𝐔𝐧𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐩𝐢𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐬: 𝐀 𝐋𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐚𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬.

Welcome, fellow wordsmiths, to the heart of the Grand Masquerade!  This year's theme promises a dazzling display of creativity, where stories unfold behind hidden identities and unexpected twists. But before we delve into the vibrant world of your submissions, let's raise the curtain on the grand categories that will celebrate your literary artistry.

Within this chapter, you'll discover a spectrum of masquerades waiting to be explored. Each category offers a unique platform to showcase your talent, whether you weave captivating tales of mystery and suspense or craft poems that dance with hidden meanings. So, prepare to be beguiled as we unveil the categories that will be the setting for your grand literary performance.

📌The Gilded Page Award (Romance): Does your story make hearts flutter and leave readers yearning for happily ever after? Let your words ignite the flames of passion and compete for the Gilded Page Award, a testament to the captivating power of romance.

📌Erotic Romance with Dark Elements: This is a broader category that encompasses stories with a strong focus on explicit sexual content, while also incorporating darker themes like obsession , ,manipulation, toxic relationships & gore violence.

📌The Enigmatic Ink Award (Mystery/Thriller): Do your twists and turns keep readers on the edge of their seats? Can you weave a web of suspense so intricate it leaves them breathless? The Enigmatic Ink Award awaits the master of suspense, the one who can shroud their story in captivating mystery.

📌The Starlight Scribe Award (Sci-Fi/Fantasy): Do you possess the power to transport readers to fantastical worlds or unfathomable futures? Can you craft a universe brimming with magic, technology, or creatures beyond imagination? The Starlight Scribe Award seeks the weaver of extraordinary worlds, the one who pushes the boundaries of reality with their fantastical tales.

📌The Quixotic Quill Award (General Fiction): Does your story defy categorization, encompassing elements of humor, drama, or coming-of-age narratives? The Quixotic Quill Award celebrates the unconventional, the genre-bending masterpiece that defies definition.

📌The Ink-Stained Dagger Award (Crime/Horror): For stories where darkness reigns and the line between justice and villainy blurs, leaving readers on the edge of their seats, their masks barely concealing their fear.

📌The Verdant Quill Award (Historical Fiction): For tales that whisk readers back in time, where history comes alive and secrets from the past are unmasked in vibrant detail. 

📌The Painted Plume Award (Young Adult): For narratives that capture the essence of youth, where dreams take flight and self-discovery unfolds under the masquerade lights. 

📌The Moonlit Manuscript Award (Teen Fiction): For stories that capture the complexities of youth, where dreams and challenges intertwine under the moonlit masquerade.

📌The Veiled Verse Award (Poetry): Where emotions dance and hidden truths are whispered, let your poetry be the mask that unveils the depths of the human heart.

📌The Masked Muse Award (Short Story): A captivating story in a single, dazzling act! Let your words be the mask that unveils a complete and unforgettable experience.

📌The Howling Ink Award (Paranormal/Supernatural): For stories where the veil between worlds thins, and creatures of the night stalk the shadows, their secrets waiting to be unmasked.

𝑴𝑨𝑰𝑵 𝑪𝑨𝑻𝑬𝑮𝑶𝑹𝒀 𝑮𝑼𝑰𝑫𝑬𝑳𝑰𝑵𝑬𝑺

╰┈➤.The eligible sub genres for Romance Category are:

➛Romantic Comedy
➛LGBTQ+ Romance (focuses on the romantic relationship, not solely on LGBTQ+ identity)
➛Enemies to Lovers
➛Friends to Lovers
➛Love Triangle
➛Dark Romance (with clear warnings and following platform guidelines)
➛Teen Romance (following platform guidelines for mature content)
➛Forced Marriage Romance
➛Mafia/ Bad Boy Romance

╰┈➤.While these subgenres fall under the umbrella of romance, they have distinct elements that warrant separate categories:

➛Historical Romance: Set in a specific historical period, with romance woven into the historical setting.

➛Young Adult Romance: Targets a younger audience, often featuring characters navigating first love and relationships.

➛Sci-Fi Romance: Features elements of science fiction alongside the romantic plot.

➛Fantasy Romance: Includes fantastical elements like werewolves, vampires, or magical worlds alongside the romance.

For these subgenres, please use the designated main category (Historical, Young Adult, Sci-Fi, Fantasy) and mention the romantic element in the subgenre.

╰┈➤.You can only choose one main category for your story. If you are unsure which category best fits your story, consider the genre that has the strongest influence on the plot and character development.

╰┈➤You can only choose ONE main category and ONE subgenre per entry. A single book can only be submitted in one category.

╰┈➤Maximum two entries for main categories are allowed. This means you can submit a maximum of two stories, each belonging to a different main category.  This ensures a wider variety of stories are represented.

╰┈➤Submission forms are not to be filled out within this chapter.

Kindly feel free to clear your doubts if you have any queries, here in FAQs section >>>>>