓ Deducting 10 or more points means there were many repeated errors throughout the book which interrupted the flow of the story and could not be ignored by the reader.
• Average Overall Scores
✓ A book that needs (heavy) improvement will probably score 40-60 points.
✓ A good book will probably score 61-70 points.
✓ A very good book will probably score 71-80 points.
✓ An amazing book will probably score 81-89 points.
✓ A spectacular book will probably score 90-95 points.
✓ Any book that scores above that should be highly impressive. The author should showcase professionalism in their writing.
✗ Do not take scoring lightly. While every book is special in its own way, only a few truly go above and beyond. Be critical and honest while judging.
Additional Note: Both American and British English should be taken as correct. If you are unsure whether something is correct due to being more familiar with one of the two, feel free reach out to us or the author of the book. Similarly, if you are uncertain about anything in general while judging a book, don't hesitate to contact us through DMs.