Northwest Houston RWA
2013 Lone Star Writing Contest
Score Sheet
Entry #: _____ Entry Title: _____
Category: ____ Genre: ____
Judge’s Code: _____
Judge Profile:
| Published __ | RWA Contest Finalist __ | Unpublished __ | RWA PRO __ |
Scoring Key:
5 = Excellent, ready to submit
4 = Almost there, needs only a little polishing
3 = Average, needs improvement
2 = Needs substantial reworking
1 = Needs better understanding of specific basic concepts, then extensive reworking
Please provide commentary for a score of 3 or lower. Do not score a 1 without a complete explanation.
| Category _____________________________ Total Score ________________ | |
| A: OPENING SCENES:___ 1. Does the story begin with an interesting hook, prompting you to read more? | |
| ___ 2. Do you quickly develop a convincing sense of time and place? | |
| Subtotal ___ | Comments: __________________________________________ |
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B: CHARACTERIZATION: ___ 3. Are the character’s descriptions effective? Can you picture them? |
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| ___ 4. Are character’s actions/reactions appropriate, consistent, and credible for thegenre? | |
| ___ 5. Are main characters sympathetic despite flaws/faults? Are you rooting forthem as the story progresses? | |
| ___ 6. Does conflict (internal or external) flow naturally from the character/s or does it seem artificial or forced? | |
| Subtotal ___ | Comments: __________________________________________ |
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C: PLOT: ___ 7. Is the plot progression building into an interesting story? |
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| ___ 8. Are plot elements logical and believable within this genre? | |
| Subtotal ___ | Comments: __________________________________________ |
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D: NARRATIVE/DIALOGUE TECHNIQUES: ___ 9. How well does the dialogue match the characters? |
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| ___ 10. Does the dialogue read naturally and realistic for the time period and genre? Does it accurately reveal the voices of the characters? | |
| ___ 11. Is the narrative clear? How well does it animate the characters, time and place? | |
| ___ 12. Does the narrative show rather than tell? | |
| ___ 13. Is the pacing effective? Does the pace and amount of backstory fit the action, tone and tension of the story? | |
| Subtotal ___ | Comments: ___________________________________________ |
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E: WRITING TECHNIQUES: ___ 14. Do you get a vivid picture from the writing? Does the writer use creative figures of speech and at least a few of the five senses? |
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| ___ 15. Are points-of-view handled well? | |
| ___ 16. Are scene transitions smooth, natural, and logical? | |
| ___ 17. Is the entry presented professionally with few typos, good grammar, and generally accepted punctuation? | |
| ___ 18. Is the prose dynamic, easily read, and dominated by active verbs? | |
| Subtotal ___ | Comments ____________________________________________ |
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F: OVERALL: ___ 19. Is your interest piqued? How much would you want to read more? |
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| ___ 20. Overall, how well are the elements woven together to produce a promising story? | |
| Subtotal ___ | Comments: __________________________________________________ |
| _____________________________________________________________ | |
| _______ |
G: Grand Total Score (highest possible is 100 points) |
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OVERALL MANUSCRIPT COMMENTS: Please feel free to include additional comments in the body of the manuscript. |