Itching to get a peek of the judging process? Let's see what the super cool judges will look for when they read your work! Please remember that this is just a fun contest and whether you win or not, your work has value. Keep doing what you love and let your imagination run wild! We're all learning and growing. Even if you don't win this contest, there's always a next time.

Google sheets will be provided to the judges with a rubric and specific instructions. The rubric will be divided into 2 main parts:

1. Language + Cover/Blurb (30%)
2. Content (70%)

Only the first chapter will be read for this round, so make sure it shines!

The primary criteria will be the character (intro & goal), exposition/conflict/world and premise/hook. When it comes to language, the occasional typo won't matter, but you will lose marks if you have a lot of spelling, punctuation and grammar errors. The judges will also evaluate your prose—sentence structure, writing style/voice and the use of literary devices.

The cover and blurb only make up 5% each, but the first impression matters! Judges will check if the cover fits the story/genre and if it's pleasing in terms of elements and composition. This won't be a hardcore design analysis, and there will be a level of subjectivity. The blurb will be judged based on how it conveys character, conflict, world and goals in a way that is clear, concise and attractive.

Three chapters will be read from shortlisted entries. Stories will score marks for character, plot, originality, world/themes, dialogue, pace and enjoyment.

The judges will look at how fleshed out and believable the protagonist is—their thought processes, flaws, motivations and their interactions with the other characters. Does the character change/grow as they embark on their hero's journey? It won't be easy judging the plot, since this contest will only focus on your first three chapters. Judges will evaluate how gripping and well-crafted the plot is—after all, these first few chapters should propel your story forward. The pace will also be considered, since going too slow might make the reader lose interest.

Originality here doesn't mean coming up with something that no one has ever thought of before. That's hardly possible, since we draw inspiration from works both past and present. This contest will judge originality in terms of a fresh take on a beloved tale or new ways you've incorporated tropes or fun twists you've used to subvert expectations. Maybe you've come up with something wholly new, after all.

Since this is a contest for speculative fiction genres, you will score points for cool worldbuilding, as well as how you bring out your story's themes. The judges will also look at how well you convey your world—for instance, you will lose marks for info dumping.

Last but not least, there's the most subjective criterion—enjoyment. It carries less marks than the others, but how enjoyable your story is does play a role.