As said in the rules, the criteria will be dependent on the judges. However, here are few parameters, they must consider -

                   𝘽𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝘽𝙤𝙤𝙠

✨ Writing style
✨ Characters
✨  Plot
✨  Grammar and vocabulary
✨  Pacing
✨  Theme
✨  Creativity
✨  Execution

                  𝙒𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙩𝙮𝙡𝙚

✨ Narration - It refers to how well the author has narrated the story, while also putting their input in the story but not being to obnoxious about it.

✨Description vs dialogues - It refers to the balance of descriptions and dialogue, and how smoothly they transition from one another.

✨Sentence Structure - It refers to the unique way of forming sentence structure, while being grammatically correct.

✨Diction - It refers to the word choice and consistency in vocabulary.

✨Creativity - It refers to how unique the execution and/or themes of the writing and author is.

✨Consistency in transition - How the author has transitioned one scene to another?

✨Imagery - It refers to the vivid description of the scene and how easily it is showing the narration through sensory details, instead of just telling the readers through a non-detailed narration.

✨ Literary devices - Use of analogies, metaphors, subtext, symbolism, irony, hyperbole etc.

✨ Tone - It refers to the relevancy of the writing style to it's genre. If it is consistently informal, humorous, dark, light etc, aligning with the mood of the scene and characters.

                 𝘽𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨

✨Development - It refers to how the character has developed with the developing plot and changes.

✨Arc - Character arc is how the characters shifted themselves after a particularly important incidence. It is different from character development as character development is the assessment of change in the character from beginning to the end, with change in plot. However, character arc is change in character after a particular incidence, with respect to not just beginning or end but an arc in the book.

✨Character Conflict - This refers to how the characters have responded to their internal and external conflicts, and how it changed their arc and development.

✨Relevancy - This is the balance of background characters and main characters and if few characters were even relevant to the plot, or provided a purpose in the storyline.

✨Design - It is the description of a character's personality, physical appearance, background, ideologies etc through dialogues, monologues and descriptions. It also indicates the unique voice by which a character speaks or behaves.

✨Motivation - It is the inner motives and goals of a certain character. Overall, this parameter indicates, having various characters with their motivations and how their motivations were elaborated in the book.

✨Relationship - This indicates how the characters have developed relationships, or existing relationships in the plot - can be positive, negative or complex.

                      𝘽𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙋𝙡𝙤𝙩

✨ Structure - The execution or organization of the storyline, can be linear, episodic or non linear but clear and relevant to the plot.

✨ Conflict - The main force of the plot which consists of character struggles, obstacles, dilemma etc. The conflict should be capable enough to shift the dynamics of plot and characters.

✨Inciting incident - The shift in dynamics of a plot and characters, by a particular incidence is called inciting incidence. Unlike conflict, it is not assessed in the overall book but rather a particular part of the book.

✨ Subplots - The parallel storyline along with the main storyline is called subplot.

✨Theme - The central ideas, messages, tropes etc in the plot.

✨Development - How the plot subtly captures the development in the storyline, affecting the character development, with a rising incidence, climax and falling incidence. Or the transition from one to another.

✨Rising incidence, climax and falling - Rising incidence is the development of the climax. Climax is the turning point of the storyline and falling incidence is the change in dynamics after the climax.

✨Twists and foreshadowing - The  gradual revelations and how they were developed throughout the book with hints and clues and didn't come out of nowhere.

✨Begining and conclusion - This is how the story began and how the conclusion ended.

                    𝘽𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙙𝙚𝙗𝙪𝙩

✨ Same as the best book but it honors the excellence in the author's first book, itself.

            𝙈𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙡𝙚 𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙧

✨ Genre diversity - It's how effectively an author has excelled  themselves in various genres.

✨ Range - It refers to the range of their versatility. Have they always done the same tropes/themes but in different genres, or have they explored a range of diverse topics!

For example - The second author is preferable.

Three books - thriller, romance and fantasy with same paranormal theme in all three
                         AND
Three books - thriller, romance and fantasy with paranormal themes, coming of age themes and magic themes, respectively.

✨Creativity - The use of different genres with uniqueness and innovation.

✨ Signature style - Remember, range is not same as signature style. In the above example, paranormality can be signature style of an author and that is acceptable, but it shouldn't be the norm. They should execute their signature style in various different ways. It can be any reoccurring motif which reminds the reader of the author and their style.

✨Quality and quantity - It refers to the quality of the books (refer to best book, writing style, plot and characters) and if the quantity compromises the quality. Overall, quantity and quality should be balanced.

                        𝙊𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙨

✨ Cover - Relevancy to the content, clarity, artwork, typography, color combinations, creativity.

✨Blurb - relevance to plot, maintaining intrigue, length, clarity, hook, capturing engagement.

✨Aesthetics/graphics - use of aesthetics to elevate the plot, relevance to the plot, graphic quality, layout, finishing, incorporation of aesthetics in the writing, consistency, being true to the theme.

✨Protagonist - development, complexity, likeability, conflict, arc (refer to best characters), memorability, uniqueness etc

✨Antagonist - voice, level of threat, complexity, motivation, description, arc, sympathy without glorification, vulnerability, impact, theme etc (refer to best characters)

✨Background characters - voice, subplots, relevance, role, description, characterization, arc, memorability (refer to best characters)

✨Playlist - relevance to themes of book and chapter, cohesion, lyrics, flow, intent of the author behind the song, emotional impact, song selection, composition (a happy chapter shouldn't have a sad composition)

✨Prologue - hook, relevance to the upcoming story and themes, worldbuilding, settings, tone etc.

✨Epilogue - resolution to conflict, development of characters and plot, emotional impact, closure, narration etc.

✨Dialogue - emotional impact, naturalness, building, resonance, rhythm, subtext, impact of dialogue etc.

✨Title - relevance to the theme, uniqueness, literary device, catchiness, memorability, appeal, clarity, emotional impact etc.

✨Chapter title - relevance to the chapter (refer above)

✨ Community - roots to the community, relevance to the themes and community, non generation of stereotypes but actual depth, research on the community, diversity, empowerment, authentic representation etc. (Also refer to best book)

✨ LGBTQ+ - relevance to the sexuality/s, education, research, non - generation of stereotypes, relevance to the community, depth, empowerment, authentic representation, diversity etc. (also refer to best book)

                         𝙉𝙤𝙩𝙚

Both LGBTQ+ and community awards are not for kpop fanfiction, they're for other categories, only. For kpop fanfiction, there's already a ship section.

Genre specific or fandom specific awards are same as best books (refer above) but they should also be relevant to the genre.

𝙌𝙪𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨 

𝙄𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪'𝙧𝙚 𝙖 𝙟𝙪𝙙𝙜𝙚, 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙗𝙚 𝙥𝙧𝙞𝙫𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙮 𝙖𝙨𝙠𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙚. 𝘿𝙤 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙖𝙡 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙩𝙮, 𝙞𝙩'𝙨 𝙖 𝙝𝙪𝙢𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙨𝙩.

If participants are okay with it, I can also join as a judge, only if they find it fair.